Question For Vegan/Vegetarian Users.

I'm in a similar spot to an extent. I really don't wanna kill animals and I do legitimately think it's wrong and I'm wrong for eating meat, but we're pretty much white trash and we can't afford too much food all the time, and a lot of times frozen chicken and stuff is all I can eat and I feel like the chickens would have died anyway so I might as well eat them but I also feel bad. I don't have too much advice outside of don't be too poor to buy fruits and vegetables, but I just thought I would let you know I understand where you're coming from.

 

I agree. Unfortunately there are a lot of vegans and vegetarians like that though, and people have a tendency to generalize. I do feel that eating meat is wrong, but I have no place to look down on others for doing so. It would be very hypocritical of me. I love all living creatures and don't want them to be hurt, but the best way to change other people's minds is by showing them love and compassion, not treating them like they're bad people for not agreeing with you. And obviously eating meat isn't inherently bad. In third world countries and stuff people don't have the luxury to even consider vegetarianism or veganism. I think your best bet would just to not really bring it up unless someone asks, and try to very sensitive when discussing the topic. I'm sure if you treat other's views with respect, a lot of people will return the favor.

 

While I'm not a vegan/vegetarian (I love meat way too much) I do follow a specific diet for health reasons mostly. I've been eating this way for almost 3 years and I love it. I've lost weight and I feel more energetic. In my experience the perceptions I've received from people have been mostly positive. Most are glad I'm happy and healthy, some just don't care, and few just don't want to discuss it (I think because they rather not think about their own diet)
There have also been times when it's been inconvenient because I don't really go out to eat anymore, or I can't eat dinner at a friend's. I suppose I'm lucky that despite that the people around me are supportive.

My advice would be to do what you want for you. If people question your decision, tell them your vegan for your health, for humanitarian reasons, or just cause it's Tuesday. Its your body and your choice to make. There's always gonna be someone who will look down on you for doing something they don't like or understand, don't waste time on those people.

Also if you go completely no animal byproducts make sure your getting enough protein and iron from your other food groups and also if you haven't already, consider vitamins and other supplements.

 

I'm vegetarian by choice and because of cultural reasons. It helps that I'm from a religious country where Vegetarian is respected and no one judges you too much for being a Veggie or Meat Lover.

I haven't come across many vegetarians who are biased towards meat eaters though, so I can't really relate. I for one personally don't care about people I know eating meat as long as they respect my decision to not eat it. I've had friends eat grotesque (IMHO) stuff like Octopus, Crab and Whole Goat in front of me. I think things like that helped me get used to seeing meat unlike people like my Aunt who throw up at the smell of meat cooking p).

As for Milk, I avoid it because I'm Lactose Intolerant. So I try to get my proteins from Green Peas, Beans, Chickpeas and Quinoa (I try to have a good portion of any of them everyday). I also add a spoon of clarified butter in my rice everyday, so I get some protein from that too. I have Curd (Indian Yogurt) and Buttermilk almost everyday too, which accounts for my calcium. I dunno if these are suitable or useful for you, but just saying.

 

I absolutely love oat milk, but I don't know if there's more protein in it than in others.

I have been a vegetarian for about 8 years, but I usually don't have problems with people being annoyed. Only my grandma sometimes complains that it's "so hard" to cook without meat (even though it's my grandpa who cooks, not her, lol). Well, this might be a surprise for some people, but cooking without meat is actually very easy. You just don't put any meat in whatever meal you're making.
But most people respect that I don't eat meat, some are interested and ask lots of questions, some say they find it good but couldn't do it themselves.

Even if people were annoyed by my choice, I wouldn't change anything. It's my body and my choice, and people should accept that as long as I'm accepting their eating habits.

 

I struggle being a vegi because it is a pain if you are living with other people.. You have to be prepared in that situation to cook 2 meals or all go vegetarian..

 

I didn't read all the comments, I'll admit, but I can speak on the original post a bit.

I'm in the same exact boat, AJ. I was a vegetarian about 2 years ago, and then tried some other diets. About two months ago I went back to vegetarian, though ultimately I'd like to shift into veganism. Anyway, I can definitely relate to the whole backlash thing. My family eats meat religiously, and siblings say things like "animals exist for people to eat them" and other bull. I haven't officially dropped the ball that I'm vegetarian again, because I can already hear the sighs and see the eyerolls.

I don't eat meat for health and nowadays ethical reasons. I belief in value of all life, don't want to eat animal corpses, don't want to support brutality, think it's generally a more compassionate and responsible way of life, et cetera. However I will say that I don't care if others eat meat or not - each person should follow their own convictions. I'm not going to support either extreme or needless animosity.

Nutrient wise, I find it helpful to take a multi-vitamin every day so as to ensure proper intakes. Also keep an eye on your protein sources. Personally I do a lot of brown rice, quinoa, legumes, vegetables, and dairy alternatives for protein. As for dairy alternatives, I could write a book about it. Here's what I've found:

Spoiler

> Silk Soymilk (5/5 taste and 4/5 texture)
Don't worry about the claims that soy will jack up your T. This only happens when soy is taken in excessive amounts. Very good all-purpose milk which is easy to acquire.

> Silk Almondmilk (3.5/5 taste, 5/5 texture)
I tend to dislike other brands of Almondmilk as the taste comes off too strong. It's probably the best cereal milk though. And typically the texture is quite thin, comparable to dairy.

> Cashew milk (4/5 taste, 4/5 texture)
Really good taste, thin and creamy texture. Very comparable to Almondmilk, but it tastes like cashews instead (no duh).

> Coconut milk (3/5 taste, 3/5 texture)
Really creamy, almost too much. The taste is also quite distinct. Not good in cereal but great for cooking or in desserts.

> Hemp or Flax milk (2/5 taste, 4/5 texture)
Similar constitution to Almondmilk. I don't like the taste by itself though. Though if you're looking for the most nutritious, look no further. The "seed milks" are loaded with Omega-3's and typically enriched with protein.

> Rice milk (5/5 taste, 2.5/5 texture)
Very thin, almost watery texture. I really like the taste. But it has little nutrition and not much use because it's so thin, aside from drinking plain.

Usually dairy alternative milks are lower in protein content, but almost always enriched to include vitamin D and Calcium, so no worries there. I find that seed and nut milks tend to have the highest protein concentration. Though keep in mind that if you want more protein, you could just buy a jug of soy protein powder ($15-$30 depending on brand) and just add it in. One tub of it lasts me about a month or two. Super convenient protein source right there.

At the end of the day it's your diet. Do what makes you healthy and happy. I don't care if someone is an arse about my diet anymore, because I'm usually way healthier than they are anyway. So screw their food discrimination.

 

if you want to go vegetarian, you should. i became a vegi when i was 11 and my mom and my family really hated it, and everyone around you will always criticize no matter what so i think it's best to just do what you want, and try to not pay attention to what other people say because in the end it's not a big deal, all you're doing is helping animals live and being a decent human.

 

I am vegetarian for about 4 years now and I live with my meat loving family. My brother is already a very picky eater, my father thinks he needs meat to almost everything and only my mother is sometimes eating the same as I do. At the beginning they thought it was just a phase and they were annoyed but they adapted.

When you live with meat lovers, find meals where everything is separated. Like you have pasta or potatoes or whatever, meat and then sauce extra. The sauce can be vegetarian, but they still have their meat and everyone is happy. Or you have vegetables and the sauce is with meat. Or you make a big vegetarian meal (if the others are ok with that) and the next day you eat the remains and the others can eat their meat. Or you just cook for yourself and eat for yourself, I don't know if you still live with your family and if they want to have family dinner like mine. With certain meals my parents just make everything without meat, put my stuff in a different pan or pot and then add the meat. Not difficult or time consuming and everyone gets what they want.

When you are invited for dinner or barbeque somewhere, bring something vegetarian for everyone. You have something to eat but the others can eat from that too, so it doesn't seem like an extra thing only for you.

A very important thing is to make sure why you do it. Tell them you don't want them to change but that you don't want to eat meat and they should accept that. If you explain it to them, they should understand. Everyone has things they don't want to eat for various reasons.

Also invite people to your place and cook something vegetarian to show them that you aren't someone who only eats salad. The more they see the good parts of it, the more they'll be ok with it.

In the end it's your decision and if you want it, do it. People really don't tell me that I am a radical vegetarian or pulled me into political debates. Yes, they make jokes and at the beginning they complained, but they'll see that it's nothing bad and I didn't try to change anyone. There are always a few idiots (one guy tried to convince me that cows want to die) but you shouldn't worry about them. Because in the end people tend to be more accepting of it then you think. I have two friends who became vegetarian themselves just because they saw that I didn't die from it.

 

I've been vegan for a few years now. When anyone gives me crap, I just ask them what their deal is, because I literally never police anyone's food choices ever. I also prepare to feed myself in all social situations because there's generally nothing for me (No, pepperoni pizza with the pepperonis picked off is not vegan, Aunt Edna...). I'm at a point where I don't care if I look pretentious or I'm being a burden, I eat what I eat and that's the end of it.

If you want to do it, do it! It's definitely easier, socially, to be vegetarian than vegan, but eat however you want.

 

Well, bro, I think if you have learned or can learn to put up with the "inconvenience" of being trans, putting up with the inconvenience of being a vegetarian or vegan shouldn't be very hard. That said, I do get where you're coming from though. But in my experience, people just get used to it over time. I got a lot of "there's not a single nutrient in that broccoli hahaha" (at which I think of them as something very much politically incorrect who know nothing about nutrition science), but then I guess they got bored of it after a while.

Letting fear stop you from doing good things and doing what you want is a no-no, you know. ^_^

 

I'm not a vegan and I won't be able to speak for anyone, but here's my take on the subject anyway. It may be important to find out any biases you have, Point for technicality: yes, you can survive eating vegies alone. Point for practicality: do you have the resources, etc.? Point for purpose/value: why would you go vegan? The last point is more on what realm you exist in, do you validate truths and follow norms for peace-keeping? or do you make your own opinions based on inner stability and effectiveness? It may be beneficial to consult both judgments but having just one idea of a consequence and an inner "why" would perhaps be enough as well. For example: one way to look at avoiding brain-carrying organisms is through individuation, if you want to embody a being that exists outside of a system and accentuate on your own gravity then confine yourself with things (food) that are different from you, as ridiculous as it may sound, it actually depicts flexibility because you are not bound by homogeneity posing a chain of rivalry. Just don't be a hypocrite as your "subjects" may also be subjects of each other; you're different from them but they're different from each other too. It depends on how you define flexibility really, one may posit that it is a mental thing, some may say flexibility is an attachment to detachment itself, those of which will probably have an I don't care what I eat outlook.
Being interested in something can mean an internal stimuli or interest has been spurred if not then you're probably being forced to do so, that may color your perception. If you don't follow a regimen of never going vegan or trying vegetables, then I'd say it's best to try and experience it yourself. I mean, what could go wrong? Some people are going to argue that veganism is a statement; the thing is, it wasn't really specified whether you should see things first before you judge, no-one's stopping from having/making things your own way.

 

Becoming vegan was the single greatest decision I have ever made. It has done wonders for both my mental and physical health. I've been vegan for 2 years and I have yet to receive any malicious comments. For me, the lives of animals, the environment, and my own health are way more important to me than feeling like an inconvenience because I don't follow a "normal" diet. The vast majority of vegans are respectful and kind. If anyone stereotypes you as anything else, just prove them wrong!
As for protein, don't worry about it! You can get more than enough protein from beans, nuts, and tofu! It's a myth that vegans are protein deficient. In fact, people who eat meat and dairy usually have an excess amount of protein in their systems (which is way more harmful than being deficient). My favorite milk is almond milk. However, there are tons of options like rice milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, and soy milk.
Going vegan is really so much easier than it seems after it becomes a habit. If you really want to be vegan, just stick with it and don't give up if you accidentally slip up once in a while! (Sidenote: Ben and Jerry's has a "dairy-free" vegan ice-cream line out now. It's glorious!)

Also, if you ever want to watch any vegan-related documentaries, I recommend "Forks Over Knives," "Earthlings," "Cowspiracy," and "Food Inc."

Good luck <3

 

If you're worried about nutrition, lentils are generally very good for protein, as are nuts and beans. You'll probably need to do a lot of research into what you can afford to eat regularly and what's got all the things you need. Lots of people going vegetarian/vegan end up with deficiencies at first until they find out what works best.
As for the social side... Well, most people I know have never complained about cooking vegetarian food and you could always offer to cook some for them to let them try it (and see it's not so bad)?

 

Hey! So, I have been a vegetarian for about a year now? And if your main concern is about what other people think of you or their criticism, I completely understand. I have to state things you said daily because people can't handle it? Now I don't care if anyone else decides to eat meat. I just personally find it gross and it isn't my thing. I always tell people this when they ask if I mind them eating meat.

What I tend to do is avoid getting in a debate or anything of that nature. If they try to pick a fight or are being rude I usually tell them something along the lines of, "You can eat whatever you want and I will eat whatever I want. Next subject?"

People are generally curious though and sometimes just want to know. I know the question can get awfully annoying, but take that into account when answering them.

Anyway, I think if you want to be a vegetarian you should totally go for it.

 

I've been vegan for half a year, and my blood test are good. I'm also feeling quite well. It seems it works for me, but mind you I've been mostly pescetarian since my teens and I've been watching what I eat too.

Doesn't have to be that expensive, there are many vegan basics (think of rice, beans...) you can buy cheap and combine in many original ways you've never tried before. Keep checking the ingredients of everything you get. Also be prepared to go to the kitchen from time to time. Oh, and those things called Spices. Get lots of them.

It's learning to eat again, takes a bit of time to get used to. And don't get mad if you 'slip' once in a while. To do something is much better than do nothing at all.

You might lose a bit of weight too during the process. Most people don't get enough fiber on the diet, and once you start with the vegan thing, you should get twice as much fiber. Fills you up.

Nobody should bitch about your diet choices unless you force them to eat those. As long as you don't, how you feed yourself is as much as your biz as what you wear, think or say.