Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 01-08-2009, 12:45 PM   #16  
Senior Member
 
erinmagill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Posts: 129

S/C/G: 270/209/170

Height: 5ft 7

Default

I grew up on a farm...when I was a kid there was a mom pig that had piglets all the time and I grew very attatched to her. When she stopped producing piglets she was killed for dinner. I was 8 years old. I went on a meat protest at that time that my family all thought I would grow out of. Im now 24 and I havent touched any meat. When I was 18 I gave up dairy for weight loss reasons. I dont even remember what meat tastes like although I have vague memories of bacon and I remember the texture of meat. So for me I never "gave up meat". It was natural and I could never eat it again.
My dad still says that I will grow out of it. LOL.
erinmagill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-2009, 11:25 PM   #17  
ovo-lacto vegetarian
 
lentilbean's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 54

S/C/G: see ticker

Height: 5'8"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Suzanne 3FC View Post
Welcome, pink! That's a good point, the more you get used to preparing vegetarian dishes, you can create amazing dishes layered in flavors that will take your mind off everything else
i'm finding this to be very true - and i've only been doing it since the new year!
lentilbean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2009, 02:31 PM   #18  
Powered by tofu
 
shananigans's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 1,263

S/C/G: 207/203/140ish ??

Height: 5'4''

Default

IMO, if you're doing it for ethical reasons that makes all the difference. If you don't view animal products as "wrong" but just "unhealthy", well, who doesn't get off their diet and eat something unhealthy once in a while? Especially if you view those things as a "treat". Personally I am so repulsed by certain animal products and their smells I find it difficult to enjoy meals around people who are consuming them, so it's really no struggle for me. Asking me "how do you not eat meat?" is like asking me "how do you keep yourself from tearing into that delicious road kill we just drove past?". I wish I had better advice, sometimes I feel like I can't be a really good advocate in this area because I don't struggle with it personally, but you're gotten some great words of advice here from people who know where you're coming from!
shananigans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2009, 02:58 PM   #19  
Senior Member
 
JackieRn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 510

S/C/G: 144/118.4/115

Height: 5"4

Default

I guess I'm the opposite, I've decided to go vegan and I don't use any thing that contains animal products or was tested on animals be it shampoo, lotion, deodorant etc.. not because I'm an animal advocate. I've worked in clinical research that was based on prior studies involving animal test subjects so I don't have a moral objection to the use of animals in medical research. I don't have any pets and don't ever plan on having any b/c I've never really been exposed them that much. For me its all due to health reasons especially after reading E2L I just don't believe its good for me to consume animal products. Also the way that animals meant for food are raised and processed is troubling. I think a commitment to one's personal health can be enough to ensure adherence to a meat free lifestyle.

Last edited by JackieRn; 01-09-2009 at 02:59 PM.
JackieRn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2009, 03:48 PM   #20  
Powered by tofu
 
shananigans's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 1,263

S/C/G: 207/203/140ish ??

Height: 5'4''

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JackieRn View Post
I guess I'm the opposite, I've decided to go vegan and I don't use any thing that contains animal products or was tested on animals be it shampoo, lotion, deodorant etc.. not because I'm an animal advocate. I've worked in clinical research that was based on prior studies involving animal test subjects so I don't have a moral objection to the use of animals in medical research. I don't have any pets and don't ever plan on having any b/c I've never really been exposed them that much. For me its all due to health reasons especially after reading E2L I just don't believe its good for me to consume animal products. Also the way that animals meant for food are raised and processed is troubling. I think a commitment to one's personal health can be enough to ensure adherence to a meat free lifestyle.
I guess that might work for some people. I know that alcoholic beverages, smoking (a rare vice for me these days) and processed foods with white flour or sugar or too much fat or just plain too much food is not healthy for me. Unfortunately, that's not enough to keep me from indulging now and then (or way too often, trying to get better about it). I guess for me the reasoning kind of goes "one cookie won't hurt me" but I can't say "one steak won't hurt the cow it comes from". It's totally different in my mind.

Just out of curiosity, why don't you buy things that are tested on animals or contain animal products if you don't think there's a moral problem with using animals in this way?

Last edited by shananigans; 01-09-2009 at 07:03 PM.
shananigans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2009, 09:58 PM   #21  
Senior Member
 
JackieRn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 510

S/C/G: 144/118.4/115

Height: 5"4

Default

I prefer natural/organic products and it just so happens the brands I use: nature made, kiss my face, juice organics etc.. don't use animal products or test on animals. I have benefited personally from advancements in medicine due to animal testing and it would be dishonest for me to say I oppose it as offensive as that might be to some. For example, I have quite a few type 1 diabetics in my family who have benefited from the fact that pigs were sacrificed to progress the manufacture of insulin. I commend those who advocate for animals but when it comes to health and well being of human being and the advancement of medical science I don't oppose animal test subjects.

As far as not being able to be vegetarian for health reason alone that might be the experience others have but I was raised SDA and segments of my family and friends adhere to vegetarianism/veganism and have never eaten meat but aren't animal advocates so it is possible. Whatever the reason for abstaining from meat is the health benefits are the same and there still isn't any participation in the harm of animals through consumption.

Last edited by JackieRn; 01-09-2009 at 10:05 PM.
JackieRn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2009, 10:24 PM   #22  
Senior Member
 
JulieJ08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California
Posts: 7,097

S/C/G: 197/135/?

Height: 5'7"

Default

I was raised SDA too, although not vegetarian. But I am quite certain that if both my parents had been vegetarian, I would have had no difficulty remaining vegetarian for the health reasons alone. I can't really see how the reason you do it (health vs animal treatment) is the main factor in whether you stick with it or not; it's how committed you are, regardless of the reason.
JulieJ08 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2009, 11:36 PM   #23  
Senior Member
 
JackieRn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 510

S/C/G: 144/118.4/115

Height: 5"4

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JulieJ08 View Post
I was raised SDA too, although not vegetarian. But I am quite certain that if both my parents had been vegetarian, I would have had no difficulty remaining vegetarian for the health reasons alone. I can't really see how the reason you do it (health vs animal treatment) is the main factor in whether you stick with it or not; it's how committed you are, regardless of the reason.
I agree. I grew up in Berrien Springs, MI there was quite a subset of super conservative SDAs and Apple Valley is based there and was completely vegetarian as were the elementary, high school, and university associated with the church. It had nothing to do with animal advocacy but health consciousness associated with religious beliefs. Either reason for not eating meat works. If it is possible for people who love their pets and animals in general to eat meat then it is possible for those who have no do desire to have any not to eat meat.
JackieRn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2009, 12:17 PM   #24  
Senior Member
 
nakedmango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 494

S/C/G: 152/115/120

Height: 5'1"

Default

I resisted becoming vegetarian for a long time, even though I wanted to. I told myself, "But I love delicious food. Should I deny myself that? No, I shouldn't. Meat it is then!" But then I went to the Green Living Show in Toronto, to work at my company's booth, and the Toronto Vegetarian Society was giving out booklets about going veg for a week, with stats about how much eating meat affects the environment. So I tried it. I was fairly relaxed about the "rules" I gave myself: since I was primarily going veg for environmental reasons I could eat meat if it was local and organic. I knew that would take care of most of it, since organic meat is very expensive! But it also gave me an "out" if I was really having meat cravings. And I know how psychology works: if meat wasn't actually "forbidden", I figured it would be easier to say no to it. And it was. I went veg in April, and I haven't eaten meat since, despite "allowing" myself to if I wanted. I simply chose not to.

And then, I decided to become vegan--no more relaxed rules for me. Because for two weeks before that, I had been on vacation and had a lot of trouble finding vegetarian food. I ate so much cheese, I actually got "cheesed out"--I didn't even want cheese anymore. I brought cheese back from vacation (Paris) and put it out in the kitchen at work--I couldn't eat it. Since cheese had been the only thing holding me back from deciding to go vegan, it's been good ever since (three whole months ago ). The only "cheats" were at the beginning: I ate chocolate at work, knowing that there were milk ingredients in it. And I ate dessert at bookclub once, that a friend brought and that I assumed had butter and eggs in it. (That one wasn't a good idea actually--at that point I had been avoiding animal products for almost 2 months and I could taste the egg in the tart's filling. It was gross.)

Really, the hardest part of becoming vegan or vegetarian was deciding to do it. Since then, meat has stopped looking like a food item to me. When I smell it, it sometimes smells good, but the idea of eating it is kinda gross. And now when I think, "That (meat/dairy/egg/non-vegan chocolate) looks good," I stop and think, "Hummus would be good too. Or guacamole. Or soymilk latte. Or pasta with mushrooms. Or crusty bread and balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Mmmmm..." And then I get the other yummy thing instead.

It's kindof strange, actually--I started out doing it for environmental reasons. Eating meat (and other animal products too, actually) uses so many more resources than being veg'n. But the longer I'm vegan, the more I think about how gross it is to eat animal products. Eggs? Seriously? the unfertilized eggs of a bird? And cow's milk? Ewwwwww. Ew. Someone on another forum was complaining about a "vegan" who still takes fish oil capsules. How nasty is that? Oil is what comes out of something when you squeeze it. FISH oil? Again: ew.

This is a long post. But really, it's not about "resisting" for me. It's about choosing to eat things that are delicious, but are vegan. I don't eat things that aren't delicious--it's just that none of them contain animal products. Try to re-frame your thinking into something that works for you.
nakedmango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2009, 12:42 PM   #25  
Senior Member
 
JulieJ08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California
Posts: 7,097

S/C/G: 197/135/?

Height: 5'7"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nakedmango View Post
I was fairly relaxed about the "rules" I gave myself: since I was primarily going veg for environmental reasons I could eat meat if it was local and organic. I knew that would take care of most of it, since organic meat is very expensive! But it also gave me an "out" if I was really having meat cravings. And I know how psychology works: if meat wasn't actually "forbidden", I figured it would be easier to say no to it. And it was.
That's a nice strategy. I follow something like that. I haven't had any meat since I became vegetarian in September, but knowing that it's not 100% forbidden does help. The circumstance under which it might be OK just never comes around

Quote:
Originally Posted by nakedmango View Post
When I smell it, it sometimes smells good, but the idea of eating it is kinda gross.
That also helps me. Part of why I became vegetarian was because I was feeling grossed out by meat. Now, I may think about bacon and want some, but then I remember how much the thought of eating dead animal muscles grosses me out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by nakedmango View Post
And now when I think, "That (meat/dairy/egg/non-vegan chocolate) looks good," I stop and think, "Hummus would be good too. Or guacamole. Or soymilk latte. Or pasta with mushrooms. Or crusty bread and balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Mmmmm..." And then I get the other yummy thing instead.
Another very excellent strategy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by nakedmango View Post
I don't eat things that aren't delicious--it's just that none of them contain animal products.
I like
JulieJ08 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-19-2009, 09:27 AM   #26  
Senior Member
 
Amber1011's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 288

S/C/G: 320/ticker/125

Height: 5'1"

Default

When I first became vegetarian 7 months ago cold tofurky if was difficult with the smells. You smell something and its like YUM then OH... wait. After awhile I really blocked out meat as even being a food! For instance, when reading the dining hall menus here at school, I, without even noticing anymore, skip the meat options. I don't even process it as being a food option to eat, therefore I don't miss it. If the smell of meat triggers a good memory or something, I try to take the nice memory and focus on that, and not the meat itself.
Amber1011 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:01 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.