So here's the thing. I grew up in a meat eating household. At the age of 9, my best friend became a vegetarian. By the time I was in college, half of my friends and my boyfriend (at the time) were also vegetarians. It made me oddly protective of my choice to eat meat (which I don't feel anymore).

Having said that, I am now wanting to transition to a vegetarian diet. For both moral/environmental/political reasons. I have this fear of commitment though, like I will fail to be 100% veggie and that will make me a hypocrite. I really don't eat all that much meat as it is, but there are a few items on my favorite foods list.

My husband is a big meat eater, loves atkins style diet (I know, I know). So I know it would be somewhat complex for us as I prepare all of our meals.

I suppose my post should have a point. How many of you became vegetarian right away and how many of you gradually became one?

At what point do I put a stake in the ground and make a commitment? What happens if I mess up?

I did it all at once. Mostly. I thought I would gradually cut out a few favorites, after really sticking to it for at least a month to give my taste a chance to adjust. But what I found was that I just didn't want to step backward, even if some item sounded good at the moment. It helped that one of my reasons was just being grossed out by meat . But I said "mostly" because I'm still not strict about asking and refusing to eat things if chicken broth, for instance, was used. But I never eat meat. I just find it easier and less complicated to be done with it.

Why would you be a hypocrite, if you aren't perfect. If hypocricy is the price of imperfection, then everyone on the planet is a hypocrite.


I'm not a vegetarian. I do best on a relatively low carb diet, and do include animal proteins, but I still care where my food is coming from, and how food animals are treated. I love animals, but do not consider it hypocricy to include animal protein in my diet (though I understand why some people would feel and believe otherwise).

It seems sometimes that there is a common (and to me weird) belief that there are only two dietary and ethical options - vegetarianism (and generally veganism) or indiscriminate, ethics-be-damned eating.

Ethical issues can be seen in black and white, or in multiple shades of gray. I'm a person that sees many, many shades of gray. As a result, I have to decide what shade I'm content with. In most cases, pure-white isn't possible, and I'm fairly comfortable with winter-white or pale gray. You have to decide what level of imperfection you're willing to accept, and where YOU draw the line of hypocricy.

What happens if you "mess up" or if you draw your lines in a grayer area, is completey up to you.

I have recently started the vegetarian decision myself. I did it all at once and since I already do lots of salads my husband didn't even know for a solid week!! My best suggestion is that u stock up on items that will replace the protein u will be missing(beans, dark greens, lean dairy, and soy products). That is what I have to offer, hope it's helpful.

I actually had a bit of both. I was cutting back on meat fairly slowly with no plans of going vegan but then overnight I started following a vegan diet. I think it is easy to do and the only regret I have is not doing it sooner.

Kaplods, I meant hyprocritcal in the sense that I might claim to be a vegetarian, but might ocassionaly mess up. If that makes sense. I didn't mean it in a judgemental way of others that aren't vegetarian. For example, I currently do my best to eat free range/grass fed/hormone free meat. And I think that is a good thing. But personally, I am feeling the urge to take it a step further.

I decided to go veg a number of years ago. It was a great experience. I went easy on the cheese and did not use fake products. I ate a ton of veggies (which I still do today). I eventually returned to meat and fish. Ultimately it did not work for me in terms of my eating. I was eating too many carbs and setting myself up for a mental if not actual binge. Yesterday I read a review of Ubuntu link: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?...&#entry1687807 - a famous veg restaurant of California. I have a plan to visit there in a year when my life settles. All that said- there are people doing "meatless Mondays" as a start.Perhaps this link will work: http://www.thecookbookchronicles.com/blog/?p=1575 Don't judge yourself. Give it a whirl and enjoy the ride.

No one is to say that you have to say "I am vegetarian". I didn't say I was vegetarian until about 6 months after eating a vegetarian diet (really vegan diet). It has been nearly 2 years and I still don't say I am vegan.

Thanks for the support everyone. I appreciate your comments!

My main point is that you only have to decide for yourself where to draw the line of hypocricy.

However, I agree that if you don't use a label, then you don't have to be worried about being unworthy of the label.

Kaplods, as I was reading I was wanting to say almost the same thing you did lol! Festivus no one has any right to call you a hypocrite if you mess up, except you of course and I certainly hope you don't think of yourself that way just for a mistake. I've only been vegan for just over a month now but I went all at once. I never really crave meat though I just ate it because it was there. I've messed up a couple times already just with coffee creamer. I only have 1 or 2 cups a week now but soy milk isn't always available and I've already bought the coffee. Today I asked the starbucks workers to make me a vanilla latte with soy instead of milk and she did....and then she added heavy cream, didn't realize it was MY drink she added it to until I drove away and started drinking it. Ok sorry this turrned into a coffee post lol! You'll be ok festivus, don't worry about messing up it happens!

While I LOVE being a vegetarian (and have been one for 27 years), why not just be very trendy and call yourself a flexitarian.

There are a lot of vegetarians and vegans that hate the term, but honestly - your heart is in the right place and you have to start somewhere.
Much like changing your lifetstyle to lose weight and exercise more and become healthier, it doesn't need to be an all or nothing approach.

Why are we so harsh on ourselves that we don't accept the postitive steps we take unless they are complete and total change?

Baby steps are healthy and positive and good.

So, enjoy moving toward a vegetarian lifestyle - guilt free!

Thank you guys, you're right, baby steps can be good too!

CountingDown - Vegans/Vegetarians don't hate flexitarians, some just don't like the term because a flexitarian is really an omnivore that eats less meat than the 'average' american. Most of the world eats less meat than the average american and may not do so for ethical/moral/environmental reasons but just because that is how it is for them.

Becoming a vegetarian isnt easy. When I became one I didnt even realize it, but then I made a conscious decision to eliminate all meat. I fell quite a few times. Even eating turkey sandwiches and then catching myself after a bite or two saying hey thats not what Im suppose to eat. I fell due to habit. and habits die hard. Dont be so hard on yourself as time goes on it will become easier and decisions will be easier to accomplish. Same thing as when you change your overall diet and try to avoid chocolate or sugar and its everywhere!!!!!