Hi all!
I wanted to post this here, because in "real life" I lost touch with my only vegetarian friend years ago.

I'm not a vegetarian now, but I went vegetarian maybe 2004, until around 2006 I went vegan, and LOVED it!! At the time, I had a friend I made in nursing school who was vegetarian also, so there was never any explaining or comments, ect. My (then fiance now husband) was very supportive. He continued to eat meat, but never ever gave me a bit a slack for my choices. He thought it was great (for me, not him lol)

When I got pregnant in Dec. of 2006, I when back to vegetarian. It was my choice to eat animal products but not meat during the pregnancy. But about 3 months into it, I will never forget that night, I was on my way home from work and I was CRAVING a whole chicken!! Omg, I was so freaked, but for those of you who have been pregnant, you know what that kind of craving feels like. I decided I would eat chicken, and some meats during pregnancy but go back to vegetarian after I had the baby. (With baby #2 I craved hambugers with garlic, ewwwww)

Fast forward 4 years (and another baby) later and I'm still eating meat, kind of. I really only make chicken, if my husband is home. And even then I end up eating everything else and leaving the chicken. If I never even saw red meat or pork again, I wouldnt blink an eye.

But my husband and I have talked about being done with the baby making. Two boys, and I think we are happy and ready to start focusing on other things in our life. So, I've been thinking about going back to vegetarian.

I barely eat of like meat as it is. I've never really liked meat, so that's why being a vegetarian was easy for me. My husband works evenings, so when he's at work (he's off about 2 nights a week) I make vegetarian meals for myself. I dont eat breakfast meats. The only thing I did miss while vegetairan was fish. I really enjoy canned tuna, fresh fish, crab, sushi. ect. I'd hate to give that up again. I also occasional enjoy a turkey sandwich for lunch, but really I wouldnt miss it.

I went vegetarian originally for health reasons, and during that time read about (and was in shock about) the ethical reasons. The ethical reasons were why I went vegan.

I guess I'm here because I had no one to tell this too. I guess I could tell my husband, but I just dropped the bombshell I want to at 30 years old and 10years into our relationship, get a tattoo. That's a bombshell for him! lol

And my family, well they never accepted the vegetarian thing. They thought it was an immature phase I went through. That boils my blood, just thinking about it. So going back to being vegetarian means going back to all the comments ( I read the other thread about comments) and I dont think this time around I will be so gracious. Sometimes I wouldnt even tell people I was a vegetarian. I would just make meatless choices, and decline foods with meat. Because I was tired of talking about what and why I was or wasnt eating it!

Question: Is it cheating if I keep eating seafood?

Um....your body your decision! As long as you're not force feeding your beliefs down anybody's throat, I don't see the problem.

The great thing about your diet is, it can be whatever you want it to be - it's yours. Feel like eating nothing but fish and the occasional - rare - turkey sandwich, go for it!

The only problem I have is with the label "vegetarian" and still eating some meats, it confuses people. I can't tell you how many people think vegetarians eat fish or chicken, or still eat meat "occasionally". I would tell people you "try not to eat meat" or "don't eat red meat" or "try to mainly eat pescetarian (fish only). Just go with what feels right.

Personally, I've been vegetarian for almost 16 years...I don't miss meat and love the way I eat. Vegan however, is much harder for me. I love to eat vegan, but I feel the need to eat dairy/eggs at times too. I try to be flexible with it. Animal Rights Vegans have a huge problem with this...so I don't call myself vegan, I don't put a label on what I do, I just try to do what feels right.

Do the same for yourself! Be flexible and do what's best for your health.

Thank you for your responses. Yes, I remember how many people thought vegetarians still eat fish. Actually I came across many people who didn't think fish was a meat.
I guess I'll just eat how I want, if I end up being a vegetarian, then fine, if not, then that's fine too.

This is a trick that I use, it helps me avoid labels and strengthens my ethical position - it also ends up being pretty healthy:

I fully believe that in our world, the only way we can make any sort of difference, is with our dollar. So, each time I go grocery shopping, I constantly make my decisions based on how what I'm buying affects the environment. I fill my cart up only with the items that leave as little as possible environmental footprint or, if it is an animal product, pick out the choice that exemplifies my concern for fair treatment.

This means, at the end of the trip, I may have some animal products (for my boyfriend!), but I don't have to feel I compromised my ethics too much - as the majority of my food is whole grains, legumes, and vegetables.

I then think about all of the animal products I could have bought, which would have been worse for my health, mental well-being, and for the environment. I know did what I could.

Also, if someone cooks me a meal and it contains meat or dairy (they don't know my food preferences), then I will let them know that normally I stay away from animal products, but I also believe in the principle that we should not waste anything. I will eat the nice meal, let them know, and it will not interfere with my ethics.

I also feel that the vegan label is problematic in that it is terribly political and somewhat elitist. It is often thought to be "too complicated" for many - they cannot even imagine what we eat - it is also too expensive and associated with places like Whole Foods, i.e. Whole Paycheck. This is the reason why many environmental and animal activists are avoiding the word, and they are making a huge difference. I truly believe that we must change the system from within, a vegan critique of meat eaters rightly only angers them and comes from the outside.

I do believe vegans have made a huge difference in helping us learn how to eat - but I think it is time for another sort of change that the politically charged vegan finds hard to partake in. A gradual change, not so extreme.

Btw, I love how you make 30 sound old!! I will be 29 and I still feel as spontaneous and unsure as 20!

I know, it's weird right? I think that the idea of fish not being meat must have a religious basis. Catholic/Greek Orthodox churches commonly require you abstain from meat during lent and certain days of the week...fish is never included in this restriction. And on the same note, in Judaism, where dietary laws dictate you shouldn't mix meat/dairy, fish is not included in that defination either and is perfectly fine to eat with dairy.

So I suppose if someone is religious, that's where that idea comes from!

I'm vegan and I went from meat eater to vegan virtually overnight. I've had some non-vegan moments over the years but I'm also a person with major food issues as well as I needed to learn how to navigate my food choices. I don't think the term vegan is elitist, I think it is descriptive.

Most westernized people are brought up with heavy meat and often heavy dairy consumption so yeah it is hard to figure out how to not eat those things. Also I'm not sure why people would associate vegan with places like Whole Foods other than that is where you'd find speciality vegan products. I mean even in the littlest town in the middle of nowhere, if you have access to legumes, grains, veggies and fruit, you are set. Many of the poorest countries in the world eat close to vegan because that is the cheapest to do.

Luckily, there are a bunch of good cookbooks these days and lots of resources available. I think for me being vegan is easy but I know other people struggle. I am all for anyone moving more towards a plant based diet, whatever the form.

Poultry is really only included because it looks like "meat" and it could be confusing.

I sometimes feel fish should be included but I don't seem to have the same problems eating fish as I do something like beef (which I quit eating). It's purely an emotional response and has nothing to do with logic.

My husband tells people I am "almost a vegetarian" despite the fact I always eat fish and eggs. I've tried to correct him but he still does it. Oh well. I do eat chicken about twice a month, which is why he says "almost". He has a friend who refers to himself as vegetarian though he eats fish and eggs.

Not a vegetarian, but I think it is fantastic that you are going vegetarian again. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think how "far" you go with your habits matter, unless you really want the label of being a "vegan" or "ovo-lacto-vegetarian" your body reacts better to a non meat diet, but may want some of the nutrients that fish provide. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. On the ethical front, not taking part in the problem by avoiding red meat and poultry does make a difference! I say CONGRATS! and go for it!

Absolutely not! That's not cheating. You'll find, however, that lots of online activists get angry with "vegetarians" who eat fish. So technically, a vegetarian who eats fish is a "semi-vegetarian." Would you feel comfortable with that label?

I was a vegetarian for quite a few years (very strict) and like you, the only thing I ever craved was fish. Yet I went without for over 10 years until after my first pregnancy I thought the only reason I don't eat the fish is because for some reason I felt the need to be "consistent" which makes little sense.

I'm now a "semivegetarian" and that's the label I use. I buy organic humane certified meat for my children (mostly chicken & fish and once in a while pork) and I feel really good about not restricting the choices I offer them.

Hope that helps!

I think pescatarian or you could even say flexitarian are the words commonly used for those that eat fish and other meats ocassionally. Personally, I think the term semivegetarian still might create confusion for those not aware of vegetarian lifestyles.

I don't know if pescetarian works because that's putting oneself into a box -- what if she does eat chicken once in a great while. Flexitarian is a good one, but a bit trendy and would have to be explained... To each her own of course.

I think saying you are quasi/semi vegetarian and then eating chicken and/or fish also requires explaining I think vegetarians understand somewhat those that may prefer vegetarian meals most of the time but it tends to create confusion with those that aren't vegetarian. I can't tell you how many people think vegetarians eat fish but fish aren't vegetables...

There is also nothing wrong with saying you just don't eat X or only eat X. My sister and her husband don't eat red meat. This means they don't eat beef or pork or lamb EVER. They eat chicken and fish occasionally, but you couldn't force them to eat a burger, they just would not eat it.

There is a woman I work with who isn't vegetarian, but she is particular about the meat she eats. Most of the time she ends up eating the meatless option with me as she doesn't eat pork, ground beef, etc. You don't have to put a label around what you are doing, you can tell people you are particular about the type of meat you consume and prefer to eat meatless dishes.

I agree that semi vegetarian / vegetarian and still eating meat can be confusing. I have had 3 "vegetarian" friends who actually ate meat occasionally. One was even suprised when I wouldn't eat a pepperoni pizza with her. I told her I didn't eat meat and she said, "Really, not even on pizza?" Yeah, I don't eat meat on pizza or ever! I'm a vegetarian! Another was confused that I didn't eat fish at all...and the third sat there eating pepperoni pizza in front of me at a party after telling me she'd been vegetarian for something like 15 years.

I don't know, I am not a militant vegetarian. I don't have a problem with people who eat meat, I just have a problem with people who say are vegetarian and eat meat / fish, because this makes people think that being vegetarian means you occasionally eat these things. It's that logic that puts fish under vegetarian options on resturaunt menus, that causes people to use chicken broth in their veggie soups and casseroles, and has caused countless people to think I will eat their meat laden food "just this once if we don't tell anyone."

i wanted to say thanks for sharing your story! i come here to read all about what people have to say... so yes it's your body but i still enjoyed what you wrote.

i also went vegan overnight, literally. i think you are courageous to return to what works for you! What if you went vegan for a bit and then slowly introduced some items back (chicken or fish) to see how they made you feel?

i do not get too hung up on labels-seems like a waste of time worrying about it for the most part, but i describe myself as eating a vegan diet but i do not live the vegan lifestyle. i will eat something (like honey or a hunted deer) that wasn't factory farmed or killed inhumanely. i do not eat meat, chicken, fish, dairy, eggs....

Anyway i really wanted to say congrats on your tat!!! what are you getting and where? (just curious, you don't have to answers haha!!!)..i have several!!!! and piercings!!
-fm