If it’s good enough for Veronica Mars, Tolstoy & Mr. Rogers…
Jun 30th, 2007 by B.
This is actually a response to a question Lisa posted about my recent decision to go vegetarian. I’m thinking the q&a is worthy of its own entry, so here goes:
Lisa wrote:
“Are you serious about the vegetarian thing? I’ve been seriously thinking about that myself. How’s it going with your change? Is it hard to find things to cook? When I write serious, I mean really, really seriously thinking about it. Like, for-ev-er. “
About 7 weeks ago I cut out all forms of land-meat (boy, there’s got to be a better way to put it), but I do still eat fish a few times a week. It was easier than I thought to make the transition. Honestly the hardest part has been making 2 meals (meat for girls - vegetarian for Jim/me), but even that I’ve gotten used to. And so far I haven’t felt limited in what I can eat, or run out of interesting options.
I don’t know if I’ll eventually give up eating fish (which I guess technically makes me NOT a vegetarian) because the health benefits are just so great. The fish I do eat is only in grilled form, as I’ve also done away with pretty much anything fried.
At the same time whole-grains have replaced white pasta/breads, and I try to almost always avoid buying pre-prepared stuff. (I subscribe to the ‘go big or go home’ philosophy… If I’m making changes they’re going to be sweeping and I’m doing them all at once)
End result… it’s been really easy. I think it fits with the whole Buddhist concept that not participating in the destruction of something when it’s in no way essential to your well-being is a good thing. That said, I’d be a hypocrite if I actually believed this was my primary reason for making the switch. I still wear leather-soled shoes & belts, and hell… for all I know my eye-shadow & hairspray were probably tested on cute little bunnies. I’m no saint.
I also saw this really gnarly documentary on the slaughter of animals… and let me tell you, I’m 100% susceptible to that kind of stuff. I’m the person who sees the commercials about the starving kids in some 3rd world country, and by the time Sally Struthers comes on to tell me I could feed a hungry child for the price of one cup of coffee a day, I’m already dialing the number. I once stumbled on a show called ‘when bad things happen to good people’… I was so caught up in the story that I ended up donating $100… it wasn’t until I got my credit card statement a month later that I realized I’d donated to the 700 Club. And I don’t even believe in god… see, susceptible.
The best part about vegetarianism so far- I have more energy! I feel better (present illness excluded), I’m not nearly as tired as I used to be… and (drum roll please?) I’ve lost 15 pounds so far without changing much of anything other than my diet.
It’s been great. I have no regrets and I honestly don’t miss it (meat, that is). I do wonder about times like Christmas and Thanksgiving… will I miss eating turkey & ham and all that stuff? I kind of think not. But if I do I’ll just eat it and not beat myself up, because I’m not out to prove anything or make some grandiose statement… so really, with that in mind, the pressure’s been off and I’ve been able to enjoy the transition.
Plus, knowing it’s soooo much healthier makes me feel all grown up & responsible & shit…
On this day..
- Lesbian shoes. - 2006
It does have a name– Pescetarians– no land dwelling animals and yes to fish. Schokolade Maedchen had a post on this a little while back!
I went Pescetarian for a month or so back in ‘05, I think it was. I noticed a difference in the way I felt very quickly. There was no particular reason why I went back to eating meat. I just sorta fell back into it out of habit. That, and I couldn’t be arsed to look for new recipes.
But anyway, I’m joining you. I started to write this huge comment but think I’ll save it for a post of my own. And big thanks for addressing this.
One more thing… I meant to convey my sympathy on your illness last night when my browser conked out on me. I was so disgusted I shut the pc down and went to bed. Good thing about Firefox is when you start up again it takes you back right where you left off.
So here it is –> Hope you and yours feel better very soon! Take good care of yourself.
Before I go, I’m wondering… weren’t we all immunized for this when we were babies? How is it it’s going around again? I talked about it with Michael and he thinks it’s because parents today don’t consider immunization as important as our parents did. Or maybe it’s some kind of mutant strain?
Anyway - get better soon so you can go on vacation! *hugs and some chicken soup*
Maria - Thanks for reminding me of the name. I remember reading Schoko’s post, just forgot the technical term…
Lisa - Good luck with your eating change… I’ve found it really easy and I bet you will too!
As for immunizations, was scarlet fever really part of the package? We’ve all had our standard stuff, but 3 out of 4 of us have ended up sick. Sydney was the only one who got full-blown scarlet fever… Robbie and I only ended up with strep throat, but that’s supposedly more an age thing…
I was a vegetarian for a few years when I lived in Boston. I started to fall off the wagon there because my husband is completely not a vegetarian and it was so hard to be making different things to eat.
Being in Heidelberg I’ve been nowhere close to a vegetarian….I find it really hard with only small grocery stores nearby. In the US I ate a lot of gardenburgers and tofu and other meat substitutes which you can only find in big stores here…argh. I know I should try harder. I wish there were some more comprehensive grocery stores nearby - I have no car!
Lisa,
you can’t immunize against scarlet fever. It’s a form of strep.
I remember the first time my son (in Kindergarten at the time) had scarlet fever; I freaked. I couldn’t believe it, it sounded like something out of the Dark Ages.
By the time he had his 3rd or 4th bout of it (over the space of several years) it was like an old hat. “Doctor, it looks like we have scarlet fever again.”
The bad part was that I could count on having strep throat about a week later.
I am a Lacto Ovo Vegetarian (I eat dairy and eggs) and have been for almost 30 years. I completely quit eating meat of any kind, including seafood and fish) when I was about 10 years old. It’s a long story involving my brother’s FFA project, a pig named Sam, and a freezer full of Sam wrapped in white butcher paper.
I also eat very little processed sugar and flour prouducts. I only added tofu and soy products, such as boca burgers, soy crumbles and fake bacon about 13 years ago when I moved here to the coast. Before that, I just ate a lot of beans and nuts. You do have to be creative and do a lot of cooking. You rarely can just open a box or packet and microwave something.
The main drawback is when I go out with friends and family and they pick a non-veggie friendly restaurant. I have eaten a LOT of plain salads and baked potatoes through the years while everyone with me was having food orgasms.
My GP in Hamburg told me that Germans do NOT believe in immunizations and are NOT required for school as in the States. He also said that when parents bring in children going to school or being a nanny or whatever in the States many try to fight the situation. My German partner verified the no shot business, although being “east” did say that shots were more the norm than in the “west.” (Perhaps “east” was not ALL BAD … as they had wax paper! It was after unification that the “west” made the decision they didn´t need wax paper, for example.) In the States I have no memory of anyone having scarlett fever, even my own children. I have thought it is a “thing of the past” and we all were “shot” for it. Get well, you all!
To C N Heidelberg: I don’t think it’s really vegetarian if you’re eating meat substitutes. I mean, you’re not eating meat, but you’re eating things like hamburgers and hot dogs that just happen to be made of tofu or whatever.
Just doesn’t count in my eyes.
Lee. WTF?? Have you ever been to Germany? It certainly doesn’t sound like it, or you wouldn’t believe that the west could decide whether the east gets to have wax paper. Please!
To GeorgeWien: Meat substitutes are NOT meat. They are made from soybeans. The are also an easy way to have a balanced meal when you are in a hurry. Back before I discovered Boca Burgers, I’d make a black bean patty or a zucchini patty and eat it on a bun with veggies and mustard. What’s the difference in that and a Boca Burger? About an hour’s worth of prep and cooking time.