Hey long time vegetarians, I have a question...

[tjwash]

...I just sort of "converted" to being a vegetarian, because of my high cholesterol count. Now I am constantly being asked by everyone who knows me things like "why would you ever want to do that?" or "you gotta be kidding me, why?". It was sort of cute at first, and I would tell them it was for heath reasons, but now a few months later, I am getting to the point of :argh: every time someone asks me now.

Does this sort of end after a little while? Because I am getting horribly frustrated, especially toward my family members.

[LeftyMom]

1. Eventually people who know you will start to take it for granted

People you've just met will still want explanations and arguments, though. It gives everybody something to talk about on holidays, too. :eyes:

[flvegan]

2. It'll stop once your friends/family are used to it

though you'll probably start getting the jokes about meat from them at the same time. Folks that don't know you might still ask.

The question is, now that it's a "few months later" how do you feel?

[tjwash]

6. Actually I feel great. And my wife was laughing the other day...

...at me, because my "belly has started to shrink."

Losing a little weight is sort of an added bonus I was wasn't thinking about.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. After all these years, I still don't get the meat-eaters fuckwittedness

about vegetarians.

And I'm not a vegetarian.

I really odn't understand why so many meat-eaters feel so fucking threatened by vegetarians, or the concept of vegetarianism, or treat it like it's some kind of unholy occupation worse than pornography.

For some reason, they have a deep, deep need to see other people's vegetarianism as a direct insult to their very being.

All I can figure is that these are people who's egos are so shallow and fragile and unevolved and undeveloped, that they aren't worth the atoms that make up their flesh.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. I live is SF...

so being a veggie is pretty much accepted and not quesioned.

To the few people who try to make an issue out of it by asking me "Whay would you ever do that?", I respond with "Why would I ever want to eat a rotting, charred animal carcass?" That usually shuts'em up. :D

[Coventina]

5. I have good news and bad news.

First the bad news: in my experience, it never ends.

The good news is, you eventually get used to it, and take it for granted that it is going to happen, so it doesn't bug you as much. Also, you develop more informative and fluid answers that tend to silence the questioners after the inital "confrontation".

Your family members should eventually adjust, but holidays may always be a battle. Food is so connected to ritual and tradition that many see an attack on food as being "personal".

[livetohike]

7. The most common question I get is "Well what do you eat?"

Close friends know that I have been eating vegetarian meals for 35 years now, so they don't ask. Also, when they come to a meal at my house it is always meatless.

I collect vegetarian cookbooks. There are so many ethnic meals to try that are meatless. Have fun :-).

[tjwash]

10. I lived in India for a year. They do amazing things with vegetables.

I learned to cook a lot of vegetarian dishes dishes while I was out there. Indian food is my absolute favorite, especially the curried peas and spinach, yum...

[livetohike]

13. Okay, now I'm hungry and it is too early for lunch

:-) I love Indian cooking too.

[NNadir]

8. It's been 30 years, and I still get commentary, though not as much as at

first.

Most of the commentary comes from strangers.

[Ron Mexico]

9. Sorry, but it never ends. I wish I could tell you differently, but

I've watched my wife put up with that for nine years, going on ten. And she won't let me speak my mind on this issue to her asshole relatives, either. If you're married and your spouse isn't a vegetarian (I'm not), this could be hard for both of you.

My question to you: how do you stick with it even besides the verbal hassles? I gave it a shot for my wife a few times, and not once did I last more than two weeks.

[mzteris]

35. My hubby can't either. . .

Face it - you're meataholic. Seriously, it's like an addiction to meat - he really doesn't WANT to eat it - but he can't stop.

[Swede]

11. What do you eat at barbecues? Spinach?

I kid,I kid.

[tjwash]

16. Actually, it's funny you mentioned that...

...because a couple of months ago at a tailgate party, I cooked some veggie-brats, and some real brats, and everyone was asking for seconds on the veggie-brats. I just started putting those into my spaghetti sauce.

[Swede]

18. I'll have to try them next time in the grocery store.

Thanx.

[LynneSin]

12. As a meat-eater I don't understand why people would be insenstive

I have vegetarian friends and I wouldn't say such things.

I do know I've asked my friends what made them become vegetarian and even some questions about how do you deal with it if you're a fussy eater (one of the reasons why I'm not vegetarian). But after that initial 5 minute conversation we usually don't discuss it again unless I'm making dinner and want to confirm that I'm not making something that they couldn't eat (my vegetarian friends fall into a variety of vegetarism so I want to make sure my bases are covered. Sometimes I might forget the little things like Geletin)

[XemaSab]

14. In response to the OP

It never gets better, especially from relatives.

And I'm an odd eater in general, and I really just wish people would mind their own damn business about what I do and don't eat. :(

[Fleshdancer]

20. I was about to post the same response

As a meat eater, I can't imagine saying something like that to a vegetarian. People are so weird about food, aren't they? The way I see it, unless someone is a cannibal, I really don't care what they eat.

Speaking of weird judgements, my mom gets snarky comments from people all the time just because she prefers to eat her steaks well done. So for some meat eaters, it's not just what you eat but how you eat it that makes them bitchy. This baffles me.

[Starlight]

28. You're in the minority.

You wouldn't believe the number of times I've had various assholes attempt to trick or force me into eating dishes containing meat. :wtf:

[friesianrider]

46. Well that's pretty fucked up.

People really have done that to you? Sheesh.

[KurtNYC]

15. How is your cholesterol?

Just wondering what impact this has had for you. Do you eat much eggs and cheese?

[tjwash]

17. It was over 300.

Now with the diet, and medication it is down to 130. I was also at 205 pounds, and am down to 180. I cut a lot of the cheese out, and only eat egg-whites. I also switched from using butter, to using olive oil instead. I completely stay out of fast food joints.

I also eat a lot of fresh fruit and oatmeal every morning for breakfast. That keeps me from eating crappy food for lunch when I get busy.

[flvegan]

19. Wow, that's very good.

Sounds like you're really moving your health in a positive direction.

[tjwash]

26. The walking helps too.

We usualy go for a quick walk for a mile or two after dinner now.

[Fleshdancer]

22. Great job!

No wonder you feel better! I stay out of fast food joints too. Watching Super Size Me spurred me to make that decision.

[MrPrax]

21. Advice...keep it quiet

I worked a sale admin gig--lots of sales guy lunches and stuff--I wasn't strict 'vegen', but I knew that the 'normals' are mostly hostile...so I would just order salad or 'potato skins' and claim I was dieting...heh

It's much easier as some people, especially on this one issue, feel threaten and the whole idea for YOU is to watch your cholestrol, so you'll be around.

You NOT trying to start a revolution--so lowball it when you have to...it's your choice and this is a free country and ain't nothing wrong with what your're doing. It's them and their 'deep programming'.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

23. sad to say, it doesn't...

But just pick a standard response that you can repeat ad nauseam.....sucks, I know :hi:

[Beer Snob-50]

24. I don't think it ends....

I have a group of friends (one very old friend and his new wifes friends) are all veggies and yes, I asked him about it when I first found out. But I have been to restaurants where he gets asked about it when he orders all veggie or they ask how something is made.

[tjwash]

25. Yeah, I've already gotten a strange stare for just that.

The asking how something is made in a restaurant, that is...

[Beer Snob-50]

32. I have found out that I don't need meat with all meals

I go out to dinner with that group occassionally and I do go veggie when I am with them. My buddy as comes over for dinner once a week and I have gotten to experimenting with different meals without meat.

[ghostsofgiants]

27. Well I'm not a vegetarian...

But I get a lot of the same stuff for being straight edge. (Not drinking alcohol or using drugs.)

Depending on my mood they'll either get an annoyed explanation, or a very annoyed, "I just don't."

I don't feel the need to justify such decisions to others.

[tjwash]

30. 15 years Clean & Sober. For some funny reason......

...I became a liberal after I got off the drugs an alcohol. Go figure.

The family loves it, but you get the standard B.S. at office parties, or social gatherings along the lines of "really, you don't drink? why?" or "are you sure, come on you can have ONE".

After a few years, I just started telling people I'm allergic to alcohol, and get deathly ill. That usually makes them back off...

[ghostsofgiants]

34. My friends have gone so far as to mix white russians into my tea...

Just to get me to drink. (I associate with a lot of douchebags, clearly.) It's funny though, every time I get hassled about it, my resolve is just strengthened that much more.

[tjwash]

40. Damn. I feel for you there. I had to full on find a new circle of friends.

I hung out with a lot of worthless individuals myself back then.

[LeftyMom]

31. I'm confused

I thought being veg was part of the whole sxe package?

[ghostsofgiants]

33. Nope.

Straight edge (sometimes abbreviated to sXe or SxE) is a lifestyle and (counter cultural) subculture, closely associated with punk, and hardcore punk music. Originally inspired by hardcore band Minor Threat, it has spread around the world, but is most popular in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. It advocates abstinence in relation to tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drug use (especially psychoactive and stimulant drug use), and for some people in relation to promiscuous sexual behavior.

Although straight-edgers do not necessarily identify with a particular worldview on social or political issues, many do subscribe to precepts associated with anarchism, vegetarianism/veganism, socialism, environmentalism, and the deep ecology movement.

[LeftyMom]

36. thanks for explaining that

:hi:

[ghostsofgiants]

37. No problem.

Though you're probably kinda disappointed, haha. If it's worth anything, I greatly admire anyone who actually has the conviction to be a vegetarian or vegan.

:hi:

[LeftyMom]

39. Not dissapointed

I only know about the whole straight edge thing from some kids (okay, some of those kids are much older than me, but anyhow) over at Vegan Freaks, so I guess it's no surprise that I thought it was an integral part of the whole deal.

It's not exclusively a conviction thing, it's just being true to myself and my beliefs. I put about as much effort into it as I do into being a liberal or a mother. It's just a part of who I am, and once I discovered that I could no more change it than I could wake up with brown eyes one morning. I assume some people struggle with the idea of not eating flesh foods, personally I can't imagine ever doing so again.

[Cobalt Violet]

29. I don't have much problem with it anymore.

It's been decades though.

[DancingBear]

38. Eventually your friends and family will stop asking

but there will ALWAYS be someone who just has to tell you how much he loves steak/hamburger/etc.

Why they feel the need to do this I have no idea, but they do.

DancingBear, meat-free since 1973.

[billyskank]

41. Nobody ever said anything of the sort to me

Maybe being vegetarian in England isn't so outlandish as it is there?

[LeftyMom]

42. That's it, I'm moving

Decent soy cheese and no stupid questions? Sign me up! :D

[billyskank]

45. What's more

all the food retailers are VERY fastidious about labelling ingredients correctly. I hear the UK is a good place to be veggie.

[buddhamama]

43. i think it would depend

on the type of people you interact with.

for most of my friends it was no big deal; maybe because they knew me and it didn't seem all that unusual. for some others however (i chalk it up to a certain lack of respect and understanding) it hasn't ended and i've been a vegetarian going on 14 yrs.

[tjwash]

47. My brother is the worst.

Can't choose your family unfortunately...

[buddhamama]

50. funny

most of the flack i receive is from my family, especially my little brother. aarrgghhh.

[friesianrider]

44. I know, it is annoying isn't it?

I've only been veg for 4 years or so now, but I still have family and friends who make fun of me for it. You said it perfectly - it used to be cute, and now it's kind of annoying. I'm still waiting for some of my family to leave me alone! I was out to lunch with a group of people from my work and I mentioned I was veg, and people asked (politely) why. I explained the reasons (for me, health, environmental and moral reasons), and halfway through, some nasty woman who I'd never even met before starts in with a very snarky: "well honey you'd better get your skinny ass to another table then because I'm ordering veal and lobster." :eyes: That would probably explain why she weighed about 300 pounds.

I'm really glad your cholesterol has gone down though, and the nice side effect of being a veg usually means you lose weight. The best revenge is living well, and it seems you've accomplished that! :woohoo:

[rene moon]

48. I'll let you know how it goes for me

I decide this weekend that meat just plain grosses me out and I dont want to eat it anymore. I have been an "off and on" meat eater but I will trying to be full-on veggie.

[tjwash]

49. Kewl. Like I said, I did it for heath reasons, and have never felt better.

:hi: