I am an Animal Lover first - that is what inspired me to become a vegatarian. But the more I learn about a plant based diet the more convinced I am that iit is the healthiest way to live. So I would say that I am an Animal Lover/ Health Nut combo.

Yes, you missed the "Raised Vegetarian" category- it is probably a bit of all three of the above. While I'm not an animal lover (I hate having pets) I don't think they should be treated the way they are and I like that I don't contribute to that. I don't necessarily think it's healthier for us as people not to eat meat, but I do think that at this stage of our evolution, it's better for the environment that we reduce our dependence on meat. And it's true that I generally don't like the taste of meat, but there are exceptions to this rule- I have been known to eat smoked salmon on occasion, for example, because it tastes so damn good to me. So a bit of all those reasons, but none in particular.

All of the above.

I was never big on meat growing up. It never really appealed to me, other than highly spiced stuff.

I am very much an animal lover, and would have gone veg as a teen, but I knew my dad (farm boy) would never have allowed it. So I just ate the minimal I could at home to get away with it.

Shortly after I got married, I fell prey to a mysterious illness that would have me throwing up for several days at a time, every couple of weeks. I finally figured out that I was intolerant of beef and dairy. As I searched for new foods to add to our repertoire, I joined some vegetarian and vegan listserves, started to learn how to be vegetarian, and started to learn about Drs. McDougall, Ornish, Esselstyn, Barnard, etc. and the benefits of a low fat vegetarian diet. And that was when I made the change.

The reason I asked this question was because I think the "Health Nut Vegetarian" gives vegetarianism a bad name (no offense if this is you). Yesterday someone at the grocery store asked me if I was vegetarian (what gave it away? The fact that there's no meat on the conveyor belt?). I was more than happy to reply, "Yes!" to which the cashier said, "Oh, so what...you only eat vegetables?" UGH. Because that's what people think vegetarianism is --- just a bunch of crazy people who only eat raw vegetables. My belief is that too many carnivores run into the "Health Nut Vegetarian" as opposed to other types and get this sense that yes, that's exactly what vegetarians eat. "Gotta eat healthy!!! Love my green smoothies!!" they tell carnivores. Please, health nut vegetarians, shut up. It drives me absolutely crazy when carnivores respond this way to me and my vegetarianism because of you. (No offense to you, of course.)

Wow, I take offense to this. Just because you say "no offense" it doesn't mean it's okay to say. Why would you group people together based on the actions of a few?

I am "health nut" as considered by your post. I think most people feel that way because they have never known someone who was vegetarian or they know nothing about vegetarian. Why not take the time to help educate them about vegetarianism instead of generalizing an entire subgroup of a population?

I chose the vegetarian diet because of how I felt after giving up meat. That doesn't mean I am less vegetarian than anyone else, or that I am doing it for the wrong reasons. It just means I am different than you.

Perhaps I need to revise.

There are two types of vegetarian health nuts. I'm totally okay with those of you out there who went vegetarian for your health. But there are some health nuts who take it to an extreme - eating a strict raw diet, drinking green smoothies, going so far as to eat tofu straight from the container. Sure, it's their perogative...but it's these types of health nuts that scream to high heavens that their way is the "right way" and then I have to deal with people thinking that vegetarianism is a joyless eating experience. That's what bothers me -- not the healthy eating part, but how forcefully they make others believe vegetarianism is this boring, strict way of eating.

Instead of antagonizing people, maybe you should try to educate people about vegetarianism.

I don't understand how people thinking their eating path is 'the right way' has anything to do with making others believe vegetarianism is a boring and strict way of eating. I guess I also don't understand why you seem to be getting bent out of shape about what others think of your diet. Their opinions don't matter. Why are you letting their misconstrued conceptions about vegetarianism affect you?

FYI, I have known vegetarians from your classifications that behave in the manner you speak of, as well as vegans. It's not just 'health nut vegetarians.' If you are going to get angry at the health nut vegetarians for creating this 'stigma' then you need to get upset with the other types of vegetarians and vegans that do it too.

And I'm a health vegetarian but mostly the decision was made for me when my body decided it couldn't handle eating meat anymore (post-infectious motility disorder after becoming very ill and being hospitalized while travelling in Peru).

The Spiritual Human: Hindu Vegetarians know that it is spiritually damaging to consume the dead bodies of other species

While I love animals, id have to say im a "By Default Vegetarian" LOL

Mum turned veg when i was 12 so since then ive been veg and had no issues.

However i also fall under the "Fake vegetarian" category in that occasionally and rarely and depending on the day (Hindu custom) I will eat chicken or eggs. Just those two.

If it wasn't for chicken id be fo real!! I could never and never have or will cut up a dead carcass to eat. I know id eat the chicken but i cant prepare it!!!

Anyways all the best to you all!

I'm an animal rights vegan, myself.

I believe that in a perfect world, like back in the garden of Eden & like the world to come, every one will be vegetarians. I became a vegetarian when I was 12, and I still cant believe we eat animals. I wish I had of realized what eating a animal actually was sooner. I think if people actually had to hunt and kill and skin, etc. there own meat there would be a lot more vegetarians in the world. And I think if you can say that you couldn't do that, then you shouldn't be allowed to eat meat. Yes, I LOVE animals! I think that it is absolutely sickening what we do to animals! I also want to be healthy but I do eat food that is not good for you like chips, etc. so I'm not a health nut.

That person who put you into the health nut box is rare, because I have been a vegetarian for 30 years and I have Never had anyone act that way towards me. Just saying.

Much love to you all!!!!

Mostly number 2, but the other two are contenders as well.

The Spiritual Human: Hindu Vegetarians know that it is spiritually damaging to consume the dead bodies of other species

+1! I started becoming more spiritual and noticed how much happier and full of life i felt when i cut out meat! I used to be filled with anxiety and fear all the time! I realized now i was consuming all the negative emotions/energy of the chickens that were killed!

Perhaps I need to revise.

There are two types of vegetarian health nuts. I'm totally okay with those of you out there who went vegetarian for your health. But there are some health nuts who take it to an extreme - eating a strict raw diet, drinking green smoothies, going so far as to eat tofu straight from the container. Sure, it's their perogative...but it's these types of health nuts that scream to high heavens that their way is the "right way" and then I have to deal with people thinking that vegetarianism is a joyless eating experience. That's what bothers me -- not the healthy eating part, but how forcefully they make others believe vegetarianism is this boring, strict way of eating.

I think there is some confusion on this multifaceted realm of vegetarianism:glasses: . We have raw vegans, raw vegetarians, raw foodists and natural hygienists, macrobiotic vegetarians and vegans, political activism type vegetarian and vegans, nutritionally homeopathic :drinker: vegetarians and vegans, new age vegetarians and vegans, feminist :noway: vegans and vegetarians (ie; The politics of meat) , confrontational vegans and vegetarians, :flowerforyou: change the world and recruit vegetarians and vegans, the secret vegetarians :indifferent: and vegans, eating disorder recovery vegetarian and vegans, drinker/chain smoker and sometimes :smokin: drug head vegans and vegetarians, "a celebrity is vegan/vegetarian so am i" vegan/vegetarian, hippie may still support a commune -vegan/vegetarian, Clean eating vegan/vegetarian, soyfree vegan/vegetarian, I need to lose weight vegan/vegetarian, health issue vegan/vegetarian, "only diet a:huh: stuck to" vegan/vegetarian.

We have a TON of subcategories of Veg people and other vegetarians have to accept that. When food choices became public, different shades of peoples' beliefs became public too. There needs to be more unity amongst vegetarians. Must there be an opinion about everything:noway: ?
How many non-vegetarians think vegetarians are extreme*:flowerforyou: Im sure a lot of them. But is that necessarily true, no. It is up to the individual who shares* that they are a vegan/vegetarian to be prepared for all that "crap" :grumble: of stereotypes, misconceptions and sometimes different areas of vegetarian lifestyle to be addressed. :sad: Instead of criticizing or labeling (many vegetarians flow through many different areas of the categories above after various years), just:happy: clarify what is true for You. If you wanna avoid the conversation with your checkout person, :noway: don't share that your vegetarian, keep it personal.

If you do more research (study is endless) and talk to more veg people and read the history of it, then it won't be so overwhelming to know how many different sides of veg there really are:ohwell: