Any flexitarians? How do you explain your diet to others?

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Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I generally tell people I am eating the hell out of some meat so I can have muscles to flex. Flexitarian.
  • LeonCX
    LeonCX Posts: 862 Member
    I married a Flexitarian but I'm Methodist.
  • jay8anks
    jay8anks Posts: 26 Member
    I make my lunch my big meal of the day and any meat I eat is at lunch. That way, I appear normal. :) For breakfast and supper, 99% of the time I'm vegetarian. Now some days at lunch I am too.

    I've been an off an on again vegetarian for years. I really find that people hate it you are different from them. Just lightening up and eating meat at lunch makes it easy to appease friends and family.

    Flextarian is exactly how I think of myself.
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    I wasn't sure what a flexitarian was. I presumed that you were talking about IIFYM and flexible dieting for a minute. Guess I'm wrong here.

    I don't use -tarian labels to describe the way I eat because I don't think I need to explain it to anyone. The only exception to this is if I am cooking for them and I don't know if they will eat what I eat or if I am dining with a vegan friend who I know gets upset if I eat meat in front of him (he's a dear friend and is the only person allowed his concession). I do eat IIFYM and consume a lot of protein, but that runs the gamut from tofu to fatty beef. That's just me, though.

    Feel free to call yourself any type of -tarian, OP. And also feel free that you don't have to explain it to anyone.
  • Maitria
    Maitria Posts: 439 Member
    "Thank you for considering how to describe yourself in a way that won't offend me. " /fixed

    She said that she was trying not to offend both meat-eaters and vegetarians. I wanted to express appreciation for her thoughtfulness.
    PS: not offended by Flexitarians, though I think the term gums up the works.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    <sigh>

    I can't explain myself.

    I eat fish at least once a week, other meat a few times a year, and no animal products at least 2 days a week. I supplement my diet with B12 and I've learned to prepare vegan dishes for the week to make it easier. I don't explain myself, in fact, unless someone is genuinely interested, I prefer not to talk about it.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    "Thank you for considering how to describe yourself in a way that won't offend me. " /fixed

    She said that she was trying not to offend both meat-eaters and vegetarians. I wanted to express appreciation for her thoughtfulness.
    PS: not offended by Flexitarians, though I think the term gums up the works.

    I personally would not be offended in any way, shape or form if a vegetarian claimed to be a carnivore. Whatevs, right?

    But is that true the other way around?

    Agree that Flexitarian is kinda silly but like I said, whatevs.
  • Maitria
    Maitria Posts: 439 Member
    Also, if someone is so concerned with my eating habits as to get offended? I genuinely couldn't care less. That's ridiculous. If I want to call myself a T-Rex and only eat salad, why should that be offensive? Weird.This should not be something one should have to consider...
    I think OP just doesn't want anyone to think she's judging them and recognizes that vegetarian isn't the word for her diet.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    I just say, "no, but I eat a lot of vegetarian meals." Nobody ever questions that.
  • Maitria
    Maitria Posts: 439 Member

    I personally would not be offended in any way, shape or form if a vegetarian claimed to be a carnivore. Whatevs, right?
    but a vegetarian
    But is that true the other way around?

    Agree that Flexitarian is kinda silly but like I said, whatevs.

    I can't speak speak for every vegetarian, but a vegetarian proclaiming to be carnivorous is only screwing herself. Someone claiming to be vegetarian while eating meat just causes confusion, which is why I get irritated but not offended.
  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    I generally tell people I am eating the hell out of some meat so I can have muscles to flex. Flexitarian.

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    This sounds like me, I guess maybe I'm a flexitarian...I kind of thought that was a joke when I heard it before (no offense, I just really didn't know it was a thing).

    My husband has been pescetarian for many years and the meals we cook at home fit his dietary preferences and suit me just fine, too. I ate pescetarian for a year with absolutely no beef, poultry or pork, and then went back to it but only like 1-2 times per week at most, and like you (OP) I mostly just order it in restaurants or partake of appealing meat dishes when dining with friends...and that's actually kind of rare because I'm very picky about anything with bones, fat, gristle, etc...I like only very particular things like thinly sliced beef on a Thai salad or burgers from my favorite local place.

    So for most purposes I do go with a fish or vegetarian meal at events and such...it's just easier that way and it's also more likely that those options will include lots of vegetables, which I strive to eat more of anyway. It's kind of sad when the option is a soup with cheese & sausage in it, or a nice big salad...lasagna with just tomato sauce, meat & cheese, or a veggie pasta with 6 different vegetables and lots of spices. I like what On The Ground said early on in this thread...just explain that it fits better for you. No need to explain further, really.

    I have found that some people are just rude about this stuff. Some people find it very strange that a pescetarian for example, will eat fish, shrimp, eggs...but not bacon. I really don't get why they would worry about it.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member

    I personally would not be offended in any way, shape or form if a vegetarian claimed to be a carnivore. Whatevs, right?
    but a vegetarian
    But is that true the other way around?

    Agree that Flexitarian is kinda silly but like I said, whatevs.

    I can't speak speak for every vegetarian, but a vegetarian proclaiming to be carnivorous is only screwing herself. Someone claiming to be vegetarian while eating meat just causes confusion, which is why I get irritated but not offended.

    I'm a bit confused, to be honest. Can you illustrate why a vegetarian would be screwed? (Serious question)
  • Maitria
    Maitria Posts: 439 Member
    I'm a bit confused, to be honest. Can you illustrate why a vegetarian would be screwed? (Serious question)

    sure. Brief response due to tech difficulties. Veg: "I'm a meat eater." Others: "Ok." Proceed to give vegetarian meat dishes at occasions or don't mention the chicken broth in the pasta sauce.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Just explain that you try to stick to vegetarian meals because you recognize that it is good for your health and the environment but that you haven't given up meat entirely.
  • Elvenhearted
    Elvenhearted Posts: 13
    It's weird how it's alright for a meat eater to have a vegetarian dish here and there and no one says anything, but heaven help the person who is primarily vegetarian but wants a bit of meat sometimes.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Nope. No to this. You answer "No, I'm not a vegetarian" because you still eat meat. It doesn't matter how little meat you consume, you consume it. To call yourself a vegetarian would be an insult. You aren't a "flexitarian" either, you eat meat. You're a normal person that isn't that into meat. You don't call yourself anything.


    This.

    I eat a significant number of vegetables and I'll happily go "meatless" for several meals.

    I don't' bother explaining it to any one- I just say I eat foods I like and I fit them into my diet.

    boom- done.
    Just explain that you try to stick to vegetarian meals because you recognize that it is good for your health
    problem with this is that it inherently suggests eating meat is bad. Which is incorrect and just insulting to other people.


    I don't understand why people need to EXPLAIN themselves and their food choices.

    We talk about it at work- as in discuss it because it's interesting- but it's never an "explain yourself" situation. it tends to be higher level than that.
  • LifeWithPie
    LifeWithPie Posts: 552 Member


    I don't understand why people need to EXPLAIN themselves and their food choices.

    We talk about it at work- as in discuss it because it's interesting- but it's never an "explain yourself" situation. it tends to be higher level than that.




    This! Most people don't give a bleep what others eat. I certainly don't.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    So basically OP you eat food. Just tell people that. You're an omnivore. You eat both plant and animal. Doesn't matter if you eat one more than the other, you eat food.

    /thread
  • TheBigFb
    TheBigFb Posts: 649 Member
    I hate you all
  • TheBigFb
    TheBigFb Posts: 649 Member
    Im not super concerned about labels, what in the name of jaysus is Flexitarians? Couldnt be more labelally
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Wouldn't a Flexitarian just be a normal person? I mean for instance I don't eat a steak daily..meat isn't in my diet daily some days I do just have salads and beans for protein just depends on how I feel....could it be that you are confusing people by calling yourself a vegetarian and then eating meat when you feel like it? If that's the case I can see why people are using the word "Flexitarian" in regards to how you eat....People like to label themselves for the "cool" factor Im not sure if that's the case here but if your going around telling people your a vegetarian and then eating a steak when you feel like it lol Im sure your friends are getting a laugh when they say "flexitarian"
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    I'm not really a flexitarian but I'm SUPER picky about meat - I basically only like chicken, and beef when it's in a burger or taco or something. And even then I'll only eat those things when I cooked them myself or it's from a place I trust. So I end up ordering vegetarian dishes a lot of the time, and I get asked the same, "Oh, are you a vegetarian?" I just say, "No, but I'm not a huge meat lover and I'm very picky about it. Vegetarian dishes usually suit me better." I find that people usually accept that without asking further questions or being rude.

    It's so silly that people feel the need to judge others' food choices in the first place :grumble:
  • da_bears1008
    da_bears1008 Posts: 354
    Nope. No to this. You answer "No, I'm not a vegetarian" because you still eat meat. It doesn't matter how little meat you consume, you consume it. To call yourself a vegetarian would be an insult. You aren't a "flexitarian" either, you eat meat. You're a normal person that isn't that into meat. You don't call yourself anything.

    THANK YOU! I don't understand the need to label ourselves. If you eat meat, you are not a vegetarian. Simplez.

    But feel free to join my group! "I Eat What I Wantians" We have t-shirts. And donuts.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    Wouldn't a Flexitarian just be a normal person? I mean for instance I don't eat a steak daily..meat isn't in my diet daily some days I do just have salads and beans for protein just depends on how I feel....could it be that you are confusing people by calling yourself a vegetarian and then eating meat when you feel like it? If that's the case I can see why people are using the word "Flexitarian" in regards to how you eat....People like to label themselves for the "cool" factor Im not sure if that's the case here but if your going around telling people your a vegetarian and then eating a steak when you feel like it lol Im sure your friends are getting a laugh when they say "flexitarian"

    I agree with you that some people like to label themselves for the cool factor but I don't think that's what OP is doing. And I don't think flexitarian could apply to everyone because from what I've heard, flexitarian is where you're basically vegetarian but not 100% committed, like you eat meat occasionally. Like a regular person probably eats meat close to once a day, where as a flexitarian would probably eat it around once a week or less. Idk I also think labels are silly, but it can be handy when you're following a diet that's different than what people consider "normal."
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    - troll thread - right?

    is it? a Troll thread?

    - it IS isn't it - yeah.



    ... troll thread.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
    I'm not vegetarians, I just enjoy my veggies and I eat plenty of them.
  • Raclex
    Raclex Posts: 238
    So you're on an omnivore. I'm not sure I understand your question. It's like a social smoker saying he only smokes on week-ends. So he's not really a smoker. But he is. Hmmm. So you're someone who eats veggies, grains, fruits, eggs, meat and nuts. Why would you need to 'label' your eating lifestyle?
  • EmpressZhark
    EmpressZhark Posts: 26 Member
    “I just don’t eat a lot of meat.”
    That sums it up for me.

    Are you a vegetarian?
    No, I just don’t eat a lot of meat.

    So you do eat meat?
    Yes, but not a lot.

    So why did you request a vegetarian meal?
    Because I don’t eat a lot of meat.

    But you’re not vegetarian?
    No. I just don’t eat a lot of meat.
  • niavalentino
    niavalentino Posts: 131 Member
    As many people have stated already, you're not a "flexitarian" you're just simply an omnivore. However I understand the problem you have especially since I moved to a different country and one that heavily consumes meat. I started eating vegan last year due to digestive problems, but I still ate meat once a week sometimes two. Ever since I moved to where I am now I've become the "COOL VEGAN FRIEND" and needless to say it is weird as heck. Most people back home get the cutting out some food bit, but here? I also get the "So...are you vegetarian? Why aren't you eating meat?" and then I go "I eat vegan - "and before I can finish my sentence of "...but sometimes I eat meat" they're all "VEGAN? VEGAN?! I've never met a vegan before!" or "VEGAN? How are you SURVIVING here?!"

    Long story short: we're omnivores. If people ask "Are you a vegetarian?" or "Are you vegan?" just say "No, I'm an omnivore" and let them sit confused for a moment and then have them bugger off.

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