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

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

I don't know. Im with JRocka. If you say flexitarian, then you have to explain what that means. And then people will look at you funny because it's kind of like you just eat a traditional omnivore diet, which most people do...

Much easier to say, sometimes I like to eat veggies. Today is that kind of day.

I don't get the need to explain everything. If someone cares that much, then they are weird to me.

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

be a thing.

no one eats 100% meat all the time (except for that weird guy who eats only raw meats and his whole mouth is blood stained)

It's just silly to give normal eating preferences it's own label- I don't order meat every time I go out (I do most of the time- but not EVER time) and I never have a name for whatever the hell i"m eating.

it just sounds pretensions and way harder than it needs to be.

I think I'm more concerned about how/why people are having to answer this question to often that it's an issue- I have heard more questions HERE about what I eat- and others eat- than I do in real life when people are watching me eat- it's just unfathomable to me how this is SUCH an issue we need extra names. Flexitarian is a goofy name for someone who eats what they want.

why won't the world just stop. trying.so hard.

JoRocka, perhaps we just need a new label.

"Why did you order _______?"

"Well, of course, it's because I'm a KICK-*kitten*-ATARIAN. It's all the rage, you know?"

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

be a thing.

no one eats 100% meat all the time (except for that weird guy who eats only raw meats and his whole mouth is blood stained)

It's just silly to give normal eating preferences it's own label- I don't order meat every time I go out (I do most of the time- but not EVER time) and I never have a name for whatever the hell i"m eating.

it just sounds pretensions and way harder than it needs to be.

I think I'm more concerned about how/why people are having to answer this question to often that it's an issue- I have heard more questions HERE about what I eat- and others eat- than I do in real life when people are watching me eat- it's just unfathomable to me how this is SUCH an issue we need extra names. Flexitarian is a goofy name for someone who eats what they want.

why won't the world just stop. trying.so hard.

I get questions a lot IRL about what I'm eating, why I am not eating XYZ, and whether or not I am a vegetarian. I have only been coming to the boards on here for a couple weeks. But whereas IRL people ask the questions because they are curious, here I haven't been asked any questions but I have now (and all by you, BTW) been called ostentatious, ignorant sounding, and pretentious. I am not "trying so hard," I simply respond to people who talk or text to me. I was taught to be polite that way. So when someone asks "Why aren't you trying the ham, are you a vegetarian?" I say No I'm not a vegetarian. Because I'm not. Invariably they will then ask something else like: Then why aren't you eating the meat? I'll say I am a flexitarian. They either stop questioning and take it at face value, or we continue a typically polite question. I am not the OP and do not get upset about subsequent questions. But I do find it easier to say a label I can agree with and see if they want more information. But then again, I am not concerned about why people are answering these questions because people in general are typically curious about things that appear different to them. So I just answer at face value.

Again here on this board, you haven't asked questions, you just told me what you personally think about me as a person and my diet choices. I'm not "trying to be a thing," I eat the way I eat and when I heard a label that fit and made explanations quicker, I adopted it. Yes, most of the families around my area do not believe it is a meal if there isn't a dead animal on the table, so they do eat meat at every single meal. Someone who doesn't partake of the communal dead animal is strange to them.

no one eats 100% meat all the time (except for that weird guy who eats only raw meats and his whole mouth is blood stained)

There are not many people who eat 100% meat all the time. There are some though. Also, I'm pretty sure that guy's mouth is not "stained" by the blood. That shot was almost certainly taken intentionally to be sensational. It's like saying a vegan's mouth is strained green because you take a picture of them right after they chew up a huge batch of spinach and have a bunch all over the inside of their mouth.

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

I don't know. Im with JRocka. If you say flexitarian, then you have to explain what that means. And then people will look at you funny because it's kind of like you just eat a traditional omnivore diet, which most people do...

Much easier to say, sometimes I like to eat veggies. Today is that kind of day.

I don't get the need to explain everything. If someone cares that much, then they are weird to me.

Explaining is not a big deal to me. It's a conversation. Usually people who ask are simply curious, so I answer their questions. Saying I "have to explain" makes it sound like a chore. I didn't intend for it to sound that way. I was just answering the OP as to what I say when specifically asked.
Maybe in your area people who are not vegetarian often forgo meat, but I live in a very rural, very hunter-oriented area. There is always meat on the table, and some will even feel slighted if you don't take some.

I would never ask someone something about what they are eating BUT if I did, and they responded with "I'm a flexitarian" it would be natural to ask, "what is a flexitarian?". I think the term draws unnecessary attention to your diet. It's silly. You eat like most people. Why not just say, I'm not having meat because I don't feel like eating meat right now. Putting a label on something that is really quite normal is just silly to me, no matter where you are from.

And, yes, upon learning that a flexitarian is actually just a regular 'ol omnivore, I would roll my eyes and think "pretentious:"

I'm not asking because I do not care what you eat.


As long as you are eating well rounded and balanced moderated food- hit your macros and are successfully meeting your goals- I'm wildly happy for you.

It doesn't need a label. It's what you like to eat. That's all there is to it.

It just seems strange to me that you don't care what I eat, but you do care what I call it.

Now that's a a discussion we ARE having. I just don't get why everything needs a name- I'm not a name/label person.
I still feel like you're over estimating my "care" and underestimating the likelihood my boss is not in- and I'd rather be researching Alaskan meat diets than cleaning my desk

LOL! I'm avoiding my work too. I've got a stack of papers to grade, I just can't face right now.

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

I don't know. Im with JRocka. If you say flexitarian, then you have to explain what that means. And then people will look at you funny because it's kind of like you just eat a traditional omnivore diet, which most people do...

Much easier to say, sometimes I like to eat veggies. Today is that kind of day.

I don't get the need to explain everything. If someone cares that much, then they are weird to me.

Explaining is not a big deal to me. It's a conversation. Usually people who ask are simply curious, so I answer their questions. Saying I "have to explain" makes it sound like a chore. I didn't intend for it to sound that way. I was just answering the OP as to what I say when specifically asked.
Maybe in your area people who are not vegetarian often forgo meat, but I live in a very rural, very hunter-oriented area. There is always meat on the table, and some will even feel slighted if you don't take some.

I would never ask someone something about what they are eating BUT if I did, and they responded with "I'm a flexitarian" it would be natural to ask, "what is a flexitarian?". I think the term draws unnecessary attention to your diet. It's silly. You eat like most people. Why not just say, I'm not having meat because I don't feel like eating meat right now. Putting a label on something that is really quite normal is just silly to me, no matter where you are from.

And, yes, upon learning that a flexitarian is actually just a regular 'ol omnivore, I would roll my eyes and think "pretentious:"

Seeing as you think that regular ol' omnivores eat vegetarian dishes, you probably wouldn't ask. Where I live, only vegetarians eat the vegetarian dishes. Sad, but true. But at least those who have asked haven't been rude enough to then roll their eyes at me. ;-)

I'm not asking because I do not care what you eat.


As long as you are eating well rounded and balanced moderated food- hit your macros and are successfully meeting your goals- I'm wildly happy for you.

It doesn't need a label. It's what you like to eat. That's all there is to it.

It just seems strange to me that you don't care what I eat, but you do care what I call it.

Because we've all gone to parties where we have hear ad nauseum about someone's special, but not really special, diet plans. :laugh:

If they don't want to hear anymore, all they have to do is stop asking follow-up questions.

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

I don't know. Im with JRocka. If you say flexitarian, then you have to explain what that means. And then people will look at you funny because it's kind of like you just eat a traditional omnivore diet, which most people do...

Much easier to say, sometimes I like to eat veggies. Today is that kind of day.

I don't get the need to explain everything. If someone cares that much, then they are weird to me.

Explaining is not a big deal to me. It's a conversation. Usually people who ask are simply curious, so I answer their questions. Saying I "have to explain" makes it sound like a chore. I didn't intend for it to sound that way. I was just answering the OP as to what I say when specifically asked.
Maybe in your area people who are not vegetarian often forgo meat, but I live in a very rural, very hunter-oriented area. There is always meat on the table, and some will even feel slighted if you don't take some.

I would never ask someone something about what they are eating BUT if I did, and they responded with "I'm a flexitarian" it would be natural to ask, "what is a flexitarian?". I think the term draws unnecessary attention to your diet. It's silly. You eat like most people. Why not just say, I'm not having meat because I don't feel like eating meat right now. Putting a label on something that is really quite normal is just silly to me, no matter where you are from.

And, yes, upon learning that a flexitarian is actually just a regular 'ol omnivore, I would roll my eyes and think "pretentious:"

Seeing as you think that regular ol' omnivores eat vegetarian dishes, you probably wouldn't ask. Where I live, only vegetarians eat the vegetarian dishes. Sad, but true. But at least those who have asked haven't been rude enough to then roll their eyes at me. ;-)

I'm not saying I would do it to your face. Just probably behind your back when you walk away.

All kidding aside, any time I have ever been questioned and my response has been "this looks good to me," no one has ever followed up with more questions.

Trying too hard at what? At answering a direct question? I'm not just throwing this term out there for no reason. When someone asks a question, I answer it. Just as others answer that they are gluten-free, or low-carb, or any other number of diet options. I answer in the shortest and easiest answer possible.
Maybe you don't need to "splain nothin" but I will answer a question when it is asked.

I don't know. Im with JRocka. If you say flexitarian, then you have to explain what that means. And then people will look at you funny because it's kind of like you just eat a traditional omnivore diet, which most people do...

Much easier to say, sometimes I like to eat veggies. Today is that kind of day.

I don't get the need to explain everything. If someone cares that much, then they are weird to me.

Explaining is not a big deal to me. It's a conversation. Usually people who ask are simply curious, so I answer their questions. Saying I "have to explain" makes it sound like a chore. I didn't intend for it to sound that way. I was just answering the OP as to what I say when specifically asked.
Maybe in your area people who are not vegetarian often forgo meat, but I live in a very rural, very hunter-oriented area. There is always meat on the table, and some will even feel slighted if you don't take some.

I would never ask someone something about what they are eating BUT if I did, and they responded with "I'm a flexitarian" it would be natural to ask, "what is a flexitarian?". I think the term draws unnecessary attention to your diet. It's silly. You eat like most people. Why not just say, I'm not having meat because I don't feel like eating meat right now. Putting a label on something that is really quite normal is just silly to me, no matter where you are from.

And, yes, upon learning that a flexitarian is actually just a regular 'ol omnivore, I would roll my eyes and think "pretentious:"

Seeing as you think that regular ol' omnivores eat vegetarian dishes, you probably wouldn't ask. Where I live, only vegetarians eat the vegetarian dishes. Sad, but true. But at least those who have asked haven't been rude enough to then roll their eyes at me. ;-)

I'm not saying I would do it to your face. Just probably behind your back when you walk away.

All kidding aside, any time I have ever been questioned and my response has been "this looks good to me," no one has ever followed up with more questions.

Maybe it's just my family. :drinker:

However, the concern here is that other people tend to need labels and categories to make sense of me. Right or wrong, that's the reality in my experience.

The reality (IMO anyways) is that you feel the need to provide people with labels that they can apply to you.

If someone asks whether or not you are a vegetarian you can simply say "no".

"No. Not a vegetarian. Just not a big fan of meat."

I've used that response many times, and the resulting conversation usually goes like this:

"How can you not like meat? It's sooo good!"
"Umm, well, not to me it isn't"
"What's not to like about a big juicy steak, it's yummy!"
"Just not my thing, but glad you enjoy it"
"That's really weird, I don't get it". (pause) "Will it bother you if I order a steak and I'm eating it in front of you?"
"No, not at all. It doesn't matter to me what you choose to eat" (Hint: and it shouldn't matter to you what I choose to eat!!)

I can't tell you how many times that exact scenario has played out, pretty much every time I eat in a group setting.

So you have a conversation with someone who is concerned about offending you. Sounds really awful.

So you have a conversation with someone who is concerned about offending you. Sounds really awful.

Call me Captain Obvious here, but the annoying (hardly "awful" ) part is the implication that one's personal choice is an aberration, and having to defend it.