For those that don't eat meat, explain your reasoning

when I was a sophomore in high school, I decided to stop eating meat because I liked animals, and I believed there were so many health benefits that could happen if I stopped eating meat.

Well! Almost immedately after that decision, I started PACKING on the pounds. I gained 35 pounds in 15 months of not eating meat for "health" reasons... I didn't grow an inch, and I was fully developed.


For the life of me, I could not understand why I kept having to buy new pants! I went from a size 3 to a size 9 in a little over a year...


I think it can be good to limit your meat intake, but it's perfectly healthy to eat meat.

I was "confused". I thought meat made you fat, so I replaced meat with fries or ice cream.


I am a proud meat eater, and I am now back down to the size I was before I became a veggie ! I feel better than ever!

Hahahaha mineral should read...miracle

i have certain website i go to for products i cant find at clothing stores, such as shoes and jackets. they are the same amount, if not cheaper, i dont like buying expensive shoes, haha, im not a shoe person, so personally every pair of shoes is too expensive, dont like spending more than 30 dollars, im cheap:)

Do you mind sharing the website-- I am a vegetarian at least and I want to move in a more whole-vegan direction, I would love to start being more conscious when buying clothes and other products! Thanks!

I do eat some meat, though no more than a meal per week. I expect I'll be completely vegetarian again at some point, though living with avowed carnivores, it can be tough. My 6 year old daughter has been a vegetarian for several years, by choice. She just doesn't care for it.

The cancer aspect is a new concern for me. My father was recently diagnosed with late stage colon cancer. That particular cancer is one that is dictated significantly by diet. So much of his diet was red meat and junk food, though he isn't terribly overweight. But he will die from this, sooner or later, and what he ate has a lot to do with it.

I do have a moral issue with factory farming as well. When I do buy/eat meat, I buy local and organic, free range and grass fed, whenever possible.

http://www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/meat.php

This is actually a great overview of the health risks associated with meat consumption....all of the studies cited are dutifully referenced. One of the courses I took in school was Nutritional Toxicology....it was very interesting, to say the least.

I rarely eat red meat.. reasoning is because my mom died from breast cancer when I was 18, and there has been studies where red meat could possibly be linked because of the hormones farmers are giving their cows, etc. It was a very, very aggressive cancer and she was really young and so with that strong family history and some other factors - I have like a 70% risk.. So I just want to do EVERYTHING in my control that I can to prevent myself from getting sick so young like my mom. By exercising, not smoking or drinking, etc!

I do eat chicken and turkey. Sometimes Ham. but I am slowly working on cutting those down because I am bored and need a challenge,LOL..

I want to be a person that wants to stop eating meat. What do you eat for lunch/dinner? It seems so hard! I don't think I could eat a salad every meal. Seems real hard in this world to not eat meat. I guess you have to train your mind as to what you can have??

I abstain from eating meat (most of the time) because when I sit down and think about what I'm putting in my mouth, it disgusts me. I'm eating something that used to be alive. But now it's dead because people like me want to eat it.

I eat eggs because they are delicious and they weren't cute little chickens yet.

I feel better and have less stomach issues when I don't eat meat. I also genuinely believe that a lot of our nation's medical issues are due to us thinking that we have to have meat at every single meal, and eating way too much of it.

My husband and I like to joke that I was born to be a vegetarian because I don't have my two (I think you're only supposed to have 2?) incisor teeth.

I definitely don't' eat salad every meal! You know, lots of veggies on mfp have open diaries (like me)-- and our diets are so varied! You should look around. We eat EVERYTHING. except meat. haha

also, ive had some people ask me, why are you on here, vegan can be overweight as well. chips and soda are vegan things:)

SO TRUE!


OMG I thought I was nuts!! haha I gained 35 pounds from going veggie! haha I don't feel dumb anymore!

Question for some of you:

If you're against eating meat because of how the animals are treated, would you consider hunting? Would you eat meat that a hunter shot? What about farms, individuals who slaughter animals quickly and after treating them well?

Very good question man.

The human race was built for hunting and eating meat, so I'm wondering if the vegans here, if given the opportunity to hunt...would you eat your own kills?

Also speaking hypothetically, if there was only meat left in the world and it was a matter of eating or starvation...what would you do?

(lets remain civil in the conversation)

I'm really curious.

I would never hunt unless it was a necessity. As I said in my post, I can live a happy healthy life with nothing having to die and limiting my negative impact on the world, so it's a no brainer for me BUT if I could not survive or be healthy without meat yes I would eat it - e.g. if I lived in a third world country I would eat whatever I could - that is a hypothetical though, as I don't

OMG I am scared to go that way now!!! Im already a food junkie- fries/pizza/cookies/junk. I guess I thought all vegan/vegetarians were just super healthy. Never thought of it that way!

I have been vegetarian for 25 years. Not sure why you want it explained, but will take your word it's just curiousity, rather than looking for an argument. I am fit, healthy, and have one 21 yr old daughter who has experimented a bit with eating fish, and a carnivore son (14). Live and let live.!! Animals, and humans!! I made my decision based on literature/film/speeches including some wonderful books mentioned above -- John Robbins' 'Diet for a New America' changed my life -- after reading it I ate one last hamburger, threw it up it disgusted me so, knowing how the animals suffer and die.

The treatment of animals, environmental issues, hunting, etc. are questions constantly debated and written about by many scholars in philosophy, as well as other subjects. I used to get poked at re. why do you eat yogurt, or should you wear leather, or hey broccoli yelps when you cut it --- Over the years, the general public has become more educated and there is less of that. Also I probably get less of that attitude because I don't preach. Even to my own kids. Being a vegetarian, near-vegan, is just my way of living. Less carbon footprint, better health; it just feels right to me. : )

I eat meat and use animal bi-products. It'd be a shame to let all the animals go to waste.

i personally am vegan. i dont eat, use, wear anything associated with a living creature. i also dont do honey or certain things like red dye 40 since thats actually ground up beetles, not to be gross.

Actually, red #40 is synthetic, but it is made from petroleum derivatives, which I personally find even more disgusting. There are other dyes like cochineal and carmine that are made from beetles though.

I don't claim any particular label nowdays, though I've been vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, and raw veg in the past, and was vegan most of my adult life. I've made different choices for different reasons at different times, but I have two main considerations. One is factory farming and it's impact on the land, the food supply, the lives of animals, biodiversity, etc. The other is my health. I look and feel healthier, more energetic, younger, etc. on a veg diet that is high in fresh fruits and veggies. My skin looks better, my eyes are clearer, my breath smells better, my mood and outlook are more positive. I just flat out feel better.

My main reason for adding occasional chicken, dairy and eggs back into my diet was a long process that began when my son decided he wanted to eat meat. (We had raised him vegetarian up to that point.) At first we made a deal that he could eat meat outside the house and would still eat veg at home, but after a couple of years of that I realized that he was eating the WORST meats possible. So, I found local sources for meat, eggs, and dairy that I was more comfortable with and started making it for him once in while at home. I didn't eat any of it myself for quite a while, but eventually it crept into my diet primarily because of convenience. (Making three separate dishes to accomodate everyone was a PITA!) I've been phasing the chicken back out of my diet now though because I just don't like eating that way and don't feel quite as good healthwise. I will keep occasional eggs and dairy in my diet though. I raise the hens myself and have a couple of local farmers from whom I get fresh milk from pastured cows and raw milk cheese. At this point in time, I'm comfortable with those sources and with the consequences of my choice.