Starting to eat meat is SO difficult. I tried to throw myself back into meat and just felt so gross.

Why stop when you become pregnant? That's the BEST time to be, perfect health for you and your baby.

I'm vegan!

I'm sorry but NO vegetarians eat fish, any dead animal body parts are not vegetarian.

How in the world did you have 'trouble getting enough protein'? There are many sources vegs get, some of the highest and best are plant based protein. A few include spirulina, quinoa, buckwheat, hempseed, flaxseed, amaranth, edamame, tofu, tempeh, beans/legumes, seitan, TVP, kamut, nuts & seeds, barley, cornmeal, brown rice, millet, oatmeal, rye, bulgur, whole wheat bread, wheat germ, wheat, wild rice, couscous, nutritional yeast, plant milks, plant meats, vegetables, and fruits.

Try Bacos, Bacon Salt (hickory flavor), Tempeh Bacon, Smart Bacon if you miss bacon!

Actually, there are different types of vegetarians.

Some who consider themselves vegetarians will eat chicken or fish, but only on very rare occasions and usually out of courtesy to the person cooking or out of convenience as to what is available for protein.

Some will eat dairy but not eggs and are called lacto-vegetarians. Some will eat eggs but not dairy and are called ovo-vegetarians. Some will eat animal byproducts and are called ovo-lacto-vegetarians and they eat milk, eggs, honey, etc. Some are strict vegetarians, some are vegan, some are raw vegans and only eat fruits, veggies, and nuts cooked to a certain temperature. Some will only eat fruits, some only vegetables, some for religious reasons, some for political reasons.

I do notice a certain trend amongst many of the 18-22 year olds that my sister hangs out with, it's very "hip" "trendy" and "Cool" to be vegetarian/vegan. They don't have any real reasons for it other than to follow what 1-2 of their friends are doing. And they're really snotty/political about it. *finger in throat gagging action*

Ummm... I had more to say and hit post too fast.

And part of what I mean by political is that they try and get other people to be. Are always offering tips to people, but they don't actually eat a healthy vegan diet and eat lots of potatoes and pasta instead of finding good, healthy sources of nutrition. Which is something I really dislike, when people are so sure that their way is the only "right" way and consequently shove it down the throat of everyone they come in contact with. Especially when they talk about how healthy it is, and in the same breath have cigarettes in their hands, are drinking themselves stupid, and smoke up to oblivion night after night. Seems just a little bit hypocritical.

I could do with or without red meat most of the time. I could even do without chicken or turkey or pork some times. Like someone else said, though, I cook for my family and they are not prepared to give up meat, so I eat what I cook.

And I won't lie, I do like the taste of meat quite a lot.

*steps down off soap box*

I agree, I'm not fond of the judgmentalism of some, but not all vegs. I was a vegetarian for many years a LONG time ago, before "meat analogues" at the time when people thought that "food combining" was all the rage, a time when it was very hard to be a vegetarian, no one cared nor provided for you if you ate at their house, and most restaurants, outside of those which served breakfast all day had ANY vegetarian friendly things on the menu.

When I became pregnant with my first child I needed meat. I needed it. I hadn't eaten any in years, never missed it, yet my body craved it. I ate a Whopper, in a fit of severe pregnancy nausea and immediately felt better, actually started gaining my much needed pregnancy weight (I was 20 lbs underweight when I became pregnant the first time) and never really looked back.

My heath has always been shitty, it didn't get ANY better while I was a vegetarian, and although I admit it is a valid life choice (one of my kids has been a vegetarian for years, and many of my friends are) BUT it is NOT for everyone.

Science has proven that there are different types of metabolisms, and some people NEED concentrated protein and amino acids and high levels of B12 in the form of animal meat. It's proven and I won't argue with it. Some people can live quite nicely and comfortably with no meat ever, a few can live for long as vegans (although in the past 25 years I know at least 100 people who have tried, at least 90% of them either "cheat" or have gone on to become lacto-ovo vegetarians or simply gone back to an Opportunivore diet, which is how all primate eat, with the exception of the Mountain Gorilla, the only primate, out of all species of primates who eats no meat at all. All the rest do.

Many of my friends are veg, vegan (usually only for a year or two, though) quasi veg, "I don't eat red meat" (I was all of those, with the exception of vegan) etc. Most of them are respectful of others, don't judge other people or tell them mean things about their chosen form of diet. One couple started refusing to come to our house, because our dishes and pots and pans were "contaminated with animal death and your house wreaks of death due to the meat you eat." OK. My Man and I just stood there with our mouths open. IMO, treating animals well is one thing, but treating other HUMANS like shit as part of the deal isn't in my Book of what kind people do.

Luckily, most of our veggie friends are kind and lovely people. Although the ones who are vegan are damn hard to feed.