[wattylfc]

Hi guys

I became a vegetarian 2 and a half years ago; I'd been considering it for a while, I'd never liked meat, liked animals etc, but recently I've lost all the passion I once had for vegetarianism.

I've been lax on gelatine recently when buying stuff in shops, and I'm getting really annoyed at how people have to go to extra work for me when I go round to their house for meals etc; I just want to be simple with my eating habits.

Any advice?

 

[Diana]

Time for you to go and watch Earthlings and Meet your Meat again.

And to stop thinking about yourself, but of millions of innocent animals exploited and murdered every day which end up as a corpse on someone's dinner plate.

It is not only a tragedy, but it is also plain GROSS and BARBARIC.

 

[jeezycreezy]

Watching things like Meet Your Meat or reading a book like Animal Liberation can sometimes reaffirm your reasons for being vegetarian. That's extreme. But it might help.

Undo the burden by bringing your own eats to people's houses. Sure, it's more work for you but if other people don't have the decency to accommodate you happily when they invite you around then there's no other way around it.

It'd be a shame to go back to eating meat just because you are discouraged.

Um...yeah. Pep talks aren't my thing. Clearly. Hopefully someone else will do a better job than me.

But I hope you stick to it. Good luck.

Cheers!

TJ

 

[Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wattylfc

...I've been lax on gelatine recently when buying stuff in shops, and I'm getting really annoyed at how people have to go to extra work for me when I go round to their house for meals etc; I just want to be simple with my eating habits...

I don't like to cause problems for people either. I usually just eat whatever veg food people are having, and bring extra stuff for either myself or all of us to eat.

Gelatine is not vegetarian, and the meat industry does profit from the sale of it, so I see the point of trying to avoid it. On the other hand, since animals aren't killed specifically to produce gelatine, I don't see it as a huge issue. Quite a few people become vegetarian or vegan in steps. You could let the gelatine issue go for now and maybe tackle it later.

 

[meatless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wattylfc

Hi guys

I'm getting really annoyed at how people have to go to extra work for me when I go round to their house for meals etc; I just want to be simple with my eating habits.

That annoys me too, but for different reasons.

It annoys me that animal exploitation is considered "normal," and a compassionate lifestyle choice like veg*nism is considered "extra work."

It also annoys me that people feel like veg*ns are an "inconvenience" when the only ones being truly inconvenienced are the animals who are tortured and slaughtered so that people can stay in their food comfort zone.

That people should view making a veg*n meal as "extra work" while ignoring the "working conditions" of the animals they eat, that's pretty annoying.

Everytime somebody has to go to "extra work" to accommodate me, it is lessing the burden of work on the animals. That makes me very happy.

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meatless

That annoys me too, but for different reasons.

It annoys me that animal exploitation is considered "normal," and a compassionate lifestyle choice like veg*nism is considered "extra work."

It also annoys me that people feel like veg*ns are an "inconvenience" when the only ones being truly inconvenienced are the animals who are tortured and slaughtered so that people can stay in their food comfort zone.

That people should view making a veg*n meal as "extra work" while ignoring the "working conditions" of the animals they eat, that's pretty annoying.

Everytime somebody has to go to "extra work" to accommodate me, it is lessing the burden of work on the animals. That makes me very happy.

 

[epski]

Inconveniencing myself and others is a fair trade-off for reducing the consumption and exploitation of animals.

Of course, it's better to frame things less as convenience, and more positively. For instance, the last time I visited my dad, I made him and my step-mom http://ananimalfriendlylife.com/2005/12/recipe-tempeh-pasta.html ]dinner[/url], and they loved it. So, they got to have fun, didn't have to cook or pay for my dinner, animals weren't purchased or consumed, and I got to do a modest amount of outreach so people would realize that eating vegan wasn't all about deprivation and inconvenience.

 

[Brandon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by epski

Inconveniencing myself and others is a fair trade-off for reducing the consumption and exploitation of animals.

Well-said! And hear, hear!

 

[lillym]

What are your eating habits right now and how would you like to simplify them? (are you eating the same things or are making elaborate meals all the time and that's wearing you down, etc).

As for eating at other people's houses, my best suggestion would be offering to bring something that everyone could share and let your hosts know you are bringing something for everyone.

 

[kpickell]

You don't have to be passionate about it.

You don't have to inconvenience people... Tell them you'd love to come over and visit, and that you'll bring your own food because you have special dietary needs.

PS: I don't care about gelatine either. If you focused on avoiding the main meat products and didn't worry about things like "natural flavors", and the "less than 2% of", then you're diet would still be 99.99% meat free and 150% easier to follow. Do what you can.

 

[flvegnewbie]

I know some people may not like this comment, BUT............I think your feelings are valid.

I think EVERYONE gets in a rut now & again and they start to feel burnt out. Whether it be with our jobs, our relationships, our eating habits, etc. So, what your feeling is normal!

Why are you feeling badly about something that you've taken control over for the last 2 1/2 yrs. of your life & now all of a sudden you feel like you just can't do it anymore? Maybe it's not your eating lifestyle at all??

I know personally I get in "slumps" where I get tired of cooking the same ole' things, eating at the same places (this could be either dining out OR eating at a friends house).

So, maybe your having some upheaval in other areas of your life right now & this is a side effect? AND you need some new recipes to try out? Maybe cooking a different way for awhile? I've heard alot of people cooking once a week & freezing the portions for the rest of the week when they don't feel like cooking? Could this an option for you?

Or maybe splurging on yourself & buying a new vegan/vegetarian cookbook that you've been wanting for awhile? Or even not cooking at all, seriously. For one week, eat some cold cereal & fruit for breakfast, a hummus pita with veggies for lunch, and a REALLY big salad for dinner!! At this point some convenience foods might even be what you need. Maybe this would give you some new inspiration?

Do you have a weekly meal plan? Do you know what your cooking on each night & when you go shopping do you take a list to make sure you have everything you need on hand? If not, then this one tip in itself will help you considerably when trying to figure out what your going to cook & if you have all the ingredients.

This has taken a HUGE amount of stress off of me. Not having to figure out what I'm going to cook every night & whether or not I have everything on hand was really frustrating me!!

Don't give up on something that you believe in so strongly & have stayed with so long.

As far as feeling like your putting people out with the way you eat? Others here have made some really good suggestions. Make a dish you like & take, or even offer to make the dinner at your house & invite your friends over?

I completely know when I start feeling burned out with one area of my life, I usually need to take a step back and try & figure out what's going on that's making me feel this way. More times than not, I'm trying to fit too many things in & I'm bringing on the stress myself.

Take care of yourself first & the rest will work itself out!

Oh! Don't forget to be proud of how long you've been a vegetarian, 2 1/2 yrs. is AWESOME!!!

Michelle

 

[Tesseract]

Kpickell's right. It doesn't have to be inconvenient for your friends. Just eat before you go, or suggest a restaurant where everyone can eat well. Or pick friends who aren't sucky hosts.

When fellow vegetarians get discouraged, I'm tempted to point out what life is like for people with severe, even life-threatening food allergies. They don't have the luxury of ever relaxing their vigilance even the tiniest bit. No matter how tired they get of reading labels, checking ingredients with restaurant waitstaff, or taking their own food to gatherings of family and friends, they HAVE to stick with it. Missing one ingredient one time could mean severe illness or death. For them, personally. They don't have a choice to just quit one day and say, "What the hell, I'll just eat that peanut butter cookie," or even to say, "Well, maybe that cheese dish has animal rennet in it and maybe it doesn't, I'll just eat it." Maybe it doesn't sound encouraging, but when you look at it that, way, it makes being a vegetarian seem pretty easy, at least to me. If we get tired and mess up on a given day, or if we decide that 2% or less isn't worth worrying about, we don't go to the hospital. We can keep doing as much good as we each feel able to do, and we have the option of maybe doing better again tomorrow.

 

[colorful]

I think losing your passion is a natural phase of the vegetarian journey. It's natural to be the most motivated and passionate right as you embark on any new adventure. I have been a vegetarian for 3 1/2 years now, and where it used to be a major part of my identity and something I thought about a lot, now it's just a way of life. I'm not as strict as I used to be, I don't check for miniscule ingredients in everything. I'll eat yogurt at my parents' house even though it's not organic and it probably contains gelatin. I have much higher standards for what I purchase and eat at home than for what I'll eat in a restaurant or at someone's house. That is just what works for me and my family.

I think it's normal to kind of settle into a comfortable phase of vegetarianism that you can sustain over a lifetime. At that point it feels effortless. In fact, I often "forget" I'm vegetarian until someone notices or brings it up!

Just experiment with what standards work for you and keep it up!

 

[wattylfc]

Thanks for your responses guys.

I've not got bored of veggie food or anything like that, for what seems like all of my life I've done things differently...been to a different type of school to all my non-school friends, got moved up a year so had to explain everything, left at a different time to them, and being veggie is just another thing that I hate going on about. Menu choices are poor, not eating what everyone else is eating makes me feel excluded and different....I've never watched meet your meat and that kinda stuff, and I don't want to, it'll just freak me out.

 

[jeezycreezy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tesseract

Or pick friends who aren't sucky hosts.

 

[Dumali]

Quote:

not eating what everyone else is eating makes me feel excluded and different...

Then it's probably a good thing you're coming to a veg*n forum.

I don't know about you, but I tend to stick with things better when I'm active in forums related to them, since everyone around me is doing the same thing. Maybe Veggieboards will help keep you motivated, and let you feel included.

 

[Ophelia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tesseract

Kpickell's right. It doesn't have to be inconvenient for your friends. Just eat before you go, or suggest a restaurant where everyone can eat well. Or pick friends who aren't sucky hosts.

When fellow vegetarians get discouraged, I'm tempted to point out what life is like for people with severe, even life-threatening food allergies. They don't have the luxury of ever relaxing their vigilance even the tiniest bit. No matter how tired they get of reading labels, checking ingredients with restaurant waitstaff, or taking their own food to gatherings of family and friends, they HAVE to stick with it. Missing one ingredient one time could mean severe illness or death. For them, personally. They don't have a choice to just quit one day and say, "What the hell, I'll just eat that peanut butter cookie," or even to say, "Well, maybe that cheese dish has animal rennet in it and maybe it doesn't, I'll just eat it." Maybe it doesn't sound encouraging, but when you look at it that, way, it makes being a vegetarian seem pretty easy, at least to me. If we get tired and mess up on a given day, or if we decide that 2% or less isn't worth worrying about, we don't go to the hospital. We can keep doing as much good as we each feel able to do, and we have the option of maybe doing better again tomorrow.

yeah, my fiance goes into anaphalactic shock when he is exposed to eggs...which is why i have been so much more aware of what i eat. there are a few things that i eat that he cannot- we can't even kiss if i eat an egg-containing product until after i brush my teeth very well. milk gives him migranes, as do a lot of other foods.

because of this, our friends know that if we go over to their place, they have to cook differently for us- it isnt an inconvenience to them, just part of the friendship. a lot of the times we just to pot-luck with foods- if somebody else wants to bring a meat-dish, fine by us, just don't share servingware between dishes.

i don't know if i was ever 'passionate' about being vegitarian- now am i adamant about it, yes, but am i going to make all my meat-eating friends feel bad about it? nope. they know how animals are treated and that's their choice- or maybe it isn't, due to their family's influence...anyway, it isn't for me to determine about them. a few of my friends like to hunt or fish- they tell me they went hunting and sometimes apologise to me about it- i tell them not to worry- if they use what they kill to the fullest extent, it doesn't bug me.

i suggest to you to take a step back and ask yourelf if you are veggie because of a social statement, because of protest, or if it is a personal thing that you don't need to make publishable everywhere you go. if it isn't something you think everyone has to know about you, be villigent on your own. make it a committment to yourself, not to a public forum.

when it comes to friends, if they really are good friends, they will respect your needs and choices. if they gripe about it, then they aren't very good friends, now, are they? when joshua and i visit his family, we offer to cook at least one night while we are there. usually, his mum makes a huge meal with main dishes, sides, a salad, and desert, much of which uses things grown on the farm or gotten from friends who farm. yes, they sometimes have meat, but theu usually refrain when we are up there. if they do have a meat dish, there is always something else to choose. this is one way you could approach meals with your friends- have everyone make at least one part of the meal to bring over so that everyone knows there is something there to their liking. if you are going out, go someplace like Old Country Buffett or Ponderosa where they have a big buffett line. middle eastern restaurants almost always have lots to eat for us veggie types. research restaurants in your area and figure out which ones are veggie friendly. Panera Bread has vegitarian soups- there's another option.

hope that could be of some help to you!

~

 

[jeff_veg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wattylfc

Thanks for your responses guys.

I've not got bored of veggie food or anything like that, for what seems like all of my life I've done things differently...been to a different type of school to all my non-school friends, got moved up a year so had to explain everything, left at a different time to them, and being veggie is just another thing that I hate going on about. Menu choices are poor, not eating what everyone else is eating makes me feel excluded and different....I've never watched meet your meat and that kinda stuff, and I don't want to, it'll just freak me out.

Sometimes I feel the exact same way, so I can definitely relate. When you don't have a lot of real life vegetarian support, things can get tough. I love eating out at restaurants and trying new foods, and it gets tiring to always have the focus turn to your vegetarianism. Most people mean well by it, but sometimes you just want to be yourself, and not labeled as "the vegetarian."

I think the important thing is to find the level that makes you happy and don't try to live up to external standards. Like colorful mentioned, if you can forget that you are vegetarian you are onto something good.

 

[wattylfc]

Hi guys

I'm now struggling to realise why I became a vegetarian...I just don't want to be excluded from eating all foods and everything...I seriously think it's time to change my eating habits...

 

[jeezycreezy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wattylfc

I'm now struggling to realise why I became a vegetarian...

Well...why did you?

Maybe explaining it in a post here will help. I dunno.

Cheers!

TJ