I am a vegetarian
I was raised as a meat-eater, a dietary staple for most of my life. Toad in the hole, shepherds pie, roast dinners, fish and chips, burgers, chicken nuggets, corned beef, prawns... these were all staples of my upbringing! At 17, I entered a relationship with a vegan. While she was supportive of my existing diet, I felt inspired to explore vegetarianism myself. This shift marked the beginning of a continuous journey, steadily bringing me closer to a vegan lifestyle.
Today, the non-vegan foods remaining in my diet are:
* Quorn (regularly)
* Chocolate (fairly regularly)
* Cheese (rarely).
I'm incredibly proud of the significant progress I've made across various aspects of my life, from transitioning to vegan shampoos and shoes, to the extensive elimination of animal products from my diet.
Like my first girlfriend, I hold no judgment against meat-eaters and believe that meat consumption is largely driven by economic factors and taste. If someone could get an equally healthy, equally tasty, cheaper product, without killing animals there are few who would continue killing animals... Over the years, I've dated several meat-eaters. Recently, one partner, perhaps a little confused, even asked if I would eat a meaty meal if they cooked one 😅. The answer, definitively, is no. While I respect individual dietary preferences, in a relationship, I expect our shared meals to be predominantly vegetarian. By all means, enjoy a "cheeky burger" on your own, but I won't be joining you for that meat based treat.
One regret I have is not researching vegetarianism more when I initially made the switch. For many years, I was severely malnourished, consuming only 10-20 grams of protein daily. This inadequate intake unfortunately led to significant muscular degeneration. However, for the past six months, I've been diligently focused on nutrition tracking, a balanced diet and consistent weight training. I'm now actively rebuilding lost muscle and feeling healthier and stronger than ever! 💪
Today, the non-vegan foods remaining in my diet are:
* Quorn (regularly)
* Chocolate (fairly regularly)
* Cheese (rarely).
I'm incredibly proud of the significant progress I've made across various aspects of my life, from transitioning to vegan shampoos and shoes, to the extensive elimination of animal products from my diet.
Like my first girlfriend, I hold no judgment against meat-eaters and believe that meat consumption is largely driven by economic factors and taste. If someone could get an equally healthy, equally tasty, cheaper product, without killing animals there are few who would continue killing animals... Over the years, I've dated several meat-eaters. Recently, one partner, perhaps a little confused, even asked if I would eat a meaty meal if they cooked one 😅. The answer, definitively, is no. While I respect individual dietary preferences, in a relationship, I expect our shared meals to be predominantly vegetarian. By all means, enjoy a "cheeky burger" on your own, but I won't be joining you for that meat based treat.
One regret I have is not researching vegetarianism more when I initially made the switch. For many years, I was severely malnourished, consuming only 10-20 grams of protein daily. This inadequate intake unfortunately led to significant muscular degeneration. However, for the past six months, I've been diligently focused on nutrition tracking, a balanced diet and consistent weight training. I'm now actively rebuilding lost muscle and feeling healthier and stronger than ever! 💪
