Disclaimer: This "listicle" is not meant to offend anyone or their life choices, but is merely a reflection of my own experiences.
I haven't been a vegetarian for very long. In fact, before I became one I thought vegetarians were crazy. I mean how could you live without bacon or steak or a burger? Believe it or not, it's not that hard. Yes, I've been tempted and yes, I have fallen off the wagon once or twice. It's a very big lifestyle change. But it wasn't as difficult to transition into as I thought it would be. The hardest part are other people's reactions to my lifestyle choice. Everyone thinks they know what's best for you even if what works for them may not work for you. Seeing how I was one of these people, when I tell people I'm vegetarian, I find it funny how I always seem to get one or a combination of the following reactions.
1. "Ew."
OK, well, eating dead animal flesh is also kind of gross so why don't we agree to disagree.
2. "But...bacon."
There's a vegetarian substitute for everything...including bacon. Personally I'm living just fine without it, but it really depends on the person.
3. "All you eat is salad?"
(Sigh.) No I don't just eat salad. As hard as it is to believe, salad is not the only vegetarian option on the planet.
4. "So then what do you eat?"
Literally. Everything. But. Meat. Personally I'm a big fan of thin crust pizza, but then again you could be a pasta person.
5. "But what about protein?"
This question is always very frustrating. I don't know what it is about some people thinking that you can only get protein from meat. The American diet is obsessed with it. You can get a sufficient amount from vegetables, beans, Greek yogurt and many other foods. It's really not a problem.
6. "Is it hard limiting your diet?"
Again...it's literally just taking the meat portion out of your diet. It's really not a difficult concept to grasp.
7. "Are you miserable?"
Nope. In fact, I'm happier. I feel way less sluggish and tired all the time. I'm a lot more aware of what I'm putting inside my body. It's actually very freeing.
8. "Are you a tree-hugging hippie?"
This question is always so frustrating. No, I am the same person I was before. My diet does not change my personality.
9. "You're going to cave."
This is another one of those comments that just makes my blood boil. Do you want to see me fail? Does that bring joy to your life? OK, congrats. Ultimately, every person is the only one in charge of their life. Their life choice have nothing to with you. So when people say this I've just learned to shrug it off and do me.
10. "But...why?"
For me it started when I watched a documentary about what they do to the animals. I personally don't have a problem with eating meat so much as the ways the animals are tortured before being slaughtered in the most gruesome ways. In my opinion, if any creature is giving it's life so that you can sustain yours, then there needs to be a certain level of honor and respect that the meat industry just doesn't have. Going vegetarian wasn't necessarily a choice for me. I was just so disgusted by how my food got to the table that it just happened.
