Being a vegetarian means that I have chosen to not eat meat including red meat, poultry, pork, and seafood. Vegans choose to not eat any animal products, including dairy. Both lifestyles, if done correctly, are very healthy ways to live. Everyone has their own personal reasons to becoming either vegetarian or vegan. Personally, I chose to not eat meat due to the treatment of the animals. I could not continue to eat meat knowing the horrific conditions the animals are kept in and the ways they are slaughtered. Once I learned that meat is not that healthy for you it was a quite easy decision to exclude meat from my diet. Everyones reason for becoming vegetarian or vegan are personal and valid. People who do not choose this lifestyle often do not understand where we are coming from. They often say things that they may not even realize will bother people who do not eat animals. Here are 10 things that vegetarians and vegans are tired of hearing from meat eaters!

1. "What do you eat then? Do you only eat salad?"

Believe it or not, there is other food in the world other than meat! No, I don't live off of lettuce.

2. "Don't you miss eating meat?"

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3. "How do you live without bacon?"

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Relax, it's a piece of flesh, not the Holy Grail. I live just fine without it.

4. "Isn't that an unhealthy way to live? Where do you get protein?"

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If done correctly, not eating meat is a very healthy lifestyle. You can get protein from many different sources such as vegetables, hemp, quinoa, beans, tempeh, etc. It is not a boring or bland way to eat. For Mike Tyson, Former Professional Boxer, excluding meat from his diet saved his life. Mike Tyson stated,

“Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life. I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe, [I had] high blood pressure, [was] almost dying [and had] arthritis. And once I became a vegan all that stuff diminished.”

Being a vegetarian or a vegan has so many health benefits. It is definitely not an unhealthy way to live.

5. "Just by you not eating meat isn't going to save all the animals"

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I know that just me alone cannot save all the animals but it's like the saying, "every penny counts". If we go around thinking one person cannot change the world, Society will never improve. I can't save all the animals but maybe I can save just 1 and that's a start. When I talk to people about not eating meat maybe it will spark their interest and drive them to research more about the meat and or dairy industry and then they will also choose a healthier lifestyle. Also everyone has their own personal reasons for being vegetarian or vegan and it might not be about the animals, it might be health related, so don't judge if you don't know all the details.

6. "I'm sorry but I went out last and had the most amazing steak"

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In the most respectful way possible, I don't really care how good your steak is, I still don't want it.

7. "It has meat in it, you can't have it"

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Hold on a second, it's not that I can't have it, it's that I don't want to have it! I do not feel like I am missing out when I don't eat something because it has meat in it.

8. "You'll go back to eating meat, this won't last long"

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This is just a phase! This is a life style! 5 years and still gong strong, I can promise I will not go back to eating animals!

9. "I could never be vegetarian, I love meat too much"

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Whatever makes you happy and healthy then you do you!

10. "Don't try to convert me, don't push your beliefs on me"

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Respect is a two way street. People often complain that vegetarians and vegans try to push their views on other. Some, maybe yes, Majority, no. Most vegetarians and vegans choose to live that way for personal reasons and just care about their health and their environment. I won't push my views on you if in return you don't push your views on me. I will not sit here and tell you to not eat meat if you don't sit there and tell me I'm crazy for not eating meat. I'm not crazy! Many people do not realize when they say "Wow how can you possibly not eat meat its so good" how annoying and frustrating that can be.

Those same people will get annoyed if I turned around and said "Wow how can you possibly eat meat, it's terrible what they do to those animals". All I'm asking is to be more conscious about what you say and respect those who may not want to live the same lifestyle as you do.