Susan's Place Transgender Resources

General Discussions => General discussions => Polls => Topic started by: Rachelicious on September 20, 2014, 02:25:33 PM

Poll
Question: Your dietary habits (relative to the vegetarian spectrum):
Option 1: Strict vegan votes: 6
Option 2: Strict vegetarian votes: 14
Option 3: Idealistic vegetarian or vegan (i.e. rarely not-strict) votes: 6
Option 4: Pescatarian or other pseudo-vegetarian votes: 8
Option 5: Part-time or ambivalent carnivore votes: 11
Option 6: Dedicated carnivore (i.e. omnivore) votes: 20
Title: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Rachelicious on September 20, 2014, 02:25:33 PM
Simple poll for curiosity.

Strict means strict according to what would constitute your concept of strict adherence - no childish definition policing, ethical/health arguing, or stuff like that please.  :D
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Jamie2.0 on September 20, 2014, 02:49:17 PM
  I grew up with meat and potatoes with some kind of veggies for dinner,  So I hope I answered correctly.

My sister is a Vegetarien so I have no problems fixing her that to eat when she's up for a visit, and I will eat it too !

Jamie
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Ms Grace on September 20, 2014, 03:02:59 PM
I've been vegetarian since I was 21, so 27 years. That has included bouts of veganism, these days I don't eat eggs but will eat dairy, mostly cheese.

I don't mean to be pedantic but technically a carnivore is a near exclusive meat eater (tiger, eagle, snake, shark, etc) - the more correct term is "omnivore (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnivore)"... :)
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Jaime R D on September 20, 2014, 03:28:10 PM
I'm pretty heavily anti-vegetable. I eat meats and a lot of junk basically. Lots of candy too. And pizza.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Kyler on September 20, 2014, 03:32:43 PM
Vegan for 7 years!
Title: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Pinkkatie on September 20, 2014, 06:06:01 PM
I started when I was 20 years old which makes it 24 years for me.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: kira21 ♡♡♡ on September 20, 2014, 06:16:16 PM
I read somewhere that trans people have a higher incidence of vegetarianism.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Jaime R D on September 20, 2014, 06:32:38 PM
ok now, lets not let this topic turn into one of those veggier than thou kind of things...
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: kira21 ♡♡♡ on September 20, 2014, 07:05:30 PM
Quote from: Jaime R D on September 20, 2014, 06:32:38 PM
ok now, lets not let this topic turn into one of those veggier than thou kind of things...

Wha?
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Felix on September 21, 2014, 02:54:08 AM
I chose the idealistic option. I like to think that I would eat anything if it was free or if someone cooked and not eating would hurt feelings, but in reality it's not easy to never eat animal stuff and then just have a slice of pizza or whatever. It feels wrong and tears up my gut. Sometimes I decide that retaining my cultural heritage is more important than ethical or health concerns, but I rarely follow through. The times I tried to go back to gumbo and whitefish gave me pooping problems for days after each attempt, and fried chicken still smells good but looking at it in person is too disturbing. I do like cow meat, and if I have a sitter and feel crazy and get drunk I can eat that without stomachaches, but it gives me bad dreams sometimes. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable eating any animal if I didn't kill it myself. Sometimes yogurt creeps up on me and I get really okay with it and then feel horrible and switch back to soy yogurt or whatever. I don't monitor at all my intake of incidental things like gelatin in medications, and I like honey. I wear leather if I get it used. I try to just angle toward generally usually doing the right thing.

My feelings and actions about food are complicated enough that I usually try to find polite ways to never discuss the matter in person. I raise my kid to be an omnivore outside our home because I feel this is not my decision to make for her, but I don't make animal things in our kitchen and I try not to purchase foods for her that are not vegan. I try not to explain my food habits to her in emotional terms, but that's hard sometimes. Luckily I can truthfully keep it simple and just remind her that most of my blood family are struggling with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, and that I don't want that for us.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: adrian on September 21, 2014, 03:26:05 AM
I chose the idealistic option as well, but in reality my diet is pretty eclectic (partly due to health concerns) ;). I stopped eating meat 25 years ago and have never touched any since, but I have eaten fish on and off. I had to eliminate eggs and dairy because of food sensitivities, and I think even if I were to tolerate them again, I wouldn't add them back in because I don't miss them that much (this from a guy who thought he couldn't possibly live without cheese and milk a year ago). I'm a bit worried about my protein intake because I don't tolerate soy or stuff like seitan  either, so from time to time I still eat fish when I feel like it and need a break from my daily pot of beans :D.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: jolie on September 25, 2014, 02:11:09 AM
I'm working towards reducing my red meat in take to as little as possible. Ideally once a week maximum (although i'm still not there). Chicken and fish are still fairly common in my diet. I take a practical approach to reduction. If given good vegetarian options, i will always take them first, but, i'm also not the one at the table trying to bend the menu to my will :P
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Dani on January 29, 2015, 04:34:59 PM
I am mostly vegan in order to lose weight.

Carnivorous habits only occasionally.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: kragesvin on January 29, 2015, 06:13:56 PM
i've been a vegetarian for about 2-3 years, meat always made me feel sick so i was like
yooooO
YOOOO
fårck meat

and then i went vegetarian
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Tysilio on January 29, 2015, 06:23:46 PM
I didn't check any of the poll options, because none of them describe my eating habits. I'm an omnivore with a strong preference for natural, unprocessed foods; if possible, things I or a family member or friend have grown/gathered/hunted; next best is food grown locally, ideally by people we know; otherwise, we shop very selectively, buying the best food we can find from inexpensive sources -- the local co-ops, small ethnic markets, the meat counter at the liquor store (yeah, weird, I know, but they have great meat -- they're Italian (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthefiringline.com%2Fforums%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Fbiggrin.gif&hash=fa2db8a2d15c338f95b7a2cbcb46a673a808a937)).

I like to know where my food comes from.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Jill F on January 29, 2015, 06:31:45 PM
I tried vegetarian on for size for the first two months of last year in an attempt to lose some muscle mass.

The steak I had on March 1, 2014 was totally the BEST. STEAK. EVER! 

Yeah, I never went back. 

Just say "moo"?
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Tysilio on January 29, 2015, 06:39:59 PM
Moo. (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthefiringline.com%2Fforums%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Ftongue.gif&hash=635dd8fbd198d13e75e7b21e12e5f405e686d654)
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Elsa Delyth on January 29, 2015, 08:16:38 PM
Strict vegan since about twenty, and a vegetarian for a couple of years before that. Some over ten years a vegan.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: islandgirl on January 29, 2015, 08:23:56 PM
I have been a vegetarian for about 18 years. I really like vegan dishes, but have a had time being strict about it. This works for me. I am the only one i my family and has made dinner planning challenging at times. We have worked it out though, where my SO can have her meat protein if she chooses, build on a veggie base.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: tracy176 on January 29, 2015, 11:44:54 PM
I went vegetarian for three months felt way better but now I've been eating fish and some chicken lately gonna go back just takes time for a new habit I guess


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: synesthetic on January 30, 2015, 05:06:18 PM
i'd like to be a vegetarian, but honestly i just love chicken too much xP
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Devlyn on January 30, 2015, 06:24:52 PM
You are what you eat. Cows eat grass. I eat cows. Give me my vegan card!
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: LordKAT on February 02, 2015, 05:43:17 AM
Vegetarian for 42 years.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: mfox on February 21, 2015, 11:15:39 AM
Yay for veggies. I've been vegan since I was 16.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Anna++ on February 21, 2015, 12:19:44 PM
I think I prefer eating vegans and vegetarians, since they usually taste WAY better!  :P


To be serious: I like eating both meat and vegetables, so I could cook steak one week but make a (vegan) vegetable stir fry the next.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Devlyn on February 21, 2015, 04:57:55 PM
I heard they taste like chicken!
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Rachelicious on February 21, 2015, 05:23:54 PM
I think the few-dozen results so far are enough to comment about 1/2 of those surveyed being on the Veg-spectrum.

Have those of you who are been so for a significant amount of time? If so, I may suggest this greater propensity towards Veg- living reflects an overall instinct towards compassion and nonviolence. (Those who go veg- for health reasons rarely stay so for life.)
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Sunderland on February 21, 2015, 05:26:49 PM
I can't even go a day without meat. I rarely eat any fruit or vegetables. :P
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Rachelicious on February 22, 2015, 10:40:37 AM
Food for thought - it's widely accepted that eating more meat raises testosterone. There's thus the possibility that so many of us avoid it because of subconscious changes higher T brings about.

Obviously it's no replacement for puberty blockers; but, anecdotally, I found growing up vegetarian helped my physiology not... disfigure as much as it likely would have otherwise. For someone pre-transition, on the fence, and in their teens or 20's, a veg- diet may be worth considering.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Muffinheart on February 22, 2015, 10:53:29 AM
I "went" vegetarian for 2 years to prove to myself I needn't be dependent on meat daily. I found it quite easy.
For a living, I actually prepare meals for a couple vegan families and am amazed at the cuisines that are primarily meat free - Indian, Moroccan, even a lot of Cuban meals substitute beans over meat.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Devlyn on February 22, 2015, 01:35:32 PM
I have very strong feelings about this. Animals have legs, and instinct tells them to run away from hungry looking varmints like me. They have a fighting chance. 

Poor vegetables on the other hand are immobile.  They have no teeth to defend themselves with. Sneaking up on some defenseless cabbage just seems....immoral.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Sunderland on February 22, 2015, 02:14:22 PM
Devlyn - The compassionate carnivore. :)
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: karalee on February 24, 2015, 02:35:17 PM
I've been a vegetarian for seven years, I started when I was eight. My primary school gave me meatballs and I refused to eat them ;D

Last week, I tried bacon for the first time in seven years. I can tell you now I won't be a vegetarian for long  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Miharu Barbie on February 24, 2015, 03:06:22 PM
I have been a strict vegetarian for a little over 29 years.  I have nothing against eating animals (it's what they get for being made out of tasty meat.)  I choose to avoid eating meat, fish and fowl for the benefit of my health and well being.

I do enjoy an occasional egg, and I am a big fan of cheese, though I very much moderate consuming dairy products because my body just seems to like it like that.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Felix on March 04, 2015, 01:32:26 AM
I stopped eating straight-up animal parts when I was a young teenager, but it took years to be consistent about it. I was never actually a fan of milk, but I didn't completely cut out dairy until I was at least 20. I only spent a few years in my early twenties being an "official" vegan and avoiding honey. I'm 33 now and I will overlook certain animal ingredients in medications or food that is gifted, but I try not to ever spend money on food or clothing made from animals.

I admit I have more feelings for some animals than others. Cows are easy to care about. Fish are easy to care about. Bees, I don't know. I can catch and stir-fry grasshoppers with no qualms at all, though I put them in the freezer first so when they are cooked they have a slower and dreamier hell. I will wear leather if it is second-hand, especially as I have a hard time finding good boots that fit me.

I don't usually want strangers to know how I eat, and if I have to mention it I keep it vague. I don't like talking about heavy concepts with strangers, so when I do have to talk about diet I try to stick to the idea that what I am doing is for my health. If nothing else, it would out me to explain that breastfeeding taught me how important it is for mammals to be allowed to follow primal urges without interference.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: adrian on March 04, 2015, 02:19:40 AM
Devlyn, I know this was intended as a joke, but I find this really cynical. If you see how animals are treated by the meat and dairy and egg industry. Like the male chicks that are ground alive after hatching by the 100,000s because they don't have any value?

I'm not normally very vehement and ideological about veganism / vegetarianism, but this kind of "joke" gets to me, sorry.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Sunderland on March 04, 2015, 03:00:34 AM
You would have hated how my great grandmother slaughtered her meat. I'll spare you the details.

Anyway, people have different views on this stuff, and humor is very subjective. I laughed pretty hard at that joke. I really don't care if someone thinks that makes me a bad person. Because I care about and help out humans more than 90% of the population seems to. So I'm not very impressed by people who want to claim some moral highground because of their diet. If vegetarianism is something that makes you feel good, great. If you're willing to cut meat out of your diet because you feel eating it is wrong, I admire that you're willing to take a stand for something you believe in. But that doesn't mean I have to share the same opinion or sense of humor as you.

The OP strongly implied in an earlier post that she thinks vegans/vegetarians are more compassionate, something I personally took offense to, but I didn't say anything.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: adrian on March 04, 2015, 03:13:52 AM
Well you may have noticed I only talked about how I felt about it. I wasn't claiming to be on some "moral highground" or attacking anyone.

Personally, I have way less issues with people killing animals they eat than with industrial meat production.

Anyway, out of here now. Don't want to derail this thread.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Devlyn on March 04, 2015, 07:52:01 AM
I'm sorry you didn't like the joke, just look around the forums, I promise you will find one you like!   :)

Hugs, Devlyn
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Kova V on March 04, 2015, 08:06:09 AM
Im an omnivore. :) even mice, dogs, raccoons and bears are omnivores.  That reminds me of an old Ren & Stimpy episode where they made a meat sandwich. Instead of bread they used toasted meat. Kinda gross but it was Ren & Stimpy. ;p

So yeah, I'm an omnivore.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: adrian on March 04, 2015, 08:36:40 AM
Declan, I find one, do I get to keep it? :-p
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Devlyn on March 04, 2015, 08:37:55 AM
Wasn't it Killer Kowalski that wanted the meat sandwich?   :laugh:
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: adrian on March 04, 2015, 08:43:47 AM
Oh my, autocorrect fail, sorry Devlyn. Tapatalk doesn't let me edit or quote at the moment...
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: igatun on March 25, 2015, 10:58:48 PM
I've been vegetarian for my entire life and vegan for the past 6-ish (has it really been that long? apparently so!)
but sometimes it's easier to not ask too many questions about things... (especially when dining out :P)
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Lady Smith on March 26, 2015, 02:12:18 AM
I'm vegetarian because I like the food, but also because of health issues.  I was on Permarin for years and it's messed up my liver and kidneys a bit.  Nothing like being rushed off to hospital because you're peeing jet black urine  :icon_yikes:

I can't tolerate most dairy products, but that's Ok because I like soy.  A cheese like Edam is fine so long as I only eat small amounts of it, but cows milk will seriously upset my stomach.  Somebody suggested I try goats milk, but that gave me shocking flatulence for a day so I'm never going to try that again.

There's an Indian supermarket in the township and I buy most of what I eat from them, apart from fresh fruit and veges, because it's guaranteed to be vegetarian.  I like Indian food, - genuine Indian food that is, - hot spices and all.  In the big supermarket in town anything vegetarian with a western label on it is very expensive which is why I shop at the Indian supermarket where everything is much more sensibly priced.  The owner of the Indian supermarket was concerned at first when I started shopping there because I was fearlessly buying things which were seriously expert level spicey, but they are used to me now and don't try to warn me off buying things most white New Zealanders would find just plain too darn hot for their taste.
I'm not particularly wheat tolerant either so I eat brown rice as well as chickpeas and foods that use chickpea flour instead.

I now weigh the same as I did when I was 19 and I feel so much better for being exclusively vegetarian with much better energy than I had before.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Laura_7 on March 26, 2015, 05:42:32 AM
Well I once read a very interesting article stating that in old times many people were plant eaters, omnivore meaning having the possibility but not need to eat everything. They also said eating plants is easier on the system.
Only during an ice age people reverted to eating more meat because plants were more rare.
Well, the ice age is over... there are plants in abundance and in great variety.
Vegetable soups, pasta with sauces, selfmade pizzas... its quite easy....

I also like some eggs from time to time...
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Paige on March 26, 2015, 08:04:01 AM
Quote from: Tysilio on January 29, 2015, 06:23:46 PM
I didn't check any of the poll options, because none of them describe my eating habits. I'm an omnivore with a strong preference for natural, unprocessed foods; if possible, things I or a family member or friend have grown/gathered/hunted; next best is food grown locally, ideally by people we know; otherwise, we shop very selectively, buying the best food we can find from inexpensive sources -- the local co-ops, small ethnic markets, the meat counter at the liquor store (yeah, weird, I know, but they have great meat -- they're Italian (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthefiringline.com%2Fforums%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Fbiggrin.gif&hash=fa2db8a2d15c338f95b7a2cbcb46a673a808a937)).

I like to know where my food comes from.

I totally agree Tysillio,  knowing how your food was produced is often more important than what you eat.  I prefer to get my food as local as possible.  It's always a good thing to know the farmer that grew the food if that's possible.   If you want to avoid something to do with food I would vote for the grocery store, give me a farmer's market any day.

I guess that makes me a farmersmarketvore ;)
Paige :)
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: katrinaw on March 26, 2015, 08:16:22 AM
I checked part time meat eater, prefer vegetarian but occasionally eat meat/seafood (preferential)

L Katy
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Muffinheart on March 26, 2015, 10:05:16 AM
I "went" vegetarian for two years, and it was quite easy. It was tough at holidays, everyone eating turkey or ham, me gnawing away at my Tofurky. Yikes!

What turned me back to meat is we were camping, and rising from the tent one morning, the smell of 200 campsites all cooking bacon did me in. While Tofurky brand bacon (seitan), is ok, it ain't bacon.

I'd like to try being vegetarian again as I enjoyed the cooking, but my partner is dead set on meat seven days a week. I do not feel like cooking multiple meals a day.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: marsh monster on March 26, 2015, 11:18:42 AM
I had a vegetable last fall. Well, a couple bites of green beans, but those are vegetables, right?  I am heavily anti-vegetable. My roommate eats the things though but then she is lesbian. I don't know if that has anything to do with it though, just thought I would throw that in to make me look open minded even though I hate vegetables with a passion.


Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: Christine Eryn on March 26, 2015, 11:53:04 AM
I could not imagine not eating meat. I absolutely love love love tuna and chicken. I am trying to shy away from beef and pork, but I like meatballs and bacon/ham too much. I do see where vegans and vegetarians are coming from though.
Title: Re: Vegetarian / vegan?
Post by: fennec-fox on April 23, 2015, 12:50:17 AM
I'm a pescatarian. I was completely vegetarian for a couple years or so, but then I gave in to the wonderful temptation that is seafood.

The funny thing is when people ask me why I eat fish if I'm vegetarian, expecting some thought-out moral reasoning for why it's okay to eat fish but not land animals, my answer is always just along the lines of, "Fish is too good to resist." Hey, at least I'm honest about it!