Former Vegetarians

[meow]

Just wondering who else out there is a former vegetarian? Care to share your experiences and thoughts about transitioning from a vegetarian diet to omnivore?

I was a vegetarian for 15 years and have been on an omnivore diet for about 9 months now. I still really struggle with it times, and at other times I feel like I've found a much more logical way to eat and I don't think I could ever be fully vegetarian again.

It is shocking to me that I even got here. I was so committed to being vegetarian and was utterly convinced I wasn't going to be one of "those people" who "used to be vegetarian". I was in it for life. I chose vegetarianism for ethical reasons so I have had to do some soul searching and ethical debate to come to terms with our new diet. We eat mostly local meat and all organic, free range & fully pastured... I couldn't do it any other way. We have only eaten out once so far and I carefully chose the restaurant based upon the type of meat they source.

A lot of my closest friends are vegetarian and part of why I was drawn closer to them was that fact. So I feel a little awkward now. Fortunately we are overseas and away from everyone so I haven't had to eat with those friends yet but I have told them and they all surprised me with their support and unconditional friendship. I feel very blessed by that. Because I feel like a lost a piece of myself. Being vegetarian defined me in many ways. It was my religion and ethical compass. I often get the REM song "losing my religion" stuck in my head!

We became omnivores because we started a new diet to heal my son's autism. The diet doesn't allow any grains or soy and only low starch foods so many beans are out, and potatoes. There isn't a lot left if you don't eat meat and it was impossible to get all the nutrients. Also, there are healing properties in meat such as gelatin that my son needed and he also needed the "pre-digested" mode of delivery for nutrition. His gut is too damaged to process vegetable sources to extract enough out of them. So that's why we felt compelled to make the change.

I haven't had any real trouble eating meat which surprised me. The smells put me off at first and I found I couldn't stand the thought of red meat for a while but we eased in and went okay.

How about you? Why did you change? How did you find the transition?

[Astrid]

Have not been Vegetarian, but have come across a number of blogs of those who have changed. One was a prominent Vegan blogger, and when she switched due to health reasons, she received a huge backlash from the vegan community. Her blog is a good read, especially the stuff from the time when she announced she was changing. I think her blog is Vorocious Eats. There may be some info in there that will be helpful for you.

[meow]

That sounds interesting, thanks! I have come across quite a few former vegetarians in the GAPS world, but we all became omnivores for the same reason so I'm interested in more diverse experiences

[Nai]

I don't know if I can help as I was vegetarian, started eating meat again and then reverted back to being vegetarian and have been for the past 20 years.

I moved out of home and lived in a share house so I started eating meat again as it was part of the shared meals etc but my body didn't cope well and I got sick, gained weight etc so it was easy to go back to to being vegetarian.

[Starfish]

I used to be vegetarian for about 7 years, then started eating small amounts of meat for health reasons. When I got pregnant I craved meat. It was the only thing that didn't make me throw up (very odd, as when I was vegetarian it was the opposite, i.e. the mere thought of eating something like a steak would make me feel sick).

I think humans were designed to be omnivores, so I don't think that there is anything ethically or morally wrong with eating meat (like the OP we try and source all meat we eat to make sure that it is all free range).

[Jellyfish]

I was a vegetarian basically my entire life until I fell pregnant with DD1 at 20. When I was pregnant, I craved meat constantly and thought I should listen to my body. I now eat a select few types of meat but we often have vegetarian meals. I'm not sure what the future holds for me yet as I said I would re-evaluate after breastfeeding had finished and well, still going there!

[LionsandBears]

I was vegetarian for 10 years - from 17 to 27. It started with me nearly throwing up at the smell of pork. I first gave up red meat. Mum wouldnt let me give up all meat in Year 12 so I had chicken and fish . Once that was over, I gave it all up.

I was never a good vegetarian. I never took an interest in nutrition or how to balance things. I now know, based on issues with gut health & other things, that it probably caused me long term damage. I turned back when I started craving roast lamb. I tried to stop myself, but one day, my then bf & I were out eating. I looked at my vegetarian dish and reached over to his roast chicken and devoured it Before too long, I was eating my steak medium rare. I still havent eaten roast pork but trying it again is on my things to do list.

I recently read something - that veganism is good for detoxing and cleansing, which is why it can help with cancer. But for long term health, we need meat, specifically animal fats.

[meow]

I think humans were designed to be omnivores, so I don't think that there is anything ethically or morally wrong with eating meat

While I agree with this my qualifying but has always been "unless you can be perfectly healthy without it". So I never begrudged a nomad who eats what he kills etc, but I did feel that those of us in the western world with plenty of healthy vegetarian options available to us had a moral obligation to leave the poor animals alone (particularly since they are often factory farmed). I no longer believe that our family at least (and pretty much the majority of people) can be truly healthy without consuming animal products of some form.

When I was pregnant, I craved meat constantly and thought I should listen to my body.

That's interesting! From a life-long vegetarian I'm amazed you went with your cravings like that. I craved fish something chronic in both my pregnancies and I fought it. I barely supplemented omega in my first pregnancy too and part of my son's autism has absolutely been caused by an omega deficiency. Wish I'd followed my cravings!

I recently read something - that veganism is good for detoxing and cleansing, which is why it can help with cancer. But for long term health, we need meat, specifically animal fats.

Dr Natasha just wrote a blog on this too! She says veganism should only ever be a short term diet as it is essentially a 'starvation diet'. You can feel great on it for a while as you cleanse but eventually you need to enter a phase of 'feeding'.

I didn't feel at all like I was unhealthy as a vegetarian though I was mindful that we ate a lot of full fat dairy and eggs and I think that helps. But since I started eating meat I suddenly didn't want to eat ANY beans or lentils and all I wanted was lots of meat with lots of sea salt on it. Craving minerals!

[Ginger]

im subscribing. sorry, don't have time to reply now but i was a strict vegetarian for 15 years and have been eating meat for the last 3 years. will come back and explain why later!

[lise]

I was vegetarian for years, but was told by my GP that I just HAD to start eating red meat. Like LionsandBears, I was a bad vegetarian - I didn't really substitute foods well and basically just ate what DH ate but without the meat. One of my issues is that i'm allergic to most raw fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts, chickpeas and other vegetarian friendly foods, but my biggest problem is that I have a B12 deficiency. I've been tested for all sorts of things and doctors can't find a reason for it, but even with supplements and/or injections i'm fairly low so my GP said I HAD TO EAT RED MEAT!

I struggled big time when I started eating meat again, took my body some time to get used to it and psychologically it took ages (I was also a vegetarian for ethical reasons). Even now I probably don't eat as much red meat as I 'should', and I am very selective about what i'll eat. Having said that I can't imagine going back to a vegetarian diet as i'm just too limited with my allergies.

[Sibbie]

I was only vegetarian for a little while, while I was living on my own. I'm back living with family now and my Nan does the cooking and I feel selfish if I ask for something different. I can generally eat anything but the 'heavier' meats, eg steak etc. I have put weight on and I've noticed my digestion is a bit more lethargic like it used to be. I want to go back to vego, just need a kick I think. I have only been eating meat again for a few months but it's quickly getting back to being really hard to look at and cut up to eat :/ I just don't enjoy it much.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I phase in and out. I wanted to be meat-free from age 8, went pescetarian age 11, veggie on and off since then, full vegan for 6 months but couldn't be bothered keeping that up, but meat is something I can take or leave usually. If I were on my own I'd probably be vegetarian again. It is healthier, easier and very tasty. Just not when I'm married to a big meaty, as I don't like cooking multiple meals. When DH is away DS and I have a mostly vegetarian diet, sometimes fish and chips but mostly vege.

For me, it was only ever about the taste. My mother cannot cook meat: she turns it into carbon. And not the good, sparkly kind. So I never liked the taste. I can cook meat though. My mother hasn't been told I eat meat: well, I don't want to eat hers! My sister thinks it's hilarious I was veggie (OK, pescetarian) for 15 years and now only eat meat if it's on the rare side. Never craved meat when pregnant - I craved apricots for my iron fix.

I am strict about the meat I will buy. DH will eat any meat - I cannot. It has to be decent stuff as I can't hack the taste of cheap, horrid fatty mince. And I don't like unethically farmed foods, which includes eggs and dairy products.

[meow]

I've been tested for all sorts of things and doctors can't find a reason for it, but even with supplements and/or injections i'm fairly low so my GP said I HAD TO EAT RED MEAT!

You possibly have poor gut health, as I'm discovering our family has. It takes a lot of co-factors and a well functioning digestive system to absorb nutrients out of plant or artificial sources. Animal products generally pack a punch, the nutrients are bio-available and if you have poor gut health you really do need to eat meat to get all your nutrition.

I have put weight on and I've noticed my digestion is a bit more lethargic like it used to be.

That's interesting. I have lost a stack of weight (and I wasn't overweight to start with) by going on our diet, so I can't think meat is the issue. Are you having meat and carbs together? Because you need bile for the fats and insulin for the sugars your digestion gets messed up. I find if I have fruit or honey near a meal I notice I feel a bit bloated have trouble digesting my food. We don't eat grains so our meals are low-carb variations of meat & veg.

If I were on my own I'd probably be vegetarian again. It is healthier, easier and very tasty.

If I believed that I would still be vegetarian! I don't think it's healthier. It can be a cleansing diet but it is lacking in nutrition for the long term.

Never craved meat when pregnant - I craved apricots for my iron fix.

Lots of apricots is just going to feed your candida and rot your teeth though. I used to think all that stuff was grand on the vegetarian diet but that's where my knowledge has really shifted. Hence why I'm a "former" vegetarian huh?!

Thanks for the discussion everyone- I'm enjoying it

[Nai]

I think some people have trouble being vegetarian and others thrive on it. Everyone has different bodily make up so while I know that I don't thrive on meat, I am perfectly healthy on a veg diet. I had 2 pregnancies, bf for over a year with each and never craved or needed meat in that time. All my iron, b12 etc were fantastic and I am also a blood donor. I am rarely sick and neither are my kids.

Dd2 is very much like me, she really doesn't eat much meat and doesn't like it overly. In 3 years she has vomited once and had on temp. Dd1 on the other hand is built ver much like dp and loves mea and seafood and is actually allergic to chickpeas and lentils so wouldn't make a good vegetarian at all!

I don't think you can say that one diet is right for everyone but yes if you have issues with digestion it may be related to eating something your body doesn't particularly deal well with, be it meat or grain or carbs.

[meow]

I do think our diet needs vary between people and in each individual over time but I don't think our basic physiology changes. That said, almost-vegetarianism (still eating insects) has been found to be sustainable within traditional cultures but veganism has not so I do agree that vegetarianism is possible long term. Personally I felt very healthy- also never got sick, had healthy pregnancies, BF long-term and didn't have low levels of iron. But I'm discovering a deeper level of nutrition that I think is better provided for on an omnivore diet.

But I don't really want to debate this with a vegetarian at the moment. There is a vegetarian chat thread if you would like to discuss it more there. I made this thread for former vegetarians.

[Loveinamist]

I was pescetarian until recently. It was for ethical reasons and also because I believe we eat too much meat in our western society. However I craved meat in pregnancy (and resisted!) and started craving it again recently so caved in! I only buy local meat killed in a small abbatoir and only have it a couple of times a month.

[lise]

Interesting info meow - i'm off to Google poor gut health!