WHY and HOW I became vegetarian

If you only knew how many times people ask me this question. 😀 I would be rich by now if I charge everyone who asks me this question $1. Anyway, I am finally, openly and publicly speaking about the fact that I Am indeed vegetarian.

Most people ask me this question out of curiosity. However, I also believe many of them want to know how I did because they are also in the process of reducing the consumption of meat (which I think it is great).

First and foremost, I WILL NOT try to SELL vegetarianism to ANYONE. Everyone is free to do, eat and drink whatever the heck they like. The most important thing is to be healthy and happy with ourselves. Becoming vegetarian was/is a very personal and thoughtful choice.

First I never thought I could stop eating meat or ham

I was always a picky eater but I always enjoyed meat. I used to LOVE something called in Portugal: Tosta Mista. Bread with cheese (a lot of cheese) and ham. I used to love chicken legs.

How it started…

In 2015, while preparing for the GMAT (I talked about this difficult year – HERE), I changed my food habits a lot and start exercising more (that year I totally became addicted to sports). To perform better in the exam, I understood I needed to give up on a lot of things and become a much healthier person. I started cooking. At the time, everything was a fair game in the kitchen but I quickly stop buying pork. I found that the quality of the pork meat was very bad in the supermarket (or maybe I was just going to a bad supermarket) and I quickly dismiss beef. I was never a very big fan anyway. That year, I lost 4 kilos (I can talked how I achieved a balanced weight in another post if you guys wish).

Why I became vegetarian

In 2016, I switched most of my meals to fish meals (being from Portugal, my family always cooked more fish than meat). The big changed arrived when I started traveling late in 2016. While traveling, I met a lot of people who were vegetarian. I start educating myself about the animal production especially in South America. I read. I watched documentaries and suddenly I found myself not being able to eat in the food markets. I would get so dizzy with the smell and the exposition of animals. I continue my journey eating everything as normal but with time I start asking myself if I was really being honest with/to myself. I would not eat fish or meat in a food market, but I would do it if meat or fish was bought in the supermarket or served in the restaurant. That’s when I decided I wanted to try cutting my consumption of meat.

Believe me, deciding not to eat meat in South America WAS HARD! Cause every meal has meat.

My goal was never to stop to eat meat completely. It was to reduce it but I think I become so uncomfortable seeing dead animals in the markets that I really did not wanted to contribute to that anymore. Also, I started understanding that I did not need to eat meat to have more energy and little by little I cut meat and fish from my daily meals.

Did I stop eating meat from one day to another?

NO. I start thinking about it but fully inside me, I never believe I could stop eating meat and fish. It took me several months (about 6 months) to fully stop eating meat and another year to remove fish and seafood. Because I did it slowly, my body reacted it super well, I would say.

Did I feel tired?

YES, because I did not know HOW TO eat. For a period I thought I could not exercise as much if I was vegetarian but today I do not see any difference. Every year, I do a check up with my doctor and my exams have not become less good since I changed my food habits. Again, I am not trying to convince anyone and maybe being veggie is not for everyone’s body. I am only stating my experience.

Did I feel hungry?

In the beginning YES. I put up 3 or 4 kilos in the first months when I cut meat. I was hungry all the time because I did not know how to eat. When I started to understand what I could eat, everything turned out way easier. Most of the time I was hungry due to the fact that I was not eating enough proteins so my body was just craving/ asking for it.

So what do I eat?

I usually cook at home. I always have huge breakfasts: bread, yogurt, cheese, fruits and coffee. At night, I try to eat light. I usually have fruits, sometimes a soap and when I am really lazy a toast with eggs and avocado. For everything related to main meals, I eat a lot of pasta, rice, beans, potatoes, lentils, mushrooms, eggs, eggplant, and broccoli. I can also extend this topic in another post if you guys wish.

How did my family react?

People may not ask me this as often as ‘why I became vegetarian’ but I feel my answer can help other people. 😀 First, my biggest fear was to face my mom and dad saying I was no longer eating meat. When I first went back, I found an excuse saying I was not digesting meat well. After a week, my mom kind of noticed, there was something else. I told her I was not comfortable eating meat anymore and I would rather eat fish. In the beginning my parents complained, especially my mom saying: “I don’t know what to cook anymore. Whatever I make, you will not eat. I don’t know you anymore.” I also had a little ‘dose’ from my grandmother but today is all fine. At my mom’s place, I am usually the one cooking for us and with my dad I usually eat at the restaurant so I can pick whatever I want from the menu. ALSO, a year later my sister became vegan and then everything became way easier for me. I was not the only black sheep in the family anymore.

Is it easy to eat outside or find veggie options?

Depends where one lives. I do not think it is easy in Chicago! In Sydney was the paradise for vegan and veggie people. But, anyway. I am always able to find something but I usually do not have many options from the menu (especially when you have vegetarians and gluten free people in the same table hahah).

Do I miss meat?

People don’t believe when I say NO. Sometimes my flatmate cooks and I smell meat. Sometimes it smells really good, recognize it and I smile. 😀 But until now, I have not yet had the desire to go and eat meat. Most of the time, I do not see meat and do not smell it so I don’t think about it. Maybe, if I decide to share my life with someone that is not vegetarian, I will change. Who knows. But I usually say, it was my choice. No one ever asked to stop eating whatever. When it comes from inside you, I think you see/ you feel it differently.

Would I consume meat/ fish again?

Maybe. Everything is an open question. Maybe tomorrow I get tired of it and start eating everything again. Who knows? But for now, I am happy this way. 😀

I hope you found it interesting and I look forward to know what you think about the vegetarian subject. Drop me a question if you have anything to add or if anything was not clear.

Beijinho,

Daniela

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash and Photo by Alexandr Podvalny on Unsplash