# Why are/were you a vegetarian? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 12, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058 "2017-07-12T01:52:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/1 "2017-07-12T01:52:12Z")
Poll to follow. Just curious as to the breakdown of people’s reasons. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/2 "2017-07-12T03:10:28Z")
I voted “other” because I had no particular reason for doing it when I first moved out on my own, other than trying it out. I didn’t do it the right way (I ate the things I usually ate, just without meat) but in any case, it lasted about 2 months, and then Thanksgiving rolled around and I decided I liked turkey enough to break my meat-fast. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/3 "2017-07-12T13:39:07Z")
I did it twice, each time for one year (well, 50 weeks the first attempt, but that’s another story). Anyway, I voted ‘other’. I did it as a personal challenge to myself. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/4 "2017-07-12T13:56:12Z")
I do it for health reasons. I have no problem with other people eating meat, and I think talking about eating habits is one of the most boring things on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/5 "2017-07-12T14:38:01Z")
I’m not one, but my mother was, so I cast a vote for her reason: meat just tasted bad to her. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/6 "2017-07-12T14:52:26Z")
I voted “other” because I didn’t have any great reason. It was just a thing to do while I was in college and an art student and, while I could have given some rote benefits, I didn’t have any real conviction. A couple years of it and I went on a trip to France. Saw roast duck on a menu and said “Screw this noise, I’m going to eat some duck” and haven’t looked back. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/7 "2017-07-12T14:56:54Z")
I wanted to be vegetarian since I was a teenager but I was always too lazy, hate cooking and plus someone would bbq up a big ole steak and all my resolve would be gone. Until May 2, 2008 when I was watching “Hell’s Kitchen” and Chef Ramsey made the contestants think they were going to have to kill a chicken. He let all these chickens loose in the dorms, got on the PA and said “Everybody get a chicken and come to the dining room!” So all the contestants were standing around each holding a chicken, and Chef was also holding a chicken, and he said “Today we’re going to learn about where your food comes from.” Long story short he put his chicken’s head on a cutting board, (one guy put his hand over his chicken’s eyes) and brought a big knife down… IN FRONT of the chicken’s head. He said something like “Not these ones you tools! Put them back in their cages!!” and at that moment something snapped in my brain. I finished watching the episode then Googled “How to be vegetarian” and have not eaten meat since. I feel healthier, “brighter”, stronger, less weak and tired, and like a whole new person health-wise since going lacto-ovo vegetarian. I still eat dairy and eggs because I am naturally a little underweight and if I restricted my diet any more I would get sick. I also love cheese too much. So yes, Chef Gordon Ramsey inspired me to be vegetarian and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/8 "2017-07-12T15:07:14Z")
To impress a girl. In my defense we did date for three years and I stayed vegetarian for another 10 or 12 after that. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/9 "2017-07-12T16:01:01Z")
I really don’t like to handle raw meat. Since I cook almost all my meals at home, the net result is that I don’t eat meat. If I eat out, I may or may not eat some (though mostly as a condiment rather than a main course), so I guess I’m not a real vegetarian. I really don’t crave it, though - there are so many different things you can make with vegetables and grains, it’s not an issue. Veganism is another thing, though - I’d find it nearly impossible to give up cheese, and vegan cheese is really a very poor substitute for the real deal (IMHO, of course). ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/10 "2017-07-12T16:47:07Z")
You left out “Can’t shoot straight” & “Shitty Hunter” ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/11 "2017-07-12T20:09:13Z")
I gave up meat for the month of May because I lost a bet. That’s the closest I ever came to being a vegetarian. ---
**Author:** ![jools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@jools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jools)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/12 "2017-07-12T20:54:55Z")
I became vegan for environmental reasons but the “animal rights” stated to take more space over time! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/13 "2017-07-13T22:37:17Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > I wanted to be vegetarian since I was a teenager but I was always too lazy, hate cooking and plus someone would bbq up a big ole steak and all my resolve would be gone. > > Until May 2, 2008 when I was watching “Hell’s Kitchen” and Chef Ramsey made the contestants think they were going to have to kill a chicken. He let all these chickens loose in the dorms, got on the PA and said “Everybody get a chicken and come to the dining room!” So all the contestants were standing around each holding a chicken, and Chef was also holding a chicken, and he said “Today we’re going to learn about where your food comes from.” Long story short he put his chicken’s head on a cutting board, (one guy put his hand over his chicken’s eyes) and brought a big knife down… IN FRONT of the chicken’s head. He said something like “Not these ones you tools! Put them back in their cages!!” and at that moment something snapped in my brain. I finished watching the episode then Googled “How to be vegetarian” and have not eaten meat since. > > I feel healthier, “brighter”, stronger, less weak and tired, and like a whole new person health-wise since going lacto-ovo vegetarian. I still eat dairy and eggs because I am naturally a little underweight and if I restricted my diet any more I would get sick. I also love cheese too much. > > So yes, Chef Gordon Ramsey inspired me to be vegetarian and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Heifer Project guests who wish to eat roasted rabbit for dinner have to do something similar. AFAIK, they don’t require that they kill the animal, especially if the visitors are children, but they do require that they watch the killing and cleaning process from start to finish. If they can’t do that, they don’t get any meat. It’s to bring home the lesson where their food REALLY comes from. ---
**Author:** ![qfo\_jb2013](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c57346/32.png) [@qfo\_jb2013](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qfo_jb2013)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-were-you-a-vegetarian/791058/14 "2017-07-13T22:37:43Z")
Out of time to cook, really. Simplicity came about because of an onerous work/life lack of time schedule I endured.