# How long without meat?



## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

This question is to vegetarians and vegans. How long has it been? I stopped eating red meat since age 15 or 16 when I found out it was bad for my kidneys. I stopped eating meat in total since age 17 but started eating fish last year. It's been 4 months without fish now. It started for health reasons but then I felt bad animals were being killed for food so that's why I decided to give up white meat which was the only kind I could eat. Now I'm thinking about eating meat again. People say I look skinny but I don't feel like that. I'm not. I'm just normal weight. I just look skinny compared to Americans who have high obesity rate. If I go to Asian countries I would normal. Actually according to the height and weight my weight is normal. I'm still considering the idea of eating chicken and fish again. I guess I really did it for normal reasons. I eat vegetarian meat. I'm just used to it. It's easy. 

So it's been about 10 years in total without eating any kind of meat for me.


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## nastyheart (Oct 22, 2012)

i stopped eating all meat four years ago


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## Simurg (Jan 21, 2013)

I've not eaten meat [other than fish] for about 6-7 years because I saw animals slaughtered abroad while on holiday once and it was awful.
The look in their eyes before they are killed is heartbreaking. 
I respect animals too much to eat their corpses. [Not being self-righteous, or having a go at you, non meat eaters, it's just my opinion.] 

For some reason I don't have the same problem with fish.


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## Miss Awesome (Sep 1, 2012)

It's been 13 or 14 years since I've eaten meat. I can't remember exactly how old I was when I stopped.


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## Noll (Mar 29, 2011)

it's been 5 days since i've become vegetarian like my father. working good so far. i really want to be vegan, but mom doesn't allow that. i guess i'll save that one for when i move out :>


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## barry the chopper (Apr 1, 2013)

16 years, two of them as a vegan. 
I started because of sympathy and love for animals, but also noticed my energy and thinking improved greatly. But the thinking might have just improved because I got older.


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## The Lonely Brain (Apr 4, 2013)

Been a vegetarian for almost 19 years, my whole life. Except one time I had a cheeseburger, just to try it.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

The Lonely Brain said:


> Been a vegetarian for almost 19 years, my whole life. Except one time I had a cheeseburger, just to try it.


Is everyone in your family a vegetarian? Is it part of your culture? Will you ever start eating meat?


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## Billius (Aug 7, 2012)

since last October maybe, I don't remember many such things, dates are less important to me. Its been long enough that the thought of eating meat sickens me. I did it for health and respect for animals. I feel bad about all the dairy I eat, poor cows. The eggs I eat come from my pet hens who have a charmed life.


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

My parents don't eat "meat" as such, so in a way all my life. 
But my parents do eat fish, which I stopped eating ten years ago. 

Never even been tempted.


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## tieffers (Jan 26, 2013)

It's been six years for me for all meat, including fish. I used to eat the vegetarian meat too, but the fact that it even tastes like meat is really off-putting to me now. Ethical and health factors definitely play a role, but even if they didn't, I doubt I'd eat meat anyway because I just hate the taste.

People say I'm too skinny all the time too. But I agree with you - I think it's just that perception is a little skewed because so many people are overweight or obese now.


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## DubnRun (Oct 29, 2011)

about a year for me... feel better for it. I like fish tho


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)




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## The Lonely Brain (Apr 4, 2013)

MobiusX said:


> Is everyone in your family a vegetarian? Is it part of your culture? Will you ever start eating meat?


My grandfather was a vegetarian and he raised my father as one, so my siblings and I are too. He always thought it was unnecessary to kill animals for food, especially since now we can create our food as well as grow it. I don't think I'll ever eat meat, but my siblings have started to because they live with my mother, who isn't a vegetarian.


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

I eat very little red meat... & Little meat compared to many americans...

I like to limit myself to what I could actually kill myself... Fish and fowl.

I have had this comic taped to my fridge for a few years now...


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

The Lonely Brain said:


> My grandfather was a vegetarian and he raised my father as one, so my siblings and I are too. He always thought it was unnecessary to kill animals for food, especially since now we can create our food as well as grow it. I don't think I'll ever eat meat, but my siblings have started to because they live with my mother, who isn't a vegetarian.


are you against eating meat because you think it's wrong killing animals? I kinda think it is but I'm not doing what I'm supposed to and that's giving up fish, the problem is that I have to find something to replace it with, I eat salmon because of the taste of it and it's good for the skin but so are blueberries, but I just need more choices to eat, I thought about eating chicken but now I'm not so sure, I don't think I will end up doing it, I hope I don't do it


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## The Lonely Brain (Apr 4, 2013)

MobiusX said:


> are you against eating meat because you think it's wrong killing animals? I kinda think it is but I'm not doing what I'm supposed to and that's giving up fish, the problem is that I have to find something to replace it with, I eat salmon because of the taste of it and it's good for the skin but so are blueberries, but I just need more choices to eat, I thought about eating chicken but now I'm not so sure, I don't think I will end up doing it, I hope I don't do it


For me, it's more of the way animals are slaughtered. It wouldn't bother me as much if the animals were treated better. That's another reason I debate eating about dairy products. I also think raw meat just kinda looks gross. I know not a lot of people eat their food raw, but still.

I know there are a lot of good veggie "meats" made from soy or vegetables and tofu is good if you know how to cook with it, but I don't know of any good substitutes for fish?


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## rawrguy (Mar 29, 2008)

Pescetarian 6 months, vegetarian for 8 months


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## Noll (Mar 29, 2011)

The Lonely Brain said:


> For me, it's more of the way animals are slaughtered. It wouldn't bother me as much if the animals were treated better. That's another reason I debate eating about dairy products. I also think raw meat just kinda looks gross. I know not a lot of people eat their food raw, but still.
> 
> I know there are a lot of good veggie "meats" made from soy or vegetables and tofu is good if you know how to cook with it, but I don't know of any good substitutes for fish?


avocado is filled with omega 3, therefore it works great to eat instead of fish. avocado tastes gross though, but you could just make guacamole or something out of it.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

The Lonely Brain said:


> For me, it's more of the way animals are slaughtered. It wouldn't bother me as much if the animals were treated better. That's another reason I debate eating about dairy products. I also think raw meat just kinda looks gross. I know not a lot of people eat their food raw, but still.
> 
> I know there are a lot of good veggie "meats" made from soy or vegetables and tofu is good if you know how to cook with it, but I don't know of any good substitutes for fish?


it's not like they are going to kill the animal in a nice way


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## Noll (Mar 29, 2011)

MobiusX said:


> it's not like they are going to kill the animal in a nice way


and it does not really matter how the animal is killed, as it's still killed.


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## The Lonely Brain (Apr 4, 2013)

Noll said:


> avocado is filled with omega 3, therefore it works great to eat instead of fish. avocado tastes gross though, but you could just make guacamole or something out of it.


Yeah that's true I hadn't thought of avocadoes.


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## The Lonely Brain (Apr 4, 2013)

MobiusX said:


> it's not like they are going to kill the animal in a nice way


No, but it is not necessary for the animals to be packed into cages so small they can barely move, suffer infections and injuries, have their limbs broken by abusive workers, be shocked, stunned, pumped full of hormones, thrown live into grinders, or any of the other senseless acts of violence that occur at factory farms before they're slaughtered.

I get that the animals can't speak and it's "just food," but it just doesn't seem right to treat a living creature in such a horrible manner.

*steps off soapbox*


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## getsomeair (Feb 1, 2013)

Well, I am an ethical "vegetarian" that sometimes cheat. I ate fish a month or so ago. This is why I sometimes hesitate to call myself a veggie, but whatever. I have gone much longer without meat before- almost whole years without cheating. I don't cheat because I crave meat, but rather because sometimes it's easier when there are no vegetarian options. (Although I do enjoy it... fish is soooo good... God I miss it... )

My weight is healthy. I feel ok.


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

I'm yet to see someone make a logical and even half-way convincing argument in favour of eating meat.


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## Whatev (Feb 6, 2012)

Noll said:


> avocado is filled with omega 3, therefore it works great to eat instead of fish. avocado tastes gross though, but you could just make guacamole or something out of it.


Avocado yummmm.

If someone needs that meat like substitute do portobello mushrooms. Good for those who are transitioning into a plant based diet. Has a meaty like texture and a lot healthier than those isolated soy fake meats garbage they sell in stores.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

getsomeair said:


> Well, I am an ethical "vegetarian" that sometimes cheat. I ate fish a month or so ago. This is why I sometimes hesitate to call myself a veggie, but whatever. I have gone much longer without meat before- almost whole years without cheating. I don't cheat because I crave meat, but rather because sometimes it's easier when there are no vegetarian options. (Although I do enjoy it... fish is soooo good... God I miss it... )
> 
> My weight is healthy. I feel ok.


when was the last time you ate fish? this is when your vegetarianism began, I was one over 10 years, I'm a pescetarian now


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## amyjackson234 (Apr 9, 2013)

Been 5 months I quit meat, going good now.


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## zojirushi (Apr 8, 2013)

Since the beginning of 2012.


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## Becca333 (Oct 26, 2012)

I don't eat meat, salmon a couple of times a week, chicken (swiss chalet) some people don't consider chicken meat. I do this for health reasons tho - the infamous healthy lifestyle. I do wear leather tho - lambskin.


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## Astraia (Mar 24, 2013)

I was vegetarian for a few years, because the foster family I lived with was vegetarian, but during the time I lived there I started getting a lot of problems with iron deficiencies. I tried taking iron supplements, but they weren't very effective. I basically started eating meat again on doctors orders.


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## NeuromorPhish (Oct 11, 2012)

getsomeair said:


> Well, I am an ethical "vegetarian" that sometimes cheat. I ate fish a month or so ago. This is why I sometimes hesitate to call myself a veggie, but whatever. I have gone much longer without meat before- almost whole years without cheating. I don't cheat because I crave meat, but rather because sometimes it's easier when there are no vegetarian options.


Same here. I avoid eating meat for ethical reasons, but when i'm in a situation were meat is served i don't want to be impolite and reject it.
If asked, i call myself a pseudo-vegetarian.


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## JustAPhase (Mar 4, 2013)

Honestly I don't see the difference. If I don't eat meat, someone else will. Meat contains vitamins humans NEED. Natural selection is at play. We are at the top of the food chain. We are the Apex predators.


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## zojirushi (Apr 8, 2013)

Eh...


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

Astraia said:


> I was vegetarian for a few years, because the foster family I lived with was vegetarian, but during the time I lived there I started getting a lot of problems with iron deficiencies. I tried taking iron supplements, but they weren't very effective. I basically started eating meat again on doctors orders.


 Spinach has loads of iron.


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

JustAPhase said:


> Honestly I don't see the difference. If I don't eat meat, someone else will. Meat contains vitamins humans NEED. Natural selection is at play. We are at the top of the food chain. We are the Apex predators.


 Happy hunting at your local supermarket, mr Apex predator.
I'm also interested as to these vitamins in meat that humans "NEED". I seem to have survived almost 20 years of active lifestyle without them......


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## SST (Apr 10, 2013)

half a year


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## Luna Sea (Apr 4, 2012)

I'm so confused at how anyone can not eat meat on ethical grounds but still eat fish. If anything I'd say eating fish is worse, since then you have the issues of overfishing hurting their populations and all the other things that get killed in nets as well as the killing an animal for food.

I would like to be a vegan, but I don't have the determination to do it so I just eat meat happily.


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## PurrPanther (Nov 16, 2012)

8 years until I spent a night in jail, I was so hungry I had to give in to that nasty dry ham sandwich


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## cafune (Jan 11, 2011)

A little over ten months. I've never been a heavy meat eater, so it didn't make a difference to my lifestyle. It was a switch of labels. (I'm a vegetarian for ethical reasons [poor living conditions and treatment of livestock] + a general dislike of the taste of meat.)


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## JustAPhase (Mar 4, 2013)

Donnie in the Dark said:


> Happy hunting at your local supermarket, mr Apex predator.
> I'm also interested as to these vitamins in meat that humans "NEED". I seem to have survived almost 20 years of active lifestyle without them......


Made me chuckle.


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## IcySoul (Apr 8, 2013)

Years and years ago now. I never really ate meat in the first place so giving it up entirely was easy. I love animals and I've never seen the appeal of dead flesh on a dinner plate. I have no problem with people that eat meat so long as it's ethically sourced but if they respect my choice I'll respect theirs.


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## mud (Apr 12, 2009)

About 17 or 18 years now. I didn't do it for ethical reasons, I just found that it is how I like to eat. I would rather starve than eat any kind of meat. Its just disgusting to me.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

I became a vegetarian when I was 13-14 and turned vegan at 15. I became a vegetarian again at 16 because I was getting too skinny(I didn't make sure that I got everything I needed through what I ate because I was not interested in cooking haha). At 17 or so I started eating fish. I don't remember when I first ate chicken after that, but ever since then I've eaten meat. I still eat a lot of vegetarian stuff.


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## typemismatch (May 30, 2012)

A couple of hours.


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## mesmerize (Oct 19, 2012)

since i was arround 10 
not a problem since i hated it and was forced to eat it all along anyway and i had to struggle to win my way out <.<


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## lad (Sep 26, 2011)

About 5 minutes, life would be incomplete to me without meat. I'd rather be dead than not have a nice steak.


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## realitysucks (Jan 18, 2013)

I don't see the logic in snubbing meat because you can. Unless you are allergic to or threatened by consuming it you should eat it. If you believe in creation, know that you have a colon; you are designed to eat meat. It's nutritious too. Sure animals die, sure capitalism is exacerbating it, but it's the circle of life; it's reality. Why inhibit your omnivorousness?


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## Lemonmonger (Mar 12, 2013)

I stopped eating it because I could in 7th grade. I've not touched it since, save for fish. I love fish. My mom thinks it was right after we butchered our cow, though. Maybe that had something to do with it.


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

Noll said:


> avocado is filled with omega 3, therefore it works great to eat instead of fish. avocado tastes gross though, but you could just make guacamole or something out of it.


Not all omega-3s are the same.

Anyway, there are no real advantages to not eating meat. It's certainly "easier" to get away with eating better if you're a vegetarian, or maybe vegetarians are more health-conscious to begin with. That would explain the statistical discrepancies.

The real problem with eating a vegetarian diet are a few nutrient deficiencies, like iron. But that's quite easily solved with proper supplementation.

Eating vegan really cuts you off of great, healthful food sources though, like eggs and milk.

---

Meat really isn't to blame for health problems. Like running sprints. They're great for you if you can handle it, but if you have a pre-existing heart condition, exercise induced asthma, or repetitive stress injury then it's going to do a lot of harm. Which is what we see with a lot of people.

It's somewhat silly: people tax their livers with excessive alcohol and destroy their insulin response with soda; then have the audacity to blame meat when their bodies are too crippled to actually process it well enough.

You know bacon is actually terrific for you right? _If you can process it._ Which people who stuff their face full of doughnuts and trans fats can't.

---

But if it's for ethical reasons I completely understand.


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## tieffers (Jan 26, 2013)

realitysucks said:


> I don't see the logic in snubbing meat because you can. Unless you are allergic to or threatened by consuming it you should eat it. If you believe in creation, know that you have a colon; you are designed to eat meat. It's nutritious too. Sure animals die, sure capitalism is exacerbating it, but it's the circle of life; it's reality. Why inhibit your omnivorousness?


Meat isn't good for you, regardless of any allergies or preexisting conditions. These arguments might have held up decades ago, but the growth hormones they pump livestock with encourages cell proliferation and cancer in humans.

Also, according to the FDA, 80% of all antibiotics produced in the United States are used on livestock. That creates antibiotic resistance and development of superbugs. Whether you believe it's possible to ingest those antibiotics directly from a treated animal or not, it's still true that those superbugs are sharing genetic material with other bacteria, which is contributing to the huge threat of antibiotic resistance.

And I won't even go into the deplorable conditions of factory farming, confined animal feeding operations, and what little regard animals are treated with. Legislation for the welfare of animals doesn't extend to livestock, so it's completely unregulated.

I can't in good conscience support any of this.

Sorry to be preachy. I just figured...well, if you're going to come into a pro vegan/vegetarian thread to argue against it, I could say something, too.


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## Whatev (Feb 6, 2012)

Donnie in the Dark said:


> Happy hunting at your local supermarket, mr Apex predator.


They should do this everywhere.





Or just watch user "FoodForLouis" on youtube. Not going to post it here people might offend and/or make people sick seeing a guy eat actual roadkill and real unprocessed meat. Amazing how some meat eaters think its gross tho. Some people are so disconnected from the food they eat.


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## Lemonmonger (Mar 12, 2013)

tieffers said:


> And I won't even go into the deplorable conditions of factory farming, confined animal feeding operations, and what little regard animals are treated with. Legislation for the welfare of animals doesn't extend to livestock, so it's completely unregulated.
> .


Close to my house we have a farmer that takes such horrible care of his veal calfs, and probably his dairy cows. The calfs are in a tiny pen in a sharp turn in the road. It's nothing but poop and mud up to their little knees. They have very little room to move and I rarely see food in there. Next to his 'barn' where he keeps his dairy cows is a couple rows of igloo type dog houses that he ties other calfs to, with a 3 foot rope. There's also been several times he's kept a calf or two in a trailer in his drive way, in the scorching sun.

People don't see things like this everyday, and if they did, if they have a heart and a conscience, they'd either stop or look for more ethical meat farms to buy from. Possibly even individuals who raise and butcher a few for small profit.

*Also, the method of killing the animal is different depending on where they're sent/ raised. Individual 'processors', like the family we took our cow to, does it quickly with a head shot (not to be funny).


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## Lil Sebastian (Feb 26, 2012)

tieffers said:


> Meat isn't good for you, regardless of any allergies or preexisting conditions. These arguments might have held up decades ago, but the growth hormones they pump livestock with encourages cell proliferation and cancer in humans.
> 
> Also, according to the FDA, 80% of all antibiotics produced in the United States are used on livestock. That creates antibiotic resistance and development of superbugs. Whether you believe it's possible to ingest those antibiotics directly from a treated animal or not, it's still true that those superbugs are sharing genetic material with other bacteria, which is contributing to the huge threat of antibiotic resistance.
> 
> ...


I'm glad I live where I do. We're by no means perfect here, but a lot of livestock here gets to live pretty decent lives, get to eat grass and plenty of space in their lovely field. I'd probably lay off a lot of meat in those factory conditions too, but as is I love my tasty tasty meaty goodness for the good of the animals. If I didn't eat them, there's be no farms, and they'd never get the chance to live at all. <3 u cows.

But I do apologise, I'll leave this topic now and genuinely, happy eating to you veggie types. Whatever about the debate, good on y'all for doing what you believe in etc etc.


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## realitysucks (Jan 18, 2013)

tieffers said:


> Meat isn't good for you, regardless of any allergies or preexisting conditions. These arguments might have held up decades ago, but the growth hormones they pump livestock with encourages cell proliferation and cancer in humans.
> 
> Also, according to the FDA, 80% of all antibiotics produced in the United States are used on livestock. That creates antibiotic resistance and development of superbugs. Whether you believe it's possible to ingest those antibiotics directly from a treated animal or not, it's still true that those superbugs are sharing genetic material with other bacteria, which is contributing to the huge threat of antibiotic resistance.
> 
> ...


Honestly this is your argument? What about the thousands of litres of artificial fertilisers and nasty pesticides sprayed all over produce if thats your worry about meat? Look at guys like brock lesnar and see how healthy and fine they are with meat. Welfare for animals? Once again circle of life, reality, get with it asap. I eat both and am probably more healthier than you. You might as well stop breathing air as its infested with pollution or drinking water as its got fluoride in it.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

I was vegan for about 12 years, vegetarian for about 14 (and still nearly vegan those extra two years). I started eating fish close to two years ago. Haven't had beef in something like 20 years.


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## Lil Sebastian (Feb 26, 2012)

realitysucks said:


> Look at guys like brock lesnar and see how healthy and fine they are with meat.


I'm on your side mostly, but jeez, not the best example. The guy nearly died from diverticulitis and he's since cut back on the amount of meat he eats.


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## FerociousFleur (Oct 30, 2012)

I've been a vegetarian for 6 years. I went veggie for the first time when I was 14, but was harassed so much by classmates and family that I started eating meat again until I turned 18. Have learned to stop arguing with carnivores, and just do my own thing.

What's funny is, many of the family members and friends who used to give me a hard time have eventually come around, shared vegetarian meals with me, and have begun defending me when newcomers give me a hard time. Go figure.


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## realitysucks (Jan 18, 2013)

Lil Sebastian said:


> I'm on your side mostly, but jeez, not the best example. The guy nearly died from diverticulitis and he's since cut back on the amount of meat he eats.


Lol right. John Cena then.


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