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Hi! Just wanted to say hello to everyone here at The Kind Life. I have been following the site for a few months now, but have never posted. I have been a flexitarian most of my life and am seriously considering going full vegetarian. My issue is more about peer pressure. My husband is, and always will be, a full force meat eater. We grew up in the midwest so farming is obviously a HUGE part of our heritage. And along with that comes eating flesh foods. Its just the way its always been. I have a very hard time eating my healthy veggies and rice while he sits there eating a juicy cheeseburger in front of me. I'd love to know how others of you have conquered this mental road block. My husband has adamantly stated that he will never go vegetarian and I'm not about to test that! :-) It should be a personal choice, not an order. We need to come to some common ground, but I just don't know how. Any insight would be great and I'm looking forward to beginning my journey...officially.
Hi Michelle, I can't give you much advice but perhaps arm yourself with really great tasting recipes that would suit a carnivore type guy ... do your research so that the vegan food he eats, he loves. You could also try and ask him to watch Vegucated or other DVDs about veganism with you, just so that he understands 'why' you would do this, not that he has to change himself. That way he might also support you even if in smaller ways. Just some ideas ... good luck! Kirsty
Hello Michelle,
I completely understand where you are coming from! My husband was born and raised in the heart of Texas and when I talked to him about my desire to become a vegetarian (mainly for health reasons) he literally said "that is fine and I respect your decision but I am a meat-atarian" He is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and nothing is changing about that. I simply eat my meals and make him his. I battled this for a while and then just decided that cooking two different meals would be the only solution! Good luck!
i was a huge meat eater years ago and everyone gave me not even a week to last being a vegetarian, that was almost 4 years ago and about a year ago I became vegan. This is the greatest lifestyle choice. The way I combated not eating meat was that I watched every video on PETA or Animals Australia (I'm Australian!) that I could so that I knew the suffering these beautiful creatures go through. It was hard and there were lots of tears but whenever I felt like eating meat I would think about those videos and how cruel the meat industry is. Do it for the animals and do it for this Earth that we are lucky to be allowed to live on.
ps. My husband is a meat eater but I am the main cook of the house so if he wants meat he has to cook it on the bbq outside or eat the vegan food. He mainly eats the vegan food!
I am the only vegan in my household. My hubby and sons are full-on meat eaters. Luckily, they don't give me a hard time. I have found some wonderful grden burgers, including blackbean burgers that are a fantastic replacement for hamburgers. It's all about trying new things. You will hate some things but totally LOVE others. :) Good luck to you - I know exactly what you are going through!
Michelle,
Have you read The Kind Diet? For me, knowledge about where my food was coming from and what it was doing to my body was enough to kickstart my vegan diet. What helps me come back to it if I stray is the feeling I get when I am eating healthy. BTW, there is a brand called "Sol" that makes DELICIOUS veggie burgers! They are in the frozen section at Whole Foods or New Leaf- my dad is a meat eater who steals these from me all the time! (:
-Shay
Another thing I'm having a hard time with summer bbq's. We've gone to a few now and, of course, the meal is centered around some sort of flesh food cooking on the grill. In most cases, they'll have a few sides available, but they arent always healthy. Chips, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, etc. If the invite says byob but nothing about bringing a side, is it rude to bring a side dish of my own? Something that I'll eat to fill up on but also to share? I was so hungry after the last bbq because all I could eat were chips and potato salad.
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