Today is exactly 11 years ago I started my vegetarian lifestyle. It was an idea I had going on in my head for a long time before actually doing it. When I decided that I was really going to do it, I wanted it to be on a day that I could also remember and that’s why I choose September 1. Because on this day I also started my study Nutrition and Dietetics and figured it would be a great way to start a new lifestyle altogether. Fresh out of high school, new into college and a new healthy way of eating. Not that eating meat is not healthy, I just prefer a vegetable diet and I never was a big fan of meat and fish to begin with. That made it easier for me to step into my new lifestyle.

Now why would you suddenly become a vegetarian you may ask yourself. It’s simple, I love animals, and yes I feel bad for them the way humans treat them just to get a juicy steak on their plate. Now I know it is part of nature and that animals eat animals (really hate those cruel sights on National Geographic and Discovery Channel etc.), but I didn’t want to take part in it anymore. My body, my life, my choice. After years of being a carnivore, I decided that it was enough and that I wanted to take on a vegetarian lifestyle now that I was old enough to make my own choices. Because we all know that when you grow up, you should eat what mommy gives and tells you.

Doing the N&D study was going to teach me everything I needed to know about nutrition and everything I needed to know about a vegetarian lifestyle, so I was not worried. In the meantime I made sure I had meat replacements and supplements. Some people may think that I became a vegetarian because of my study, but that is simply not true. Although I understand why they may think that, but the fact is, I started both on the same day. A new lifestyle altogether and the one has nothing to do with the other. Till this day I do not regret going veggie, because there is enough choice of food. As you can see on my photos I’m not missing a thing, I have enough meat on my bones. More than enough actually, but that’s a different post.

My vegetarian diet means no meat and no fish or anything derived from either one of them. Other than that I do consume eggs and use dairy products, I’m what you call a lacto-ovo vegetarian. We consume dairy and egg products. Sometimes people like to call themselves vegetarian but consume fish. Well those people are not vegetarians, they just don’t eat meat. A vegetarian is by definition someone who does not eat animals in any form. We all know that a fish is not a plant and thus eating it means that you don’t have a vegetable diet.

If you are thinking about becoming a veggie yourself or just want some tips on how to cut back on meat and fish, don’t be afraid to ask me. Send me an email anytime at fashdiva@live.nl or use the contact form.