I just became a Vegetarian!

If you´ve just become a vegetarian or are really thinking about it, join me here!

Let´s try bringing more people into this healthy and humane life style.

I used to be a meat lover (till last week), but then I decided I would stop being a hypocrite. I absolutely loved animals, and still, I loved eating them too. It just sounded too... sick an attitude. So I stopped.

I became a vegetarian on the 5th of July, 2009. This is my first animal friendly week and I feel great. Haven´t missed the meat, as I thought I would. Let´s see how it goes from now on.

Join me! Let´s try becoming vegetarian together!

I think respect for living beings and for nature is utmost important in our efforts to become a humane species. In the future, our grandchildren will look at our uncivilized society through history books and ask themselves: How could they be so barbaric? How could they have all the means to substitute meat and still butcher animals for food?

I want to stand before my grandchildren and say: I wasn´t. I stood up against it. I protected life. I treated each living animal as sentient, emotional beings and refused to eat them.

And they will smile proudly at me. And I will feel great.

This is an ongoing pledge that should be fulfilled as often as possible.

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Comments, Suggestions and Stories

Colleen Chaos Baltimore, MD @ 02:03PM PT Dec 05
Pledge fulfilled Dec 05, 2009!

Congrats! I am pretty new to the Veggie lifestyle myself. 6+ months. =)
Blue Ape With A Drum Plymouth, United Kingdom @ 04:49PM PT Jul 28

I've signed the pledge..i've been a vegetarian for around 25 years..and it is getting easier and easier for people to be so.

It is true that an avowed love of animals..and being an ongoing meat consumer,shows a disconnect in a persons mind.

By giving up meat,you are saying "no"to cruelty and unhealthy living,whilst also helping the planet enormously.

Good on ya to anyone who has recently become veggie..you are a decent person.
Ellen Davis Los Angeles, CA @ 02:13PM PT Jul 28

Dear Renata,

Congratulations! I've been a vegetarian since 1971 and a vegan since 1987. You became a vegetarian on July 5, which is my birthday! May you feel ever-healthier in body, mind and spirit. Thank you for your congruent compassion and no longer contributing to the slaughter of animals, the production of greenhouse gases, and the imbalanced and over-consumption of land and water. I think it takes a certain amount of dissociation from the life one is eating in order to eat meat or raise it for consumption. Perhaps in a life or death situation, there can be a mystical union whereby this offering is made in integrity. I have never found myself in that kind of situation and I have lived in many places where being a vegetarian was not as easy as it is living in southern California. I also do not find the raising of meat healthy or responsible to our planet or the eating of it healthy for my body.

One thing that I suggest is not to create division within yourself or others about eating meat. I have never "missed meat" - but everyone has different experiences. Give yourself permission each moment along the way to do what you want - but listen very closely to what that is - and if you find that you think you want to eat meat, listen closer: ask yourself how will you feel eating meat, how will it make you feel afterwards; how will your body feel - how will you feel about yourself? If you find that you do eat meat again, the next moment is another opportunity to begin again. Beating yourself up about it does not best empower you to make a change again. With regard to how you treat yourself and others about eathing meat: It does not make the world a better place when people eat with guilt or do not enjoy their food. There is a time and a place for realization and doing things in conflict does not create positive, true and lasting change.

Another thing I suggest in terms of your 'activism' (if you continue to feel called towards this) is to be an example of harmony and peace and the way you want to live. Being vegetarian and really living that way without compromise is a political statement in itself. Many add more division than what they want to heal in their becoming vegetarian advocates in their angry and self-righteous way of dividing against the world around them. If you can peacefully (within) communicate the message of health and environmental responsibility with allowance and acceptance and without going to war with those around you, you will not be adding to the division of the world, but healing it. I have never seen self-righteous vegetarians who judge meat-eaters inspire them to stop eating meat. I also do not see them as very healthy with all of the rigidity, tension and anger that they hold inside.

To your health and the health of all!
Michael Essi Orlando, FL @ 12:52PM PT Jul 28

I have been a vegetarian for 1 year and 8 months. I decided on a vegetarian diet because of animal welfare and with research have realized that it is the only diet that makes sense for many reasons. I consider myself, and other vegans/vegetarians, to be evolved and educated!
Peter Orozco Earle Shorewood, WI @ 09:20PM PT Jul 27

I have been veggie since I was 10. So that is 12 years now. I took the pledge as a continuation of what I have been doing.

:-)
Sarah McConnaughey Mesquite, NV @ 03:51PM PT Jul 26
Pledge fulfilled Jul 26, 2009!

Congrats!

I've been a vegetarian for 9 years as of June 2009 and I don't drink cow's milk, only soy.
kharma moving quickly flushing, NY @ 10:49AM PT Jul 22

I am vegan almost 2 years now. I was semi-vegetarian before that but stumbled onto PETA footage, then read Skinny Bitch and then was given a life-changing tip to watch Earthlings. I am still reeling from the 'truth' of what is done to animals and am ashamed and cannot believe that for all my life I didn't even realize I was eating an animal. I made the transition overnight and am an animal rights activist.
Anna Gallo Bethany, PA @ 12:51PM PT Jul 21

I've been a vegetarian since 1990, and was fine with it until I realized that by consuming dairy products, such as cheese and milk, I was "buying into" the artificial impregnation of cows for the purpose of creating the milk (from which all dairy products are made) and by doing so I was promoting the horrific veal industry. Calves are meant to be the recipients of the milk, not humans. Eggs (yes even the "organic" ones) come from cruelty to creatures who deserve life just as you and I do. Watch a powerful documentary EARTHLINGS (www.earthlings.com) which will open up your eyes to truth. Even though vegetarianism can be your first step, going vegan is truly the most meaningful way to stop supporting factory farming and horrific cruelty. It's healthier too!
Tina Petrovic @ 10:54AM PT Jul 20

i think its very important i just started and i feel great!

i hate how they treat them its sick

i love animals and i always cry if anything happend to them thats why i am making a pledge!

(:
vicki boguszewski Key West, FL @ 08:45AM PT Jul 18

I have been a vegetarian for 15 years- yes it will be hard in the beginning- take your time- it is worht the effort! Learn about your new food choices, experiment, have fun and be well. It is a choice I made in college and one that will be with me the rest of my life. Greening our own lives is the most effective way to effect change. Nowadays I am on the board of directors for my local community garden- fresh veggies, sustainable food, healthy recreation and great people. God bless the veggies! Peace and Love, Vicki