Why I’m Vegetarian and Why it was Inevitable

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I’ve known for many years that one day I would become vegetarian, and last September marked my shift. This is why I’m vegetarian and why it was inevitable.

 

Just like diets to lose weight and diets to get healthy, a vegetarian diet is flexible and rather broad. I spent several years slowly phasing out meat and phasing into vegetarianism completely. If you need a cheat day, or want one, then by all means have it. People eat that cake, so you go ahead and eat that fish. But cheat days aside, this diet was inevitable for me. Becoming vegan probably is too. Here’s why I’m vegetarian.

At the root of life is the need to preserve life. We are born to love, not hate, and heal, not kill. Animal instincts for survival no longer apply to our way of life. We are not living in a desert with only snakes and cactus to eat. Our options are limitless. Our resources are finite. Producing meat to eat utilizes tons of natural resources. Killing an animal to eat is unnecessary. There is nothing to gain from eating meat.

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Vegetarianism was inevitable for me. I’d always known that murdering animals for food was something I was willing participating in, like a bystander who watches one man shoot another, then takes the wallet of the now dead person. We grew up surrounded by meat, so it seemed natural to eat it. We were taught to ignore how it reached us. But being an adult means accepting the world, not ignoring it. I accept that millions of animals are murdered every second for food. I refuse to support the practice. This is just one reason I’m now vegetarian.

 

 

Giving up meat not only gave me more energy, but I also feel healthier. I know this because I have a young daughter of two at home, never get enough sleep, yet always have more energy than I used to. Eating makes me feel good, rather then weighed down and ready for a nap. I don’t get meat sweats and I don’t crave meat. Frankly, I haven’t missed it once since giving it up, not even at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

My turkey free Thanksgiving was incredible. The meal was always about the side dishes anyways. Avoiding meat on Christmas was just as wonderful. I used to eat turkey sandwiches every day for lunch. Now I have avocado sandwiches instead. Why I’m vegetarian is simple. My health and the health of the world is better for it.

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If you’re considering becoming vegetarian, I recommend starting small. This approach applies to most things, but especially our diet. Whatever change we make needs to stick, so change one thing first. Remove one type of meat from your diet. I gave up beef and pork years ago, but held onto chicken and turkey and fish. Start by eliminating one from your diet. Make that your norm, find alternatives you love, then keep going.

Its rarely a good idea to go from zero to 100. Going out and running a marathon is an awful idea without first running three to five miles with ease. You start by lifting ten pound dumbbells before lifting 100 pounds, so start by removing one source of meat before you remove all of them. This worked for me and felt like a natural shift in my life, rather than ripping off the band aid.

 

If you prefer to rip the band aid off, then go for it! Just know that you may experience withdrawal and regret. It won’t necessarily be a quicker process, because changing everything overnight is hard. Just know that helping your body, mind, and the environment is a decision we all must make. That is why I’m vegetarian.

Meet our Writer:

Dan Salem is Lead Editor, Writer, and Co-owner of BuzzChomp. He’s a published author, as well as an award winning Actor, Director and Producer. Visit M Square Productions for his film work, or get lost in his old-school comedy on Pillow Talk TV. You can follow him on X and Instagram.

 

Why I’m vegetarian Photo Credits: Crack Smoking Shirts and Healthline and Maryland Photographer Patrick Smith

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