My Story

It wouldn't be right if I didn't share my story about how I became vegetarian so here it is.

I became a vegetarian on March 5, 2013. Before that, I've been debating about having a meat-free lifestyle since roughly January of this year. I never actually went through with it till about five months ago. I woke up one morning & thought to myself, this is it. I completely cut out meat and eggs. I didn't gradually give it up. It was 100% cold turkey. Initially, it was a bit of a struggle. Sausages, steaks, chicken and burgers would be placed on the dinner table. I would look at the meat presented before me with temptation growing stronger. However, I had enough will power to firmly tell myself no. When I began to tell people that I gave up meat I was bombarded with questions and comments such as "why did you give up meat", "how do you get your protein", "you need meat though" and "oh but I don't eat that much meat anyway". It's been five months and I still get asked these questions but thankfully, not as frequently. Being half-Greek and half-Croatian, there always meat around and lots of it. The Greek side would always serve tons of lamb and the Croatian side, anything with pork. As the months passed, I found it easier to not crave meat, especially with the abundance of meat substitutes. My body adjusted to my choice and I instantly felt better. I had more energy and I felt lighter and healthier. I lost weight and the cravings I had for junk food went away. I still wonder if what you eat for your meals affects what you do and do not crave.

Some people think that being vegetarian is a diet. They assume that they can cut out meat for some period of time and go back to eating it regularly. While that can work for some people, it isn't always the case. I've had people tell me "oh yeah I was a vegetarian for x years and y months. You'll be back to eating meat in no time." While I understand where they are coming from, vegetarian to me is a lifestyle change. You are completely eliminating all meat products and eggs. It's not like a diet where you go back to something after giving it up for a while ie eating healthy for six days so on the seventh one, I'll have chips and candy all day. It requires dedication, will power and commitment.

The reason why I became vegetarian is because of all the guilt I associated with eating meat. When I would see a pig or cow, I wouldn't look at it as a piece of meat. Instead, I saw a living animal that didn't deserve to die for consumption purposes. People will argue that God put these animals on earth for us to eat or that we need meat to survive but I don't believe in either of those ideas. To kill an animal just so we can eat it is cruel , at least in my eyes. There are also tons of other ways to obtain protein. For example, black beans has tons of protein and it doesn't come with the health risks of eating red meat. If you were to google "vegetable protein" you would find so many great, healthy substitutes.

I don't want to sound like one of those vegetarian's who lecture and make carnivores feel guilty. That's not who I am. While I may not agree with their lifestyle, they still have every right to live it. I'm reaching out to those who are currently vegetarian or considering it. And if you have any questions, comments or concerns, leave them in the comment section and I will answer them to the best of my ability. Thanks!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog Vegetarian in Vancouver. I plan to share where to find the best vegetarian meal in the city and also, recipes too.

Luckily for Vancouverites, Vancouver is one of the best cities in North America to be vegetarian. We're fortunate enough to have endless options of where to eat and shop at. Other Canadian cities might not be so lucky but thankfully, Vancouver has taken a healthy, meat free option. Whether you've just become vegetarian, been one for a long time or even a carnivore who just wants to incorporate the odd non-meat meal in their lifestyle, this blog is for you.