Anyone gone full circle?

fat bloke

Twas after a week's holiday in France in April of last year that I went full on vegan. Now about 15 months later I'm back in France and because of a combination of necessity, laissez-faire and ah-for-fcuk-sake, have been relaxing the rules a bit. France doesn't really do vegetarian, let alone vegan in that eggs, cheese and lardons are considered vegetables. Anyway yesterday I gave up completely trying to argue in poor French with another garcon and I just said yeah yeah whatever to the menu du jour. Which turned out to be a hammy salad, roast pork main and apple pie with cream and ice cream after. And it was very nice.

I'm pretty sure my wife would say a silent prayer of thanks of I went back to "normal" eating but I do enjoy the vegan challenge generally speaking. I remember reading a Web article claiming that a large majority of vegan converts revert to regular eating habits within 5 years.

silent_spark

I think it depends on the reason they started eating a plant-based diet in the first place. I think people are more likely to revert to an omnivorous diet if they starting excluding animal products for personal health reasons, versus actually becoming vegan - including avoiding leather, wool, silk etc. - for animal welfare reasons. I think people with a strong ethical reason for eating plant-based are more likely to stick to their convictions and not revert. If people are plant-based for health reasons, it might be easier to take a 'holiday' and eat less healthily.

fat bloke

True. My veganism didn't / doesn't extend beyond the dietary tbh. In terms of animal welfare it was primarily for the animal staring back at me from the mirror. But then, regardless of motivation, the animal welfare effects are the same it could be argued. Not being eaten is result enough, the animal kingdom is probably less concerned with the underlying moral or conscience struggle .

I don't think it's game over for me yet though. I used to routinely buy a pack of cigarettes whenever I hit an airport and never smoked at home. Maybe it's one of those temporary lapses. It is difficult in a country which makes zero concessions for vegans, and when push comes to shove, hunger trumps all

Tar.Aldarion

A lot of people go back to eating animals, and a lot of those try veganism again and do better due to past attempts. I ate vegan in Paris over a decade ago no problem (it's where I discovered seitan), can imagine that the smaller regions are terrible! I'd probably eat a bit of dairy or something if I had to but wouldn't be able for meat.

s7ryf3925pivug

I started eating poultry and fish a few months ago. My wife is pregnant and experiencing bad nausea, and wasn't getting enough protein from vegetarian foods she can stomach. She started eating chicken occasionally and I started too so she felt less bad about it.

Vegetarian >5 years for ethical/environmentalist reasons. Most likely won't resume it though. My wife almost certainly will. I doubt I will start eating red meat again, which I understand has a greater impact on the environment. I think the condition of almost all farmed pigs is particularly abhorrent also.

You're so much less restricted eating out as an omnivore, and you get far better bang for your buck. Most places really gouge vegetarians, if they provide decent options at all. Homemade meals are also much more conveniently mAde, with the offshoot that I'm definitely eating fewer vegeatables and fibre.

One thing that struck both of us is just how filling meat is. Going to say it's easier to lose weight or avoid putting it on on an omnivorous diet.

One thing I perceived both when switching to vegetarian originally and now eating meat again is an effect on mood. My personal observation is that I'm onclined to be more outgoing and more aggressive while eating meat than while not.

I followed a well-researched complete vegetarian diet and was fit and healthy on it. I'm not aware of lacking anything nutritionally.

I was surprised how easily I switched both times. I felt that my thinking became clearer after both switches, so any relationship there might not be simplistic.

I still think there are ethical reasons not to eat meat, and that most people have no need to eat it. I just no longer feel compelled by that perception to abstain from it personally.

Worztron

Never will.