To those that know me personally it's obvious that, growing up I was an avid meat eater! Chicken nuggets, pork sausages, pepperoni pizza, you name it, I ate it....I couldn't live without the stuff! Meat was a significant part of my diet and was often my first choice from the menu. I was so dependent upon it that I looked forward to it being served on my plate!
Recently though, my life has redirected itself and followed new paths, which were never expected by neither myself nor those around me, including my new dieting habits, which has been the most significant one to date... Since then, I've noticed a few changes, including my sudden positive outlook on life! Not forgetting the wonders it does to the complexion of my skin.
My family have always been and probably will continue to be hardcore meat eaters and therefore, have the typical ignorant view that:
- 'We were born to be meat eaters!'
- 'It's just a phase, give it time and it will pass'
- 'Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival for life on Earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet!
1) Morality
I am a strong believer in morals, despite the gender or form of life! Studies have shown that animals are moral creatures; they support each other, have a sense of outrage and show empathetic behaviour towards not only their own kind, but humans too! A lot of people seem to forget that animals have emotion and feelings, so...
"The question is not Can they reason? nor Can they talk but, Can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham
Why should a poor, defenseless animal suffer for human pleasure? It wouldn't be seen as morally correct to skin a sedated human for their meat, to cook for dinner, so what makes it okay to do this to animals?
2) To Challenge Myself
I consider myself to be an outgoing teenager who is always up for a challenge! I get a thrill out of having to work towards something or achieve a personal belief, especially if there is an element of danger involved! As mentioned before, my love for meat when I was growing up was a passionate one and I never felt like I could part from it. Therefore, I saw this as a massive deal and a challenge I was determined to achieve. I'll admit now, it wasn't an easy decision of mine to transform to a diet that was completely meat-free! For a number of months, maybe even a year, I had always wanted to become a vegetarian, but had consistently been shunned away every time I brought up the topic. Therefore, the first hurdle to overcome was braving my parents! Once I proposed my argument and adopted a new attitude, I found it easy to announce my change in lifestyle. However, despite the unpleasant reaction from this, I was determined not to let this get to me!
3) For a Healthier Way Of Living
Studies show that on average, vegetarians are healthier in all aspects! A 12-year old Oxford study produced the results that the life expectancy of a vegetarian when compared with meat eaters, show that they can outlive omnivores by 6 years. This is due to the plant-based diet of a vegetarian, which strengthens the immune system and slows down the aging process! Depending on the attitude you adopt as a vegetarian, it is extremely easy to lose any excess weight that isn't wanted and keep it off! A vegetarian diet consists mainly of vegetables, nuts, fruits, whole grains and legumes, providing the individual with the nutrients they need. These are low in fat and rich in fibre and when accompanied with daily exercise, the perfect formula is made for healthy weight loss!
"My body will not be a tomb for other creatures" - Da Vinci
I was not expecting to become vegetarian so soon and suddenly, nor was I expecting the reaction I got from it, (which wasn't a pleasant one!) However, I will not let that stop me from wanting to stick to this way of living and will do my best to maintain this attitude, to prove everyone wrong!
Bye for now! Xxx
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