We all have seen those PETA ads. I remember watching “Meet your Meat” in seventh grade and swearing off meat, although it only lasted a week. It’s something that’s always been on my mind, and I’ve always admired girls who were able to. I found some girls who have taken that route, and why they chose to forgo the cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets, and help save some animals from slaughter.
Some girls may think about becoming a vegetarian, but most stop because either they think they can’t do it, they’re scared of what people will think, or they really don’t know how. But truth is, thousands of girls are vegetarian and there are tons of them on campus.
Many become a vegetarian for different reasons. Cheyenne Lindeman, a junior studying elementary education has been a vegetarian for seven years. She decided to become a vegetarian when she initially had just slowly stopped eating meat products and, when she realized what she had been doing, decided to cut meat completely out.
“The thought of eating something that one had life, that was once breathing, did not appeal to me,” Lindeman said.
Or take sophomore Jenny Stern, an ecology and evolutionary biology major who has been a vegetarian for four years, and decided to after finding out there was a vegetarian alternative to chicken nuggets. Making a bet with her father that she would last six months, Stern won and has continued to be a vegetarian ever since.
Her Campus’ very own Madeline Hutton, a freshman majoring in finance, has been a vegetarian for almost seven years. Hutton became a vegetarian after her sister showed her a video on the animal rights violations that occurred when she ate meat.
“Once you see the treatment that the animals go through, you realize that a hamburger isn’t worth it,” Hutton said.
Most girls who want to help the piggies and the chickies find becoming a vegetarian difficult at times, but even these ladies had rough patches when going meatless.
“The hardest part about becoming a vegetarian is learning everything that you can’t eat. It seems pretty simple just to stop eating meat but there are products such as gelatin (made out of animal intestines and feet) that are in a lot of food that you don’t know about,” Stern said.
Other than having to take a sack lunch to every family gathering, Lindeman says the choice wasn’t hard and feels it is the most logical choice she has ever made. Hutton found trouble when going out and eating with friends, because unfortunately most restaurants do not have many vegetarian options, if any at all.
Then there’s always that pain of missing meat. For Stern that was her gummy candies, and she has unfortunately hasn’t found a vegetarian alternative yet. Both Lindeman and Hutton say that after you are a vegetarian for so long, you don’t really miss anything.
For those of you reading, thinking “it’s impossible, I can’t do it,” you can and these three ladies show that it is possible. All three say they will continue to be vegetarian, and Hutton says she is slowing transitioning to veganism.
“It is really hard for the first two weeks. You will want to eat anything and everything with meat. But once the first two weeks pass you will never crave it again, so don’t give up,” Hutton said.
Stern said, “It’s really not hard to stay healthy as a vegetarian. Spinach and other vegetables can provide the iron you need and as long as you keep track of your protein, it is pretty simple. A lot of vegetarian-friendly foods are very high in protein: Greek yogurt has over 10 grams.”
And for those of you on the fence, Lindeman advises “Be sure to only become a vegetarian if it truly means something to you and to have your facts straight. If you do not eat anything that comes from an animal— eggs, milk, cheese, etc.— then you are a vegan. If you do not eat red meat but still eat chicken or other white meat, then you are NOT a vegetarian. If you do not eat meat, but you eat fish then you are a pescatarian. I am all for doing what you believe in, but be sure you are doing it for the right reasons. If you support animal rights, then good for you. If you do not like meat and don’t want to eat it anymore, then that’s fine too. Just remember that it truly will change your lifestyle and your health— some iron or protein deficiencies may occur— and that you need to be educated about all of it.”
Becoming a vegetarian is possible. Do your research, make a plan, and decide if it’s right for you.