I decided for health reasons (breast cancer and high cholesterol are both in the family) to give it up...it certainly helped that I had had less and less interest in meat each year. Luckily, I've always loved veggies, beans, and grains. I'm allergic to milk so I'd been drinking soy milk for a while. It was a gradual transition over several years...I gave up dairy, then red meat, then all meat. I find that people can be surprisingly aggressive in their reactions...for some reason, everyone assumes that they get to comment on it--and frequently mock or attack.

You forgot to mention the millions of people that do it for religious/cultural reasons. Hinduism, anyone? That omission left me annoyed.

I've been a vegetarian for over seven years now, and it was really just a matter of deciding one day that if I didn't like the taste of meat, then why was I eating it? You can get protein from other sources, raising all those animals isn't good for the environment, and that's a lot of extra fat, cholesterol, and calories that do not naturally exist in a lot of other foods. I still eat cheese, but I don't drink milk and opt for almond milk instead - I watch my soy intake, too, because it really isn't the wonderfood like a lot of soy-based companies would have us believe. I have never missed eating meat for a single day, but I know it's a totally personal choice. My boyfriend hates the fact that I don't eat meat, and my family has often tried to trick me into eating something I don't want to, but if that is the price I have to pay, I will pay it for feeling better about myself.

I don't eat fish. I just don't like the taste. I rarely eat steak, and I'll almost always opt for chicken or turkey over red meat, but I do sometimes eat it.

I'm a vegetarian (vegan, technically), and couldn't imagine eating meat ever again for countless reasons. It makes me sad when, like someone else mentioned, people mock/attack those who choose to not eat meat. It's not something I've ever missed or would ever miss, and I don't understand the hype around animal products. There are many other ways (not to mention healthier ways) to get protein, and I get plenty of it every day. It was by far one of the best decisions I've ever made and something I will definitely stick with for the rest of my life.

i've been a vegetarian for a year and have yet to be tempted by meat. best decision ever!

I gave up all meat for a while after reading Skinny B*tch but now I make sure that if I do eat red meat, it comes from a local ranch or farm. But pork has been out of my diet for a long time and I just can't bring myself to eat it. But I always say yes to fish, especially sushi!

I'm not a vegetarian, but I have started eating less meat in efforts to save money. I used to think you couldn't have a meal unless it was meat, veggies, and bread. I've learned a meatless meal is just as filling.

I live with my sister, who has been a vegetarian since she was 10 - she just never really liked meat. as such, lots of meals we cook together end up being vegetarian -- lots of veggies, whole grains, and bean/soy protein. if I am really craving meat (like that time of the month..) I will eat it out of our apartment, or sometimes I'll just make some chicken and bring it to work for lunch a few days a week. she and I both eat fish, too. that said, I love me some red meat just typically what I cook for myself on a regular basis is often vegetarian if not vegan.

I've been a vegetarian for about 10 years, but my parents often say that I never really liked eating meat as a child. Plus there is no way I would consider participating, however passively, in a market which purposefully injures the quality of life of millions of animals.

I was a vegetarian from junior high to about 5 years ago. So for about 9 years. I'm not sure why I stopped. I still don't eat much meat, it just isn't neccessary for me to feel satisfied and most of the time it kind of makes me feel sick. I could never live without fish, so I guess I'll never truly be vegetarian again.

i was for a year then i got anemic

I'm giving it serious consideration right now and have been doing my reading to make sure I know how to make the leap healthfully. Can't wait!

I was a vegetarian for two years, but decided I hated not eating meat. A life without bacon just doesn't do it for me, so I quit.

I can't bring myself to give up meat entirely, but read in Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" that people who eat less than one serving of meat per day (so-called "flexitarians") are just as healthy as vegetarians. With that in mind, I rarely eat meat during the week but sure love eating bacon for brunch and the occasional hamburger!

I've never tried it and can honestly say I never will. I rarely eat red meat (maybe a handful of times in a year) and I eat even less pork. I do love my chicken, fish and lean turkey as good protein sources. I do try to eat a few meatless meals in a week just to switch things up a bit and get the bulk of my protein from other sources.

It's just a personal choice when it comes down to it. To each their own

I was a vegetarian for about 14 years.

Bacon is what did me in. I still stay away from poultry and red meat. I know - it makes no sense.

I was a vegetarian for 5 years, but one day, I just decided to become a pescatarian. I still can't bring myself to eat meat, but fish is all right.

I was vegan for a week after reading "Skinny B*tch". It ended up being too hard for me because I love my chicken, fish, and eggs. I applaud those of you who can keep your commitment!

I am one for moral reasons, but I need to start eating better than I do. I eat way too many chips and crackers.

I gave up eating anything with eyes (except potatoes!) back in 1975. I do eat dairy products and eggs. It was a challenge at first, but it is much easier now that restaurants offer more options. My 14-year-old son has been one his whole life, although now he's started considering eating meat now that he's in his "rebellious" years!

I'm surprised so many of the other comments are just like me! I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat a ton of meat. I think I have cooked red meat at home maybe twice in the past year. When I cook for myself, I just get lazy and cooking chicken to add to my pasta is just an extra step. A while ago I started keeping a detailed food journal, and when I looked back after a month, I realized the only meat I'd eaten was one chicken finger when I was out at happy hour. I don't think I could ever give up fish and eggs, though. Scrambled eggs are basically my favorite food.

Yes, I was a veg for 10 years and a vegan for 9 months of that time period.

I've been eating a meatless diet since summer and I'll tell ya, it's totally worth it. I never knew the weight that eating meat put on my shoulders, but once I stopped, I just feel so much better in so many ways!

Yep. I have been for a couple of years. Like others have mentioned, it's not like I ever even loved meat anyway and other reasons give me even more reason to want to keep things that way, not that I really need more reasons if I don't like the food. Luckily I don't have anyone trying to force meat on me or getting on my case about it.

I eat vegetarian/vegan dish from time to time. We do not eat that much meat as we used to. A whole lot less. We tend to take a lot of meat we buy and cut it up to last for two or more meals - even though it is meant for one maybe two meals only. I rarely eat pork. Usually the beef we get is grassfed (which is better for you) most of the time, but not always and chicken is usually organic. I guess we are more of a flexitarian.

I was a vegetarian for four years but I was borderline anemic and sick a lot more often than I am now. Now I eat one serving of meat a day and I feel a lot healthier and have fewer injuries. If you're an athlete, it can be tough to get all your protein from legumes. It's possible, but difficult. In the end it's a personal choice and one of my pet peeves is vegetarians who preach to others.

I've been a vegetarian for 11 years and for the past 3 vegan.

I've been a vegetarian for six years. I was overweight before I did it. I still struggle with fitness, but I'm not overweight anymore and it is a lot easier for me to get in shape when I try.

I've been a veggy for nearly 3 years (lacto/ovo). I recently started eating salmon twice a week, because I lose a lot of weight when I train for a race (I have a race in March). I get gaunt, and worry that I'm not eating enough to compensate for all the exercise I do. I feel guilty when eating the fish, but would rather eat that than red meat/chicken.

Same as amybdk! I was for 13 years, but the salami and bacon turned me back.

I guess I still ate seafood during that time, so I was never a legitimate vegetarian.

I have been a vegetarian for 10 years for moral reasons. I liked meat - in particular hamburgers - before I became a vegetarian, but I have never been tempted to eat it again. I'm not compromising my morals when I can just have a veggie burger
On the other hand, I don't take excellent care of my health, so if health was the reason I became a veggie, it probably wouldn't have lasted!

I can't believe so many people are vegetarians on this site! I love it!

Lawchick- I became a vegetarian for health reasons, and it's the only diet decision I've ever made that I have no trouble sticking too, probably because of the moral concerns! I just got sick of feeling guilty because of what I was eating, which is actually pretty selfish, but whatever!

i have been off and on...my boyfriend has been vegan for 2 years so everything i make at home is vegan and i really like eating that way! we are in a long distance relationship now but i still eat vegetarian at home (sometimes cheese though) and will every once in awhile get meat when i go out. probably only 2-3 times a month though!

I have been considering going meatless one or two days a week. I grew up Catholic and as an adult I observe the "don't eat meat on Friday's during Lent" rule.

I officially stopped eating a lot of meat a lot of meat, mostly red meat, when I was 15 and I'm 21 now. I don't like to label myself and I'm sick of explaining why I don't eat meat so I just don't mention it. A couple years back I started eating chicken occasionally and turkey in ground or sausage for to help my husband get protein. I still don't get enough protein and I usually try to it a couple times a week so I can get some in my system but when we go out, I usually get a vegetarian dish.

I have been a pescatarian for a year and a half. I think it is so hard to give up sushi, shrimp, grilled salmon, lobster, etc etc. I gave up beef for environmental reasons (believing that we can better use the land we graze a cow on for planting soy and other grains) and chicken because of the disgusting plants we have here in the US where they're processed. The videos have horrified me to no end as have books and pork I was never really into...just the occassional bacon and that was easy to forego.

I'd like to try becoming a full blown veg.. maybe even vegan... we'll see how '09 progresses!

I have been a pescatarian for a year and a half. I think it is so hard to give up sushi, shrimp, grilled salmon, lobster, etc etc. I gave up beef for environmental reasons (believing that we can better use the land we graze a cow on for planting soy and other grains) and chicken because of the disgusting plants we have here in the US where they're processed. The videos have horrified me to no end as have books and pork I was never really into...just the occassional bacon and that was easy to forego.

I'd like to try becoming a full blown veg.. maybe even vegan... we'll see how '09 progresses!

keiren63: "everyone assumes that they get to comment on it--and frequently mock or attack. "

Ugh! Exactly! People are morons.

Nope never intentionally tried to go veg. However I am an omnivore so there are days, sometimes weeks where I have no animal protein.

I'm adaptable.

I wouldn’t last as a vegetarian (I love my eggs!), but respect those who are. But a proper vegetarian diet is based on eating foods that come from plants--not meat-free and soy processed junk foods, which I see a lot of vegetarians do.

I don't label myself as a vegetarian, but I very rarely eat meat. I will occasionally have chicken or fish, but I get most of my protein from plant sources like nuts, beans, brown rice, lentils, etc. because they are a lot cheaper than meat. I also don't get too hung up about whether or not dishes are cooked with/without chicken stock or gelatin or things like that. I have no problems with vegetarians, but I also get annoyed with veggies who act like you're a bad person if you eat any meat at all...everyone has to make their mind up on their own about what's right for them.

I was vegan for 12 years. I started when I was eleven and ended at twenty three. I had to start eating meat for my health. When I started working out, I couldn't eat enough to maintain a healthy body weight. I really tried, but I would have had to eat all the time, which didn't work with full time work and full time school. Now I stick to organic and free range food, and I don't eat farmed fish. I have way more energy now, and have developed curves that I didn't know I had.

sweetnglow i agree...it makes me kinda crazy when people assume that to be a healthy and satisfied vegetarian you have to eat veggie burgers, veggie corn dogs, soy cheese, etc. all the time. i try to stay away from anything processed...and there are just so many good whole foods out there it makes me sad when people think that you have to have those 'imitation' products to eat something good! moderation is fine of course

Thank you Spectra for commenting on the other side of the coin with regard to people's comments on a person's dietary choices. I leave vegetarians alone, assuming that as adults they're perfectly capable of making their own decisions for their own reasons, but I expect the same respect for my choice to include meat in my diet.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 6 months now. It's mainly for ethical reasons, but I do it for my health as well. I have not been tempted to eat animal flesh at all, the thought repulses me. I was never a big meat-eater in the first place so it was a very easy transition.

Vegetarian going on three years!

I've gone through cycles of eating all kinds of meat, eating only fish, and being a vegetarian. It really depends on what everyone else is doing around me and how much money I have. Since my family is big on chicken (and fish) and I live at home right now, pretty much everything we eat [because we cook huge family meals] has meat in it. If I want something without meat, I have to go pay for the ingredients and buy everything myself, and the family has to like it [because they'll want to eat it too]. Needless to say, I've only been able to keep a meatless diet when I live by myself!

I hope to settle into a diet of eating only fish. I enjoy eating dishes without meat, just because I find them more flavorful.

I'm surprised by how many vegetarians there are! And by people who feel entitled to criticize or comment at all. I consider food choices to be such a personal, private decision. I don't say to my friends snarfing down cheese fries, "You know that will make you fat, right?"

I should add that my mother in law and my husband's entire family thinks that I'm vegetarian. I told them that because my mother in law makes these nasty casseroles loaded with sausages, brats, cheese, and canned corned beef when we come over. By telling her I'm a vegetarian, I just eat sides like potatoes or salads or stuff like that without feeling like I'm insulting her cooking.