I was a successful 100% vegan for 6+ months, and of course I had cravings during that time. Eventually, I failed, I couldnt give up my favorite foods forever, and feel like an 85 - 95% plant based diet is more realistic for me in the long run. There is no substitute for some things, and I realized if i have just a little freedom with a plant based diet, I wont give up completely. I didnt forget the things I learned, and my opinions havent changed, I'm a good cook, but I dont want to give up my favorite foods forever, I dont think I can be 100% plant based forever, with no freedom to have the foods I love, even as a rare treat. Am I considered flexitarian? What is your opinion about my experience ?
Am I considered Flexitarian?
- Thread starter Stardust1986
- Start date
What you call your diet I think is what works best for you. I can really appreciate that you recognise how you do best without completely giving in and going right back to an omni diet
Flexitarian may be technically correct, but I don't ever hear anyone say it, instead I hear "mostly", or try and stick to.... For myself I usually say I try and stay vegan, because I'm not as strict about all the ingredients. It keeps people from expecting me to eat dairy or egg, but also keeps others from picking on me for eating some random candy!
Say what feels right for you, change it for different situations.
Or 'mostly plant based' works, that takes the edge of the word 'vegan'
Flexitarian may be technically correct, but I don't ever hear anyone say it, instead I hear "mostly", or try and stick to.... For myself I usually say I try and stay vegan, because I'm not as strict about all the ingredients. It keeps people from expecting me to eat dairy or egg, but also keeps others from picking on me for eating some random candy!
Say what feels right for you, change it for different situations.
Or 'mostly plant based' works, that takes the edge of the word 'vegan'
I appreciate your response. The term vegan does come with such a sense of strictness, I ordered veggie fajitas the other day, but I never ask if its prepared on the same grill as the meat, it probably is, but I have to eat lunch at work sometimes, and it's the best choice for plant based. I just am not sure how strict the term vegan is, flexitarian suggests "meatless Mondays," but most months I dont have any meat or animal products at all. I appreciate that you care I'm doing my best : )
Lou
Forum Legend
I'm not 100% vegan but that is the label I use because it conveys the appropiate information.
The definition of began (from the Vegan Society) includes words like "strive" and "practical and possible"
So I don't think you have to be perfect to use the word vegan. Just try to be perfect.
I don't worry about cross contamination. How does that help animals. and I don't check out every ingredient.
The definition of began (from the Vegan Society) includes words like "strive" and "practical and possible"
So I don't think you have to be perfect to use the word vegan. Just try to be perfect.
I don't worry about cross contamination. How does that help animals. and I don't check out every ingredient.
I love the philosophy of doing your best, keep trying, and prevent suffering to the best of your ability, it focuses more on the positives than the negatives
Cross contamination mostly grosses me out because I don't want my food to have any sort of meat/animal flavor, but that's just me. I think "strive" and "practical and possible" are different for everyone, and I applaud any reduction in the consumption of animals and products derived from them. You have to start somewhere.
Yes, you are a flexitarian.
I'm just curious to know which are the foods that you are not willing to give up?
''Currently, flexitarians account for one in eight (12%) of the British public (8% of men and 15% of women), while 6% say they are strictly vegetarian. Pescatarians account for 3% of the population, while 2% of Brits say they follow a vegan diet and lifestyle. Plant-based diets are more popular among younger generations'.'
Lou
Forum Legend
I have always liked the term Flexatarian.
but I find its meaning too vague to be useful in certain settings if you are "almost vegan"
I think almost vegan, or mostly vegan to be more useful. Or just vegan without the modifiers.
but I find its meaning too vague to be useful in certain settings if you are "almost vegan"
I think almost vegan, or mostly vegan to be more useful. Or just vegan without the modifiers.
Brian W
Conscientious Christian
I usually say, "I eat mostly plant based." I never say, "I am mostly plant based" because I am convinced I am flesh and blood! Also, I prefer adjectives to labels.
My favorite food is whole fresh lobster with a butter lemon sauce. The other two things I love is a fine blue cheese, and a good steak, I like to eat these foods as is. I can avoid all these things the vast majority of the time, but I dont believe I can give them up for life.
I also really like the first two but for me the welfare of the animal is more important. However in the UK there are a few vegan artisan brands that make both blue and semi side cheeses that taste
Like dairy.
Having been to the US I find that there is far less choice as there are few flexes.
Like dairy.
Having been to the US I find that there is far less choice as there are few flexes.
There are more choices here recently, the grocery store I go to now offers a variety of cheese substitutes, including blue cheese, although I think it's better as a topping to a sandwich than eaten plain. I'm not a big fan of many of the substitutes, but my favorites are the vegan mayo, vegan fish sauce, and the wonton wrappers.
I wasn’t impressed with most of the Pb cheezes in the US. Perhaps I didn’t find the right one.
Mayo is easy to make as are lots of other recipes.
I love to cook, and try new recipes, my favorites are Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and Mexican. I prefer whole foods, but the substitues are necessary sometimes for certain recipes. I think PB cheeses are relatively new, and will get much better in time, they may even surpass milk based cheeses in taste one day
It is very vague, and most of the recources I found encouraged occasional meat and dairy consumption, the strictest being at least once a week. I agreed with those in the comments who said the point is to eat as little meat and dairy as you can possibly manage, the goal is a plant based diet. I think "almost vegan" is much less vague
Lou
Forum Legend
Ha! I used to love steak and lobster. never a fan of bleu cheese, tho.
I don't see much of a problem if you had steak once a year on your birthday and lobster once a year on NYE.
BTW, there are some vegans who have found a justification for eating lobsters. I can't remember what they call themselves or what their justification is. The vegans who eat oysters call themselves bivalve vegans. And their justification is the oyster industry helps purify the water. But that is sort of weak. you could just have oyster farms and pay the farmers not to harvest the oysters. Plus if you stopped harvesting oysters you might not even need to cultivate them.
For oysters and lobsters part of the arguement is how could they be sentient? they don't even have brains. but despite oysters and lobsters not having brains they do experience pain.
My conclusion is to just leave seafood off my plate. The oceans need to heal or we all die.
Lobsters and crabs are sentient beings and shouldn't be boiled alive, UK report says | CNN
Octopuses, crabs and lobsters are capable of experiencing pain or suffering, according to a review commissioned by the UK government, which has added the creatures to a list of sentient beings to be given protection under new animal welfare laws.
www.cnn.com
Ha! I used to love steak and lobster. never a fan of bleu cheese, tho.
I don't see much of a problem if you had steak once a year on your birthday and lobster once a year on NYE.
BTW, there are some vegans who have found a justification for eating lobsters. I can't remember what they call themselves or what their justification is. The vegans who eat oysters call themselves bivalve vegans. And their justification is the oyster industry helps purify the water. But that is sort of weak. you could just have oyster farms and pay the farmers not to harvest the oysters. Plus if you stopped harvesting oysters you might not even need to cultivate them.
For oysters and lobsters part of the arguement is how could they be sentient? they don't even have brains. but despite oysters and lobsters not having brains they do experience pain.
My conclusion is to just leave seafood off my plate. The oceans need to heal or we all die.
once a year would appease my cravings for these foods, that's some freedom, and that's all I need. The truth is I crave the taste of those things, and acknowledge it is selfish to value taste over creulty and exploitation. However, I try to keep in mind how important taste is to the human experience, and giving up meat and dairy forever is very difficult for many people. If everyone just ate more plant based, it could make so much differenceLobsters and crabs are sentient beings and shouldn't be boiled alive, UK report says | CNN
Octopuses, crabs and lobsters are capable of experiencing pain or suffering, according to a review commissioned by the UK government, which has added the creatures to a list of sentient beings to be given protection under new animal welfare laws.
Ha! I used to love steak and lobster. never a fan of bleu cheese, tho.
I don't see much of a problem if you had steak once a year on your birthday and lobster once a year on NYE.
BTW, there are some vegans who have found a justification for eating lobsters. I can't remember what they call themselves or what their justification is. The vegans who eat oysters call themselves bivalve vegans. And their justification is the oyster industry helps purify the water. But that is sort of weak. you could just have oyster farms and pay the farmers not to harvest the oysters. Plus if you stopped harvesting oysters you might not even need to cultivate them.
For oysters and lobsters part of the arguement is how could they be sentient? they don't even have brains. but despite oysters and lobsters not having brains they do experience pain.
My conclusion is to just leave seafood off my plate. The oceans need to heal or we all die.
once a year would appease my cravings for these foods, that's some freedom, and that's all I need. The truth is I crave the taste of those things, and acknowledge it is selfish to value taste over creulty and exploitation. However, I try to keep in mind how important taste is to the human experience, and giving up meat and dairy forever is very difficult for many people. If everyone just ate more plant based, it could make so much difference, even if some couldnt be completely veganLobsters and crabs are sentient beings and shouldn't be boiled alive, UK report says | CNN
Octopuses, crabs and lobsters are capable of experiencing pain or suffering, according to a review commissioned by the UK government, which has added the creatures to a list of sentient beings to be given protection under new animal welfare laws.
