Max: “Cabbages? Fatty don’t want no steenkin’ cabbages! Heads will roll!”
After a 10-month trial, I am no longer a vegetarian. Granted, I was never a strict vegetarian - seafood, eggs, dairy stuff, 1 BBQ pork rib, 2 slices of beef pot roast, 2 slices of roast turkey… and a partridge in a pear tree. Rather than limiting my culinary palate, I’ll put more effort into consuming organic, non-processed, free-range food and following a flexitarian diet - mainly veggie and occasionally, eat meat. I really miss the taste of meat.
According to Wikipedia, flexitarianism is the practice of:
“… eating mainly vegetarian food. Flexitarians prefer to eat vegetarian food, but make occasional exceptions for social, pragmatic, or nutritional reasons. They will eat meat and other animal products sometimes. For example, a flexitarian might make only vegetarian dishes at home, but eat dishes including meat at the home of family or friends.” Clear, now?
A flexitarian is said to be “a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat” which is viewed by many vegetarians as being a faketarian. Counting those five lapses during 10 lonnnnng, hard months, that’d mean I was a faketarian all along! 
Hey, it wasn’t for lack of trying to be consistent, that’s for sure.
You have to understand how hard it is… trying to be a true vegetarian in a Filipino household where everyone thinks a dish of stir-fried veggies with a bit of ground pork counts as a vegetarian meal. Uh-huh. And did I mention that most Filipinos LOVE pork and barbecued meat? Clucks, Oinks, Moos.
Mostly, I blame my weakened resolve to obsessively browsing The food pornographer and Connie Veneracion’s Pinoy Cook - drool-worthy food blogs high on meat content. I was undone… damn it, by all those vivid descriptions and tantalizing photos! I. Know. I’m. So. Very. Weak.
And please don’t expect me to engage in a discussion on these hot dogs:
- whether meat is murder or not (I respect that the cow may have cried, “moorder”, but it’s tasty, tasty “moorder” for some people)
- jokes on why vegheads are crazy, angry and hungry all the time (I heard ‘em all, including variations on “grass or salad munchers”)
- notion that all veggie meals are bland and unbalanced (well, it can be if you’re not careful)
The fact is, I’m choosing to eat meat, not because of an ethical - political - theological - scientific - whatever statement, but because I occasionally enjoy the taste and texture of meat. Despite tasty, creative substitutions and cooking pizazz (I consider myself to be an adventurous, good cook), I’ve yet to duplicate or find an exact replication of that meaty quality.
While I am by no means an expert, I believe that meat is NOT bad for you in reasonable quantities and as part of a well-balanced diet. I respect the choices of others to think otherwise - it’s their opinions… their choices. But, please make an informed decision. Do understand that gorging on meat not only stains all your organs, it’s a strain on the environment and economy. An unbalanced diet -> leads to unhealthier people -> leads to rising health care costs. Furthermore, raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water and contributes to animal suffering. We abuse ourselves, we abuse our planet. One Earth.
In summary, do what yer Momma told ya - eat your veggies! In any case, I’m always going to be a hardcore chocolaterian and maintain my seefood diet (I see food, I eat it). Back to regular silly programming, next entry.
Re: Max. Yes, the furball is fat. Yes, he only eats less than ¾ cup of low fat vittles for the entire day. Yes, he gets annual vet checks - no ailments for the last 12 years. Yes, he’s an inactive, indoor cat. Yes, I care a lot. Regular readers of my blog, of course, know all about my futile attempts to get the beloved, furry footstool - slash - family member to lose weight. 
Adieu Jack,
a partridge in a fruity pear tree
P.S. Hi Ate (translation: big sister), stopped laughing yet?
The pic is so cute!!!
Um… not to make fun of Max, but you should send that pic to Cute Overload… “Max swallowed the other cabbage.”
Your cat is huge! I like his color. I once thought of going vegetarian but I can’t. I’m a carnivore, I love meat! And seafood and poultry… so I basically eat anything. Plus, eating veggies all the time is bad for my blood type according to my mother. She read in a book that blood type O should eat dark green veggies because it’s good for the blood. I dunno. Plus, I think vegetarians are missing a lot! I don’t want to deprive myself of good tasting food, and eating meat is not unhealthy. A healthy meal is composed of almost everything, and eating pure veggies isn’t everything. So there.
I have been a vegetarian for almost 8 years. In the beginning, I went VEGAN! MEAT IS MURDER !#%¤/!! Then I didn’t get enough protein and started to suffer from hair loss - which didn’t matter much at that time because I was punX!
Then I started to eat lactose products - oh the taste of cheese - and got fat! Exercised more and ate less cheese - but got pregnant with diabetes and had to cut down even further on lactose products and started to eat fish to keep my protein level high! I’ll end up UnVeggied again someday I am afraid.
It’s easy to be a vegetarian here in Denmark - still people think you indeed are strange and everyone thinks that I know all about nutrition… which I certainly don’t.
Your cat is gorgeous! I would eat him.
Wow! That cat is super fat but undeniably cute! He or she’ll convert me! Haha.
I’d like to think I’m a flexitarian too! I’m too fascinated with veggies and I overload my tummy with veggies (way too much), but I must say I can’t live without meat (or a just teeny weeny of it).
That cat is massive! Haha! I hate veggies, especially cabbage. I only eat peas and carrots and it has to be from a tin because they add extra sugar so it tastes better. I love meat though.
Max looks spoiled, lol! I really do hope he’s fine though. You’re sure there’s nothing wrong with him, ha?
I honestly don’t know why people make such a big fuss about eating meat — as if it’s going to take you straight to hell. We should all mind our own beeswax, because I happen to love chocolate. (Ano raw? Hehe.) Labels! *frustrated sigh*
According to my chemistry professor, it’s not good to be a vegetarian. “No man can live on vegetables alone.” Not all the nutrients and other substances that are not synthesized in our body are found in vegetables. You still have to eat meat, chicken, dairy foods, etc. if you want to be really healthy.
And I suppose, practicing flexitarianism can lead you to have a good health.
Is that cat for real?? (Photoshopped? Haha.) Cute cuuute!
So how do we call those who eat mostly meat and some veggies? I think I’m part of that category.
LOL at the picture!
This is the first time I heard the word flexitarian… I must tell you though, I admire you being a vegetarian! I just can’t do it right now. I love meat. 
But your diet would be much better if you continue being a flexi since our body needs meat from time to time, right? 
I’m a certified faketarian and chocolaterian!