Vegetarian Testimonial No. 4
A Vegetarian For 8 Years
Hi, my name is Zack and I’m twenty-nine years old, and I’ve been a vegetarian for eight years. I was introduced to the concept of vegetarianism from a previous girlfriend, and after we broke up I read a couple books: Fast Food Nation and Animal Liberation—they kind of talked about how meat was prepared and animal rights issues and things of that sort. And I kind of decided after reading those books that I wanted to be a vegetarian.
Before I became a vegetarian, I noticed that I was really lethargic, I had mood swings, things like that. But since becoming a vegetarian, I’ve noticed that my mood has improved—I’m just a more upbeat person. My energy is much higher, I exercise much more and I have a drive to exercise, which is really great. And I don’t get sick very often. One thing I noticed before I was vegetarian was that I would get sick quite a bit, but I really can’t remember the last time I had some serious illness.
Well, I get my protein from all sorts of places: I can get it from nuts, legumes, whole-grain bread, and tofu, tempeh, greens. I have no problem getting protein on a daily basis.
Well, for breakfast I usually have yogurt with granola and a banana, and then for lunch I’ll have some sort of sandwich—usually peanut butter or a tofu alternative with a couple pieces of fruit. For dinner, usually rice and beans or a tofu stir-fry, or pasta.
When I go to a meat-based restaurant with friends, I normally order sides, and there’s usually a wide range of sides to select from—you know, mashed potatoes, some sort of fresh steamed vegetable, usually some beans and rice. Even pasta sometimes you can order on the side. So I don’t really have a problem ordering and having a complete meal when I go to restaurants with my friends.
Being vegetarian is right for me because I think it’s the moral thing to do. I think that the raising and slaughtering of animals in today’s society is inhumane. I know I live healthier because I’m vegetarian, and I feel better about myself and the environment in which I live.
