To simply put it, it is someone to mostly eats a vegetarian diet, but will occasionally eat meat. So yes, I will still be eating meat, but only occasionally.
I have my reasons to be flexitarian. First off, anything that isn't animal or some animal product is better for my health. I want to adopt a diet that consists mostly of plants. The environment is also another factor. It takes a lot much energy and space to produce meat. And third, I've always been a huge animal lover.
As life went on, I started meeting more and more vegetarians, and I like to ask how it feels to be one. I've challenged myself to be a vegetarian for month twice. To be honest, it wasn't too difficult for me. I did not crave meat, but I wasn't truly vegetarian because I allowed seafood in my challenge (which is hardly a challenge since I can live off seafood as my only source of meat). I find that the hard part was having meals that were accessible to vegetarians outside of home. There are not a lot of options for them out there. I really have to give it to vegetarians and vegans on how restaurants and other eateries hardly have any options for them.
In my gr.12 year, a friend of mine told me to check out this movie/documentary called Earthlings. I really had no idea what it was about, but boy was I in for a surprise. I couldn't finish it because it was too much for me. I couldn't stop crying. If anyone wants to check it out feel free, just be prepared for another inconvenient truth. This documentary ain't pretty I can tell you that for sure. But it really was an eye opener.
Unfortunately, giving up meat completely is just too difficult though. For me, it isn't because I crave it, but because the way society is and what my family is accustomed to eating, I don't really have a lot of options. But honestly, the furthest I can go is becoming a pescetarian (someone who doesnt consume meats but still consumes seafood). I have a huge love for seafood and that is one thing I know I can't give up.
But recently, when I order food and I choose something with meat in it, I actually don't feel much satisfaction in it. As in, "wow, this wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Might as well get a vegetarian option." I went to Thai Express with my mom and I asked for a tofu pad thai. And HOLY MOLY! It tasted really good! It might be because I'm pretty accustomed to tofu since many chineses dishes has tofu, but it really was good. Another point, a lot of times when I get something with cheese (for example a burrito), I feel like I can do without it too. I can barely taste it, so I don't see why I need to add extra calories and "bad" things into my diet. So now I realized, I don't really need what many people presume they need in their foods. I see it more as a different way of seeing food, and I'm actually quite enjoying this experience.
*note that when I use the word "diet", I don't mean the diet as in "going on a diet". I just mean as in daily intake.
I'm not trying to be a perfect person who doesn't eat meat and zero-calorie food. No, far from it. I just want to be more conscious about my food and where it comes from. I want to have a better connection with my food. I feel like this sort of mentality can not only help different causes, but also myself. I want to appreciate the simple things in life, and what a better way to start than diving into something you really love? For me, it is food and cooking/baking.
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