Have you eaten meat after being vegetarian for years?

[K8Davidson]

If so, how did you find it?

I’ve been a vegetarian for five years, and I’ve tried eaten meat today (tried a pepperoni pizza on a whim.) I feel so guilty, and I doubt I’ll be able to eat meat again. Found it too greasy etc.

Yes, after a diagnosis I had to completely overhaul my diet (despite it being a whole foods vegan diet). I now eat chicken, fish and eggs. It’s taken over a year to get used to and even still I don’t eat it for fun. I have an allocated meal once or twice a week. I don’t order it out. I pay extortionately for the most “humane” version of it. I genuinely hate it but it has undeniably improved my very very poor health. Eggs are the only thing I enjoy, but I still don’t order them out. I honestly find animal products revolting.

Well, I gained weight and my health deteriorated as a vegan and vegetarian.

yes, easily, no issues.
I still don't like large meat portions (25 years later).
I can't understand people eating big pieces of meat.

Yes veggie for about 16 years. Struggled to fall pregnant and found to have severe anaemia (ferritin 3) I had infusions and started eating meat - it was pretty bland and tough to begin with, got more used to eating and cooking with meat (fell pregnant very soon after improving iron intake)

But never loved meat, always preferred veggie meals . My children are older and I cook chicken and fish, they can eat other meat out but I don’t.

Yes you do have to be careful you can't live on cheese pasties and cakes but if you eat lots of protein rich food and veg you will be healthier than when eating bacon butties and pork pies.

It’s not very useful to descend into a ‘which is healthier’ bun fight. There’s nothing suspicious about some people deciding to go from being veggie to eating meat for their own health reasons. Each to their own. You can have health veggie diets and healthy diets that include some meat. Likewise you can have awful diets that include meat and awful diets that don’t.

Not everyone feels good on a vegan or vegetarian diet and it doesn't mean they must have done it wrong or ate processed food. I personally feel and look better on chicken and veg versus beans and veg.

I was vegan for 20 years, then got diagnosed with several quite serious conditions and deficiencies despite being good at eating a balanced diet, my body just doesn’t convert certain things into what I get readily from meat. It took me 2 years to get used to eating it. It was horrible, and I still am grossed out by it and feel guilty. I eat meat once every two weeks and fish once every two weeks, both completely out of necessity.

I've been vegetarian for ten years without missing meat, but since I was put in medically induced menopause seven months ago I've had the most intense cravings for chicken. I suspect it's my body telling me I need it, so I'm contemplating giving it what it wants some time soon.

Yes - I was a vegetarian from 12 til about 22. I started eating meat again - I'm 47 now. I felt generally a lot better, but maybe I was just a really bad vegetarian despite being a pretty good cook.

Yes after being veggie for 12 years, I was severely anaemic and struggling to conceive, I started eating meat - I found it really bland.

There a lot of types of meat and seafood that I have never and will never try and years later with two children I’m more inclined to return to eating vegetarian food completely. We eat a fair bit of chicken and fish as it’s easy and I think personally right for the (fussy) DC - and they eat whatever they want when out but I will stop eating and cooking chicken when the kids move out I think, I might stick with fish.

I was veggie for many years, my pregnancy craving was beef!

Yes. After 20 years. It was absolutely fine and my body needed it. I started on fish and chicken though. Not processed meat.