Flexitarian
After trying out the vegan lifestyle for seven days, I decided that meat is something I no longer want in my diet. I couldn't let go of the cheese, which disqualifies me from joining the vegan tribe. But the vegetarians will have me and that's where I've decided to go. While I have chosen to let go hamburgers, fried chicken and pork chops -- I still have a penchant for seafood, which I have relegated to having on the weekends.
So that makes me pescatarian, right?
I struggled with defining my newfound eating regime the days after Vegan Week. Was I supposed to make this big announcement? How was I going to NOT sound like some big, black elitist? Would my proclamation promote some to count the days 'til I'm back in Papa's eating a 3 Meat, 1 Vegetable combo? In the end, the only thing that matters is that I've taken back control over a major part of my life and it doesn't matter who approves, disapproves, cheers my success or awaits my failure.
My twitter rants evoked a response from someone who is also a "vegetarian with pescatarian tendencies." She calls it flexitarian, the ability to modify her food selections as she sees fit - with the choices and resources she has available at the time. While I truly feel the difference from not eating murdered meat and digesting their death into my spirit, my dietary choice is more for my health benefit; therefore, the labels don't move me. Feeling better, prolonging my life and enjoy my life are better motivations for me.
