Something I just don't understand

I suppose some people seem to forget why it is they made the decision to become a vegetarian/vegan in the first place - which is sad in itself. Or maybe they deem it too hard - which is even sadder in my opinion.
I don't deny that it's a little daunting in the beginning, but like anything - jobs, education, whatever - it takes time, self-education, and determination to settle into this way of life, and some just lack the ability to stick it out.

Sure. A person, through some philosophical inquiry, may decide that they don't care for morals anymore (in the idealistic sense), and in their minds it vindicates their consumption of animal flesh.

From what I've read (I've never met an ex-vegan/vegetarian), it seems like most of them convert due to either:

A) Doctor's orders.
B) Health issues (obviously related to A).
C) Change of belief (either due to health, or meat-pro propaganda).

They get diagnosed with something, and they automatically correlate it to their diet. And usually, they're correct; they aren't eating properly. Vegans/vegetarians who eat properly are extremely healthy, those who don't eat properly are eating worse than what an omnivore is (in nutritional terms, not ethical terms). So, instead of trying to eat more healthy, they give up and go back to 'the dark side'. It's just pure laziness, and it's sad that some people will let this override their beliefs, ideals, and ethics.

C is probably the most uncommon, but it's out there. I've actually had friends that have tried to go vegetarian, only to stop and say, "No, meat is essential to the human diet, we are omnivores." That is a subjective belief, and in my opinion, it's not true. But, some people are stupid enough to believe what anybody tells them. For example, people who read 'The Vegetarian Myth' by Lierre Keith. Go read some reviews of that, and then read the comments section, and see how impressionable some humans are. Some people will do anything, or support anything, to justify their taste buds.

My closest friend is an ex-vegan.
She was vegan long before I met her. She gave it up because it was apparently affecting her health. She admits she wasn't doing it right (not eating a good range of foods).

Her parents are vegan (apart from the occasional egg from their own chicken companions) and they are very healthy for their age, so my friend knows veganism is the healthiest lifestyle for humans (if done right), but she doesn't want to go back to it again.

She does care about the lives of animals. It's common for her to relocate insects, such as a praying mantis from a sidewalk to a park when it's at risk of being stepped on, she has saved a ladybug from a Woolworths prepacked salad (didn't buy the salad, just opened it in the store, took out the bug and let it go in the garden outside), did all she could to save a newborn guinea pig (but it died in her hands in the middle of the night), she cried for days when she accidently killed a frog... and she deeply mourns the death of her cat.
So I don't know how she brings herself to eat animals. I guess she just doesn't think about it anymore.

See now i can sort of understand that knowing something is the best thing for you isn't always enough motivation. I can't argue that being in peak physical condition (having protruding muscles and a good level of fitness) is no doubt amazing aesthetically as well as the healthiest way to be, and while I can't deny I'd love to be that end result, the journey there seems altogether too heavy, too repetitive and too sweaty to do it. I did once attempt it by joining a gym and while I made a promising start, my number of sessions each week got fewer and fewer and then I was just making any excuse to get out of going, but whenever anyone spoke about fitness or gyms, I would be the first to flash my gym card.

Actually on that topic, girls aren't a big enough motivation to pump iron either, and while I won't ever comment on their weight or figure and I'll nod politely while they talk about loving someone for who they are not what they look like, I can always see that hint of disappointment in their eyes when they survey my underdeveloped biceps and conclude they could probably benchpress more than me. Whatever.

I think I've digressed but to return to the actual topic at hand, I have no doubt various people change their minds for various reasons (yes, profound) but I think the only reason I'd ever change is if I'd decided that I can't change anything, and so I should just embrace it and shut out the bad stuff and go back to accepting that meat is a part of life. But I don't think I will ever give up on that.

If only my resolve extended inside the walls of a gym.

You are the voice .... I made a decision not long ago that for every person that tells me, " I love animals," & they eat Cow/Pig/Sheep etc I will say to them, "no you don't, they may love dogs or cats but they have no right to state they love all animals.......

You are quite right.  'Love' is an onerous word to use. A word used very loosely and by vegos, omnis and vegans.  I mean for goodness sake you don't love my dog.  For all you know she or he maybe a most unloveable animal and you have never met my dog. Some animals just as some humans are just born bad, simple, nothing to do with their environment though that is the usual excuse for evil behaviour by both animals and humans.  What do you feel for your fellow human.  Do you love them all too.  No of course not.  It is just a lot of crock this oh I love animals bull......t.  You may respect them as a whole but love them no.  Not if you are using the word in context.  Be honest with yourself please....

I had one friend who recently turned his mind on being vegetarian after he was vegetarian for 2 years. By the end of his vegetarianism he said he "couldn't even remember why he went vegetarian in the first place." He was also saying to me how it's right to eat meat and he didn't even care about animal cruelty!

I really think he did it all just as a phase/fad thing. Some people just aren't compassionate put simply. I think he did it because he went "straight edge" and read all these magazines and most of his straight edge idols were vegetarian or vegan.

Personally I'd never understand, as all I've done is become more educated since becoming vegetarian and could never imagine myself wanting to eat meat again.

i really just don't understand it,
i have met alot of ex vegetarians, they almost all changed because they got "sick" from not eating properly..
so i guess that's why they do it, i also know afew of people that have gone vegan as an excuse to starve themselves... idiots
i also know afew people who are no longer vegetarian, but get meat from local farms so they know where it comes from... well at least that's what they say..


when i go to a friends place/party i spend most of my time with their animals..
"hey kady, wanna come over"
"yeah, maybe. DO YOU HAVE A DOG?"
and then i spend most of the time paying attention to their animals..

i have only ever met a few dogs i don't like, and that;s because their owners treat them bad.. as with people, asshole parents make asshole kids...
if someone is raised wrong, they will act wrong..
for instance, my mums dog gives me cuddles and hugs when i'm crying
she always knows when somethings wrong and she is always happy to see me
even if i'm gone for 5 minutes, she goes crazy when she sees me
i don;t even have any friends that are always that happy to see me.. haha

and me saying this, i have a HUGE fascination with serial killers/psychopaths.. i love knowing why they are the way they are..
it is ALWAYS upbringing or something that happened in their childhood..
BOOM

i do love animals! they are alot less sadistic than humans.
thanks byee