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| Winning stories: March 2006 |
| Tuesday, 04 April 2006 | |
1st place
My story is simple. I was vegetarian for 8 years, but fell off the wagon (a fact I'm quite ashamed of) soon after starting work with the fire department. Firefighters take their meals seriously with the pervasive factor being the more meat, the better the meal. Lately, I have thought about becoming vegetarian once again. For one reason my wife and two young sons are practically vegan, and I rarely get to share a meal with them. When a friend introduced me to the Veggie Challenge I saw it as a tool to help me make the transition into a veggie lifestyle once again. I knew my family would welcome my decision with open arms, but the fire hall was another story. My vegetarianism had been stigmatized as weakness at the hall by my failure to stick with it. My goal with the challenge was not only to eat vegetarian for the week, but to secretly prepare and have my crew eat a healthy meal with me at the hall and be none-the-wiser to the fact that it was veggie. The thought of not having meat for some of these guys would be enough to opt out of the meal On Sunday March 31st, my wife and I prepared a healthy meal of green mango salad and gluten-based pepper steak with red onions, green peppers and shitake mushrooms over brown rice. When dinner arrived and the food was served, conversation stopped and everyone ate, and ate, and ate. Remarks were make about the salad being an acquired taste, and the rice being more filling than the normal minute variety, but no one made mention of the steak. Once the meal was over and dessert was served, I informed them of my elaborate ruse. Some claimed that they suspected something, others were in denial, but they all agreed that it was a decent meal and they would eat it again. Hence, once my crew learnt I was back on the veggie wagon the bets anticipating my failure have returned, but I feel rejuvenated and able to hold the course.
Weekend yoga retreat ($225 value) 2nd place (tie)
I first became interested in vegetarianism when I simply starting finding the texture of meat disgusting, that was almost 10 years ago. However, things have changed dramatically since I began the challenge. It began as a suggestion I made to a close friend of mine when I spotted one of the Veggie Challenge posters. Since he is notorious for being a carnivore who hates vegetables, and I am concerned about his health, I suggested that he enter the challenge. He sounded slightly receptive, and not so completely dismissive of the idea as I expected. Therefore I pressed harder. I insisted and insisted, and he finally promised to do it for me. As moral support for him, I promised to do the same, and enter the challenge with him. Instead of only withdrawing from meat but continuing to indulge in seafood as I did in the past, I completely restrained from eating any seafood as well, and also restricted animal products such as yogurt and eggs, which were also a staple of my diet. Unexpectedly, things changed more for me than for the original target of my plans, my carnivore friend. That is because one night I decided to visit the Veggie Challenge site, and stumbled upon a link to PETA. I've read plenty and watched many videos on that site since, and am now even more happy about my decision almost a decade ago to stop eating meat. Not only is it great that I no longer had to eat something that disgusted me, but it is even greater and more satisfying that I no longer support practices that also disgust me. After reading about fish, their cognitive abilities and the poor treatment of them, as well as the cruel practices used to acquire milk and eggs, I am now determined to become a vegan. I believe with hard work and some ingenuity (in terms of changing my diet and lifestyle!), it won't be long before I will be able to achieve that! Update: "I am glad to report that I am currently on a mainly vegan diet, and my friend has also begun to enjoy his veggies a lot more, and often has meat-less meals! In fact, we have an agreement that he can only eat vegetarian when we go out together, which he found cumbersome at first, but is something he looks forward to and even initiates when he is not with me. In addition, I have become a member of TVA, bought the discount card, and frequent vegetarian restaurants at least once a week (usually with the friend from my story). So, thank you so much for all of you for providing the public with this opportunity, it has truly been inspiring!" – Meagan
2nd place (tie)
I have been interested in vegetarianism for a long time, but what really got me involved was a friend of mine who was a vegan. He didn't talk about it a lot, but this was a man who was healthier than most, had a better disposition than most, and was very interesting to talk and work with. I began looking into vegetarianism, and became increasingly convinced that it was the way to go, being more efficient (takes 12 pounds of grain to make a pound of beef... almost a pound of grain to make an egg), ethical (the meat and dairy industries abuse and kill animals on a daily basis), and healthy (lower fat, more than most meat-containing diets). I began to do a lot of research into it, and determined that I wanted to be "Minicarnal" (eat very, very little meat) to avoid harassment from my friends and family about not eating meat at all. But I've long been slowly drifting over into veganism. I've already sworn off eggs and dairy, now I've just got to make the final break and stop eating meat and any animal products entirely.
Photo: Relznuk's homemade marinated seitan, young romaine and spinach, and edamame soybeans. Since I've massively reduced my consumption of animal foods, I feel much healthier. I am stronger, I eat a more balanced diet, and my temperament has improved. But what is more important is that now I can ethically feel good about what I am doing each and every day – for the planet, and for the things living on it. Only now can I truly be the pacifist that I've claimed to have been for years. A true pacifist would not contribute to the unnecessary suffering of living creatures, would not take part in the unnecessary depletion of the earth. And now I don't, and I never will again. I opened up my mind when the world told me to close it, and it was the best decision I've ever made. Relznuk wins: SoyQuick soymilk maker 3rd place (tie)
I was one of those "overnight" vegetarians. I hadn't really given a vegetarian lifestyle much consideration until one month ago, when I became aware of the appalling conditions in which animals are raised and slaughtered for human consumption. The horrific footage I saw on PETA TV and read about over the internet was all the encouragement I needed to adopt a plant based diet immediately.
Family and friends have had mixed reactions regarding my choice, but my actions have inspired others who have decided to become vegetarian as well. My husband who could hardly survive through one dinner without some kind of meat is slowly starting to give up his meat-centered diet.
For this challenge I have now adopted a vegan diet, and I don't believe I will ever go back. Coming from a country which embraces a wide variety of legumes, nuts and greens, it was not difficult to incorporate these into my diet. It can get somewhat tricky in the grocery store. You have to read all the labels until you become familiar with what is vegan-friendly. This has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, not only for myself but for the animals who would have died to satisfy my appetite!
A year or so ago, I met a good friend through school who's a vegetarian. I think she made me feel more conscious about what I was eating and, in particular, the impact that eating meat has on the environment, animals, and one's health. So, even though I didn't stop eating meat, I tried to move towards a more plant-based diet. Although I'd already enjoyed eating out at places like "Fresh" and "Sunny Cafe", I opted for vegetarian meals more often. However, I didn't think I could really cut out meat altogether. For one, I grew up on a meat-centered diet (in For the most part, I enjoyed it. When I saw someone eat a rotiserie chicken this past week, I was surprised to find myself conscious of what it was – not food, but something that was once alive. So today's actually day 9, and I'm thinking this could become a lifestyle – it seems like the right thing to do. My family and friends have been surprisingly supportive (in fact, my sister is now thinking of doing the same). Thanks for the incentive!
The first night was de-tox. I had the sweats, the shakes, then the shivers, and then there were the hallucinations. Just Kidding. My experience being a full-fledged vegetarian for a week was definitely challenging, but great. I was used to meat-centred "quickie" dinners. But, above all, doing the Challenge made me THINK.
The week was a sure accomplishment for myself. #1 Being a vegetarian is a statement. It tells brutal industry workers that it's not okay to brutalize an animal. Yes, it's an animal, but it's still living and breathing, and it feels pain! Those industry workers are desensitized. #2 It made me think of alternative eating habits. I realized, as a student, I eat terribly. Although I eat fruits and wild rice – when it's a quick meal I'm after, I go for the burgers because it's easy. Many places are not vegetarian-friendly. At some restaurants, Vegetarian Pizza is the only alternative. Strange incident also: I was offered a cracker, and it looked like nothing more than Cheetos, but it was shrimp flavoured! On the Challenge, I learned I need to PLAN meals and it'll take some effort. But if it means I'm making the statement that it's not okay to chemically-induce animals so they can grow bigger faster, which ultimately leaves them with cancerous lesions and lame muscles, then I'm going to continue on this Challenge. For those who don't "sympathize with the animals", there's still something you have to think about: the meat industries in North America accept selling meat of a cow which had cancerous lesions on more than one part of its body. Mmmm, yummy, isn't it? Patricia wins: More stories: see our main stories page. |
Once the meal was over, I informed them of my elaborate ruse 
My vegetarianism was accommodated, but there was an ongoing bet as to when I would give in to the "dark side". My meatless diet lasted one year at the fire hall, and I have been eating meat ever since. 
entirely. Hence, the term "healthy" was substituted for "vegetarian". 
Challenges friend and ends up challenging herself too 
I've gotten a lot of odd reactions from family and friends which I did not expect, and actually found hurtful in some instances. Being told I was ungodly, foolish, living an unhealthy lifestyle, etc. All of these claims are, of course, false, but I was shocked that some of my friends and family were so abrasive as to suggest some of these things... What happened to live and let live? 
I changed overnight 
I was also delighted to learn about the environmental benefits of becoming a vegetarian, and I take pride in knowing that my decision is saving 
I have never felt better since making this change. I feel happier, more energetic, and an unexpected effect... I haven't suffered from any acne outbreaks.
large part because of my cultural background). For another, I enjoyed eating meat along with my significant other. But, nonetheless, I decided that I'd give it a try for a week after your pamphlets kept popping up (at the grocery store, yoga, etc.). 
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