Pescatarian

Definition: Occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Although the word is not commonly used and a pescatarian is not technically a vegetarian, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet. Pescetarians often believe that moderate consumption of fish or fish oils, which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, is necessary for optimum health, although vegetarian alternatives, such as flax seed oil, are available.

            The third one isn't used very often as I've stated here but it is more appropriate for them to use than vegetarian.  Just as a vegan it sort of makes me believe things about people that just aren't true.  I just think that it should be used more often.  I'm very most often a very live and let live type of girl but this one really gets in my craw.  I just want people to have the right words. 
        I've have pretty much had every pescatarian that I've known be happy to have a real term to use for what their diet is.  And I'm always happy to add to someone's vocabulary.  Having been a vegetarian for pretty much all of my 20s and now being a vegan I think that people can do what they will and sometimes vegan is a very hard lifestyle to be a part of and it is a lifestyle choice.  
        Which never occurred to me when I became a vegetarian that it was going to be that way.  When I first became vegetarian back in '95 or so I honestly had thought of it as a food choice.  Because certainly at 15 giving up pork and beef felt like a food choice.  Getting rid of what was gross to me after seeing slaughters.  And after reading so much about it I just couldn't do it. 
        For my mom's sake I held on to some fish (mostly tuna) and chicken for a while but honestly saw no reason not to just go vegetarian.  I had started eating veggie burgers in the dining hall and gave up my chicken that way and then gave up fish as well and found other things to have in the dining hall.  When I went to Boulder and became an RA in 2001 becoming vegan was probaby the hardest. 
        I had said that I'd never become vegan because I loved my cheese and frozen yogurt.  But for me if I can give something up during the time of lent (at this point I only do it b/c it is a good mark of time where a lot of ppl are giving up things and you feel like you're still a part of something that you're really not anymore)  then I don't need it.  I believe if I can go that long without it, then I don't need to go back.  It was hard because we were ordering pizza for the residents a lot and there were all of these cookies and candy that I couldn't have anymore. 
        I had to become an avid label reader again since I was out of my usual veggie comfort zone.  Having been one for that long I just knew what I could and coulndn't have most of the time.  The upside to that was for the first time in my life I saw a size 4 which was cool.  I can't say that I stay there because I don't.  I live in 6 land.  All of these things where they seem like sacrifices where you can't make it to the other side is crazy.  If you want to you can. 

        But it's a different lifestyle in the sense that there are places that I can't go.  There are a lot of restaurants that don't want our business and that's okay.  There are enough that do.  And holiday dinners aren't the same and I'm the special case.  But I feel better and stronger and healthier for having taken this journey at all.  I'm not saying that everyone should do it, but if you're thinking about it seriously give it some research and then maybe try it for a while, a serious try where you know what you're getting into and how to get what you need.  Because it can be done.  Most people aren't doing any of these things for just one reason.  I did it for many reasons and the way I eat fits in with my religious beliefs and my just feeling good about what I'm having.  Now, if I could just stay away from all junk that is available to me then I would be set. 
        Anyway, there goes my rant for today.   Thanks for reading.