Just discovered I am a pescatarian when I thought I was a veggie

i became a vegetarian on my 11th birthday

and I did a very good job the first year. I did not eat anything with a face basically, then the next year or two later I went to my Uncles Ranch and he literally forced salmon down my throat because I was becoming very unhealthy and not eating any protein.

So therefore I was still a 'vegetarian' I just ate salmon on rare occasion and then sushi and tuna came into the mix. Know I eat seaafood but still considered myself a vegetarian

NOW...

4 years later I am 15 and have jsut realized yesterday that I am a pescatarian I would like to continue being a pescatarian because it has become ruitine not  to eat meat or anything that does not come from the sea :) but it seems as though the last couple years of my life have been a lie.. what should I do??/ and i never knew there were so many types of vegetarians ..WOW

1 year-vegetarian

3 yyear-pescatarian

Original Post by trhawley:
Which very well may have saved her life.

Oh please.

UD

Original Post by ktbabyxoxo:

... Know I eat seaafood but still considered myself a vegetarian...

....and i never knew there were so many types of vegetarians....

Firstly, how the heck could you eat fish and still think you were vegetarian? It's flesh, right?

Secondly, you're not just a different type of vegetarian if you're a pescatarian. You're not vegetarian at all.

I'm not a vegetarian but it irks me when people who don't eat red meat but eat either chicken or fish (or both) say their vegetarian. If you eat meat, you ain't.

And to whoever said eating salmon might have saved her life - whaaa? Vegetarianism can be as unhealthy or as healthy as any other kind of diet. Like an omnivorous diet, it is what you make it.

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Original Post by ktbabyxoxo:

... Know I eat seaafood but still considered myself a vegetarian...

....and i never knew there were so many types of vegetarians....

Firstly, how the heck could you eat fish and still think you were vegetarian? It's flesh, right?

Secondly, you're not just a different type of vegetarian if you're a pescatarian. You're not vegetarian at all.

I'm not a vegetarian but it irks me when people who don't eat red meat but eat either chicken or fish (or both) say their vegetarian. If you eat meat, you ain't.

And to whoever said eating salmon might have saved her life - whaaa? Vegetarianism can be as unhealthy or as healthy as any other kind of diet. Like an omnivorous diet, it is what you make it.

oh nevermind tr, he's just being cute.

and i think the teenage op has clearly demonstrated that she doesn't really consider herself a vegetarian. she has learnt that her diet is labelled pescetarian. 

"The whole point of being a vegetarian or a vegan is to not eat anything with a face or heart or feelings."

That might be the point for you, but for some the point of a veg*n diet is because it's more environmentally friendly.  For some the point is they don't want their dollars to support factory farming.  Some don't care for the taste of meat.  For some the whole point is health reasons.  For some the whole point is political.  There are a lot of reasons one might look to reduce or cut out meat altogether.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/ju n/21/ethicalliving.lifeandhealth2

"I spend half my life telling people fish aren't stupid," says Dr Culum Brown, a specialist in fish behaviour at Macquarie University in Sydney, and co-author of Fish Cognition and Behaviour. According to Brown, "Fish are more intelligent than they appear. In many areas, such as memory, their cognitive powers match or exceed those of 'higher' vertebrates including non-human primates." Fish learn and pass on what they have learned just as any other animal does.

Brown's studies suggest that older fish teach younger fish about predators, for example, including the sound of trawler engines. "The trouble is that most aquaculture treats fish as if they are little robots. They are not." A study commissioned by Caps gave a long list of abnormal behaviours that may indicate stress and neurological dysfunction. They include abnormal feeding, shelter-seeking, bottom-sitting, head-standing, tail-walking. Repetitive behaviours, in particular, were seen in 90% of the aquariums visited for the study."

http://www.thenazareneway.com/vegetarian/fish _have_feelings.htm

Original Post by adolphs:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/ju n/21/ethicalliving.lifeandhealth2

"I spend half my life telling people fish aren't stupid," says Dr Culum Brown, a specialist in fish behaviour at Macquarie University in Sydney, and co-author of Fish Cognition and Behaviour. According to Brown, "Fish are more intelligent than they appear. In many areas, such as memory, their cognitive powers match or exceed those of 'higher' vertebrates including non-human primates." Fish learn and pass on what they have learned just as any other animal does.

Brown's studies suggest that older fish teach younger fish about predators, for example, including the sound of trawler engines. "The trouble is that most aquaculture treats fish as if they are little robots. They are not." A study commissioned by Caps gave a long list of abnormal behaviours that may indicate stress and neurological dysfunction. They include abnormal feeding, shelter-seeking, bottom-sitting, head-standing, tail-walking. Repetitive behaviours, in particular, were seen in 90% of the aquariums visited for the study."

http://www.thenazareneway.com/vegetarian/fish _have_feelings.htm

 

Like the previous poster pointed out, plenty of people have reasons for becoming vegetarian other than not eating things with a face or feelings. And omnivores (myself included) eat other animals with feelings anyway. I try to limit my meat consumption for environmental reasons, but the fact that fish might have feelings doesn't bother me.

I became a vegetarian when my daughter was born, and my BFF has tried to convince me it's ok to eat things that are ugly (like fish and turkeys). lol

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Like the previous poster pointed out, plenty of people have reasons for becoming vegetarian other than not eating things with a face or feelings. And omnivores (myself included) eat other animals with feelings anyway. I try to limit my meat consumption for environmental reasons, but the fact that fish might have feelings doesn't bother me.

 There are a lot of reasons to become vegetarian, and obviously this post wasn't directed at you.  Just because you don't care about the suffering of another being doesn't mean other people don't.   I became a vegetarian primarily for health reasons, but once I learned more about the environmental impact and cruelty involved in meat consumption, that sealed the deal.

I care greatly about the suffering of animals, actually. But because an animal/fish/whatever has feelings, doesn't mean it has suffered during its life or death.

I eat free-range eggs, poultry, pigs and grass-fed beef. I prefer to eat wild game that has lived a totally free and happy life. Like I said before, I also try to minimise the amount of meat that I eat. But meat-eating doesn't mean causing animals to suffer per se, nor does it mean that meat-eaters don't care about animals suffering.

Original Post by merylwhite1:

I care greatly about the suffering of animals, actually. But because an animal/fish/whatever has feelings, doesn't mean it has suffered during its life or death.

 

I get ya but I think the rebuttals will be 'interesting'. Anyway who the heck is anyone to tell you that you do or do not care about something, especially someone who doesn't even know you. Seriously.

If a pescatarian is what you call it, then I'm a pescatarian too. I've been a vegetarian for 4 years or so, and like you I started as a vegetarian but noticed that I needed that extra 'lift' from meat. I adore animals... I don't feel the same way about fish. Although I won't eat any shell fish. Only because of the way they have to be cooked before they die. 

You have to watch out about canned tuna (albacore), it's too high mercury. Buy Yellowfin tuna, it has a lot less mercury than anything else. It tastes just as good as regular tuna although it comes packed in olive oil (just use a potato masher - round with holes) to press all the oil out of the can before you remove the yellowfin tuna. You can use it for many things, even replace it for recipes that ask for albacore tuna.

Original Post by octo-luv:

Original Post by merylwhite1:

I care greatly about the suffering of animals, actually. But because an animal/fish/whatever has feelings, doesn't mean it has suffered during its life or death.

 

I get ya but I think the rebuttals will be 'interesting'. Anyway who the heck is anyone to tell you that you do or do not care about something, especially someone who doesn't even know you. Seriously.

 Based on this statement:

"I try to limit my meat consumption for environmental reasons, but the fact that fish might have feelings doesn't bother me."

That's all!  I get what you are saying, though, even if I don't totally agree with it.  :)

OP, I think it's great that you're doing what you can to not support the meat industry. If the most you can do is cut out all meat except fish, then yay for you! Don't feel bad about mis-labeling yourself, after all, that's just a label society has put on something.

I think vegitarianism (like many other things) is a very personal quest. It's sad to see that there are so many snarky people out there who are forgetting that you're doing what you CAN and feel comfortable with!

Original Post by jpegg0:

OP, I think it's great that you're doing what you can to not support the meat industry.

 

I agree 100%.  Eating no meat except fish is better than what 90% of what other people are doing.

I get why people get annoyed when people say, "I'm a vegetarian, except I eat [blank]" but I wish the responses would be more, "You've got your terminology wrong but good for you!" and less "OMG how dare you compare your diet to mine which is PURE!"

Original Post by milehighwalker:

Original Post by jpegg0:

OP, I think it's great that you're doing what you can to not support the meat industry.

 

I agree 100%.  Eating no meat except fish is better than what 90% of what other people are doing.

I get why people get annoyed when people say, "I'm a vegetarian, except I eat [blank]" but I wish the responses would be more, "You've got your terminology wrong but good for you!" and less "OMG how dare you compare your diet to mine which is PURE!"

 :) I 100% agree! Unfortunately a lot of veg*ns have a 'holier than thou' attitude instead of supporting others that are against the meat industry as well.

Commercial fishing is literraly KILLING our oceans. I am not going to cite articles as many can be found online just by searching. Oh and before you recommend "sustainably" caught fish remember one thing, if the process can not be used to feed 6.5 billion people without vastly depleting resources faster than we can replace them than it is NOT sustainable.  "Sustainable" fish and "sustainable" meat is a lie. We must do something now, or we will be left with irreversible damage to our eco-system. Sure one has to make sure they are eating healthy and getting enough nutrients for their body. With a little research this can be done easily on a vegan diet. The body needs certain amino acids found in protein, it does not care if those amino acids come from plant or animal sources. So please, next time you make a choice, choose compassion. The animals and our beautiful oceans will thank you.

It seems like most people who say they don't eat red meat or poultry say they occasionally eat fish.  Not that they eat it as frequently as the typical omnivore eats chicken, more like sushi or salmon once a week or so. Which sounds sustainable to me.

If everyone just ate less meat products, factory farming and commercial fishing wouldn't be necessary.

Original Post by milehighwalker:

It seems like most people who say they don't eat red meat or poultry say they occasionally eat fish.  Not that they eat it as frequently as the typical omnivore eats chicken, more like sushi or salmon once a week or so. Which sounds sustainable to me.

If everyone just ate less meat products, factory farming and commercial fishing wouldn't be necessary.

 

yes i think the trick is to show people who do eat meat, how to eat less, give them alternative recipes to meat. i think a softer approach is needed, people just get defensive and don't listen to what you have to say if you go at them all preachy. the goal should be to actually get people to make some changes in an effective manner.

Definitely!  A million people who eat vegetarian once a week does as much good as 140,000 who never eat meat ever.

i dont like labels, tho id be considered a pescatarian too..there are alot of exceptions to my diet.. only eat seafood and dairy when people make it for me.