Vegetarian going on a getaway with Carnivores

Hi all, I don't know if some of you remember me, but I have been on CC for a couple of years, although I don't post very much. But I have a little problem. I'm a vegetarian, and I've kinda been hiding that fact from my friends, because I know they will gang up on me and try to make me eat meat, because their mind set is that vegetarians are "anorexic". Yeah, I know it's dumb...but I was wondering how I can get through this weekend in the mountains without them noticing that I am not eating animal products? Either that, or how can I get them to understand that vegetarians are healthy when educated about the lifestyle and that it's actually a lot healthier than all the meat that they eat? And how can I survive the weekend without starving to death? lol. I'm sure they will have some stuff that's considered veg*n but I don't know for sure. Should I prepare and bring some of my own stuff? I'm just worried though, because then if I am not eating the food they are providing, then they are going to be suspicious. I'm so confused. I leave this evening. Help would be MUCH appreciated. THANKS! :)

Good heavens.   Where are you from that your friends have such a back-woods view of what being a vegetarian means?  People should be able to respect other people's tastes and preferences whether it's that person A doesn't eat meat or person B doesn't like fish or person C can't tolerate dairy products.... they should be grown-up to cope with any of those ideas.  So don't rely on people 'not noticing' and really don't go for the 'not eating meat is healthier' lecture tour (that's just boring and gives vegetarians a really bad name) ... you say 'I'm vegetarian' or 'I don't eat meat' and leave it at that.  Don't complain, don't explain.  End of discussion

If you're 'anorexic'... i.e. too thin, then that's a different discussion entirely.

Yes... take foods that you're going to be able to eat.  It's one thing expecting everyone to accept your personal dietary choices.  It's another to expect them to run around catering for your tastes.  The very best kind of vegetarian is one that doesn't make a fuss about it.

thank you very very much gi-jane. :)

, I'm not anorexic at all. I'm actually 5'6.5'' BMI is about 21.8. I've maintained there for about a year now. I love this weight. haha.

EDIT:

and I am from Tucson, AZ.

If your friends want to talk about your lifestyle (and I suppose if vegetarianism isn't all that common in that part of Arizona they might be curious) then talk to them about it.   Comments about 'I could never give up pork chops' or 'how do you manage just eating beans all the time?'  will probably surface.  So explain it in positive & personal terms.  'I enjoy these types of foods', 'I never particularly liked steak', 'I feel a lot healthier since I started eating this way'.  

When it gets nasty is when people throw accusatory comparisons around e.g. 'my lifestyle is better/healthier/morally superior to yours'.  That just starts arguments.   Can be side-stepped by not rising to the bait (on both sides) and going with a philosophy of 'live and let live' or 'each to his own'   

Tucson, AZ has plenty of vegetarians, sadly including a number who can't seem to keep from preaching about it at every opportunity. Maybe your friends have run into too many of the screaming, "Meat is murder!" crowd and assume all vegetarians are that way? In any case, as long as you're polite, insist that they be polite. If they call you anorexic, eat a big old bite of cheese or peanut butter right in front of them (and enjoy it!). If a simple statement of "I don't enjoy eating meat" doesn't work, refuse to be drawn into an argument. If they think they're being funny, tell them you've heard it all before and you'd like to discuss something else. If they persist, point out that their behavior is rude, and try to withdraw from the conversation. If at this point they don't get it, consider whether these are people you want as friends.

I eat meat, but I find it just as distasteful when someone goes off on a vegetarian-abusing rant as I do when someone makes retching noises at the sight of someone eating a burger. Good luck - I hope your friends behave better than you expect.

That is such a backward view of vegetarianism! Good luck hun!

And - off topic -  but I giggled SO hard at the typo in the title ;)

haha! I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE until you pointed that out!

 thanks for the help you guys :)

Lol I am assuming your friends are omnivores, not carnivores :P

I really wouldn't go for the "vegetarian is healthy" angle either - especially because meat in moderation is just as healthy as a vegetarian diet; like anything, meat is only a problem when you overdo it. And veggies can be unhealthier than meat-eaters - after all, you could eat a diet of 100% oreos and be vegan!!

Your friends need to grow up and realise that vegetarianism is a genuine choice. I wouldn't try to hide the fact you're not eating meat - it just implies you have something to hide. I think they may find a trip with you enlightening if they realise you will actually be eating a decent range of food, and not all low-calorie; it will certainly dispell the anorexia myth.

I agree with gi-jane that making sure you have lots of food you can eat available is a great idea. Non-argumentative phrases like "I feel more energised when I eat vegetarian" or "my stomach feels funny when I eat meat", or "I just prefer veggie food" will probably go down pretty well.

Good luck!

I agree, don't try to hide it... But also, don't make a big deal out of it. Just eat what you want, don't eat what you don't, and if they notice then let them know you don't eat meat and haven't for however long and leave it at that unless they press it. It shouldn't be a big deal - don't let them make one. If they do press it, let them know you are not anorexic - that you're eating enough and getting all the right nutrients, just without the meat. And if they don't notice then maybe they don't care about the whole vegetarian thing as much as you think. :)