We are no longer in a place in history where we need to consume animal flesh to survive. It is as simple as that. In fact, the World Health Organization has pointed out that factory farming of animals for meat is destroying our planet due to the methane production and water usage.

On a personal level I relate. I was on a Keto diet which requires a high amount of meat. I was eating roast chicken every day. Then I started to "see" the chicken I was eating. It's as simple as that. I was buying whole chickens and seeing the anatomy of the chicken started to bother me a lot.

I was also working in the deli of a supermarket and every night I saw them throwing away dozens of roast chickens. These birds were raised, slaughtered, sent to a store, cooked, sat in a deli case, only to later be thrown out like garbage. The manager told me it would be "too costly" for the store to find a place where they could donate excess food. Animals just became garbage.

Now, LL, I just want to say it is not an easy journey so just take it slow. What I mean is the actual percentage of vegetarians in this culture is actually quite low, less than 6%. American culture does not cater to vegetarians.

A lot of people here are giving you their opinions here when you already have expressed confusion. I understand. I really do.

I am now fully vegetarian but not vegan. I do eat dairy because I am older and I don't want to become B12 deficient. But I don't eat much dairy and I buy organic when I do.

Becoming vegetarian seems romantic and lovely to some...it did me...but it takes commitment and dedication. In reality, it is kinda hard. When I was a teenager I tried to become vegetarian and my parents actually forbade it. They said I could do what I wanted after I left their house. My role model was (and still is) my brother who became vegetarian as a young adult and has been a vegetarian for 40 years!

I would not advise you one way or another. I would not profess to understand why you are feeling the way you do. All I am saying is that the reality of being vegetarian is not so romantic. I am saying this because I never got to the point where I hated meat or fish. It was more a change of heart. But making a change for that reason takes courage.

It's very personal, isn't it?