I have a friend who used to be a vegetarian, and rather evangelical about it. He and his girlfriend had a website promoting vegetarianism. But after their breakup he eventually added meat back into his diet. He calls himself a failed vegetarian.

His story reminded me of many instances where someone gets involved in Mormonism because the one they love is LDS. Their involvement can range from just going through the motions to super TBM. But then, when the couple splits, the convert goes back to his/her former self.

Or the convert admits she/he doesn't really believe (or really does want to eat meat), causing a split.

Ah, the things we do for love.

lol....I had a roommate like that. She had a huge crush on a guitar player in a local band. SHe found out he was a vegetarian and tried to convert so he would see what a catch she was. I had to laugh at her because I was thinking, "Are you going to get hooked on smack and quit that too so you have more in common?"
She lasted about 2 days on the vegetarian diet.

If you're going to do something, I think it's better to do it for yourself, not for other's expectations.

I discovered what happens when you eliminate essential amino acids from your diet.

Not pretty, my friends. Not pretty. In my experience, I lacked the amino acids required to fight viral infections and I was sick all the time.

And if you suffer from cold-sores, forget about it...my mouth and face were covered with the biggest sores I ever had! It was awful and miserable.

I tried eating piles of beans, mushrooms, and other things to try to get those proteins, but they just don't have as much as meat.

I tried to supplement my diet with proteins derived from meat, which defeated my purpose for being a vegetarian. So if animals are still dying so you can get essential proteins, and you still have to eat a modified and reconstructed version of meat, why be a vegetarian?

Where's the beef?

We need animal protein in our diet.

It's about doing things to please others.

I'm lacto-ovo, and doing fine. Lotsa seeds and nuts, beans, lentils, grains.

I went to a few vegan blogs; don't know why, I think looking for recipes to try. There were meat eating confessions on one of the sites of people sneaking meat and not being able to help themselves. They had to hide it from their spouse that they were going behind their backs meat eating.

...needing to hide their unapproved readings.

You cannot make a life change like that for someone else. I mean, I guess you CAN, but it most likely won't last, whether it's a new religion, getting sober, or going vegetarian or vegan. Whatever... it has to be YOU doing it for yourself.

My 2 loved ones who are now sober had previously "quit" but not for the right reasons. They were just going through the motions; not drinking but NOT sober. Once they made the decision that they needed to do it for themselves, it worked out better.

One day at a time has lasted 23 years and 10 years.

We got the investigator's name as a referral from a particularly wealthy family in the Stake, who just happened to have a remarkably attractive daughter who was about 20-years-old. Turns out the daughter was crazy about this young guy who pretty much looked like the kind of guy you'd see on the cover of a romance novel.

Apparently, the girls parents told her that she wouldn't be allowed to date the guy unless he became a Mormon and it looked like the guy didn't particularly mind jumping through that hoop.

We had to go through all the discussions, and his typical response to every question or concept was "cool" or "I'm cool with that."

He did ask one hard question. He said some friends had told him that Mormons were into polygamy and he asked us what was up with that. I gave him the usual spiel that it was all in the past but was necessary to take care of the surplus women. (I didn't know then that this was complete nonsense.) His answer: "I'm cool with that."

At the time, I was kind of pleased with the situation because I got credit for a baptism and there was no effort really needed on my part. I never heard anything from them after I moved out of the area. But if I were a betting man, I'd bet that he didn't last more than a year as a Mormon. It really was pretty obvious to all concerned that he was getting baptized because he wanted to score points with a hot babe and her parents.

my DH became vegetarian when I did, I never expected it of him but he just did it. I keep waiting for him to go for a hamburger, but he hasn't yet.

He also left the church a bit after I did.

Do we see a pattern here? You should never change just because your loved one does, but especially when they don't expect it why would you? Am I mean if I say he needs to grow some balls?

But your change to vegetarianism might have kindled his interest or gotten him interested in researching or finding out more for himself.

You'd think, but he doesn't do any research. Even when leaving the church he just took my word for it and I only told him stuff here and there. It bothered me a bit that he wouldn't do some research on his own.
Trust me, I wish he'd do some of his own research, or that we could do it together...but no.

Just "go with it". :)

haha thanks suckafoo!

Dog, I really wasn't meaning to sound like I don't love him. It's just concerning sometimes. Just needed to clarify that for my own conscience :)

More than you know, I understand!

Well, "mine" doesn't do ANYTHING I say or believe anything I tell him. He is a pain in the patooty.