One Week as a Vegetarian (Part I)

Since I came to Mexico I got to know a bunch of people with two certain qualities: either they are called Alejandro or they are vegetarian. Don't ask me why is that because I thought that both of them are not really Mexican "qualities". But this is what's happening to me at the moment. So I wanted to try it out (not the thing with being called Alejandro*g) and decided to live as a Vegetarian for one week.

Passing all the Taco stands for now this seems impossible to me. Nevertheless Saturday 18th dicember 2010 at 00:00 a.m. my vegetarian week began...

Day 1

It's all started with having a look into my fridge. The turkey ham I already got to my roomie. I wasn't quite sure if you could eat the 5-minutes-china-noodles. On the package it says "beef flavour" but I really doubt that there is really meat inside. I called a friend of mine who told me: no meet flavoured soup or china noodles or whatever. So I had some cereals. I really thought that I couldn't do anything wrong with that. Cereals+milk+banana....Well, yes you can! Did you knwo that there were different types of vegetarians?

• Ovo vegetarianism includes eggs but not dairy products.
• Lacto vegetarianism includes dairy products but not eggs.
• Ovo-lacto vegetarianism includes animal/dairy products such as eggs, milk, and honey.
• Veganism excludes all animal flesh and animal products, including milk, honey, and eggs, and may also exclude any products tested on animals, or any clothing from animals.
• Raw veganism includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Vegetables can only be cooked up to a certain temperature.
• Fruitarianism permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.
• Su vegetarianism excludes all animal products as well as vegetables in the allium family: onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, or shallots.
• Macrobiotic diets consist mostly of whole grains and beans.

So after 10 minutes living the vegetarian way I already failed to be an ovo vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan, fruitarian, su vegetarian an macrobiotic dietist. Well, at least I decided to keep the eggs. That is why I'm officially a lacto vegetarian this week. Nice to finally find oneself.

Later that day I went to the supermarket. I never had to think that much about what to buy .. or what not to buy. Is hazelnut spread ok? Yoghurt? Cheese? In the end I bought a lot of rice, tomatoes and beans. I recognized that I'll have to cook a lot if I don't want to live on chocolate all week long. So I had rice, tomatoe topping and vegetables. But I couldn't quit the feeling of being hungry! Maybe it's the new feeling of don't stuff myself with meat?

In the evening there was the first really hard moment. I was helping to paint the walls of a friend's room. Still hungy of course. And he offered chinese food..with meat! What a burden to eat bretzels in that moment...

Day 2

I'm with a vegetarian today. There is orange juice, salad and a main course made with lentils and rice (of course;) Really good acutally. The popcorn and coffee afterwards killed my appetite entirely. In the evening I had more rice and a power bar.

I'm feeling good - is this already detoxication?

**Diese Woche versuche ich mich als Vegetarier. Der erste Tag war hart, denn ich konnte irgendwie meinen Hunger nicht stillen. Außerdem habe ich mich mit meiner Milch im Müsli schon für vielerlei Art von Vegetarier disqualifiziert. Der zweite Tag wurde zum Glück besser**