ive been vegetarian for about 10 years now and decided to go vegan about a year ago.
here are some basic terms and definitions in case anyone is unsure of what they mean.
vegetarian - excludes poultry, red meat, and fish (basically all meat)
lacto-vegetarian - includes dairy products but excludes eggs
ovo-vegetarian - includes eggs but no dairy
vegan - no animal products of any kind
raw-vegan - only uncooked non-animal products
pescetarian - includes seafood, excludes other forms of meat
fruitarian - only includes the fruit of plants
there are a shitload of misconceptions about a lot of these diets and ill tell ya one thing.. any group of people has a segment of idiots within them. being bodybuilders, you know better than most that those idiots are usually the ones who make the headlines.. and misrepresentation then runs rampant.
people who lack basic understanding of proper nutrition, regardless of being vegetarian or vegan always run the risk of being unhealthy.
along side that, being an asshole is another universal affliction. people are people first and then however they label themselves or whatever practices they indulge in come to follow. so not everyone who follows a diet like these is a self righteous douchebag.
ive never had problem with people who have an omni diet, thats their choice and they have every right to live as they see fit, just like everyone else.
im sure if you saw me on the street or in the gym (and this probably goes for most of the vegetarians out there,) there would be nothing to clue you in as to my dietary choices - im not pale or malnourished looking, nor am i a stick figure, and i certainly dont lack any aggression.
my stats are pretty average right now, so depending on how my goals change - with regard to body composition, im sure ill encounter some challenges.. but i look forward to burying them.
