Former Vegetarians Tell Us Why They Gave It Up

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Have you ever thought about giving up meat for good — or have you ever actually given it up? For some, it seems unthinkable, but for others it's an easy choice. There are a number of reasons why people make the tough decision to become vegetarians. From animal cruelty concerns, to health reasons, to trendy #vegetarian posts on Instagram, becoming a vegetarian may be the right choice for many of the people in your life — maybe even for you. But that highly disciplined diet isn't easy, and it's definitely not a lifestyle that works for everyone. So what makes a committed vegetarian go from kale smoothies to bacon cheeseburgers? Oftentimes, there's more to the story than just an intense craving for a medium-rare steak. I had the chance to interview former vegetarians and learn exactly what made them make the switch. These are the reasons former vegetarians went back to being carnivores. 

When health concerns come up, vegetarians need to make the tough call of whether or not to stick with it. Many felt tired and never satisfied when they weren't eating meat.

"I found that my blood type O+ functions better with a small amount of red meat within my diet," yoga teacher Brittney Hiller told me. "After becoming more aware of the farm-raised beef in my area, I switched to eating only locally-grown meat. My sleep was affected most while vegetarian, and now I sleep soundly. I still have an 80/20 diet of 80 percent plant-based and 20 percent meat-based."

When I think of a vegetarian, I imagine someone who is the picture of health. However, when being a vegetarian causes you to feel sick all of the time, it's not worth any other health benefits. "I have always been very compassionate to animals, and the thought of eating another animal's flesh made me sick, however, not consuming animal protein made me sicker," Dr. Trattner explained. "After my two rounds as a vegetarian and vegan, I crawled back wiped out and began slowly eating animal protein."

Being a vegetarian is a serious commitment, but when that commitment starts to turn into the start of an obsession, it is time to seriously examine why you're doing it.

"Part of the reason I became a vegetarian, though I might not have admitted it at the time, was for diet reasons and to be healthier. Avoiding meats, particularly red meats, seemed like an easy way to avoid certain foods and to lose weight," Abby Hofrichter told me. "Even though I didn't have a very healthy relationship with food at 17 years old, I started to realize that was not a good reason to abstain from meat and wasn't going to be livable for me anymore." Hofrichter made the difficult decision to walk away from a lifestyle that had become too restrictive for her and her health needs.

Living as a vegetarian or vegan means you may miss out on certain nutrients more common in meat. You can certainly find these nutrients in plant foods and supplements, but it may be more difficult.

"I recently went from being vegetarian to eating some meat due to low iron in pregnancy," health food blogger Larissa Dundon told me. "My doctor said I could take a supplement, but that the best way to get the iron was to ingest it. Prior to this assessment, I was having dizzy spells unlike anything I've ever experienced before. That and I found that I was spending so much more money on meals, because I (or my husband) would make something vegetarian for dinner, but then he would still be hungry and unsatisfied so we'd make a second meal."

I've always assumed that all vegetarians are naturally thin, because they're always eating vegetables. However, that's not always the case. Let's not forget that bread and pasta are meat-free. "I was gaining weight due to excess carbs," explained Schenck. "I found that meat is actually slimming." Schenck told me that first, meat keeps hunger at bay, keeping you from needing to raid the pantry an hour after lunch. It also boosts our metabolisms.

"It doesn't stimulate insulin release, as carbs do. Insulin causes fat storage," shared Schenck. "Eating small amounts of meat (two to six ounces per day) helps me also acquire nutrients not found in plant foods, and as we get older, it is harder to convert the precursors into nutrients found only in meat."

When Lyn Alden, founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy, noticed her health take a turn for the worse, she decided to do something about it. "Despite being extremely physically fit, I never felt great. I had mild headaches and digestive issues frequently," Alden told me. "I was prone to blood sugar spikes and crashes; if I didn't eat every three hours or so, I'd have an energy crash. Especially when I exercised, I had to time my snack, like an apple or a granola bar, perfectly ahead of time. My fasting blood sugar was 96 mg/dl, just four points away from being classified as pre-diabetic in my early 20s, and I had depression." Alden realized her diet needed an overhaul, so she decided to start incorporating meat.

It is possible for serious athletes to fuel themselves as vegetarians, but much more challenging. "I was a vegetarian for many years, and it ended up being very unhealthy for me. Since I'm physically active (hiking, skiing,exercising), and my vegetarian diet was low calories, I was constantly hungry and ate a lot of carbs and processed foods such as pastas, breads, gluten grains, and candy bars," author of Anatomy for Success Ronald Kaufman told me. "I would too often eat a 1,500 calorie bag of cookies in one sitting. It was also hard for me to get the quality protein I needed to rebuild muscle. Socially it was a hassle, as I would go to a party and eat so much of the veggies and carbs that often there wasn't enough left for others. And the prep time and monotony of my food options became tedious."

Kaufman decided to try eating meat again to see if he could have more endurance for sports. "After craving meat for many years, I finally gave in and started eating it again," shared Kaufman. "I eat organic meats, grass-fed beef, wild fish, beef protein powders, mostly organic fruits and vegetables, sprouted grains, free range eggs, dairy limited to grass fed butter, use low heat cooking, and a lot of healthy spices. I need meat to feel my best, and even though spiritually I would prefer to be a vegetarian, meat is what works for me."