Giving up meat is no easy feat. Carnivorous contributers Palesa Temaswati Mthethwa, a South African writer and graphic design student at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, and Yan Lin, an assessment consultant at Beisen Assessment Technology in Beijing, relay two very distinct stories on making the switch to vegetarianism.

24 Hours of Meaty Torture

by Palesa Temaswati Mthethwa

Vegetarian for a week! That was the plan. But it's funny how side effects start kicking in so early when trying to let go of an everyday habit. The first morning of my experiment, I felt like I hadn't eaten poultry in months (I had devoured a bucket of KFC the night before). Lunch was a disaster. I didn't know whether to cook or spend an hour searching for a restaurant.

That afternoon I received the worst phone call a first-time vegetarian can get: an invite to an anniversary party being held at the Liberian Embassy that night. I can't decline – the couple knows me very well.

A typical event at any African embassy consists of food. Not just any food, but food only found in Africa, with dishes lined up waiting to give you a taste of home. Arriving at the party, I notice food set out on a stretch table. It smells GOOD. Drinks are flowing, toasts have been made and there's a blissful feeling in the room. Jokes and memories of the couple are shared, and this helps me forget the day's struggles. Soon it's time to eat. As people start serving themselves, I assess my options and spot three salads I can dine on. Sitting down with my plate, the questions start. "Are you on a diet?" "Are you stressed out?" "What's wrong with your dish, it's missing the brown color!"

This is when I realize being vegetarian isn't easy. Not only is it a dietary change, it's a social challenge. My epiphany is interrupted by the couple's daughter. She sits next to me, a huge smile on her face. I look down at her dish. There's nothing but pork ribs and chicken. Faster than lightning her cute angel face turns red and horns pierce through her head. Her fork transforms into a devil's pitch fork.

I managed to walk away from the event having resisted the urge to touch, smell, lick, or bite any meat or poultry. Then 3 a.m. arrived and I broke down. McDonald's 24-hour delivery service was too tempting.

I would love to give vegetarianism a try again, but for me it has to be done gradually, step by step. So, I'm starting to let go of red meat and pork. I still fall off the wagon here and there, but I get right back on with hope for a healthier life.

Food: God vs. Man

by Yan Lin

Two years ago, I was overweight due to lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet. Wanting to look better, for six months I tried to eat less and sometimes starved myself. It didn't work. I decided to try something I had heard about that would let me eat like an elephant without worrying about gaining weight: going veggie.

During my first week, I made fresh fruit juice with a newly-bought juicer every day. I ate carrots, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and squash. I tried to have a balanced diet, with different fruits, nuts and vegetables included in each meal.

After the one-week experiment, I found I hadn't gained any weight, and most importantly, I felt better. My temper became calmer, my mind more sober. I no longer felt tired after staying up late at night. The experiment had brought positive changes to my life. Afterwards, I read a lot about vegetarianism and how to maintain a balanced and nutritional vegetarian diet.

I am a Christian, and having read the book Body By God by Dr. Ben Lerner, I am fully convinced of the vegetarian lifestyle. I believe God created all edible natural foods – fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Yet, now most of us eat "foods by man"– heavily processed or refined foods, and meat with added hormones and antibiotics. These are bad for the body, a separation from God that leads people to illness, stress, and obesity.

My first step then was to switch from "foods by man" to "foods by God." Last spring, I started  drinking plenty of water and vegetable juice every day instead of soft drinks or coffee. I ate less meat, and avoided fried or heavily processed foods. During this period, I ate whatever I wanted to eat without starving myself, the only difference was my shift to natural foods. After six months, I had lost around eight kilograms. Now I basically eat a vegetarian diet five days a week and only eat meat occasionally.

However, my vegetarian lifestyle does impact my social life. When I eat out with friends it's difficult ordering food, and sometimes I can't resist the temptation of meat. For my friends, if there is no meat at the table there's no feeling full after the meal. It's difficult to change dietary habits, but I'm more than happy to share my "going veggie" experience with friends, and explain how it's healthier.