How to Be a Bad Vegetarian

When I first went vegetarian, I was in my senior year at Towson High School. I did it on a dare from vegan friends that just sort of stuck.

Back in 2005, the only vegetarian food available in the school cafeteria—if you could call it “vegetarian” or “food”—was that rectangular pizza. It was the kind of trademark school cafeteria pizza where you take one bite and all the cheese just slides off with it and all the sauce can do is hold on for dear life.

Now that I’m out of high school, my options are generally better wherever I go, and they have certainly gotten better in the six-plus years since, but therein lies the problem.

I can go to Chipotle and order a burrito bowl (515 calories, 19 grams of fat). I can go to Panera Bread and order a tomato and mozzarella panini (770 calories, 29 grams of fat). I can go to Taco Bell and load up on bean and cheese burritos or order veggie fried rice from any Chinese restaurant in town. All of these things are vegetarian, but none is particularly good for me. No animals were harmed, but the sodium, fat and other fun things can surely harm a diet.

And looking back, I think that’s how I got to the point where I needed so badly to cut back. Even if you have good intentions and a good idea, it’s important to follow through and eat things that make sense. There’s no point in being vegetarian if you’re going to order veggie burgers by the barrel.

Fortunately, Towson offers plenty of better choices. Finally, I’m trading paninis for sunflower powerhouses. Expect to see me turn up at Zia’s Cafe or Subway more often than I used to, with less time at Burger Bros. or Crush Cafe (though both are awesome).

I have not been to Chipotle or Panera since starting my diet. In brief moments of weakness I’ve ordered the occasional fried rice and a pretty cheesy veggie wrap from The Real Thing. But the important thing is moderation and, of course, working it off at the gym later. Speaking of which…

Week 2 weigh-in: 199

To goal No. 1: 19

Vegetarian, Raw and Vegan with Bill & Sheila

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