Of Going Vegetarian

Two years ago, I fooled around with vegetarianism and stuck to it for six months.  

I wanted to lose weight. 

I had my reservations about going vegetarian. I am mostly afraid that my new eating habit alienates me from my meat-chomping lunch crowd. 

Nevertheless, I went ahead with it. As long as I get to indulge in occasional French fries, I do not mind at all.

As usual, I became neurotic. I started to plant my own vegetable (albeit just a pot of lettuce) and I made my own soy milk. My weight started to melt off and I was even more motivated to stick to the diet! I was a size 8 when I started. When I ended my vegetarian diet (TGIF cheeseburger seduced me. Long story), I was a size 2!

Because I wanted to be in my zen and have some degree of control in my eating habit, I started my vegetarian diet again.

One problem. Dude from Work loves eating. He eats when he’s hungry and he eats when he’s bored. Even after he’s done eating, he tends to look at your food while you’re eating yours. 

When I first met him, I thought he wanted to taste a bit of my food. I looked at him and asked 

“Would you like to try the fish? It’s pretty good?”

He shook his head and said, “No, no. I am very full."

“Then why are you staring at my food?”

“I wasn’t”

But he was totally staring at my food. The same way men stare at boobies.

When I told him I am going vegetarian as part of my healing process, he laughed so loud, he started to cry. “How can anyone give up meat? They’re so good!”

“I want to have control over what I do. And since hanging out with you boys,” I nodded toward him, “I lost control of my diet. I am always eating unhealthy food. Chicken rice, roti canai with lots of gravy. I mean, look at this!” I pointed to the oil swimming on the surface of the curry, “How healthy is this? People die from heart attack just by looking at this.”

“Are you trying to lose weight again?” Dude from Work asked. “Any more weight lost and you’re anorexic.”

" I can’t stand girls who are consistently on a diet.” He mimicked “Oh, I can’t eat fries. Ok just one French fries. Dab dab dab.” He looked at me, “Yes, my ex colleague dabs her fries with tissue paper to absorb excess oil.”

“You guys are missing the point. I’m doing this for control over my daily food intake. Whenever I overeat, I feel guilty. I’d tell myself, Ok, just a light dinner later. And then, you will call “Hello, Dinner?” and then before I know it, I’m stuffing fried rice into my mouth for dinner. Are you guys going to pay for my slimming treatment when I’m as fat as that guy over there?” I pointed at an obese man walking on the opposite side of the road.

I won the case. 

Watching Julia Robert eats pasta and pizzas wasn’t helping either. Truth is, I have been eating although I seem to keep losing weight. A heartbreak does that to you. A heartbreak is the new gym. The new Pilates. The new kickboxing. The new cardio. Want to lose weight? Break up with your boyfriend!

I immediately embarked on my vegetarian diet in the month of December. My vegetarian murtabak taste like feet, but it doesn’t matter. I was free of guilt, food wise.