I went vegetarian a couple of years ago, and friends keep asking me whether it's been hard to adjust.
Truth is, 99% of any difficulties have been social rather than related to my own appetite.
Giving up meat in itself was much easier than I expected, but I still haven't become comfortable with people quizzing me about my reasons.
Even when people are well-meaning and genuinely curious, they always end up asking these questions just when you're having a meal together. It's hard not to come off as preachy when you're talking about farming practices at the exact moment when steaming plates of meat arrive at the table!
Then there's the thing of going to someone's home and having them make different food for you. Even if they're super nice about it, I still feel like a bit of a burden.
It's reinforced my respect for vegans. Being a vegan while having an active social life takes a strength of character and bloody-mindedness that I don't think I have.
