It really is a lot easier than most people think. Though, depending on how serious you are, you’ll learn to check food labels for things like gelatin in some foods, or rennet in cheeses, lard, etc. It’s always a good idea to read labels anyway - it’s often astonishing what they’ll put in there.

Best of luck to you! :)

I generally find that there are hardly any preachy vegetarians or vegans, but lots of very defensive meat eaters (hmm, what does that tell us?)

Meanwhile, the Buddha has a Zen koan for you:
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/06/25/funny-pictures-be-the-cheezburger/

I just wanted to comment on what I’ve seen going through life and watching certain people excel at vegetarianism and certain people fail. That what appears to be the most difficult part for people is relearning how to eat. When you’ve spent your life eating meat there’s a set of foods you’ve come to depend on as being, healthy, filling, etc. When you move to vegetarianism you throw those things away, because of this I think it’s critical that early vegetarians listen to their bodies. Are you hungry too often? Inject a little fat into your diet. Are you finding yourself sluggish by mid day? Protein and iron!

Many people fail to find these new staple meals and end up eating a lot of crap. And the reality is, vegetarian of not, crappy food is terrible for you.

So it may sound like common sense, but find a set of easy recipes that you find satisfy your bodys needs, learn to make them quickly and easily. Keep them around, and eat them :)

Some that I’ve come to depend on are.

* Muslei - whole grains in the morning, protein and fiber keep me full

* Beans and Quinoa - Cooking up vegitables and beans together and layering it over quinoa is not only delicious but packed full of nutrients.

* Smoothies - Fresh fruit, and tofu for added protein.

* Seitan stirfry - Garlic, ginger, greans (broccoli, bok choy, etc), seitan and more. Because just eating soy isn’t good for you either.

* Lentil stew or Brown rice - either a classic indian Dal, or a simple Tomatoes, garlic and onions dish. Can be made in minutes and is great.

* Vegitable Stew - kidney beans, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic and more. Easy to make at the end of a couple weeks with left over veggies.

Anyway… hope it works for you :-D

The grain and feed issue is a big deal as you mentioned. It takes WAY more grain to feed animals for slaughter than to feed humans all over the world. Not to mention that who are we to decided which animal lives and which one dies? I always tell people who are on the fence that a good question to ask in helping make a decision is, “Could you slaughter your own meat?”

Also how can you call yourself an animal rights activist, have a house pet and still eat animals? I also ask people on the fence, “Would you eat your dog or cat?” If not then maybe you might want to consider a vegetarian diet.

And the health benefits are a great plus as you say.