I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian for nineteen years; I did it for moral reasons. I studied nutrition and had a very healthy diet. I've always avoided junk like refined sugar, artificial flavors and colors, and highly processed foods, and focused on eating whole foods that do not come in any kind of package.

Unfortunately, I have some health issues that were not caused by vegetarianism but were exasperated by it. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease) and I could not tolerate synthetic thyroid and only desiccated (real) thyroid hormone helped. Right there, I realized, I am no longer a vegetarian.

I also needed more B-12 in my diet to supplement my Hydroxocobalamin injections for Pernicious Anemia. And my protein was low and I couldn't eat soy because it is bad for your thyroid gland.

I started realizing it was either me or the animals so I broke down and started eating fish and meat again. I found myself CRAVING meat for the first year. A steak was like ambrosia and I wanted it all the time!

If you want to be a true vegetarian, you need to avoid hidden animal products like rennet (used in most cheeses), gelatin (used in some yogurts and many jelly-like products), and anchovies (in condiments like Worcestershire sauce).

My favorite cookbooks are Anna Thomas' Vegetarian Epicure and VE Book II. Every recipe is fantastic and I still use these recipes often since we don't eat meat every night. Lots of people love the Moosewood cookbooks but I found the recipes to be very time-consuming for dishes that weren't that great.

Like others have said, get informed about nutrition so you make wise food choices. Good luck!