Vegetarianism (don't worry, I'm not going to get all preachy on you)

So, I'm vegetarian. And that includes not eating fish, by the way. This is a bit off-topic, but I'm pretty tired of the first thing people saying when I tell them I'm veg is, "So, do you eat fish??" Well gee, I just said I don't like eating dead animals...and that fish certainly doesn't look alive to me...

Anyways, apparently I'm a "lacto-ovo vegetarian," which means I eat dairy products and eggs, but no meat. There are other types, too, like the lacto vegetarian, where you eat dairy products but no eggs, or an ovo vegetarian where (you guessed it) you eat eggs and no dairy products. Heck, I didn't even know they had all of these specific categories for vegetarians; I thought it was just vegetarianism or veganism (no consumption of animal products at all, which usually extends to clothes and other material goods, too). And there's no way I'll be a vegan; I love eggs and ice cream too much for that.

I'm also a picky eater. Hmm...vegetarian and picky eater...combine the two and what do you get?

Someone with a really bad diet who gets in trouble with the doctor and her parents for not eating right.  >.<

So what am I doing to rectify this? Research. I find that when I treat something like it's a school project that my grade's dependent upon, I end up doing a fairly decent job on it. So I'm looking up the different sources of iron, protein, calcium, etc., that I can eat to balance my diet so I'm not a walking bundle of carbs. What have I found so far?

I should be eating soy products, legumes, and blackstrap molasses. YUMMY. I don't even know what the heck blackstrap molasses is. Sounds like an ingredient for a pirate's bottle o' rum.

Another thing I'm lacking in my diet is iron. My mom says that's why I'm always so lethargic, and also why I have concentration issues. What are some good sources of iron? Spinach. Tofu. And that blackstrap molasses.

Does this sound like a party waiting to happen or what?

So, why the sudden interest in healthy dieting? Well, for starters, I'm sick of being a walking zombie through the day. Apparently a good diet helps with the mood, too, and I'm really tired of getting that depressive feeling. And it's finally hitting home that I'm going to be an official, emancipated adult in two years--less, actually. And I have no freakin' idea how I'm going to survive that.

You see, the thing is I don't really care enough about myself to put any effort into eating right, or doing anything right for my body, for that matter.

"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" pretty much sums it up when it comes to my health. But I realize that I need to care, or else I'm going to be a sickly person who, ironically enough, might end up being an animal doctor.

So. The point to this. Lots of spinach, soy, beans, and broccoli for me from now on (and even that blackstrap stuff). Lessen my pickiness and increase my tolerance.

Hopefully, when I'm older and wiser, this'll all pay off and I'll be able to look back at it appreciatively. I have a feeling that'll be a long time coming, though.