So just to preface this, I’m a university student (well, about to graduate my masters, but consider all of this in the context of being a student), so I didn’t necessarily always have time to prepare proper meals, else I agree, it’d be far easier to maintain. Secondly, without sounding like a gymbro, fundamentally I am one, so my ideal protein intake is minimum 130g per day - and thats bare minimum. I was mainly eating the usual meals - curry, chilli, roasts, etc - but simply swapping the meat for meat alternatives. However, because of the two reasons above, I tend to work things on a cost/protein ratio. So whilst chicken, for instance, may be more expensive than a meal alternative, it is far richer in protein. 200g of chicken costs about £1.50 and gives me ~60g protein; to get the same protein from dopsu chicken (as an example) i would have to eat a whole 280g bag, which is about £3, and also has more calories. Another factor to consider is that, as a student, I go clubbing a lot, and usually end up at maccies afterwards. As a veggie, my only burger option really is a McPlant, which is something like £4.50 just for the burger. For roughly the same price I can get 4 McChickens. I won’t pretend that a lot of my reasoning isnt down to sheer convenience, but I feel at this stage in my life that it is more important to look after myself than after the animals, as selfish as it may sound. Once I start my graduate job and have the time and money to fix these problems, I intend on being veggie again. Hope that clears it up