Vegetarian since I was 8, vegan since 13. I'm 16 now. Unlike alot of the posters here I loved meat, but then I just didn't want to eat animals and stopped. Vegan at 13 following learning that gelatin is made from animals. So vegetarian since 8 unless you count the fact I ate gelatin, though I had no idea it was made from animals. Becoming vegan was the best decision of my life.