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Why do people participate in specialized dietary regimens? Our study examined motivations for participating in dietary regimens, as well as the spiritual, mental, and physical rewards for doing so. What we found was that far from "fad" diets, participants in the most common dietary regimens (vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian) in our study population have long-lasting and deeply considered motivations. They combat stereotypes, stigma, inconvenience, and limited dietary choices in many environments to sustain their regimen. Even while rejecting labels or rigidity, they find deep meaning in their choices and practices. These findings may have positive implications for environmental efforts and policy advocacy that seek to motivate more plant-based and environmentally friendly diets. Contextualizing plant-based diets in this way may also help healthcare practitioners encourage a more flexible, long-term approach to diet behaviors, by appealing to their patients' cultural and spiritual values rather than focusing on clinical definitions of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]