Welcome back for another week of trying something new.
This week: Vegetarian
I am a frequent consumer of meat. I normally start my day with 4-5 eggs and maybe a slice of bacon. My lunch normally has chicken involved in some form and dinner is reserved for beef. My family buys a cow every year at the county fair so our freezer is fairly stocked full of meat and beef is a staple of my family’s diet. I had heard in my perusings through the internet that the vegetarian diet, although often done to fight against animal cruelty and the meat industry, can have health benefits. One of my friends switched to the vegetarian diet to help with digestion issues and another who switched to help with skin care. I decided to put these things to the test to see if this diet is for me and here is what I found.
1. What was the biggest change/effects I noticed?
I ate a lot more bread. I down vegetarian frozen pizzas like a fiend that week. If I couldn’t have meat, my body wanted a substitute which occurred in the form of carbs. Lots and lots of carbs. I did have to check to make sure the ingredients were actually vegetarian, but breads and snacks became my life blood. Because I knew that I was only doing this for a week, my body still has the craving to consume meat by the end of the week and it got pretty bad.
2. What were minor changes/effects that occurred throughout the week?
Throughout the week, I noticed that my skin did look a little better and I rarely got stomach aches unless I had a junk food binge. I had to eat a lot more vegetables to be full at a meal rather than eating a couple of chicken breasts. I naturally gravitated towards peanuts, cashew, and almonds as well as a healthy mix of vegetables, but also just a lot of carbs. I did have more energy in the mornings, but looking back, that was probably just my body in a panic seeking out the morning eggs it was deprived of.
3. Was this health habit enjoyable?
This was okay. Just okay. I wouldn’t do it again because I genuinely enjoy meat and I have no urge to give it up. My mom made a delicious roast that I had to turn down for the sake of this experiment which mad me sad.
4. How can this health habit sustainable in the long term?
I will not pretend to be an expert on this after one week. I know there are plenty of other people that could much better information to sustain this habit if you are interested. One source that is worth checking out is No Meat Athlete linked below.
I am probably never going to do this habit again because it just isn’t the right fit for me. I have nothing against it, but I like meat a little too much. I think it is worth a try for anyone trying to change things up and maybe explore the health benefits a little more. It is always good to look out for your health because ready or not…
Life Willkomm