So, Um, Yeah…About That No-Meat Thing…

Back in early January I declared that Scott and I would take on a vegetarian New Year’s resolution for 2010. “Meat free and lovin’ it!,” I exclaimed. Well, it didn’t quite go the way I anticipated, so for the sake of full disclosure, I thought it’s time to set the record straight.

Here’s the deal: for about three weeks in January, it worked. I did my research, planned veg-friendly meals, made sure I got my protein (but not too much – you can actually overload) and generally tried to eat more fruits and veggies. Scott apparently committed some random acts of hamburger eating on his own time, but for me it was great – I didn’t feel I was missing out on anything and I really did think my energy level rose sans beef, chicken and pork (though I could have just been on a rising cloud of self-righteousness).

Then the bottom dropped out – our living situation became a little nuts and we hit the road to apartment hunt during DC’s Snowpacalypse situation. Not the smartest move. Even thought I packed healthy snacks for the car ride, we went from salads to Super Sizes in just 11 hours. There weren’t many options for dining out while cruising the Interstate and unfortunately McDonald’s held us hostage more than just once.

I know, I could have ordered a salad at McNasty’s, but who wants a salad when there’s 30 FEET of SNOW all around you?

After that trip – literally, three or four days after, we drove a U-Haul back into the snowy DC area and also devoured things that just weren’t…kosher. I recall bacon at Waffle House, and a chicken pasta thing from our new ‘hood’s Calvert House restaurant wolfed down on a sorry little “table” improvised from unpacked boxes.

“They,” the people that know their stuff, say that you shouldn’t make radical changes in your diet when you have major life shifts going on simultaneously. Like dieting on a divorce or deciding to go vegan in, I don’t know, Alabama - it’s just not a good idea.

There are so many ethical reasons to go completely vegetarian - I know this. I realize convenience isn't an excuse not to do it. But for me, I have to eat meat and seafood once in a while, though I try to eat little to none of chicken (I have a huge and freaky bird phobia, anyway) and I pay more attention to the kind of beef I buy. I have to eat seafood – with lineage rooted on the Eastern NC coast, it’s in my blood – see this post by Scott on how we make attempts to do the right thing with the fruits from the sea.

For now, my focus is on incorporating more whole foods into my diet, reducing the portion sizes, and also trying to eat slowly. I tend to wolf it all down, as if my plate or bowl will grow tiny little legs and hastily run away from me.

Wouldn’t it be cool if they did have legs? Maybe they could grow arms and wash themselves, too! Just a thought.

Happy and healthy eating to y’all!

Comments

  1. SO glad I'm not the only carnivorous anti-chickentarian! It makes perfect sense to me (I even wrote defending my position on my blog last week), but everyone thinks it's so weird to eat meat but not eat chicken. Solidarity :).

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  2. ME TOO! I hate chicken! I even got a free Cobb salad last night and it took me like an hour to eat because I had to pick out the chicken... it's just gross.

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