Ok, so I’m going to do it. As of today, I’m going vegetarian til Easter. I decided that this includes ALL meats with the exception of seafood. No burgers, no Chipotle (and naturally, I’m already craving the carnitas), no steaks.
It’s an exercise in self-control as well as something I feel will be a healthy choice, causing me to think more carefully about my own nutrition.
I did my first round of grocery shopping today and splurged happily on a couple of salmon filets, but cried silently to myself as I passed the hot dogs, steaks, and bacon. I can do this, right?
I wonder if this will change anything for me long term. Will I miss red meat or will I feel better cutting it out of my diet? There are so many arguments about whether or not it’s natural or healthy for humans to consume meats (anyone ever read Skinny Bitch? That scared the carnivore in me out of everything but nuts and fruits for about 24 hours), whether we need them in our diets or not, how to maintain things like protein and iron in our diets without chicken and beef.
But I’m doing this as a practice in self-restraint and sacrifice and look forward to proving to myself that I can accomplish this.
I can, right?
Ok… here goes nothing!
Doniree Walker is an aspiring yogini, jet-setter, foodie, and story-teller. She's a writer and geek girl by trade, and a lover and a connector by lifestyle, and is currently obsessed with: train travel, single-serving chocolate milk, and brand new notebooks. Oh, and she's also part supergirl. Wanna be friends? 
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I’ve been a vegetarian for 24 years. The first few weeks are the hardest, because you’re just used to eating what you eat. Once you find a bunch of vegetarian food you like, it gets a lot easier.
So, you’re aiming for a pescatarian diet, yes? http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pescatarian
Good luck!
I can’t imagine cutting meat out completely. I’ve really reduced how much meat I eat over the last year and a half, but I still need to get some meat occasionally.
I interviewed Rory Freedman the other day (one of the Skinny Bitch authors) and I had about the same reaction you did! That’s some graphic stuff.
I’ve been a vegetarian for going on 12 years now, and my unsolicited advice would be to eat lots of leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard, etc.) and lots of quinoa (a delicious grain with a complete protein). Find simple recipes you love, and experiment!
This article has some great info on protein and plant-based diets: http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues/october-2007/healthy-eating/garden-variety-protein.html
Good luck! I just gave up ice cream and am already regretting it.
This is a good experiment to try. In college, my roommates and I decided to try a vegetarian diet for a month. This was 20 years ago, and there was not in any way as much knowledge and available foods (at least that WE knew about) as there is now. I urge you to really explore other options and not just ‘skip meat’ but really work to incorporate more grains and different vegetable options into your meals. And not to beat a notion to death, but the Eating Well website has lots to offer. I just got their cookbook for my birthday and now I can’t wait to cook more!! (if that’s even possible for me)
‘k…i’ll hush my flap now….. bug me if you need to…
you can do it!
Good luck! I’ve actually (gasp!) thought about going vegetarian, but sometimes I just need my meat (esp. bacon) fix. I’ve definitely cut a lot of meat out of my diet lately. Maybe I’ll become an “occasionally cheating vegetarian.”
A flexitarian? I keep hearing all these “alternative” names for the vegetarians-with-exceptions (for instance, I’m actually going pescatarian by including fishies…).
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