Yes, I have made the switch to a mostly plant-based diet. Surprised? If you don’t know me, there’s nothing to be surprised about. But if you’ve known me for awhile, you probably are surprised. I never thought I would become a vegetarian. Why would I do such a thing?
I have a few reasons, including my health, the environmental impact, and living in line with my values.
1) Health
Like most Americans, I grew up eating a lot of meat. My mom and dad are amazing cooks, so over the years I have enjoyed some tasty meat-based dishes (like lasagna, beef burritos and tacos, super nachos, pepperoni and sausage pizza, homemade bbq burgers) without thinking twice. Not to mention fast food burgers, chicken sandwiches, tacos, and burritos. Since I grew up playing sports and lifting weights, I became a student of sports nutrition and how to build muscle. Everything I read, the culture I was immersed in, stressed PROTEIN! That meant drinking lots of milk, consuming lots of whey protein (milk-based), eggs, and lots of lean chicken, beef and fish. The information I had recommended that I consume between 1 and 1.5 g of protein per pound of body weight. So when I weighed 200 lbs, that meant 200-300g of protein per day!!!
At the same time, I’d also had a lot of digestive problems. I noticed that especially after I ate dinner, it seemed like the food just kind of sat there like a rock in my gut. This would lead to me waking up in the middle of the night with heartburn, which led me to start taking some kind of antacid every night before I went to sleep.
So, I started eating less beef. I cut down on my portion sizes, particularly at dinner. I cut out most dairy products. I continued to cut down on the amount of chicken or fish I ate at dinner. From all of these actions, I noticed positive effects- much less heartburn and digestive issues, losling a little weight, and not feeling so lethargic (especially after dinner). Also, I no longer wanted to ingest all the growth hormones and antibiotics these animals are pumped with.
2) Environmental Impact
Where do I begin? This part upsets me, so I will keep it short and (not-so) sweet. A huge amount of forest area all over the world has been wiped out to make room for grazing lands for cattle. This contributes to global warming because there are now less trees to absorb carbon dioxide. Add to that the nitrous oxide from manure and the methane gas produced (flatulence) by cattle, and you have some serious contributors to global warming.
3) Living in Line with My Values
I have always been an animal lover. The bottom line is that if I choose to eat meat, I am supporting all of the practices that go into to delivering that meat to my plate. There is far too much of a disconnect for most people when it comes to what they eat and knowing where it comes from. I highly recommend the movies “Fast Food Nation” and “Food, Inc.” to learn more. I choose to no longer support the animal cruelty and torture that is involved with the meat industry. I choose to not view animals as products. They are living beings. I would never go out and kill an animal myself and eat it, so it no longer makes sense to me to eat an animal that someone else killed. That would be like me being against stealing TV’s, but buying a TV that I knew was stolen from someone else. I choose to no longer be a hypocrite, and it feels good to me.
The Experiment
I had tried to go vegetarian a couple other times over the years, but I was never really commited to it, and I never did it properly. This resulted in me being very hungry and not sticking with it for more than a few days.
So back in August, my girlfriend heard about a book called “The Quantum Wellness Cleanse” by Kathy Freston. It’s a 21-day program where you eliminate all meat, dairy, gluten, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol from your diet. As she started doing it, I wound up eating a lot of the same meals that she did, and I felt pretty good. The day after she finished her 21 days, I began mine officially.
What was different this time from other times I tried to go vegetarian? This time I was fully committed to it, and I also made sure to eat a much wider variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, seeds, and nuts than I ever had previously.
The Results
The hardest thing for me to give up was caffeine. I was used to drinking an energy drink almost every day, especially prior to a workout. So I had headaches for the first few days, but after that, I felt amazing. I have suffered with migraines since high school, and I’m happy to report that I haven’t had any since my transition.
Also, I couldn’t believe how great I felt CONSISTENTLY. No ups and downs, just tons of steady energy throughout the day. And that was from eating a lot less than I ever had in my life! I can’t even describe the difference and do it justice. I used to be fairly moody, and all of that is gone. I just feel good consistently. Is that from not ingesting certain substances? Is that from nourishing my body properly and getting all the nutrients I need? Or is that from feeling better about the choices I’m making and living in line with my values? Probably some of each.
Also, the “protein myth” has been completely debunked in my mind. I always believed that if I went vegetarian and didn’t get my 200 grams of protein per day that my physique would get mushy. I’m happy to report that’s not the case. I have stuck with the same workout plan that I had before my experiment. I am probably consuming about 60-70 grams of protein per day on average, and I have more muscle now than I did before. I feel stronger than I did before. I’ve also lost a few pounds of fat and no longer have any stomach bloat or digestion problems.
Moving Forward
The day that my cleanse ended, I did have a couple slices of pepperoni pizza. I didn’t feel very good afterwards, and that was the last time I’ve eaten any meat. I have gone back to eating some cheese here and there, but avoid dairy most of the time. So I will avoid calling myself vegan, even though I eat vegan about 95% of the time. Being vegan 100% of the time is much more difficult when you’re on the go as much as I am.
But I feel great about my choice to go vegetarian. My body thanks me every day, and I have no doubt that I’ve improved my long-term health. If for no other reason than your health, I highly recommend giving it a try. I feel better than I’ve ever felt, and I have no desire to go back to my carnivorous ways. 