I’ve never been a big meat eater. I never crave a juicy steak or a fat hamburger (ok, maybe sometimes) and would much rather shove macaroni & cheese or cereal in my face.
During bikini prep I ate more meat than I had ever eaten in my life. Like meat in 4 out of 6 daily meals. I dialed that down considerably after my competition, but meat still made it into almost every breakfast, lunch and dinner for a long time after — solely out of “fear” in my newfound lifestyle. How will I get enough protein if I don’t eat meat? How will I build muscle? Eat more carbs…will I get fat? GASP.
Slowly, and not even directly on purpose, I cut back on my carnivore tendencies when I shifted to more of an intuitive/health-focused approach to eating. As a part of listening to my body and what it wanted, instead of forcing something down that I didn’t want, I realized that I enjoy eating lots of fruit and veggies and quinoa and rice and beans and yogurt. All these foods make me feel light and I digest them well. Meat, usually not so much — and the difference started to become apparent when I took a break from it.
Being vegetarian is a personal preference. I still eat meat a few times a month: I won’t be rude if it’s served at a dinner, party or work event, and let’s be honest-sometimes I just crave it. But, overall I find that my body responds well to a vegetarian diet so that’s what I’m doing. It was actually my boyfriend’s idea to adopt vegetarianism about three months ago, for health and environmental reasons, and it’s great to have a partner with the same lifestyle.
So, what about protein? You need that if you want to build muscle and get strong, right? And it only comes from meat, right? Yes, you need protein, and the amount you need depends a lot on your lifestyle and personal goals. A pretty fit lady who works out several times a week needs about .6 x her weight in pounds in grams of protein daily. For a 140-pound woman, that’s about 84 grams. Daily intake should increase the more muscle you want to build, but for most, this measurement is a good rule of thumb.
It may seem daunting to hit this number with no meat on deck, but there are plenty of alternatives: Tofu, seitan and tempeh are great “direct” alternatives to meat, and quinoa, lentils, beans, eggs, hempseed, greek yogurt and nuts also provide substantial amounts. Not to mention there’s protein in veggies! And there are some great protein powders on the market, too, for a quick grab-and-go option.
For many people, the idea of giving up meat completely is a no-go. I’m with ya (at least presently). Even the benefits of being a part-time vegetarian are noticeable. A plant-based menu means you’ll decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease and type-2 diabetes, you’ll probably slim down (if you’re focusing on veggies, whole grains, etc., and not just pasta and cheese) and you can expect better digestion, skin and hair health, among other things.
Also, if you eat a vegetarian diet just two days a week for a year, you’ll have saved almost 60 animals, have forgone almost 60 lbs of meat, and saved almost 470 lbs of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Sign me up.
There’s a lot of black and white and judgement when it comes to eating meat, being a vegetarian, and even being a vegan. I personally feel that even if you choose one day a week to go meatless, you’re making a difference. And that’s awesome!
In health & happiness,
