Tuesday, May 8, 2012

To Meat or Not to Meat...that is the Question


Lately I have been having a moral dilemma. As most of you know, I gave up eating meat about 2 years ago but I have to be honest, I am really starting to miss it. Whenever I go out with friends and/or family and someone orders a piece of steak or a burger, my mouth starts to water and I just want to take a bite of it. So far I have been able to fight the urge but I feel myself growing weaker and it will only get harder once the weather starts to get warmer and the street of NY are filled with the aroma of backyard barbeques.

Another thing that I noticed is that ever since I gave it up, I have found it harder to maintain my healthy weight. I was looking through past journals the other night and I noticed that when I was at my lowest weight, I consumed a serving of meat at least 2 times a day.

The thought of an animal having to die so that I can eat breaks my heart and I hate when I mention this to people and they answer "They are going to die anyway"...this may be true but I don't want to be part of that cycle.

So here I am...in turmoil and seeking advice from my fellow bloggers. Have any of you gone back to eating meat after being a vegetarian and if so, how was the transition?

For now I will stick to my Morningstar products and hope that it makes it just a bit easier....

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  1. I wrote you a NOVEL and that shit didnt go through. DAMMIT.
    I am probably the biggest hypocrite on the planet. On the one hand, hearing about animal abuse or watching food inc. really makes me grieve. But on a menu, meat is meat. If you slaughtered a cow in front of me, i would probably not enjoy the fresh steak. But if i went to the farmers market or whole foods and picked up some grass fed and local beef, i would feel better knowing the animal wasnt raised improperly. Commercial beef, like in the supermarket, raises cattle in horrendous conditions. The meat sold at McDonalds and Wendys use meat just like that and is also filled with CRAP to give you less of the good stuff and more of the bad.
    There is nothing wrong with your craving and if i were you i would encourage you to indulge once in a while just to satisfy that craving. Set a limit. Like having beef on Sundays only or every other Monday.
    Its not that the animal is going to die anyway, its more the cycle of life. When a cat eats a mouse or a shark eats a penguin. thats just how it is. Just make a more conscious decision of why you are doing it.

  2. I respond on your facebook link but wanted to expand upon it here.
    I was in a similar situation. Vegetarian, but bordering on vegan at one point, and it just wasnt working for me in terms of health. My PCOS was going crazy plus I discovered I had wheat issues. I made the choice to start eating meat but in a way I was comfortable with. I am a big advocate of eating local but also knowing how your food is raised and prepared just like the previous comment talked about. Yes it still pains me a bit that a cow died for my meal but it does make me feel better knowing that the cow was properly treated. It is also the greater matter of my health vs. the life of a cow and my health comes first, just like it is with every other species.

  3. Obviously, it is a personal decision for everyone, but for me, I do the best I can and don't beat myself to be perfect. In our house, we eat meatless most days of the week, and indulge in local, ethically treated meat sources a few times a month. And if I'm out for dinner, and I want a steak, I get a steak, and I don't worry about sourcing it. Yes, we are at the top of the food chain, and we have conscious will. But there is still a food chain, and to me, eating meat is in the natural order of things. When I can (most of the time), I try to be ethical when sourcing my food. When it's out of my control, I let go and enjoy myself. Just like the rest of life!

    That said, we made the decision to go mostly meatless because Mike has an extensive family history of heart disease, not due to more altruistic reasons. So everyone's reasons are different, and ultimately, you should do whatever you can feel good about in the grand scheme of things.

    Good luck!

  4. Hey love! So though I'm still a veg and going strong, I've always felt that if I craved meat, I would eat it. I don't see any point in depriving myself and the whole reason I stopped eating meat was because I just didn't crave it or want it and figured I shouldn't force myself to eat it just because i felt like I had to, when there were more nutritious choices out there. I agree with everyone else...i think that by making good choices about what meat you eat, you really can eat it in an ethically sound way. Really, don't stress about it. There's no sense in depriving yourself because that will make you just want it more. Life is too short!

  5. I think if you crave it, you should go for it. I mean, it doesn't mean that you've failed or that you are doing anything wrong.

  6. This is a tough one. Truly, the reason why I would never be a vegetarian is because I know how sensitive my body is to carbs. When I eat more than I should, it shows right away (right in my stomach) So that's the vain reason I would never give up meat. Spend a good couple hours going around a grocery store and writing down some of your favorite HIGH protein foods, and stock up!

  7. I like to think its the circle of life . . .next time you go out - order a burger!

    Hope you are doing well!

  8. Hi Mari, glad I dropped by your blog at this key, critical time.

    We have canine teeth, clearly we were designed to eat at least some meat. Go with mother nature, and order a burger, some fries, and a side order of chicken nuggets! Enjoy! :)

  9. Smokey BBQ'd Ribs! I was just thinking about BBQ'd Ribs! I came back to this blog JUST to say that. Let us not forget Jerk Chicken.

    I am salivating. LOL!!

    Smoked BBQ Broccoli? Jerk Carrot? No Vegetable can do to a red-blooded person, what meat can! :)

    Welcome back to the top of the food chain! Welcome back to the glorious world of the carnivores! LOL!