For 5 days last week, I didn’t eat “meat.”
For the most part, I felt like I was eating normally. I think dining at Longhorn Steakhouse was the only time it felt like a struggle. I didn’t crave meat. I didn’t feel like anything was missing from my diet. Just felt like a typical week.
So what did I take away from this challenge?
Successes?
- Didn’t eat meat (no red meat, poultry, fish, or eggs)
- Learned a lot of new information!!!
- Posted about being a vegetarian, how it affects animals, and how it affects health
- Cooked black bean burgers
- Shared a vegetarian lunch with family
Failures?
- Didn’t post about how being a vegetarian affects the environment
- Didn’t finish reading any of Michael Pollan’s books
- Took a while to finish Food Inc.
- Didn’t create as many amazing lunches or dinners as I had planned
- No clue if I was getting the proper nutrients
I did ok… in my opinion the good outweighs the bad. And even though it was later than planned, I did finally watch Food Inc.
My thoughts?
I really enjoyed Food Inc. It opened my eyes to a side of the food industry that I don’t normally think about.
What info from the movie stood out in my mind?
- The top 4 beef companies control 80% of the market.
- There’s an illusion of diversity in the food industry. In reality, there are very few companies and very few crops.
- Most foods are rearrangements of corn. 90% contain corn or soy ingredients.
- While cheap corn drives down the price of meat, many bad things have evolved out of feed lots/feed lot life where the meat comes from.
- It is easy for big processing plants to become contaminated.
- A typical farmer used to grown enough food to feed 6 people. Now a farmer can grow enough to feed 126!
- Farmers are not allowed to save seeds that have been patented.
For the time being, I will continue to eat meat. But I will do my best to buy from respectful and responsible companies. I’d prefer to eat local, clean, and sustainable foods. I don’t want to fill my body with highly processed foods containing crazy chemicals. I also refuse to eat foods that were obtained in harsh ways. I want to preserve my body for my future. I also want to work to preserve the environment for everyone’s future.
It seems silly to fuel myself with artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. I can eat a crisp red apple or any other freshly grown plant. I can add to my meal by choosing meats that do not contain extra hormones. I want to eat only the real deal! I found a great online resource, Sustainable Table.
I have a lot more reading and researching to do. I need to learn how to read labels. If something contains too many ingredients and too many words I can’t pronounce, it’s out. As the Boston weather improves, I’m going to try to shop at Farmers Markets and even plant my own garden.
Food Inc. gave me a lot to think about. But it didn’t give any instructions for what to do next. As a follow up to the film, I’ve just started reading Michael Pollan’s Food Rules. I’m also continuing my way through In Defense of Food. I’ve love to read The Omnivore’s Dilemma, but I may have to move away from Pollan so I can get another author’s opinion.
This was a really difficult post to write because I didn’t know how to summarize my thoughts. Though it was a 5 day personal challenge, I feel like I’m beginning another leg of my healthy journey. I’m enthusiastic and excited. I’m looking forward to discovering new and better ways to eat and exercise. Change is hard, but I’m willing to work on making personal improvements a little bit at a time.
COMMENTS
14 Comments
1. Lisa
March 4th, 2010 04:31 PM
wow no eggs either! That’s pretty good. I’m gonna have to find your black bean burgers for my Meatless Mondays. They looked pretty tasty.
2. Caitlin @ Right Foot Forward
March 4th, 2010 05:24 PM
Great post on your reflections. I have seen Food, Inc and was seriously disturbed by some of the informatin in it. I’m a bit disappointed in myself though, because I haven’t made any serious changes in my diet regarding meat.
You’ve got to read The Omnivore’s Dilemma! It was my favorite Pollan book. Take a break from him and then come back to it.
3. kate
March 4th, 2010 06:01 PM
“For the time being, I will continue to eat meat. But I will do my best to buy from respectful and responsible companies. I’d prefer to eat local, clean, and sustainable foods. I don’t want to fill my body with highly processed foods containing crazy chemicals. I also refuse to eat foods that were obtained in harsh ways.”
Love this- it sums up my views on meat eating as well and is why I decided to go from a vegetarian to a conscious meat eater!
4. Julie
March 4th, 2010 07:25 PM
I still haven’t finished my Michael Pollan books.
I loved your summary and reading it reminded me of how I’ve fallen off a bit on my “no highly processed foods” thing. I know it’s not an excuse, but it’s easier for me to eliminate some precessed foods (bars, cereal) in the summer because I eat a ton of fresh fruit for snacks. I need to be more mindful of my choices!
Read fast food nation!! It’s good. I have it too, so I’ll let you borrow it!
5. Lauren @ Eater not a runner
March 4th, 2010 08:09 PM
I think this is a great post! You sound so excited and that is awesome. Now all I have to do is rent Food Inc.
6. Kelly
March 4th, 2010 08:12 PM
Great post! I have been really curious about your thoughts on the challenge. I am also working my way through In Defense of Food and I really like it so far. My current balance right now is that probably 3-4 days a week I don’t eat meat. Not necessarily on purpose, I just like beans and tofu and pasta/veggies
For me it’s about health, convenience (I don’t like to go to the grocery store a million times) and for some of the moral concerns you have talked about. I don’t think I could ever give up meat forever though.
7. Patricia @ RunFoodieRun.com
March 4th, 2010 09:54 PM
Congrats on the challenge! I can’t even imagine how much there is to learn, so I think you did a great job reflecting on what you did take from it!
I don’t know if I could ever do that, but I’m sure with more information, it would be a more manageable thing too? I hope to be as brave as you and maybe do a challenge of my own one day!
On a different note, I was wondering if you would consider posting something about a raffle I’m holding? I’m doing a Garmin 305 Forerunner Raffle on my blog. You can find the info at http://runfoodierun.com/raffle/. Let me know if that’s okay with you! Thanks so much!
Patricia
8. Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine
March 4th, 2010 10:31 PM
Glad you enjoed Food, Inc! You definitely took some great things away from it…though I love being veggie, I think omnivore diets can be equally awesome as long as people are educated about what they’re eating! Have a great Friday!
9. Shannon
March 5th, 2010 05:41 AM
I have read both of Michael Pollan’s books, but I have still not watched Food Inc. I need to get on that. I don’t eat meat very often….maybe once a month, if that. BUt I also do really crave it. If I did, I would do exactly what you said and try to be as cognizant as possible about where my meat was coming from.
10. Naomi(onefitfoodie)
March 5th, 2010 08:42 AM
wow this was a graet post, I am so thrilled for you that you are learning new ways to eat and exercise. Personal challenges are some times the hardest type. awesome job, girl!
11. Kyle
March 5th, 2010 09:29 AM
Re: corn, my dad recently read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” and that was all he could talk about after – we eat so much corn without realizing it! I don’t know why, but that fact has really stuck with me (and I haven’t even read the book!). Perhaps it was simply the new knowledge that I knew pretty much NOTHING about what I was eating, even though I thought I did. Crazy!
I have, though, read “In Defense of Food,” and it’s a great one – a really quick read, too.
12. Jenna
March 5th, 2010 09:41 AM
You got a lot more out of your veg experience than me! When I did it, it was all about losing weight. This was way more meaningful! Very cool
13. MelissaNibbles
March 5th, 2010 10:31 AM
Great post. It sounds like the challenge changed your way of thinking for the better.
Reading food labels is VERY important. You’re going to be surprised to see that high fructose corn syrup is in EVERYTHING from ketchup to supposedly-good-for-you yogurt and peanut butter. I’m interested to see what changes you make to your diet.
14. Fiona Fit :)
March 6th, 2010 07:10 PM
great job! What else did you use for protein, besides beans?