Why Should I Be A Vegetarian?

 Is Vegetarianism a wise choice?

I am fairly new to the whole vegetarian lifestyle. It has been a few years since I initially became fully aware of the crap food I was eating and the effect on my body and decided to make a change. More recently I began to implement a vegetarian mindset into my diet. In the last 2 months, I admit I have eaten meat, but only for 3 meals (when it was inconsiderate and easier in the situation as to not be a pain in the ass). I would consider my diet at the moment to be 99% vegetarian. I have no craving for any meat, even though being an omnivore all my life I know how good it can taste.

There are different types of Vegetarian diets, and I chose the Ovo-Lacto type. This basically means I will eat eggs and dairy. This is purely a choice based on nutrition. I have always consumed a lot of these and to block them out would not only restrict my efforts for a healthy lifestyle and also drive me nuts.

There is also the Vegan camp who choose no animal products whatsoever. I disagree with Veganism, and this is because all the vegans I have met seem pale and malnutritioned. Obviously those who know the diet type well and do enough research can lead a full and healthy life as a vegan but the majority do not, and this isnt safe. Fair play to you if you do.

When I first started reading up on Veganism I came across this video, and yes, it is shocking and yes it did change my mind. If you're not easily shocked, its well worth the time to watch it all. Bear in mind it is taking place in a vegan restaurant and is slightly biased but a good vid anyways.

But the main reason for taking on a 99% vegetarian diet is a combination of my first hand experiences in the food trade and my attitude towards sports performance.

Where Does Meat Come From?

I have seen many abbatoirs and farms, and many are clean and well looked after. However I have seen a lot, and many more are filthy. They often smell unpleasant and I have seen plenty of common practices involving the carcasses of animals to be prepared for food which have knocked me sick, because I never stopped to think about it beforehand. Most people choose not to, and thats fine. But for those who are interested, they will definately find vegetarianism the more appealing choice.

Another disturbing video - discretion is advised, but it is very well known amongst the veggie community.

Sports & Veggies

There is nothing anywhere to say that an athlete needs to eat meat. Yes its easy for protein and you get a big hit of vitamins but there is also the bad side such as cholesterol and contamination through the food chain (take mercury in tuna for example).

My aim was to lose weight for a cycling tour. I weighed nearly 14 stone and that was gonna kick my ass on the big climbs up mountains, and vegetarianism has helped me shift 1-2lb's of bodyweight a week for the past 3 months, and long may it continue!

For cycling, the main nutrient needed for performance in my experience is sugar, in the form of glucose and dextrose. These are fast acting and can supply your muscles with the fuel you need for a full days riding, or as a quick shot before and intense period.

For bodybuilding however, sugar is generally not very welcome. It is know sugars can spike insulin and unless you know about insulin spiking, its best left alone. Bear in mind there is 4 calories per gram of sugar also, and when that could be substituted for the equivalent in protein, sugar doesnt really have a place.

Protein can be sourced quite easily when you think about it. Whey protein is more popular than ever, its quick, convenient, and it works. Eggs, if you still want to eat them are a staple bodybuilders go to food. Other foods such as tofu, beans, quinoa, lentils, cheese, milk and many many more also pack more than a good share of protein so as long as you are careful and count the amounts you eat, you are good to go. Bear in mind beans and the like tend to not be complete protein, so you have to mix and match to get all of the types of amino acids which make it up.

 Basically it is up to you and your opinions.

Dont be pressurised into eating meat, many people wont understand your choices.

Know your reasons, so if people ask, give them a good answer.

Know your goals. Why are you going veggie?

 

 

 Here's just a few of the thoughts I went through before changing my diet.

The Pros and Cons of a Veggie Diet

 Pro's:

• Eating less or no meat and replacing these parts with extra veg or fruit allows higher quantities of plant based vitamins and minerals to enter your system.
• Meat takes longer than fruit or veg to digest.
• Eating gram for gram meat or veggies, veggies will fill you up more. 100g of Broccoli is a bigger volume of food than 100g of Steak.
• Free your mind from the suffering that would have happened to an animal when it was slaughtered should you be now chewing on its muscle fibre....
• Increased digestive health
• Find food sources out in the open should you be stuck. Cant just grab a leg of lamb on the road. The lamb will most probably object unless you're the Bear Grylls type and ready to slaughter and prepare your own food.
• Your food wont have come from an abbatoir with suspect standards.
• Most of your food will be low fat.

Con's:

• Those who eat meat have easy access to high levels of protein
• There is also quite a substantial amount of naturally occuring creatine in products such as beef.
• Fruit and Veg isnt perfect, and can contain pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified products.
• Organic foods are generally more expensive.
• You may have to supplement with multivitamins
• Its easy to get stuck in a cycle of the same food
• Friends and family might not accept the change initially