I eat tons of fresh fruit and veggies but I'm not a vegetarian. Humans are evolved as omnivores and best of all, I like the taste of dead animal. I don't eat much beef due to fat content but sometimes a good steak tastes fantastic.
I've been mostly vegetarian for the last month or so, mainly as I figure it'll help me lose weight. And well, I guess it worked out ok for Scott Jurek, Caballo and many others!
The odd thing is, I thought I'd miss eating meat, but if anything I've actually gone off it rather than crave it.
The times I've eaten it have been for convenience as someone else has already cooked/ordered. I've eaten it but not really enjoyed it.
It's too early to say how much effect it's having, but I feel less bloated after meals if that makes any sense? I also feel my appetite has reduced/stabilised somewhat.
It won't necessarily help you lose weight, I know plenty of overweight and obese vegetarians. That is because, generally speaking, your carb intake goes up when you go vegetarian. Just don't eat too many bread products. The fiber in the fruits and veggies is what helps stabilize digestion, and absorption, and therefore appetite.
I've just booked a veggie meal on my flight to Australia
It's still going to be disgusting. Sorry.
I know, but at least it won't have disgusting unidentifiable meat in it, just disgusting unidentifiable veggies.
I looked across at someones kosher meal on one flight and that looked much better
Oh, gosh - my experience has been more like "What is in this disgusing steamed patty that reeks of garlic powder and onion powder?" Lentils? TVP? Is it falafel?!?! But, yeah, it's not going to be worse than the meat meals, I don't think. They looked pretty bad too. Too bad you can't take gels anymore or you could just eat Gu the whole time. I bring the motherlode of Clif bars every time I travel.
I've just downloaded three great papers on the nutritional aspects of vegetarian diets, one general, two athlete specific all focussing on the adequacy of the diet, macro- and micronutrients, minerals intake, effect on athletic performance etc and it's been a very interesting read.
Over here in the UK it's national vegetarian week and I've mainly stuck to it. Unfortunately I'm with a client this week and I'd not specified vegetarian, so I've had soem meat and fish at lunch. Dinner today, for example has been fresh and dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
I'm happier now that I've read those papers and am seriously considering restricting my meat intake considerably if not eliminating it completely. I just need to wok out how to do it easily while travelling.