Putting a Cap on Meat Consumption

Steph and I tried excluding meat from our diets for two weeks. Read below to learn out about each of our experiences:

Growing up in a Malaysian-Chinese household, I primarily ate (what I now know) as a pescatarian diet. My family's (unintentional) pescatarian diet was a result of meat such as chicken, pork, and beef being more expensive, and that my parents thought fish and seafood was comparatively healthier. We only had meat at most, once a week, or during VERY special occasions. Looking back, I did crave meat often, especially in the form of chicken nuggets and cheeseburger, things that typically come to the mind of a child when thinking of fast food (another food designated for special occasions in my childhood - but not the point of this post!)

Fast forward to coming to America, the land of chicken nuggets and cheeseburger: chicken became my main source of protein. The locations of my undergraduate and graduate schools did and does not permit me to eat fish or other seafood frequently, because they are so expensive (completely the opposite of the society I grew up in). Interestingly, I was quite alright with eating that much chicken because they are so versatile! Chicken tenders, them nugs, fried chicken...need I go on? It is safe to say my love for fried chicken grew exponentially after trying some of the best fried chicken this country has to offer!

Oddly enough, recently, I notice myself feeling lethargic at the thought of eating chicken. Maybe I've had a chicken overdose. No official diagnosis available. This is when I considered other sources of protein and learned about how chicken farms and other meat farms are causing environmental issues (if you are not aware about said environmental issues, I encourage you to start researching!). I was also partially informed by the vegan trend that's been going on strong for the past five years. This lead me to think, what if Steph and I tried eating less meat, or in this case, no meat for two weeks?

Sure, I like to torture Steph but I was also messing with myself. Who am I to kid?! I.LOVE.WINGS.

Two weeks in, and I can confidently say I did not feel any different. Now, this could mean I am not as addicted to wings (or any other part of the chicken) like I thought or I found other sources of protein that satisfy me. During the two weeks, I ate plenty of shrimp and fish AND LOVED IT! It reminded me to home. Though others may have experienced a healthier, lighter feeling after excluding meat from their diet, I did not. Perhaps my body is just built differently.

Unfortunately, there were some downsides...my grocery bill and time spent cooking doubled, at the very least. It seems like living on a pescatarian diet in my part of the world is a privilege. If you have the money and the time, I highly recommend diversifying your diet to include more fish and seafood. However, because such foods are not as easily stored whether raw or cooked, you will have to put more thought about cooking times. You will probably also start paying more attention to price per pound when grocery shopping, because fish and seafood can get pricey!

As a global society, our meat consumption has been increasing at rates which overwhelm the planet. I think all of us can do our part, whether it is reducing consumption or selecting to support ethical meat farms. I understand how being a part of this movement requires more than just our mental commitment, and would never judge someone for choosing to live within their means! Try to do the best you can and I am sure, in some - or little - way, it will make a difference!

Stay cheeky,

Janelle

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We tried a pescatarian/vegetarian diet for two weeks. Unlike Janelle, I had a very hard time with this challenge. My body reacted poorly with this type of diet because I wasn’t putting enough food in my body. I needed that extra protein to be able to fully function. I’m a bigger person so I needed to intake more food but factors, like weather, prevented me from getting what I needed. Maybe I could’ve done better with it but life does pop up and doesn’t work out the way you planned.

One of the things we mention in the episode is that diets don’t work for everyone. You have to find what you like to eat and what makes your body feel good. If you want to give it a try, then start by changing one meal a week. If you like it, then keep going. If you don’t, then that’s okay. Just because it works for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. We are all different so find things that your body will enjoy!

Peace,

Stephanie

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Check out the episode mentioned in this post on your source of podcasts (ie. Spotify or Apple Podcasts) or the "Listen" page!