Veggie verdict.....

So our vegetarian experiment has ended and I have to say that I'm surprised how easy it was. I guess that makes sense as we hadn't been eating much meat. Still, eating no meat is a considerable step away from eating some. After careful consideration and analysis of the data we have decided to go down the vegetarian path. That is, meat and fish are out but we are still partaking of dairy and eggs. Thinking back I remembered wondering how people were able to give up meat. And yes now I've revised my perspective on the issue but I really can't imagine giving up dairy and eggs. Mostly because I'm crazy about cheese, yogurt, ice cream and scrambled eggs. :)

Since making this decision I've experienced some of those initial experiences of having to scrutinize food to know whether it's an option for me. For example, last week our Animal Ethics Committee, to which I'm the postgrad student representative, was invited to have a catered lunch with a group of folks from the National Animals Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC). NAEAC provides advice to the Ministry of Primary Industries on issues related to animal ethics and welfare. This group was visiting Victoria to learn about our animal facilities; they even visited our rat lab. 

When we met for lunch I remember peering at the offerings on the platters and wondering if I would be to tell the veggie and non-veggie options apart. In the end I made an educated guess and after introducing myself to one of the women in the group I asked her if there was meat in the little quiche she was eating. She said no and I was happy to find that my choices were indeed veggie. Not that it was unexpected but it just reinforced the fact that eating vegetarian is a very different way of approaching food. I'm finding the mental exercise an interesting experience.

As part of a separate issue I've realized that over the last several months I haven't been eating particularly healthy. In short, I want to change that and feel better. This decision has made me scrutinize the type of food and drink I consume as well as providing motivation to plop myself on the treadmill a few times each week. It's time to be healthy. 

With that said I'd like to clarify that I haven't made the decision to become a vegetarian because I think it's inherently healthy. I suffer no delusions that vegetarianism is, in and of itself, a healthier lifestyle choice than choosing to eat meat. Done incorrectly it can be incredibly unhealthy. So I am pursuing these two separate issues, eating vegetarian and becoming healthier, at the same time recognizing that one doesn't beget the other. They can both be part of a healthy lifestyle but the onus is on me to actually make it happen. Here's to health!