As part of my New Year’s resolutions this year, I have decided to go completely meatless for one month. My reasons are the following:
a. In the past few years, I’ve considered going vegetarian but giving up meat is really hard.
b. Reading about the way meat is processed freaks me out.
c. Coincidentally—the next 31 days is a test to see if I can completely fulfill my commitment.
I’ll be documenting the month through weekly blog posts, with updates on my progress. I’m not considering dairy as part of this goal, and while I rarely eat seafood, I’m going to tentatively include fish on the “ok” list.
The Prevent Cancer Foundation recommends a diet rich with fruits, vegetables and whole grains as well as cutting down intake of red and processed meats, which can increase your cancer risk. Fish or poultry are recommended over beef, pork or lamb. Preparing meat by baking, broiling, or poaching at lower temperatures, rather than by frying in fat or broiling/grilling at excessively high temperatures is a healthy alternative.
A little background on me:
I am not a huge meat eater. Both my parents have had high cholesterol and blood pressure throughout my childhood, so our family generally stuck to poultry and fish. Now, I think the hardest thing to give up will definitely be chicken—one of my main diet staples. Giving up cold cuts like turkey or ham sandwiches will also be challenging. And of course, that breakfast meat on the weekends will be missed.
My vegetarian month will also include dinner at our upcoming Spring Gala, which will be really difficult. (Last year’s menu included a sumptuous veal ravioli appetizer and filet mignon entrée)
The Goals of Meatless March:
a. Fulfill my commitment to go completely meatless for the entirety of the month of March.
b. Enrich and diversify my diet with new meat alternatives—exploring a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
c. Learn from my experience, make some kind of lasting change to my lifestyle and be more aware of healthy diet alternatives.
Wish me luck and keep checking in for my weekly updates!
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