I'm transitioning into a pescatarian. It's something I've been considering for quite some time now.
Pescatarians are also known as fish eating vegetarians.
Why I'm doing this is a mixture of many reasons. The main one being that I want to eat more fruits and vegetables. Duh, right? I can no longer have chicken and rice, or steak and potatoes, or roast with veggies. I have to get most of my calories from other sources.
Another reason is the horrible things I've heard about the meat industry and the treatment of animals. Do we really know where that chicken breast came from? Animals, like humans, are also supposed to have joy! They are not to be raised horribly, put in poor conditions, then slaughtered wastefully.
I figure, if I'm not hungry enough, or willing to kill the animal myself, then I shouldn't eat it. That's where the fish come in. I am willing to go fishing. That being said, I don't like much fish besides sashimi (sushi), so I won't really be eating much of it any way.
I tried this new diet out for a week and this is what I've discovered:
*It's not difficult. I just have to be creative so that Lance doesn't think he's starving.
*Cafe Rio is not as good without meat. Have you tried their pork? Amazing. That is what I'll miss the most.
*Fast food isn't really an option. Do I really want to pay $5 for a mediocre salad that I could make way better at home? No, I do not. I love french fries, but they really aren't good for me either. Not having a big juicy burger makes me want to binge on fries. Bad idea. However, Taco Bell's veggie Cantina Bowl is not bad. Not great, but not bad.
*Zupas, our new go-to. We can always agree on going there. Plenty of options for both of us. Also, I didn't have to give up my favorites here (Nuts About Berries on mixed greens and Wisconsin Cauliflower soup).
*Carbs, the easy alternative. I'm trying to limit them, but when I've got 5 mins to find food, grilled cheese with tomato and some sort of fruit on the side seems to be my go to.
That's all I can think of right now. Also I typed this all up using my phone and it's taking forever.
Oh yeah, so far I've lost 2 pounds. That's a nice side effect.
A year and a half into this type of diet (minus the fish), and I'm still loving it. There is a whole world of food out there that Americans so often ignore in favor of the Standard American Diet (SAD) that is killing us.
ReplyDeleteSome other restaurant options:
Noodles and Company with tofu. It's REALLY good. (Or without tofu...but it's so good, lol).
Denny's. Not the healthiest, but pretty yummy, and they're happy to take the meat out of things I like, like their bacon breakfast burrito and Moons Over My Hammy. Both still taste great.
Beto's/Rancheritos/Alberto's They have the BEST vegetarian breakfast burritos at most locations. Ask for the Pico Salsa breakfast burrito. Richard and I share one and are full, and it's only $4.
Wendy's has their baked potatoes, and they'll also make you a veggie sandwich if you ask.
Subway. Either a veggie cheese sub, one of their omelet subs with no meat, or the veggie patty. Add all the veggies you want and play around with different sauces. Yummeh.
Long Life Vegi House. There's one in SLC. It's crazy good.
Most Asian buffets and take out places. They usually have a stir fry veggie option, and then there's steamed rice or noodles and veggie spring rolls.
Also, if you like Thai, there is Thai Village in AF. It has some pretty amazing veggie options, especially if you like yellow curry. YUM.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had the discipline to stick with this. I believe in your cause!
Thanks for the tips guys!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea! I try not to think about the treatment of animals. For me it's more about sustainability. It takes mucho resources to "grow" beef and chicken and pork compared to crops and fish. I've heard of people who train their bodies to need less food overall so they'll have a smaller impact on the environment. You're basically doing that on a smaller scale!
ReplyDelete