To get more info on the realities of this lifestyle I asked my dedicated flexitarian friend Archana, the foodie force behind Lettuce Veg, an awesome blog about life as a restaurant-loving, marathon-running semi-vegetarian, to answer all our questions about living in this meal middle ground. Read on for her answers and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Why "flexitarian"? Why not just pick meat-eater or vegetarian?
Being flexitarian means you get the best of both worlds - nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables along with iron- and protein-dense meat. And as every vegetarian knows, getting enough protein is a huge challenge. Incorporating a bit of meat into my diet has been an easy way to solve that problem. It wasn't a matter of introducing something new into my diet because I used to eat meat when I was younger. But they say your taste buds change every seven years, and mine certainly did. I no longer have the same taste for meat, so meat has become less the focus of my meals. But I still crave certain foods like cheeseburgers and chicken tikka masala, and having a flexitarian diet allows for all of that. As for seafood, as I know some people are pescatarians (a mostly vegerarian diet that incorporates seafood), I've just never taken to seafood so I can't count on fish as an option. On a side note, meat and seafood is generally more expensive than veggie dishes so being flexitarian can be recession-chic, too!
How often do you eat meat?
About every two weeks. I tend to cook most of my meals and because my mom is vegetarian, I grew up knowing more about cooking vegetables, whole grains and legumes than meat. But how often I eat meat totally depends on my mood. If it feels like a cheeseburger day, so be it! At the same time, I try to choose quality meats when I do. Grass-fed, free-range, organic - those are all key words for me.
What's the biggest challenge to being semi-vegetarian?
I think it's hardest for my friends since I don't have very many vegetarians in my life, and where they eat often depends on my mood. If I feel like a carnivore one night, it makes finding a restaurant or cooking a meal a lot easier. But if I'm not, finding somewhere with options for all of us can be tough. It's probably the hardest for my boyfriend, a typical Southern boy who loves his meat. But I try to address that dilemma on my blog with restaurant recommendations that can hopefully please everyone.
At first I didn't realize how much more aware I needed to be of my protein intake. Without enough, I was super sluggish. But once I equipped my kitchen with beans, eggs, yogurt, nuts, quinoa (one of my faves!) and the occasional meat product, I noticed a distinct difference in the way my body felt. I now feel more energized, have lost excess weight from college and feel like a well-oiled machine. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that when you're not making meat the focus of your meal, you're more conscious of getting other all-star foods, like veggies and whole grains, into your diet. At the same time, by not eating completely vegetarian, I can take advantage of the nutrients that are so rich in meat and hard to find elsewhere (i.e. iron).
What's a typical day of eating like for you?
For breakfast I love whole wheat waffles topped with bananas and agave maple syrup with a side of nonfat Greek yogurt drizzled with honey. Lunch would be whole wheat pasta tossed with veggies, meatless meatballs, olive oil and spices. To fight the afternoon lull, I love a lowfat string cheese with whole grain crackers and some fruit. Dinner is anything from a veggie burrito to tofu stir fry with brown rice to eggplant parmesan. And I have to end the day with something sweet, whether it's a cupcake, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie or frozen yogurt. Like they say, life is short, eat dessert instead!
- Self
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