by Josh Weimer, assistant online editor
Lately I have heard a lot of buzz about the vegetarian diet. There are many reasons to try out this diet, like discouraging animal cruelty, encouraging weight loss and creating an overall healthier diet. Due to these reasons, and others, I decided to attempt being vegetarian. Rather than talking about why I decided to try this diet, I will talk about my experiences as a vegetarian.
One of the immediate dietary challenges I faced was the lack of meat in my diet. This proved to be more of an inconvenience than an actual problem. By not eating meat I was forced to choose my meals more wisely. Foods like pasta and pizza began to replace chicken strips and hamburgers. French fries and chips disappeared as I switched to salads and fresh fruit. I soon realized that not eating meat wasn’t even a challenge, provided I had options to replace it. And, without intending to have a healthier diet, I began to do so by simply removing meat from meals.
Another thing I have noticed about my meals is that I no longer have the weighed down/tired feeling I used to get after eating a lot of meat. After meals I now tend to feel refreshed and full of energy, ready to move on with whatever activities I please. This is a welcome change from needing to digest for an hour before resuming physical activity. Since fruits, vegetables and grains are so light on my stomach, I find digestion quicker and easier.
Something that surprised me about the vegetarian diet was that I maintained my normal energy levels. I thought that the lack of meat proteins would cause me to have less energy, but this wasn’t the case at all. In fact I was able to play four hour long soccer games in two days without barely feeling any muscle soreness. This surprised me, as I am not very fit and don’t usually exercise nearly as much as I did over those two days.
I also heal more quickly since I’ve made the switch to eating vegetarian. I am still unsure why, but I have noticed this especially with muscle soreness. On my old diet (eating meat), it usually took about three to four days for sore muscles to heal. However, since I have gone vegetarian, sore muscles heal in less than a day, which shocked me. But this is beyond just sore muscles. I recover quickly from normal sicknesses such as the common cold also. I am still unsure why this is, but I have proved this in multiple cases.
I must admit, there are a few downsides I experienced with the vegetarian diet, the main one being inconvenience. Since eating vegetarian is quite restrictive, it was difficult to find a place eat while traveling on my summer vacations. Many times during vacation my meals were cheese pizza or the one salad the restaurant served that wasn’t topped with chicken or salmon. But at home this was not a problem at all, as I had access to much more variety.
Even though I have been vegetarian for a month, I am not against earring meat entirely. It is likely that I will eat meat on occasion, as the vegetarian diet can be very inconvenient and difficult at times. Other than the diet being inconvenient, I see no reason to stop.
In conclusion, I have really enjoyed being a vegetarian, and I will likely continue to be primarily vegetarian. I realize that this diet is not for everyone, but I thought it was an interesting experience. Despite its few downsides, I found it rewarding to try eating vegetarian. If you have been thinking about trying the vegetarian diet, I highly recommend it.
