#162: Going plant based
In the last year I have been changing my diet.
I began trying to cut out some meat from my diet, whilst still eating fish.
I started experimenting with meat alternatives that I’d never tried before; Tofu, veggie sausages etc
I can’t remember the exact moment I started making the shift, it may have come directly after a David Attenborough documentary., but I remember consciously deciding with Sarah to eat less meat.
The initial desire for me was to start to make a small change that may positively impact the health of the planet and whilst at the time I did still want to eat meat, I felt like I could make the sacrifice and “do my bit”
For about a year my diet was roughly; Monday-Friday: Pescetarian and whatever I liked at the weekend.
My rationale for this was that when I was cooking for myself I’d be Vegetarian, yet when in social situations or able to eat out at restaurants, I’d treat myself to whatever I wanted, or whatever everyone else was having.
I was avoiding the possibility of awkwardness, difficulty and difference in being the odd one out in a group, or having to withstand inquiry as to my dietary choices. Partly I wasn’t ready to give up meat entirely, yet the bigger reason was that I wanted to avoid inspection and potential judgement by whoever I might be eating with.
Then came Seaspiracy the fear-mongering Netflix documentary about the state of the Oceans and global over-fishing. I’ve done no further research on global fishing, yet that documentary was enough to put me off eating packeted Fish from a Supermarket for life. I think the thing with that documentary for me is that I watched it and deep down on some level, knew it was true. Or it felt true to me, so I had to stop eating Fish.
Then followed; Conspiracy and Game Changers. Two more Netflix documentaries on the environmental impact of food, where Game Changers tables more of an individualistic focus on the health benefits on humans.
I came away from Game Changers and other reading very curious about the positive impact of a plant based diet on my health. It spoke to my self-interest and desire to preserve my life and be the fittest, healthiest version of me. Again, the sensationalist documentary felt true to me on some basic level, that eating plants might be healthier for me than eating the meat of an animal that has been eating plants all it’s life.
I’ve been “Vegan-Curious” for about 3 years but was put off by others who had made those dietary choices. I had interactions with some people where I felt judged for my choices and felt pushed into a corner. It’s not that the rationale for being plant based isn’t right, it’s that it’s huge lifestyle change and on some level I felt threatened.
I felt scared of what it would mean to change my diet. I was afraid of losing weight, losing muscle, losing energy. I was afraid of not knowing what to cook, what to eat, of going hungry. I was afraid of what my family and friends would think or if I’d have to be the “weird one” at Christmas.
The intellectual rationale for a plant-based diet to me is very obvious, yet the actual emotions that it brings up for me are quite intense and quite a lot. It’s a huge change and a huge impact on your life. We eat 3-4 times a day and base our lives really around food, so to change the fabric of that is absolutely massive.
I understand the urgency and anger that there’s not enough focus on the climate crisis at a government or political level, yet I believe we have to remember that on an individual level for all of us, changing our diet is something we probably never expected to have to do in our lifetime.
I have grown up eating meat with most meals, as have my parents, as did their parents parents and beyond. This is 100s of years of tradition and culture around food. Something that brings us together for ritual and celebration.
When our diet choices are challenged, I think on some level we feel like we’re being challenged. Our upbringing, time with our family, our Mum’s famous Roast dinners. It might sound as simple as buying a Beyond Meat burger over a Tesco Finest Angus Beef Burger, but it’s so much more than that.
I’ve done a lot of reflection on what going to a fully plant based diet will mean for me. I’ve thought about the social impact on friends and family and how I’ll have to become more confident leading my own life and standing by my own choices.
I’ve thought about the impact it’ll have on my body and that I may well lose weight initially as I come to terms with a new diet and how being “skinny” doesn’t make me any less of a man.
I’ve thought about my health too and whether cutting out meat will make me more likely to become ill, or if I’ll miss out on any important nutrients, vitamins etc and how I’ll have to actually learn more about nutrition and what my body needs.
I’m interested in how this topic feels similar to money in a way, how I recently realised how little I know about money and economics. I know very little about nutrition too really. I do know a decent amount about the human body from GCSE Biology at school, yet I know very little about nutrition and what we put into our bodies on a daily basis.
I don’t write this to preach about a plant based diet and the subject title alone will have been enough for some people to unsubscribe. There is a lot of shame and judgement surrounding this topic.
I write this to simply share my experience and what diet choices I am making. Every reader here is an adult, responsible for their own choices. If you’re angry at this post or are having a strong reaction to it, I invite you to have a think about what that might be about, before you possibly hit unsubscribe.
I hope it’s writing or stories like this that we have more of. Just stories, experiences, personal, authentic to each of us. I don’t have a vested interest in what anyone here decides to eat. I have a certain belief and I’m making choices in my own life, that’s it.
What I do know though, is that food brings up a lot for us all and I’ve been surprised at how evocative this topic was for me that I was unaware of especially around masculinity, body image, health and confidence.
Just like with everything else I write, I’d only hope this post sparks some reflection or inquiry for you, that alone would be awesome.
I write this with plenty of imperfection, who knew Pain au Chocolat’s weren’t Vegan friendly ;)
Cheers,
James x
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