As I have mentioned before, I am a healthy person and especially healthy about the foods I choose to put in my body. Being an athlete the majority of my life, I have always convinced myself that I need a ton of protein, especially that of red meat. I have also been told by many to keep eating meat to stay strong and keep all the necessary nutrients for running. For awhile in my life, I took those statements a little too literal and ate way too much meat for my needs. I would eat it multiple times a day and honestly, it was not helping my energy levels whatsoever.
After finishing my competitive career as a runner, I realized that my body no longer needed quite as much protein from meat. My metabolism changed quite a bit as I stopped exerting my body as frequently as I used to. Running less mileage and also less intense paces in turn led me to listen to my body in a different way. My appetite which generally is enormous became a little smaller (not significantly, I'd say I still probably am hungrier than the average person) but for me it went down. I also lost my appetite for so much meat and began to gradually cut out some of it from my diet.
I do not believe in just doing something cold turkey, I feel that drastic changes in something especially like your diet can make you ill. Even in leaning up, I gradually changed my eating habits and fitness routine and noticed slow changes in my fitness. Anything cold turkey generally results in a quick rebound and usually backfires. With my attempt to limit the amount of meat I was eating, I gradually cut it out, eating it every other day or every few days.
It wasn't until I watched the documentary "Forks over Knives" that my perspective on meat and the health of our nation really took a turn. I watched the documentary about 2 weeks ago and honestly felt a surge of passion after watching it ignite in me. I would advise anyone who has not seen it to watch it. There are scientific studies that show a huge correlation in the amount of dairy products our country consumes and the rates of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease that affect people's lives daily. The other interesting part of the documentary was that the rates of these diseases reversed when meat and dairy was reduced in a person's diet.
I want to be very careful in writing this post and make it clear that I am not saying that eating meat is bad and will lead you to diseases. I am saying that everything in moderation is a great mentality to live by and incorporating meat in your diet is probably beneficial to many assets of your health but the amount of meat and type of meat you eat is important.
Our country prides our HUGE portions at restaurants and grease filled plates. The sad thing is, this type of mentality not only effects us, but also the younger generations who are growing up thinking that this is the way to eat. I don't care if you are larger built or smaller built, I care about the actual health of your body and the way it functions. You could be a heavier person with a heart as strong as a horse and that is great! To me, health is not about your size but about your body and how well you fuel it to live efficiently.
The documentary talked about how wonderful a plant and whole food diet is to your health. Grains, greens, beans, nuts, and fruits are all wonderful for fueling you and keeping your heart healthy and strong. Lean proteins as well as vegetarian options often are all going to keep you feeling full as well as feeling strong. Am I saying never eat out at a fast food restaurant again? Of course not! I am saying everything in moderation is important and I would not recommend eating fast food multiple times a week. I would advise anyone reading this to watch the documentary and make your own opinion towards it. I know it effected my outlook on the way I perceive certain foods and I am continuing to learn which choices will benefit my health most in the future. Please let me know what you think of the documentary!
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