Friday, November 05, 2010

Another Meat-Eating Update

So about 6 weeks ago I saw a post on facebook for a vegetarian contest. It was for meat eaters who could pledge during the month of October to go meat free for one day, one week or one month. The prize varied depending on how many days you were willing to go meat-free; the longer, the more money. It was a random drawing but the catch was it was the honor system. So should you win, before the awarded you the money, you had to promise that you actually went meat-free for the time you said you would. So I signed up and decided to go meat-free for one week. (In case you are on pins and needles waiting to hear if I won, I didn't-there's a whole 'nother point to this story.) Fast forward about 3 weeks when I remembered that I signed up for this contest but hadn't actually gone meat-free yet. I definitely wanted to do it because all of you know if I didn't then I would win, but have to be honest and wouldn't actually get the money. Fortunately I remembered about the contest with 8 days left in October. So the next day I started meat free, with exactly one week left in the month: October 25th. I went meat free the whole week. It wasn't hard at all. I have stuck very resolutely to my decision to not buy meat, so we haven't cooked with it in 2 or 3 weeks. So eating not eating meat at home was a breeze. We only went out I think one time during the whole week, so again, pretty easy (especially since we had pizza) to eat meat free there. I did have to overcome the actual temptation of it-and it was for sure a temptation (BBQ chicken pizza, buffalo wing pizza, pepperoni with jalapenos...mmm) but for the most part it was okay. So the week was over but I kept on the momentum of not having meat; mainly because I hadn't eaten out and it was easy. Yesterday a friend and I had lunch out at Red Robin and I replaced my meat patty for a veggie one. Simple swap, but for me took some guts (I think because by swapping it out, I was calling attention to my eating habits and frankly, I'd rather just blend into the woodwork.) The cool thing was that on the way home I was thinking about what I did and wondering how I would have felt had I just eaten the meat. And for a split second I could picture the meat so clearly-what I looked, tasted and smelled like. I could practically feel myself having a bite. And you know what? It made me feel sick to my stomach! This is a good thing! Because as you know, I want nothing more than to give up meat but I'm having such a hard time doing it. So for my body to make the choice for me is golden! So today is day 12 on no meat. I'm hoping this is it for me. The real test will come when I am actually...well...tested. When I go to someones house and there are absolutely no veggie options and I'm stuck in a corner eating bread crusts salivating over everyone else's plates. Or at Thanksgiving, again, when there are only one or two veggie options and I'm basically left out. So we'll see what happens when those true temptations arrive. But so far, good progress.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I don't think it'll be that bad at thanksgiving b/c mom and i are both there so you won't be alone

Nicole said...

I'm curious to know how the veggie patty compared to the meat one at Red Robin.