Let me start at the beginning. There was a Biggest Loser Club formed at our church at the start of the year. Each week we receive a new "health challenge", which sometimes I follow and sometimes I don't. This last week's challenge intrigued me. The challenge was to eat "no meat."
I was almost afraid to tell my husband of the 7 day adventure I was about to embark on. We both come from red meat-loving families. The Hanks Family used to raise and slaughter cattle (sorry Marc...a story for another time).
This was the breakdown of my week:
My staples:
- salad
- nuts
- eggs
- cheese
- milk
The verdict?
I love meat. I could never be a full-fledged vegetarian.
I am, however, grateful I took the challenge. I realize I eat way too much meat. I thought more about the food I was putting into my body this past week more than I have at probably any other time in my life. There were many times I chose healthier alternatives. I ate more vegetables, fruits, and healthy nuts.
The resolution:
I will eat less meat (especially red). I will cook healthier alternatives for my family (much to my husband's dismay). We will fill our bodies with more good, nutritious, raw foods, and less caloric-dense processed foods with additives.
Please cheer us on. We need all the help we can get.
Postscrip...The family didn't exactly follow this with me. They did, however, eat what meatless meals I made for dinner.
Also, I ate fish. I have a hard time putting fish in the meat category.
8 comments:
I love you had the courage to try! It sounds like you may some great goals for your whole family as well. Of course you know me, I am all about limiting meat!
As far as recommendations about milk...I have a few things. The first thing I would do is some research on feeding soy milk to little children. My opinion is that has much more negative than positive effects. It would be worth your time to look into. Ellery had a milk allergy until she was 3. I used to feed her quite a bit of soy, and I had quite a bit myself. I did a little research on it, and none of us eat any soy anymore. So some other alternatives that are high in fat...
I would try feeding him cashew milk or coconut milk.
Cashew milk is very easy to make. Buy some raw cashews, soak 1 cup for an hour or so. Then blend them up with 1-2 cups of water, depending on how creamy. Cashew are so soft they don't require any straining. You could also add a little vanilla, salt, and a sweetener like pure maple syrup. Chill or warm. You could also add a little powdered baking cocoa for a chocolate flavor, or orange juice concentrate to be similar to an orange julius. Cashews are very healthy and would have the fat he is missing. I use cashew milk as a cream base for all my soups and ice creams, sauces etc.
For coconut milk, use raw unsweetened coconut. Combine equal amounts of water and coconut in blender. Start with maybe 2 cups of each. Add a dash of salt, and a little vanilla and maple syrup again, if he like things sweet. Blend well. Then strain through a couple layers of cheesecloth. This is also higher in fat, and has a flavor he might like.
This is what I can think of for the higher fat alternatives. The rice milk and almond milk are usually quite watered down and low fat. Let me know if you try anything and have any success.
Way to GO!!! You have great willpower....When we come down next lets barbeque up some steaks with the FAM!!!! We have been watching Jamie Oliver's food revolution and I ask myself each time I cook..."Would Jaimie approve of this meal...sometimes he would and sometimes not so much...It is better to have tried and failed than to not have tried at all!
Love it! So, the real question is, did it affect your weight loss?
Carly...I think so. I think I lost a pound. Hey, I talked to Steph...you can borrow the Bumbo. Come get it anytime.
I do not endorse my wife's post or any comments written on this topic. For the record, I enjoy all meats. I think meat is delicious. If everything could be made out of meat....even better. I love my wife and she is right 99 percent of the time but i think she got this one wrong. However, I do concur with Rebecca's comment about soy milk...gross!!
i would love to hear more of your week.
what recipes did you use?
and that husband of yours cracks me up!
Go Megan! It would be hard to make my family be vegetarians and I could never give up fish or a good meatlovers pizza at least once every couple of months. Prime Rib is really yummy too. I do however LOVE vegetarian sandwiches! I think you were awesome to do it for a whole week!
Post a Comment