I wasn’t really a vegetarian. Rather, I was a pescotarian, which meant I still ate fish. That is, until now. Starting from this month, September, I’ll be trying to go without fish, in addition to the meat.
If this shift goes as expected, I’ll be a lacto-ovo vegetarian. It’s the convenience of tuna that makes it a hassle to give up, but I much prefer eating meat to tuna. So I think that should be an much easier change than making the initial shift to pescotarianism. Without tuna however, my beloved subs are going to get a lot more bland. My morning egg and tuna burger costs me only 30NT dollars, but without the tuna, I’m not sure what else I’d eat. I already eat far too many eggs! That breakfast meal is the only place I’ll really miss the tuna though, so I should be okay.
My main reasons for giving up meat have been the undeniable environmental reasons. Reading The Food Revolution by John Robbins has really cemented in my values and reinforced my decision. I was comfortable continuing to eat fish, because as I understand it, fish aren’t nearly as bad as meat products with regards to their environmental impact. I used to believe that we can’t farm the ocean in the same way we do the land, and we can’t use the ocean for growing crops. Still the book has changed my thinking somewhat and opened my eyes to the realities of fish farming, and the inevitable freak feeding of these fish. But I certainly don’t feel as motivated to give up fish as I did meat; having said that, the process will still be easier, as I don’t particularly like fish!
The concern I have over giving up tuna are with regards to my health. I’ve heard that protein isn’t as necessary to development as the bodybuilding/meat industries would have us believe. Still, I think that tuna is a very convenient source of protein, and I do need to consume a lot of protein for my muscle development. I shall see, I suppose.
So far, becoming a pescotarian hasn’t really affected my health one way or another. I can’t honestly say there has been too much difference on a day to day level. I’m kind of disappointed actually, as I’d hoped all this sacrifice would have some benefit. I’ve heard that the health benefits really take off when you make the shift to vegan. This however, is a bigger shift than I can see myself making at this point in time. If I do make this change, it will come after another two month adjusting period, so I won’t think about it too much just yet.
But veganism deprives me of eggs and dairy products, which pretty much cover all of my favourite non-meat foods! Without eggs, breakfast becomes a major problem. I’m back to English/continental breakfasts – toast and more toast, which I love, but isn’t that nutritious, especially coupled with butter alone. Eggs are just the most convenient food there is, so much goodness in a small package. Plus, not eating eggs turns me into that guy, I start to cross the line where veganism just starts to inconvenience everyone, and most of all myself.
Yesterday, I ate three double egg burgers for breakfast, and was still hungry. I can put some of it down to the weight training, but I’ve always been a big eater. Without eggs, I seriously have problems getting enough nutrition.
I adore cereal. But due to the cost, I’ve never consistently eaten it in Taiwan. Cereal goes with milk, and milk alone. But I have gone for months at a time without cereal, and without cereal, I don’t have a huge desire to drink milk. So that should be okay.
But… the huge problem is cheese. Cheese for me is one of the greatest inventions in history. I adore cheese even over meat, and for me, it compliments any Western meal – although I’m not a big fan of cheesecake… No cheese means no more pizzas, lasagna or toasted mozzarella sandwiches from [one of my favourite restaurants in Taipei]. Or even the cheese curry that I enjoy here in Taiwan. Cheese is also a good source of protein, although I do know it’s not altogether good for you.
As I said, I can’t imagine being a vegan just yet. I could probably do it for a month, but the thought of depriving myself to that extent just seems almost masochistic to me, and unnecessary too. In fairness, most people feel the same way about giving up meat 
. I will probably try it though, but I’m almost hoping that the health benefits don’t exist so that I can continue to eat pizza and cheese in blissful ecstasy.
Are you a vegan or vegetarian? If you are, how did you make the initial jump? What was the hardest food to give up? Feel free to share a comment or two!
