Just Plants and Fish
New Years resolutions suck. That's why I don't do them. But I do try to challenge myself continuously throughout the year, starting in January. Sound familiar? What is your promise to yourself starting in 2022? No alcohol for a month? No chocolate? Gonna stop eating every day by 6 pm and just have water and lemon for the rest of the evening?
How we frame this "resolution" can make all the difference. Rather than focusing on what we're giving up, let's try to focus on what we're including. And for Mabel and I, we're including a buttload of fish (hello potential mercury poisoning!) and plants (big green ones and everything in between). Yep - that's right people. This year, as was previously done in 2018? 2019? my fellow nutrition queen Mabel Lee (along with another registered dietitian recruit) are doing the pescetarian challenge for the entire month of January.
Why are we doing this? Because challenges are fun. They make us push our own limits all for the sake of health and wellness. I should preface this by saying how much we both love meat. Being of Italian descent, the focus is usually on sausage, meatballs, and luscious steak. I switched out these choices for leaner options like seafood, tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, etc. Also, we’re mostly doing this to make our spouses crazy and encourage them to cook their own dinner 🙂. Kidding! But in all seriousness, Americans consume thee MOST meat (surpassed internationally only by Australia, though the 2 countries like to trade positions yearly), though beef intake has been somewhat declining, chicken intake is certainly on the rise. Sadly, fish and shellfish intake has been relatively stagnant over the past few decades.
Take a look at the graph below.
So why is this the case? Why do we like our meats so much? It’s delicious - for sure. For some folks, it just doesn’t feel like a complete meal without some form of animal protein. It’s taken some un-learning, but I’ve become satisfied with a plate which doesn’t include meat. It just takes a bit of practice and an emphasis on balance. Alternate sources of protein such as plants and fish are easily digestible and FUN to eat - I promise you. You can live without the meat. Take the challenge and start with one meatless day per week. Not only is it good for your body but consuming a plant-based diet will do wonders for the environment as vegan and vegetarian diets are associated with the greatest reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions.
