I’m an Unhappy Vegetarian

More Tomatoes photo by GoErinGoI’m an unhappy vegetarian. There, I said it. I’ve been vegetarian (no meat or fish, but dairy and eggs) since the day I stepped back on American soil more than 9 months ago.

I know I’m unhappy because I salivate at commercials from Outback, Chili’s and Applebee’s. Seriously, watching the televised treats from The Olive Garden almost kills me.

Now, we can all admit that these are disgusting restaurants. And yet, when I see the image of a juicy burger or thick rare steak or chicken parmesan, it’s all I can do to stop myself from jumping in the car, plopping myself in a booth, and ordering enough hot wings for 4 people. It’s torture.

Diet Deliberations

Salad Bowl photo by GoErinGoSo let’s just say I’m highly unsatisfied with my diet. Part of it I know is physical and I’ve been working hard at getting healthy by eating enough protein and taking vitamins supplements. This way at least I’ll have the strength to resist these unrefined culinary cravings.

The other half is purely psychological. And while I’m not tempted to go back to my meat-eating ways, I’m also not having much fun. When I go to a restaurant, I basically look at everything I can’t eat on the menu, then assess the salad options and one pasta dish that I can eat.

It’s almost enough to drive me to drink. And while vodka certainly isn’t a source of protein, at least I can request a martini with three olives to happily munch on…

No Nutritional Value

After struggling for six months, I hired a nutritionist to try and figure out my new vegetarian diet. Her basic assessment was that I was so sick that she couldn’t help me. (Hence my blood work and the discoveries of the lingering parasites and amoebas.) So, while she didn’t help me with meal planning, she did help me find the blood-sucking leeches living in my stomach.

Flexitarian Frustration

After getting bug-free, I thought I’d go on a “healthy” living kick and tried the Flexitarian diet, specifically for vegetarians. I tried it for more than 2 weeks and lost 1 pound. (I swear, I stuck to it to the letter!) Unfortunately, the recipes were pretty tasteless too.

Now I’m trying a diet low in carbs and almost no dairy. I’m also substituting a protein shake for one meal a day. I’m getting used to it. I’m not too hungry and the wanna-be milkshake is somewhat satisfying.

Bootcamp Brawn

The core of my “Get Healthy” campaign is boot camp three times a week. I’m all over the circuit training and cardio and weightlifting. A side benefit I didn’t expect are the new friends I’m making at the gym. It’s especially nice to see the other gals a few mornings a week, when otherwise I’m locked in the house nose-to-nose with the computer and my book editing deadlines.

Animal Worship

The good news is, that despite my waning taste buds, I’ve never been tempted to go back to eating meat. My love and respect for animals is holding firm. Although truth be told, I can barely trust myself at a BBQ.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 26th, 2013 and is filed under Food & Drink.

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