I am often asked the question: Why did you stop eating meat? The world is more vegan then ever! Yet it still seams to surprise people that I no longer eat meat.
It is actually something I have wanted to do for a long time, now I have been fully committed and I do not regret it! I actually wish I had done it sooner.
Quitting meat was also surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. See below for tips on how to cut out meat, but first let’s look at some of the reasons that contributed towards my choice and may offer you food for thought:
Reasons to Quit Meat
Mass produced
Days of the small family run farm are dwindling you may be surprised to find that most of the meat we consume, are from farm factories.
Animals in farm factories are overcrowded and crammed into small spaces, with little to non-animal welfare. Some animals are kept in dark containers, forced to fatten up ready to be killed without seeing one ounce of sunlight. Not to mention the force breeding that happens to these animals, so we can keep our shelves stocked.
When people don’t understand how crazy this mass production is, I ask them to picture their local supermarket. See the fully packed meat aisle in your mind and multiply that by the 12,000 supermarkets across the UK. All with the same meat aisle. With a cell by date that last a few days, how are they still able to keep meat stocked up? That is a lot of dead animals.
In fact, it is around 80 billion land animals every year. According to viva.org 1.2 Billion of land animals are consumed in the UK every year.
Animal Cruelty
The UK claim to have animal welfare procedures in place, but the truth is these animals live in very unnatural conditions.
The cow that is milked daily is also forced to reproduce yearly, each of its baby calves are taken away to be used for milk or meat this happens year after year. Cows are intelligent creatures, but to humans what does this matter.
Chickens are force fed in order to get fatter and cost more in the long run. Meat consumption is the biggest killer of all animals.
Viva.org have done a good job at putting a stop to animals being mass produced, mass consumed and unfairly treated. They have also had bad practicing farms shut down. They help and encourage anyone that wants to do the same. You can find more information at Peta Uk
Health Benefits
Eating Meat increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and pneumonia and other serious Illness’s. Dr Alison Tedstone, a chief nutritionist, said: “Globally the evidence suggests that people who eat red and processed meat should limit their intake. While it can form part of a healthy diet, eating too much has been linked to increased risk of developing bowel cancer.”
Low vibrational Meat
This one was the biggest game changer for me.
Knowing the meat we consume live in such terrible conditions beforehand, makes me wonder about the vibrations and energy that we are unknowingly consuming.
Meat is flesh and that flesh was once a living breathing animal with a soul. We know by now that stress can change the way our body functions, it can cause us to become unhealthy in many ways. If these animals are stressed what does that mean for their flesh. It is said that 80% of antibiotics are used on animals due to them developing diseases. Again we are consuming all that is done to these animals.
I decided that since I have no idea where all these animals I consume daily come from, or what life they have lived, it was best to cut it out, then to hope.
What I have noticed so far
I feel less Sluggish – The biggest thing I have noticed is that I feel less sluggish. I only realised that I had felt sluggish, when I no longer felt sluggish. I felt and feel lighter.
My acne has reduced – since quitting meat. There may be other contributing factors to this, however studies have shown that quitting meat reduces inflammation in the body so it is also probably one of the factors that have helped.
I am now better at cooking – as it has enabled me to explore new veg and find new, different ways to cook it. My taste buds in the process have also changed, they are more refined. Making anything processed taste like cardboard.
How to quit meat – 7Steps
If you have been toying with the idea of quitting meat. Or have tried previously. Here are some tips that helped me:
- Phase it out – It don’t need to happen over night
You are either the person that works best going cold turkey, or you need a gradual phase out. I am somewhat in between. Over the years I have cut out various foods, Including meats. When my mum started dating a rasterfarian he encouraged us to quit pork, when the horse meat scandal came out I gave up red meat. However over time I gravitated back.
But on the day that I decided to give it all up, I did in one go. So cold Turkey worked for me in the end, but I had also phased it out over time.
My sister on the other hand gave up meat gradually, starting with pork, then red meat and finally chicken, she now only eats fish. Replacing meat for fish is a healthy option.
Exclude some meats that you don’t eat often and then work your way up to the harder meats. Or have meat free days If you are someone that eats meat everyday then this will help you phase meat eating out
Find what works best for you!
- Don’t give up
I first gave up pork in 2011, but falling pregnant changed that when I massively craved bacon. I continued to eat bacon after she was born.
In 2019 I had food poisoning from chicken so I gave up all meat and decided I would eat fish only. However, this was only something I had set in stone at home. I gave myself the flexibility to eat meat at events or friends and family houses. One of the hardest things I found when quitting meat was visiting my mums and not being able to eat her chicken, I thought this would be impossible. so I cut meat out of my household only, but I was gradually eating it more and more, every time I ate out or ordered food.
In Easter 2022 I finally made the decision to drop it all including fish. If I was going to do it I have to with full want. But even though I made a drastic change in one day, I had been building up to that point over the past decade.
- Don’t title you’re eating habits – Unless you want too of course
Why when I tell people I don’t eat meat they reply with “What are you?” a human is always my first thought.
I am not a vegan as I still consume Cheese and eggs. Vegetarian may define it, but they are so many and they change slightly, that I am not interested in following or classing myself as any.
It is important to not follow anyone’s dietary requirements, but your own! You then have the flexibility to create your own rules and discover what works best for you.
I don’t eat meat or fish or drink cow’s milk. And that’s it for now. If that fits into a title great, however I will probably add more to the cut-out list so best to leave it untitled for now.
You don’t have to be a vegan to cut out meat!
- Stop thinking you need a meat replacement – Get Creative instead
So often people will ask me what I have instead of meat. Like our meals contain a strict meat, carb and veg rule. They will want to cook the same meals and replace it with a meat substitute. When I was eating meat from time to time, I would have a beans and cheese jacket for dinner, where is the meat? Not all meals need meat!
It is fine to use old meals as a guide for new meals. But allow yourself to create new meals completely, use your new diet to get adventurous, see what’s out there in the veg world and try it in different ways. Before you know it, you will have a whole new outlook on food.
- Plan your meals ahead
One thing I found when I first quit meat was, I didn’t know what to cook for dinner. Every now again I would invent a new meal that worked well (it tasted good and it filled me up).
Any new meals that you create write them down and add them to your meal plan.
- Tell anyone you can
The more people you tell the more you remind yourself and it becomes more set in stone. The more you speak it out the more you believe yourself and the less you will be offered the wrong foods. Everyone will be aware of your new eating habit.
So, update them! You will be surprised how many people take note of it. I have been to friend events and they have kindly accommodated for me before hand, as they now know.
Updating people on your new eating also helps you to stay committed.
- Remember your reasons
My reasons for quitting meat are because I don’t like how the meat is produced and feel it is the best option for my body. But you may want to do it for health reasons, to lose weight or because you are against animal cruelty. Whatever your reasons remind yourself of them when times get tough.
