Why I eat MEAT! (Again)

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There is a question that many close friends have often asked me, and to which I have never answered in detail until today.

"But @fapfap, why are you no longer a vegetarian?"

I've been vegetarian for more than two years, for ethical reasons.

I have many vegetarian and vegan friends who have opened my eyes to the subject of the animal condition, especially the conditions of breeding.

At the same time, I read many books on the subject, and saw the fabulous documentary" Forks over knives "that ended up convincing me that becoming a vegetarian was the fairest and most humane choice I could make.

My first year of vegetarianism was very rich, I completely re-learned to eat (I had a catastrophic lifestyle at this point in my life, you can read my last post where I mention it), I learned to cook, to shop away from the giants agri-food, and especially I started eating my vegetables. I discovered fantastic restaurants, and especially full of new tastes (the sprouts germinated! Kale! Kombucha!)

I especially re-learned to think for myself, and to be very vigilant about what I was putting in my body, and it radically changed my relationship to food. At that time, I really never thought I would be changing meat or fish.

My second year of vegetarianism was much more difficult. I started doing a lot more sports, I experienced stressful situations, professionally and personally. My diet was felt and I started to lose a lot of weight. In summary, I finished with an onset of depression while weighting less than I should to be healthy. No anorexia, just overtraining and a lot of stress that had led to this result. (Imagine I was "fat" 2 years before) I also had a girlfriend at that time, who was following this path too.

A catastrophic visit to occupational medicine and two blood tests later, I decided, with the support of my friends (thanks @troilo!), that the best solution was to reintroduce the meat in my diet. (And optionally to break up with my girlfriend, who was way to extreme)

I started again with white meat and fish, before reintroducing red meat and offal. I quickly regained weight, I regained my energy and my good humor.

Yet, I do not feed at all as before:

1 / I source my food. I buy my meat only at my organic butcher's market, the meat is of very good quality, nourished with grass and I consume only 2 to 3 times a week.

2 / My plate consists of 70% to 80% of vegetables and good starch for 20% to 30% of animal proteins. Before the vegetarianism, these proportions were totally reversed.

3 / I make many vegetarian or vegan meals during the week.

4 / I always consume all the great foods I have discovered by being vegetarian, I always eat tofu, seitan or put spirulina in my smoothies. I frequent as often as before my favorite vegan restaurants.

5 / I am aware of what I eat.

I know that many people are not in step with this choice of life, that it can be considered a "treachery" or a weakness, when we leave the vegetarian ship (see worse if one is vegan), and I think that I took a long time to assume and to be at peace with myself on this subject.

Then I read Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" where a former PETA activist became a farmer, explains that the right choice if animals are to be raised in a decent environment and killed the most it is our duty to consume meat ethically.

I know that at the moment there is no ideal solution, but I decided to give my voice in this direction if you decide to consume meat, pay attention to where it comes from and do not consume it in excess.

I know that vegetarians and vegetarians do not necessarily accept this choice of life, so you are free to express your point of view in the comments, I am open to debate and not necessarily hermetic to a return to vegetarianism.

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Pictures Source: Made by myself with imgflip

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Thanks for reading and lead a healthy lifestyle.