Anyone here a flexitarian?

[fcgamer | 4,730]

For the past several months I have been going meatless several times a week, and by now, I'll generally consume meat only at lunch time, if I choose to consume it at all, and the quantities are generally quite little, i.e. dumplings stuffed with pork or something. It feels great not eating meat all the time, and there are just so many delicious non-meat options over here. Shitake mushrooms and tofu chunks tossed into a sweet n sour soup? Check. Bitter Melon curry? Delish. 

I could never become a full-on vegetarian, and certainly not a vegan. The social aspects are a big part, as a lot of social functions revolve around food. My best friend's brother, also a close friend of mine, became a vegetarian after high school. When we went out to eat together we'd always have to let him choose the restaurant, otherwise we'd end up in situations where he'd have to eat just a double helping of fries or something. I think there are a lot more choices and offerings in the States now, compared to back then, but as someone who doesn't eat raw vegetables due to dietary issues, options would be extremely limited. In many parts of Asia though, it's easy, as there's just so many delicious vegetarian meals based around tofu, so much that reducing my meat intake to a minimalistic amount was almost second nature.

So is anyone else here a flexitarian?

[Sumez | 2,968]

I have no idea what that term means, are there any rules to what you can eat and what you can't?

My girlfriend is a vegan, so we never eat dead animals at home. But I'll usually do it once in a while if we're eating out somewhere. 

I'm happy that way and it seems like a normal, sensible diet to me.

Edited September 9, 2023 by Sumez

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

I'll mix in a salad, vegetable soup, beans and rice or something once in awhile, but it's more for variety than an actual dietary adjustment.

[Richardhead | 2,813]

I eat meat in one meal a day. It’s usually breakfast of dinner. As I feel that is the best source of protein. Maybe it’s not for everyone, but I need 120 grams of protein per day to sustain my lifestyle.

[fcgamer | 4,730]

2 minutes ago, Richardhead said:

I eat meat in one meal a day. It’s usually breakfast of dinner. As I feel that is the best source of protein. Maybe it’s not for everyone, but I need 120 grams of protein per day to sustain my lifestyle.

Meat is better than tofu, protein wise, when it comes to bodybuilding. That being said, any time I get a bento box with tofu and a fried chicken steak, my cat comes sniffing around the tofu over the chicken, hahahahaha.

[Richardhead | 2,813]

30 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

Meat is better than tofu, protein wise, when it comes to bodybuilding. That being said, any time I get a bento box with tofu and a fried chicken steak, my cat comes sniffing around the tofu over the chicken, hahahahaha.

So I don’t bodybuild. I’m kind of scrawny actually. I need the protein to help keep me that way. High protein=not fat. At least in my case.

[fcgamer | 4,730]

6 minutes ago, Richardhead said:

So I don’t bodybuild. I’m kind of scrawny actually. I need the protein to help keep me that way. High protein=not fat. At least in my case.

I don't think anyone got fat off of tofu, rice, and veg hahaha

[Richardhead | 2,813]

1 minute ago, fcgamer said:

I don't think anyone got fat off of tofu, rice, and veg hahaha

I know a few fat vegetarians and one vegan. I need the protein to help keep me full on just 3 meals a day. Me being full stops me from snacking. Therefore keeping me not fat. 
The protein also helps with my running and cycling. 

[Gloves | 11,800]

It's the sort of thing that sounds made up so people who eat like normal people can still give themselves a label to be special cuz they're otherwise pretty dull. 

Like that's just a normal diet where you happen to not eat meat a lot. 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

17 minutes ago, Gloves said:

It's the sort of thing that sounds made up so people who eat like normal people can still give themselves a label to be special cuz they're otherwise pretty dull. 

Like that's just a normal diet where you happen to not eat meat a lot. 

Maybe, but normalitarian would just sound ridiculous. 

[nrslam | 476]

Came here thinking flexitarian was some sort of religion, kinda like frisbetarian. Confused now.

[JamesRobot | 5,808]

Just like the rest of the human population, I'm an omnivore.  One can willfully restrict diet and put a label on "preference" but we are all naturally predicated to eat it all.  I'd say most people (western anyway) could probably stand to ease up on the meat, myself included.

That being said, I totally went to The Fort restaurant in Morrison for my birthday and ate three different animals as my main course.  One of the best meals I've ever eaten.  I would never say that about a tofu dish.

[a3quit4s | 4,107]

I don’t really think about it or feel like I need to label it. I’m an omnivore and some days I eat meat and some days I don’t. Really no use in overthinking it

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

1 hour ago, JamesRobot said:

Just like the rest of the human population, I'm an omnivore.  One can willfully restrict diet and put a label on "preference" but we are all naturally predicated to eat it all.  I'd say most people (western anyway) could probably stand to ease up on the meat, myself included.

That being said, I totally went to The Fort restaurant in Morrison for my birthday and ate three different animals as my main course.  One of the best meals I've ever eaten.  I would never say that about a tofu dish.

Maybe you need to try a meal of three different kinds of tofu just to be sure.

[Hammerfestus | 3,863]

I thought this was going to be how you were really into stretching

[Tabonga | 2,324]

2 hours ago, Hammerfestus said:

I thought this was going to be how you were really into stretching

[Richardhead | 2,813]

Can we get @BlackVega here ? I thought for sure this thread was aboot me flexing

[Tabonga | 2,324]

11 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

One of the best meals I've ever eaten.  I would never say that about a tofu dish.

It is hard to re-envision this classic commercial with "we've got tofu legs" .......

 

[BlackVega | 583]

9 hours ago, Richardhead said:

Can we get @BlackVega here ? I thought for sure this thread was aboot me flexing

Eee no, I saw this thread was created by fcgamer and I had an idea this is one of those sludge threads again and didn't bother to click it. But hey, where did you get an idea I would fit in here? How did you know I am vegetarian most the time?

[CIB_Wholesale | 418]

yes!!!!! it's impossible to stop

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

12 hours ago, Richardhead said:

Can we get @BlackVega here ? I thought for sure this thread was aboot me flexing

You have been flexing your  lately so I guess it would fit in a thread about what fruits and vegetables go in other people's mouths. 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Bearcat-Doug

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

2 hours ago, BlackVega said:

Eee no, I saw this thread was created by fcgamer and I had an idea this is one of those sludge threads again and didn't bother to click it. But hey, where did you get an idea I would fit in here? How did you know I am vegetarian most the time?

@Richardhead has recently become a vagatarian, so I believe he's on a sashimi only diet.

[Tenjikuronin | 1,738]

I've been vegetarian now for 35+ years, ask me anything lol.

[Code Monkey | 2,011]

I've been vegetarian ever since I watched Game Changers on Netflix about 2-3 years ago. It wasn't that hard though, my girlfriend is deathly allergic to pork so I could only have beef / chicken anyway. Giving up both of those was quite easy since I never really liked meat much, I always preferred the taste of vegetables over the taste of meat.

Eating tofu is really bad for you, it's full of sodium and even worse, estrogen. Intaking that much estorgen can throw your hormones way out of balance and is even worse for women than for men.

The argument for protein from meat always intrigues me since meat doesn't create protein naturally. Only plants can synthesize proteins from sunlight and animals obtain it from eating plants. So if you're eating meat for protein, you're only getting it second hand, you're better off just eating the plants directly instead of eating the animal that ate the plants. And that's assuming you're eating a herbivore, if you eat a carnivore then you're getting the protein third hand. 

[Richardhead | 2,813]

2 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

I've been vegetarian ever since I watched Game Changers on Netflix about 2-3 years ago. It wasn't that hard though, my girlfriend is deathly allergic to pork so I could only have beef / chicken anyway. Giving up both of those was quite easy since I never really liked meat much, I always preferred the taste of vegetables over the taste of meat.

Eating tofu is really bad for you, it's full of sodium and even worse, estrogen. Intaking that much estorgen can throw your hormones way out of balance and is even worse for women than for men.

The argument for protein from meat always intrigues me since meat doesn't create protein naturally. Only plants can synthesize proteins from sunlight and animals obtain it from eating plants. So if you're eating meat for protein, you're only getting it second hand, you're better off just eating the plants directly instead of eating the animal that ate the plants. And that's assuming you're eating a herbivore, if you eat a carnivore then you're getting the protein third hand. 

The problem becomes is that it’s really hard to get your daily calories with just vegetables. Being a vegetarian IMO isn’t sustainable for someone like me. 
I eat 3 meals a day. 
breakfast is a smoothie (strawberries, bananas, kale, almond milk, mct powder and beets crystals) and a cup of plain yogurt with cinnamon. 

lunch is beans and rice with enchilada sauce.

dinner is a hunk of meat (either chicken, beef or pork) with a ton of sautéed vegetables.

I also have 2 servings of bone broth and a cup of tea before bed. Oh yeah, I also drink a plant based protein shake after workouts. 

Now of course this changes up a bit from time to time. Due to my work schedule and whatnot. Plus if I go out to dinner With friends, decide I want McDonald’s, so on and so on….