The Great Vegetarian Debate

So, I went to the doctor for a check-up and discussed becoming a vegetarian and the running program I want to start.

Here is basically what she had to say: while she has nothing against vegetarians, I shouldn't have my heart set on being a vegetarian for the rest of my life. As I mentioned in a previous post, my body can sometimes overload on sugar, and I have to go on a detox diet of strictly meat and vegetables, cutting out all grains, sugar (including fruit!), etc. I gradually re-introduce these all back into my diet, but the point is: she said I shouldn't be hard on myself for not being a strict no-meat-ever-vegetarian. That I need to accept that occasionally, I have to eat meat for my health and body and to keep my system in check...and that it may not be a bad idea to do that for 4-5 days every month anyway, and just be vegetarian the rest of the month. Or eat meat every once in a while when I am at someone's house or out, but follow a vegetarian diet during the week when I am cooking for myself. That was the food/health part of it. The other part was starting a running regimen - while she agreed that it's a good idea and a great way to stay in shape, running is hard on the body and since I have had foot surgery, may be difficult for me to do several times a week. What I call my "surgery foot" does not bend as easily as my other, and is very sensitive to temperature changes. Swells when it starts getting warm, and grows frigid and stiff when it starts cooling down. I noticed at the gym last week on the treadmill that it actually started to go numb after a while, forcing me to slow down and stretch it out.

So all in all, I was prepared to leave her office very depressed. Basically, having this grand "get healthy" plan for myself, just to have someone in the medical field tell me not to do it. I love my doctor though (ok, technically, she's a nurse practitioner, but I adore her...she's amazing) for this reason: at the end of her speech, she basically said the following: "This is not to discourage you. This is to remind you what your limitations are, and some things you need to watch. That does not mean you cannot do this though. You can eat healthy and be a flexitarian (someone who follows an 80% vegetarian lifestyle, and eats meat maybe 20% of the time), and still make conscious choices about what you're putting in your mouth. And you can exercise and get fit. You just are going to have to do it differently. And there is no right or wrong way to do anything, and there is no one way that is going to work for everyone."

I basically wanted to hug her at this point. So the gist of this whole thing? I need to do what is best for me and my body, and not worry about what I can't do. Yes, I love animals and am horrified at the mis-treatment of the animals that become our food. I also feel a lot of our food is prepared in un-sanitary conditions. I also cannot mistreat myself. So I may eat meat when I feel like it (probably not during the week when I'm cooking for myself), and I need to feel ok with that. (Not to mention that all of the vegetarian books I've been reading the last two weeks advised new veggies to do it gradually, not cold-turkey as I did. Whoops.) And I would love to become a "runner," but if I am going to hurt myself in the process, it's not worth it. I can go walking, or do yoga, or do low-impact cardio and strength machines at the gym. I will get the same result. The goal of this project (and more specifically this month) is to be healthier. I am already exercising more than I usually do. And eating FAR more healthier than I usually do. So why strive to be perfect at both of these resolutions, when instead, I can just do what is best for me?