I kissed a girl/ate meat and I liked it

I have a confession to make.

This may come as a surprise to some of you, including my parents and my loving, committed husband, Dan. Past sorority sisters may understand, and a brunette particular bartender from 2001 won't even bat her eyelashes, but here goes...

I am a Flexitarian.

I tried Flexitarianism once in graduate school but everyone was doing it!

No, no, not that kind of Flexitarian.

Here's the scoop: Flexitarianism is "a semi-vegetarian diet involving the practice of eating mainly vegetarian food, but making occasional exceptions for social, pragmatic, cultural, or nutritional reasons." Or, as my friend and colleague Dawn Jackson-Blatner puts it in her new book, The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life (McGraw-Hill Professional), it's a way for "closet meat-eaters" to show themselves in public, steak in hand, while still enjoying the benefits of a mostly vegetarian diet.

I got to hang with Dawn and a slew of other ADA spokespeople whom I've interviewed over the years but never got to meet in person last week at her book signing, held at a funky Chicago gourmet cooking store called The Chopping Block. The wine was flowing, Spicy Peanut Edamame Wraps and Zuccini Fritters were calling my name, and I may or may not have dumped a dozen dark chocolate-dipped dried apricots in my Kate Spade baguette.

The author and I...in her words, "Those Skinny Bitch authors ain't got nothin' on us!"

Dawn is like a long-lost sister, and I say that not just because we're both tall, blonde, funny, charming, modest writers with nutrition degrees and hot husbands. This girl has my exact same personality. As I went to attack her behind her book-signing counter (Hot Pink Sharpie, anyone?), she saw the digital camera I was clutching in my paw and yelled, "WAIT! First, let's see how cute we look." And then she directed me to a strangely-placed yet glad-to-see-us mirror perched behind her, over the cooking demo area. We both smiled at our visages, smoothed out outfits, turned and flashed Cheshire grins for Dan to capture.

I'm thinking lots of Weighting Game readers are Flexitarian. It doesn't mean you eschew meat by any means. But, like me, it's just not entirely surprising to go the whole day and realize, 'Huh, I haven't eaten any chicken or fish today. But I have had grapes, apples, spinach, whole wheat couscous, navy beans, Greek yogurt, and Sugar Babies."

It also means you may be slightly obsessed with Just Salad.

Dawn points out that a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition from 2003 revealed that of the 13,000 vegetarians studied, two out of three ate meat or poultry on occasion. "Bottom line: it is very difficult for most people to follow a 100% vegetarian plan probably because of social reasons or cravings. Now this book gives us all a place to fit in, without judgment."

A lil more info:

"This isn't just about being an omnivore (a person who eats everything) because it is about people who are actively trying to eat more healthy vegetarian foods while eating less meat and poultry. It isn't about striving to be a perfect vegetarian but rather trying to do the best we can and feel good that we are making progress toward a healthier way of life."

Her book helps you pinpoint yourself as a beginner, advanced, or expert Flexitarian. Here's how it breaks downs:

Beginner: Two meatless days per week (26 ounces meat/poultry per week)

Advanced: Three to four meatless days per week (18 ounces meat/poultry per week)

Expert: Five or more meatless days per week (9 ounces meat/poultry per week)

In truth, I am prolly a Beginner - I usually cook up some BBQ salmon to top my salad at dinner or shovel down a Lean Cuisine Spicy Shanghai Chicken somethin-or-other for a mid-afternoon snack. That's OK - Dawn doesn't care if I'm as wet-behind-the-ears as Sarah Palin. She's just happy I've jumped on her Flexie Bandwagon. And I'm waving my vegan cowgirl hat in the air- yee-haw!

PS Congrats on the USA Today piece!

Comments

Oh come on ... I am sure one or two of you flexitarians can come on over to the dark side ... vegetarians have fun too! Martinis are still vegetarian :)

I actually did the flexitarian thing for a few months about 12 years into my vegetarianism. For some reason, it just seemed like my body needed the meat and fish or something. It didn't last long for me, but it was a great way to balance the planet- and waistline-saving benefits of vegetarianism with some of the protein and iron benefits of meat and fish.

Great idea for a cookbook!

It's funny, I probably only eat meat or fish once a week tops, but I've never really thought of myself as even slightly vegetarian. I'm a meat eater. Because I eat meat. Even though I eat less meat than some "vegetarians" I know.

I don't eat it often because meat is expensive and often dubiously farmed and there are other ways to get a complete protein source into your diet.

But if you sit me in a restaurant I'll always order the venison. MMMMM BAMBI IS TASTY.

Meat is a treat.

TA x

I still think of myself as eating meat sparingly, but I realize I've crept up quite a bit in my meat consumption lately.

Time to scale back down methinks. I have a newly rediscovered crush on peanut butter and there's only so many meals in a day.

Now as to kissing girls... um, no plans on making major changes in that department.

Whoa, I totally thought this post was goin' somewhere else...:-)

I am definitely a Flexitarian. Honestly - and this sounds horrible - but sometimes it's easier to prepare meals that are meatless. And when this chick is hungry, I need my food FAST. Plus, I LOVE veggie burgers and everything Morningstar.

I love my meat and chicken, but I just don't get around to eating it everyday. I *might* even be "Advanced." Wow, that's the first time I've been able to put my name with that word! It feels good.

Great post, Leslie! I usually describe myself as a "non-militant vegetarian" which I say meaning that, on my own, I eat Veg 90% of the time (I say 90 because I eat fish) but if I go to someone's house and they have made me their grandma's chicken pot pie or beef stew, I'll eat it. And enjoy it. It's a nice way to live because I still feel environmentally responsible and healthy but I don't have a cow (hee!) if the "vegetarian" soup at Panera is actually made with chicken broth (oh yes it is!).

I think this is an interesting concept. My husband and I went vegetarian a year and a half ago. We shared with our friends and families the many reasons for our change, with factory farming being number one, with Vegan Outreach pamphlets. http://www.veganoutreach.org/EIYLM.pdf

My in-laws told me that they liked them because it doesn't make someone feel bad if they don't go completely vegetarian, but talks about how you can make a difference even if you just cut back on your meat consumption, which is what they are doing. So I guess I'll have to tell them they're "flexitarians!"

I'd also like to add the term FLEXIGANS if I can because my husband and I try to eat Vegan at home where we can buy soy or rice milk or at least really high quality cheese without animal rennet, but when we go out or eat with someone else, it's just too hard so we just stick to vegetarian. Because like Charlotte said about the veg. soup... the vegetarian is often not truly so!

I'm not a huge fan of the term flexitarian, but I think that's where I fall. I aim for vegetarian-plus-fish at home. Really, I almost never prepare meat (the last time I cooked a meal with meat, I think was my husband's birthday, in June). My husband might cook meat at home 1-2 times a month.

Outside of the home, though, we'll eat whatever. If a friend has prepared a meal, it does seem kind of rude to impose too much on what they are making. (With a few exceptions - we don't eat beef, my kids can't have soda, and obviously food allergy issues). And it's just too hard and unpleasant to avoid meat when eating out!

I do like the idea of flexitarianism and the way it's becoming more common, and like Elle, I appreciate those Vegan Outreach pamphlets, because it's not some militant "You are evil if you eat cheese," but instead, every little bit counts, so eat LESS meat. That's something most people can handle.

I do sometimes eat vegetarian, but it's more along the lines of that I make a vegetarian recipe one weekend, then eat it all week. Then the next week I have something with meat in it. So it's really sporadic.

I'm definitely a flexitarian. But its because meat is so darn expensive so I can't be bothered to buy it:) So I tend to eat lots of meat when I'm eating dinner at my parents place or if I go out to a restaurant... but at home I eat virtually no meat.

It's kind of nice to now have a name to call it rather than trying to explain to people "well I'm not vegetarian but sometimes I eat like one because there's no meat around..." lol.

I
eat
a
lotta
meat.

actually no meat :) chicken fish ostrich.

lots.

no beef I mean.

good g-d Im braindead this morning.

So THIS is what I am!! I eat a primarily vegetarian diet; I only make exceptions for meat that is grass fed and local. My "vegetarianism" comes from my unwillingness to put CAFO meat in my body. So if I don't know where it came from, I'm not eating it. Luckily, we have a great CSA and a few great restaurants who buy grass fed local meat. Best of both worlds!

Wow, it's so great that there's recognition of the fact that it's possible to be a "partial vegetarian." I come from a very carnivorous family, so the fact that I can often go several days in a row without meat kind of baffles the 'rents and the grand 'rents to the point that it has made me wonder if my eating habits are really all that unusual. Just the other day, in fact, I decided to treat myself to a turkey sub for lunch and thought, "Hmmm, when was the last time I had turkey?" But I definitely like fish and poultry too much to give it up entirely, even if on most days I don't bother with it unless it's a little tuna or chicken on my salad, or a grilled salmon fillet if I'm feeling really ambitious.

I also really like the idea that Judy and Elle point out above, that you don't have to cut meat entirely out of your diet to make a difference in the industry. I hadn't really thought about it before, but it certainly adds another dimension to all the other good things about "flexitarianism."

You threw me for a look with the intro... :) We were meant to eat me..yes? "flexitarianism." I like it! :)

You threw me for a loop with the intro... :) We were meant to eat me..yes? "flexitarianism." I like it! :)

Does it have to be purposeful? i rarely eatmeat, but only because its a pain to cook and i prefer the taste of other things.

Kelly Turner
www.groundedfitness.com

There's also a nice book called "The Flexiatrian Table" by Peter Berely, although it's almost strictly a cookbook.

I really like the term flexitarian because it reaches across the board and appeals to those people who just don't like eating a lot of meat as well as others that are trying to be more health conscious, or environmentally aware. Flexitarianism is not just a label but it's a movement that supports countless campaigns looking to curb meat consumption for a variety of reasons (health, environmental, ethical, etc). I work for one such campaign (the Meatless Monday campaign) and we promote flexitarianism because, as previous posters have already mentioned, every little bit counts.

I wouldn't call myself a flexitarian, but I hardly EVER eat red meat except for the occasional hamburger once in a loong while. I'm addicted to chicken though and I could probably eat it every other meal :)

I, um, really like meat. A lot. We will have a meatless meal every few weeks but it's completely incidental, I have to say. I can't even claim flexitarianism...

But I think it's a very cool concept. All-or-nothing is really hard, I think.

V.

Umm... If 13,000 vegetarians surveyed occasionally eat meat or poultry...then THEY'RE NOT VEGETARIAN.

I don't like when people label themselves vegetarian and still eat animal. I think it confuses other omnivores. For example, when I ask someone if a dish is vegetarian, and they say yes, and I find out later that there is chicken stock or fish in it, I'm pretty upset. But when the person answering the question has a brother/sister/friend/cousin that calls themselves "vegetarian" and still eats gravy, or what have you, than it clouds the issue as to what is/is not vegetarian.

I know your post is about flexitarianism, and I'm fine with that label. But I think that the post, and some of your commenters, reveal that many people don't really know what a vegetarian is.

According to those definitions, I'm not a 'flexitarian', but that's mainly because my husband insists on meat at dinner. I'm usually vegetarian for the rest of my meals, and, if on my own for dinner that is often vegetarian too. For the most part, I'm quite happy to eat vegetarian food.

i could categorize myself as a flex. i have about 4 oz of meat 2 or 3 times a week including eggs. it is just more natural to me to eat lots of veggies and fruits!

oh and by the way... i have never called myself a vegetarian bc like TA I eat meat!

I could definitely be a flexi too. Some days I am just to rushed to cook up some meat, and others all I want is something mooing on my plate!

I tried being veg once for about 1.5 years and it just didn't work. I finally started eating meat again when I was hiking and started to crave bologna. My body had been screaming for meat and I kept trying to avoid it. Now, I am full time eating meat again but would really like to cut my consumption down. Hoorah for flexitarian!

Representing for the vegans here! There was no choice for that in the survey :(
Wouldn't recommend going vegan overnight though--any reduction in animal products is good for the body and the animals, way better than changing too fast and feeling deprived/desperate. If I did it again, I think I would start with reducing dairy and eggs--those industries have a lot more cruelty and dairy is pretty unnatural anyhow (human breastmilk would be better, lol!). But I was a cheeseoholic veg-head for years :) so I understand why someone wouldn't want to do that.

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