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So I’m back ( again!) with a new article for the Not-So-New Year! I bet you’re all frozen with excitement what I’ve got to say this time! Well after feasting for over two weeks at Xmas and New Year on what can only be described as half the countries meat I decided that coming from a very meat eating background! (French/Italian/south African!) and suffering extreme meat sweats that I’d try being vegetarian (+fish) for a month!

BIG MISTAKE! Thinking I could easily do it I really didn’t realise how much I missed meat, it’s incredible! The reason for me, as always has to tie in with training. Is a vegetarian diet including fish enough to satisfy and supplement my hectic work and training schedule? The answer for me was no!

Not only did I miss meat and all its flavours, textures, ways of cooking it, I also felt different, as if I wasn’t getting all the right aminos(protein) My body needed from a hectic life and training. I felt lighter and slightly more agile yes, but weaker and not as muscular. There are only so many nutrients you can get from fish, and so much more variety from meat. Don’t get me wrong, fish is amazingly packed full of Nutrients, minerals, good fats but for me personally it lacked that kick my body needs and basic overall satisfaction!

I kept a small week by week diary for the 4 weeks, just little notes and feelings etc.

Week 1:

Well it hasn’t gone to a flying start as I completely forgot on day 1 that I wasn’t eating meat!! The rest of the week has gone well enough; I’ve been eating tuna throughout the day and tofu for dinner. Tofu sucks!! I’ll never eat that again. I’m already asking the question “how on earth can people live without meat!???” let’s see what week 2 brings.

Week 2:

Due to a super hectic work schedule at the moment I’ve got very little time to eat which is where my quick biltong, or packs of chicken and turkey came In handy, I can’t really grab a pack of fish on the go so it’s been nuts or a protein shake which is cool but I need more protein!!! Getting a bit annoyed now. I’m having salmon for dinner which is great but to be honest I have that 3 times a week anyway so having it every day is no drama, the days have been a nightmare though, and I feel empty. Have noticed my strength in training is down a bit, am I just tired? Placebo? Who knows…?

Week 3:

Into the swing of things this week, bringing food in cooked the night before, cod, halibut, salmon, prawns every fish under the sun, ad don’t get me wrong I love fish, but it’s still not satisfying, there’s something missing? I wonder what it could be? Strength definitely down, something’s up! I need meat power!

Week 4: I’m completely over it now and am easily eating well but my body is asking where the meat is. I think especially because in my mind is not in a continuous vegetarian mode I’m not seeing the reason why you would cut meat out of your diet. It has so many benefits.

So I’m at the end of 4 weeks and although it got progressively easier to incorporate the new way of eating, my head and heart weren’t in it and so lost interest in why you would cut meat out of your diet. If you want to be vegetarian that’s absolutely your choice, but for me I think you’re missing a whole world of benefits from meat.

For me, Meat contains a number of important nutrients that are needed by your body for carrying out vital metabolic functions. These are proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals. All these nutrients are responsible for providing you with energy and keeping you healthy. I think you will understand the benefits of eating meat better by going through the following description of the nutrients present in meat I think are vital for everyday life and training.

PROTEINS:

Meat is a rich source of proteins, which is required by your body in very high amounts. Proteins play numerous roles that are essential for your body’s functioning and overall well-being. The most important among them are building and repair of body tissues and formation of antibodies that fight against infections. As a general rule, proteins form 19-20% of meat. Some may be present in the form of amino acids and small peptides. These are readily absorbed by the blood. Meat is considered to be a high quality protein because it contains almost all the essential amino acids known so far. Thus, the health benefits of eating meat include a strong immune system along with a fast recovery and regeneration capacity of the body.

MINERALS:

Meat contains a number of minerals. It is especially rich in iron. Your body needs iron to form haemoglobin that is necessary for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body. Another mineral present in meat is zinc. It boosts metabolism and helps in tissue formation.

You will also receive selenium from meat. Selenium assists in the breakdown of fat and other chemicals in the body. Therefore, meat provides you with some very important minerals, whose availability in your body is necessary for its proper operation. These are some of the benefits of eating meat.

VITAMINS:

You will find a number of vitamins in meat. The most prominent ones are vitamin A, B and D. Vitamin A promotes good vision, supports bone and teeth development and maintains the health of the skin. Vitamin B supports central nervous system and enhances mental health. Similarly, vitamin D promotes calcium and phosphorus use, which in turn, maintains healthy bones and teeth. Therefore, the welfare derived from the vitamins present in meat is other health benefits of eating meat.

FAT:

The fats present in meat are linoleic acid and palmitoleic acid. They prevent your body from cancer and harmful viruses. This improves your body’s resistance to surrounding environment and unfavourable conditions. Your body needs fat for the development of brain. So, MEAT is required to have intelligent brains as well.

CAVE MAN ALEX’S CONCLUSION:

The benefits of eating meat are numerous. By eating meat on a regular basis, you will not only maintain a sound health of your body but will also provide it the strength to fight against various infections, maladies and numerous training goals.  Still, i will add for you pessimists out there, everything is not good about meat. (Red that is) It has a very high content of fat and cholesterol, which is quite hard for your body to process. High levels of fat and cholesterol give rise to a line of disorders that directly affect your heart and circulatory system. Therefore, it is advisable to have only portion size of meat and that too, not very often. Limit your intake of

Meat (RED) to only 2-3 servings a week. This is very necessary to prevent various diseases arising from its richness in fat and cholesterol. Sensible and conscious eating of meat will surely benefit you over time. So there you have it I guess its each to their own but for me, once a cave man, always a cave man, ooonga booonga!!’