Are you a flexitarian? I definitely am.
Recognized officially as a new useful term by the American Dialect Society in 2003, a flexitarian is an individual who eats mostly a plant-based diet, but isn’t partial to the very occasional meat-based meal. While some puritans may cry foul, many health advocates see this as an encouraging trend. After all, whether you are a hardcore raw vegan or a weekend herbivore, more people with more interest in a vegetarian diet is definitely something to root for in a country with a skyrocketing obesity rate. 
Here is how I approach my own flexitarian lifestyle: I prepare vegan meals at home, but may occasionally nosh on cheese pizza or seafood on the rare occasion that I am dining out. If I am at somebody’s house and there is ground beef in the spaghetti sauce for dinner, no biggie–I have no problem eating it. If I am for any reason struck by an insatiable desire to eat a hamburger or fried chicken, I just may give in to the temptation, and I won’t beat myself up for it.
I am still eating vegan or vegetarian 90 percent of the time anyway, and having that 10 percent of wiggle room makes me feel a whole lot better about my eating choices. I suppose it may be the reverse psychology of having the option to eat meat and not acting on it very much, as opposed to vehemently forbidding myself to ever have meat again for the rest of my life and then craving it for its very forbidden nature.
I also like to believe that people who start out as flexitarians gradually increase the frequency of their vegetarian meals over time from accumulated exposure to the health benefits of eating more fruits, vegetables and legumes over meat. After all, it is usually the very gradual baby steps that lead to a more permanent dietary transformation, as opposed to a very drastic leap into a completely strict eating regimen. Flexitarianism = the gateway lifestyle for going vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan.
Interesting in becoming a flexitarian? Here are several strategies for incorporating a flexitarian ethos to your eating schedule:
- Starting your work day in good health: meatless Mondays!
- Allowing yourself meat, fish, and other animal-based products–but only on weekends.
- Buying only plant-based foods for your grocery shopping to cook at home, but allowing yourself animal-based foods when you dine out.
- Allowing yourself animal-based foods for dinner, but eating vegetarian or vegan for breakfast and lunch. This is very easy to do: have whole-wheat pancakes, healthy cereal or fruit and soy yogurt for breakfast; a veggie wrap, vegetable pasta or colorful veggie pizza for lunch. That’s already half of your day eating vegan / vegetarian!
- Still eating meat, just far less of it. For example: some ground beef in pasta sauce instead of a whole steak. Some chicken slices in a healthy green salad, instead of a whole bucket of chicken wings. Or still eating the occasional chicken, pork and seafood, but eliminating beef.
- Eating out at more vegetarian or vegan restaurants and eateries. Nothing like the inspiration of experiencing first-hand how good vegetarian or vegan meals can taste when they are prepared very well. (I LOVE ordering cheap vegetarian meals from small Indian grocery markets in my neighborhood.)
- Continuously educating yourself on the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet and decreasing your dependence on meat-based foods. While before I would have never thought of taking this extra step to a more vegan lifestyle, reading the book "Skinny Bitch" has really galvanized me to cut out dairy, cheese and eggs from my grocery shopping trips.
Do you consider yourself a flexitarian? What are your personal strategies for eating more plant-based foods?
PHOTO (cc): Flickr / District 47
Great post, Yumi. I'm definitely a flexitarian. While my daughter calls me a "bad vegetarian," I think of it as being a conscious omnivore. Giving myself that room to eat some meat but maintaining the intention for being mostly plant-based definitely helps me stay on track.
Amen to that!
Sorry, can't do it. I know waaay too much about the meat and dairy industries for that. To me, the health benefits are just a pleasant side effect. Supporting an industry can do such horrible things to sentient beings is just bad karma. Then when you add in the environmental degradation, I am completely appalled over what mankind will do to make a buck.
I had done very well for two years following a very "flexitarian" diet and then something changed. Not sure at which point, though I think I associate it with having less time to cook and trying to save money to travel etc. Recently, I went back to that diet and it's been amazing! As the article says, not being forbidden from eating meat, which is something I grew up doing and have done all of my life, makes it a lot easier to avoid. Some small changes I made, which I found helpful were: I started with a detox that forced me to eat vegan for 7 days and drink lots of water and an antioxidant 7 day cleanse. Typically, when you do such a profound detox, the thought of meat is pretty much out of the question, because it's just too heavy to re-introduce so quickly into your diet. I have yet to introduce meat into my diet again, though I plan to, but my intend is to only eat meat at home when I've prepared it and I know I've purchased organic. While out I am definitely only vegetarian… I also switched to Soy in my coffee and I've been sweetening it with honey instead, which I find quite tasty. As you said, small, baby steps are the way to go. For some folks quitting meat or dairy altogether is very easy, but changes in eating habits can be very, very difficult. Thank you for embracing the idea that flexibility is OK and it doesn't make us terrible people.
thank you! GREAT info!
Thanks for a great article! Very well said..
I have been an "Aquatarian" now for 4 years. Only about 3 times a month will I eat salmon. The rest of my diet includes lost of fruit, vegetables, grains & pasta.
It still makes me laugh me when people ask me, "How do you survive without meat or fish"
Thanks for sharing all of your experiences, guys! Really interesting and always enlightening to see how other people approach the flexitarian ethos.
Thank you for the flexitarian article and comments. I have been eating about 90% meatless but I love milk and cheese. I've tried soy milk but can't seem to get used to it. Also my cholesterol is high and I'm about 20 lbs over weight (organic whole wheat chocolate chip/raisin oatmeal cookies) is one of my indulgences Carob chips are good too. Any ideas?
i like for sharing.
Great post, Yumi. I'm definitely a flexitarian. While my daughter calls me a "bad vegetarian," I think of it as being a conscious omnivore. Runescape private servers guide. runescape private servers Giving myself that room to eat some meat but maintaining the intention for being mostly plant-based definitely helps me stay on track.
Nice article…I am definitely vegan now, and I took "the vow." For me, that means to make the choice of non-suffering whenever I am able. Unless I am in danger of hurting someone more than the pain of the animal in question, I would not choose to eat animal products. However, I live from Love, and therefore respect the choices of others as part of their own journey. By the example of my life I can invite others to consider making different choices, as this article supports. Many vegans arrived via transitions. Thank you once again, Yumi!
My husband and daughter are flextarians…btw!