The last time I had a piece of chicken or turkey was in August of 2011. The last time I had a piece of red meat was accidentally at my bridal shower in Connecticut. I mistakenly thought a feta meatball was a feta falafel ball. It was not very pleasant and reminded me why I never ate much meat to begin with. The last time I had a piece of fish was when I was five years old and my dad got me frozen fishticks for dinner. I didn’t grow up eating fish so I never acquired a taste for it. As such, I never ate it. The look and smell of fish always grossed me out. And when I was eating chicken and turkey I didn’t really see the point in fish. So it would be understandably surprising to most people that after being a vegetarian since September 2011, I’ve decided to add fish into my life.
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The reason I became a vegetarian in the first place is because I wanted to shock my system. I grew up eating junk food, fast food, and just plain bad food. I still struggle with making sure I’m eating enough healthy foods and not indulging too much. Josh has seen me around kettlecorn and Swedish fish to be able to vouch for my serious sweet tooth. A lot of bloggers blog about how they’ve struggled with disorders of not eating enough or having a negative relationship with food. My relationship with food has been overwhelming positive, I love it! But I realized as I’ve gotten older that what I put into my body has a huge impact on my health. And after growing up without giving my health a second thought I figured it was time to start prioritizing it. All the research I could find said a plant based diet was incredibly beneficial to your health. And it is. Most nutrition experts recommend no more than two servings of red meat a week due to an increased risk of heart disease. I read a lot about how the food industry is pumping our meat and poultry with antibiotics. (The food industry is responsible for buying 80% of the antibiotics on the market to use for preventing diseases spreading between animals as a result of the unhygienic conditions involved with factory farming and to help make the animals grow faster.) With this knowledge I felt confident that I was headed on the right nutritional path. I always said that I went vegetarian to try and be healthier, but that I was a healthy person when I started and I didn’t make a lifestyle change to give myself a problem. If a doctor ever told me I needed to change my eating habits I would in a heartbeat.
I love not eating meat. I truly don’t miss it. Despite becoming vegetarian purely for health reasons a lot of the ethical reasons started to really resonate with me along the way. (This post really struck a cord.) But the research I kept on reading about fish in my quest to understand more about health made me realize that maybe my body is missing something that my taste buds aren’t. When I tell people that I’m a vegetarian one of the first questions I’m usually asked (after the automatic question about if I get enough protein- YES!) is if I still eat fish. And my answer was always no, but that I sure wish I did. Fish is packed with protein, is low in fat, and is a huge source of Omega-3s. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week because of its ability to lower heart disease risk (by 30% or more!). This is the same organization that cautions Americans to limit their red meat consumption to no more than twice a week.
If I had liked fish I would have started eating it a long time ago. It is widely considered the healthiest meat source because of its heart and brain nutrients. I’m not concerned about protein or really even about iron or B12. These are nutrients that are easy to acquire in a plant based diet through healthy choices and a daily multivitamin. My concern was more about Omega 3s. Omega 3s are essential for our hearts and brains. Our bodies don’t naturally produce Omega 3s so we need to get them through our diet. The three types of Omega 3s are ALA, EPA, and DHA. We can get ALAs through eating green vegetables, nuts, and oils. The problem is the ones our bodies really need are EPAs and DHAs, which are only found in animals and animal byproducts. Our bodies do convert ALAs into EPAs and DHAs, but in extremely small quantities. At first I toyed with the idea of taking fish oil supplements. But then all the research about fish oil supplements not having the same health benefits as actually eating the fish came out. After much contemplation I finally decided about two weeks ago that it was time to add fish to my life.
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Before I started eating fish I wanted to make sure I did my research. Because while fish is incredibly healthy there are a lot of fish that carry risks due to Mercury and exposure to other contaminants. Thankfully there are a lot of lists online that rank fish in terms of Mercury safety. The general rule of thumb I was taught by Omar is that bottom feeding, smaller fish tend to have less Mercury than the bigger fish that eat other fish. This is due to the fact that bigger fish digest the smaller fish they eat and therefor ingest the Mercury of those smaller fish into themselves. For fish that are not high on the Mercury list, Doctor’s usually agree that unless you are pregnant or breastfeeding or under 12 the Mercury that is in the fish is not going to cause you any harm. I did read a note about making sure that salmon is wild and not factory farmed as those can contain a host of chemicals. All states are also required to post a list with fish consumption advisories for all waterways in the state. Here’s the one I found for Nebraska.
I decided I would ease into eating fish slowly. The smell is still repulsive to me, but I thought of all the things I had to make myself acquire a taste for (dark chocolate, skim milk, fruit!) and knew it would be well worth it. For the past three weeks I’ve been having flounder once a week with my family. My Stepmom fries it in coconut oil on the stove and then I top it with tartar sauce. I know frying is really frowned upon and that the healthiest ways to cook fish are by grilling or steaming or baking and then skipping the mayo but I have to take baby steps. I went from being so-so about it the first week I had it to absolutely loving the flounder yesterday. Even the smell didn’t bother me as much! My goal is to eventually move on to baked flounder and then finally conquer salmon. The day I love salmon fish taste and all will be a very happy day for me. Because I hate touching raw meats I plan on eating my Stepmom’s fish once a week and then trying to grab some prepared fish or sushi from Wegmans another day of the week. I’ll make sure to keep you guys updated on how that goes.
I also wanted to address the name of this blog. It occurred to me that because I’m now eating fish some people might wonder if Girl Gone Veggie still applies to me. What I love about my blog name is that it’s really about me veggie-fying my life. I added fruits and vegetables where there were none and changed so many things about my eating habits. While I will be having fish once to twice a week the bulk of my diet is still plant based.
My goal with this blog is to show people that change is achievable. You can be the overweight 4th grader that scoops strawberries off of strawberry cheesecake and thinks a balanced meal is chicken nuggets and french fries. That doesn’t have to be how you are for the rest of your life. Little changes add up to big results. I’m not the healthiest eater, or the fittest, and I don’t have anywhere near as much muscle definition as I would like, but I’m healthy. (As much as I worry all the time that I’m not.) I was healthy when I ate meat, I was healthy when I was a full on vegetarian (all my blood work was normal and my energy felt the same), and I’m going to be healthy now. There’s no one right way to lead a healthy life, everyone is different. You have to do what’s right for you. Thanks for letting me open up about the next stage of my personal journey. 🙂
Questions of the Day: What label of eating do tend to find yourself fitting into? What are some of your favorite fish recipes?
** I hope it goes without saying that I do not have a medical degree and am not trying to replace your Doctor. All the research above was conducted by me for my body and no one else.
Good for you! I consider myself a semi-vegetarian. The only “meat” I eat is fish. Salmon is my favorite. You might want to try a white fish like cod, hake or haddock. They have more of a mild taste. Good luck!
I tried salmon this past weekend and loved it! I was shocked!
Go you!!! What a great post!! I am so like you- I read other blogs about people not eating enough and not having healthy relationships with food, and I think “man, my problem is that I’m eating too much!” hahaha love food and girl I love my sweets!! But I am with you on the red meat- although there are some health benefits, I think you get a lot of bad things with it too. I might have a steak once and a while, but probably only 2-3 times a year. And I don’t eat red meat other than that. I looove fish, chicken, and turkey but struggle with the ethical aspect of eating chicken- my dream is to have my own chickens one day!!
Aww I love that dream! My stepmom wants to retire and start an animal sanctuary/ farm. I told her I’d visit her all the time!
I love fish and think it makes a great addition to a diet. You need to do what is good for you!!!
Thanks girly! I’m excited to try out new types of fish!
I started out a vegetarian but now consider myself a pescetarian- salmon and halibut are my favorite! Salmon is really delicious with dill, lemon, and capers. The capers really seem to mask any “fishy” taste for me. I’ve also been known to mix all of those things into some plain Greek yogurt which makes for a healthy substitution to tartar sauce.
I hardly ever eat restaurant salmon or tilapia though because it’s usually farm-raised, unless otherwise noted.
(be especially careful with tilapia–http://www.genesmart.com/pages/tilapia_nutrition__omega_3_study/84.php)
Our local Wegmans and Trader Joe’s sells a lot of wild-caught varieties! 🙂
Ohh I love capers! I’ll have to try that! And great idea with Greek yogurt instead of tartar sauce! I didn’t even think of that! Thank you!
I’ve been doing a ton of research on farmed/wild salmon and I will never buy Atlantic (farmed) salmon after all I read about it. I picked up some of the flash frozen wild salmon from Wegmans this past weekend and it was delicious!
I love coho salmon, is raised in the wild,
Love, love, love fish! Rachael Ray has an awesome Parm-crusted (tilapia) haddock recipe – we like haddock so we substitute it.
Ohh I need to look that up! Thanks!
love this post. ironically, i will probably be writing one very similar next week about adding a little meat back into my diet after 2 years. i’m tired of labeling the way i eat. i just want to eat what i want to eat, and strive for a healthy balanced diet. if that means eating meat occasionally-fine. if it means eating meat one day and then vegetarian for the next 3 weeks because that’s what i feel like doing, then i’ll do that! do what works for you!
I’m so excited to read your post tomorrow! Feed your body the way you feel is best girly! That’s the best any of us can do! 🙂
I tried being a Pescatarian once and it didn’t work out for me since I needed more nutrition in my personal diet, but I do like that it gives more way more healthy fats and protein than veggies alone – eat it up girl!
Thanks so much girly! We all have to do what’s right for our bodies! I’m excited to try out different kinds of fish.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium site is the go-to source for sustainable fish. It is actually kind of difficult to find well-sourced fish that isn’t farmed and/or completely mistreated, but that site (and iphone app) does a really good job at telling you where your tilapia, salmon, etc should be from.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx
Thanks so much Stacy! I really appreciate it!
I’ve never really been a fish eater until recently and for the same reasons you listed. It’s so good for you that I feel like I just NEED to eat it. I’ve found that I like whiter fish the best. My go-to’s are flounder, Mahi-Mahi, and tilapia. I’m still not all that great at cooking fish but we try to eat it a few times per month.
I really want to try mahi-mahi! I’ve heard great things!
I called myself a pesci-ovo-lactarian. For past 20 years meat (poultry, beef, pork, game, etc) has not been a part of my diet. I eat seafood in limited quantities (1x week) and I am REALLY picky about the origin and taste. It has to be fresh caught, not frozen. And it has to be truly seafood – as in: came from the sea (saltwater fish). No freshwater creatures and nothing farmed. The lacto: I eat cheese or yogurt 2-3x/wk. Ovo: I don’t like eggs on their own — the smell… urgh… but if it is an ingredient in something – then I’m usually okay. Funny that you mention bottom-feeders. I won’t touch tilapia with a twenty-foot pole, but I will go out of my way for a tasty shrimp or crab dish. Growing up in DC/MD, some of my best memories are of big family crab feasts, and I guess it never truly left me.
I’ve never had crap or shrimp. I’d love to try them sometime! I’ve been reading a ton on farmed/fresh and totally agree, I will never eat Atlantic (aka farmed) salmon. I’m only eating it if it’s wild!
OBSESSION WITH SEAFOOD – Specifically Salmon! I eat salmon every, single, day! I have been known to gobble 8 pounds in a sitting (obviously I don’t do that EVERY night… but I could – lol). My favorite salmon recipe EVER: Salmon baked with clam sauce. I always have it when I visit my family at home because my dad makes it the BEST! Essentially you take clam sauce (made with olive oil and white wine) and pour it over the salmon in a baking dish and then bake in the oven at 350 – 400 for about 15 to 20 minutes, HOLY MOLY – mouth watering! 🙂
I am sooo trying this!! Thanks girly!!
Good for you! I do eat meat, but am making an effort to focus my meals around veggies. It’s hard throwing your eating lifestlye out there for everyone to see because so many people judge others based on what they eat or do not eat. I say eat the way your own body needs to.
Yes! Every body is different, that’s why everybody needs to eat differently! I was so happy that everyone was so encouraging and supportive of this post, it really meant a lot to me.
I hope you find some fish you like, but ultimately listen to your body! My favs include tilapia and salmon. When we were in Hawaii for vacation, I ate fish as much as I could! Figured it was pretty fresh there! ha ha!
I did have sushi in Hawaii and loved it. That was the only time I was ever really interested in the stuff. I just had salmon for the first time this past weekend and loved it! I was so shocked!
This is so much like my own journey. I became vegetarian last fall to shock my system, but since then a lot of the ethical considerations have begun to resonate as well. I’ve also been considering whether adding fish to my diet might be something I want to do. I’m still debating it, but this post was incredibly helpful.
Aw thanks Becki! Good luck with deciding what is right for you!
Erin, I am so excited you’re trying to get into fish. You have inspired me to cook some fish this weekend and share my recipes. I eat fish multiple times a week, sometimes multiple times a day. I have actually been thinking about cutting red meat out since I only eat it once a year or so.
I too came from a background of unhealthy, often fast food, and love the way I feel when I’m eating healthy. The last couple of days I haven’t eaten well (not fast food, but just more food, and less healthy than normal) and I feel like a brick. I’m ready to get home and cook myself something healthy and delicious.
Thanks so much for sharing your tilapia recipe girly! I’m so excited to try it with flounder! It’s amazing how good we can feel when we eat good food!
I believe you should eat how you feel best. I do eat fish. I’m probably 95% veggie but i will eat fish from time to time. I find it saves me in restaurants – usually the healthier options are the fish entrees. Salmon is one of my favs.
I just had salmon for the first time and loved it! I was super surprised!
Good luck with your new changes, Erin, you need to do what you feel is right for your health. So far I feel that my plant based diet has been providing everything I need for my health.
Thanks Debbie! I strongly believe there is no one way to health, we all have different ways of achieving it! I think of my food journey as constantly evolving and changing. Who knows where I will end up but hopefully I’m better for the journey!
way to go woman! taking the steps to feeling your best. Enjoy some good fish! I love it.
Thanks so much girly! I feel like I’m doing what’s best for me!
Great read. I’ve was a massive meat eater, and always wanted to eat more fish. So, I’ve decided to become a pescatarian for a month to change the way I cook, feel ect. I’m loving it so far.
I’m writing a blog about it. Feel free to give me any advice, as I’m sure I’ll hit a wall soon;
http://www.sortofameatlessmind.wordpress.com
Hi,
I am a pescatarian but I still call myself a vegetarian! I have always loved fish and could not let that go. I wanted to be a vegetarian because I felt like it. Lol! I just wanted to try something new! I love shrimp and salmon! I like the breaded shrip the best, though. I also love crab legs but we only eat on occasion! I love tilapia as well!