Green=Healthy

I know its been awhile since I've posted, but May has been a crazy month of weddings, graduations, family visiting from out of town, and to top it all off I've been swamped at work. With all of these distractions, maintaining my green philosophy has faced some challenges. In the interest of time and ease, I am ashamed to admit that I have faltered over the past few weeks. I've eaten more meat than I would have liked, done a lot of driving, used way too many paper plates and cups, and have not done my best to conserve energy and water. However, I still walked home from work, ate vegetarian when possible, continued to buy local and organic groceries, and tried to pass on my going green thinking to the people I've met.

Despite my mistakes, I have still gained a lot from trying to be green over the last month. Most notably in being a part-time vegetarian. By only eating less meat (I have not had any time for the gym) I have lost over 5 lbs! Not only that, but I feel better and less bloated. I dropped two belt loop holes and have more energy. I feel like I'm finally starting to look and feel like my old self again.

It hasn't always been easy to avoid meat, but to be honest, the less I eat, the less appetizing a huge slab of steak or a grotesquely over sized chicken leg is. When I do eat meat, I tend towards seafood and I try to pick more sustainable varieties. I also have decided that when I eat meat, I want it to be special since something died so that I could eat it. I just don't feel like its worth it to have a fast food hamburger or chicken nuggets. I've honestly never really felt bad for eating animals before, but now I do think about it a little. It makes me feel a little less guilty if the animal had a good life out on a pasture and not in a cage. I also think that it honors the animal in some way to take the time to make a special preparation, or save it for an important occasion. Regardless, being a part-time vegetarian is becoming easier than I would have ever imagined. And since my waistline is showing the results, it will be difficult for me to go back to my old habits.