pescetarianism

I've been seriously considering becoming a pescetarian( vegatarian who eats seafood) has anyone else fone this successfully?

I have been doing this for over 25 years. I only eat wild salmon, salt water fish, no fresh water fish, crabs, lobster etc. Giving meat and chicken was easy, sugar was really hard, but I have conquered that now.

I don't believe it's any 'healthier' than other diet areas but if it'll help you make healthier food choices than by all means, go right ahead.

I am pescetarian and eat fish about 2-3 times a week. The rest of the time, I eat vegetarian. I stick to fish that are sustainable and low in mercury. My cholesterol levels are excellent. If you have problems with cholesterol, then this is the way to go.

On the other hand, I don't credit my good cholesterol just to being pescetarian. I also cook most of my meals at home, eat lots of fresh veggies and fruits, limit sweets and junk food, and am very physically active. It is definitely possible to be an unhealthy pescetarian or vegetarian.

In moderation, though, red meat can be part of a healthy diet. If you don't have any ethical reasons to give up red meat, why not just cut back your intake to 1-2 servings per week and eat more fish? I think you would see the same benefits without feeling deprived.

I've been a pescetarian for 13 years now. It's not difficult, but I don't eat fish every day, so have to watch for a balance with other protein sources (e.g. tofu, quinoa, nuts, etc). Balance is the key no matter what you choose to eat or not eat. I was a fat pescetarian for most of those 13 years (and a fat omnivore/meat eater before that). I didn't lose weight until I started to eat less (with MFP's help) and do more (with Fitbit's help).

Vegetarian doesn't instantly mean healthy.

There are plenty of "junk-food vegetarians".

Many people lose weight by going this route because they are unintentionally creating a calorie deficit by restricting some of the foods they used to eat a lot of.

I'd rather just eat a little less steak, than no steak at all.

I must have missed the memo that said meat is bad for you!

I do think it is possible to be pescetarian and healthy. but as we (should) know, diet is not a one size fits all thing, so it is not for everyone. if you can get ample protein after cutting out animal protein and subsisting on fish and legumes, then by all means, try it and see how you feel. But this diet, just like every other diet in existence, is not for everyone.

I tried this for about 2 years. I gained about 60 lbs and developed a few major health problems. I've since lost the weight and reversed/lessened those health problems by adding meat back into my diet.

:laugh:

yeah, I laugh about it too. it seemed like a great idea at the time.

You must have been doing it wrong. There are plenty of very healthy people who eat that diet. Adding or removing meat on its own doesn't cause health problems or weight gain unless you've replaced meat with something high in calories and haven't made up for the protein and B12, among other things.

I gave up all animal flesh five years ago and I'm perfectly healthy and it hasn't made a difference one way or the other in my weight.

I have eaten pescetarian (vegetarian but also including seafood, eggs, and some dairy) since Thanksgiving 2012.

For me it was not a drastic switch at ALL because I normally just ate chicken once or twice a week and beef once or twice a month.

I didn't lose weight from this alone. There was no change in the scale from Nov-Mar. In March I started MFP and that's when I started to lose lb.

Health-wise I see absolutely no changes. I don't feel any different. I am getting plenty of protein from other sources. Sorry this is not very exciting lol

Just wanted to say I agree w/ those saying this is not an automatic path to weight loss or even health. My fiance has been pescetarian for 13 years and had an unhealthy diet for about 4-5 of those years. Basically he ate salad and bagels and donuts when he was in college, and nothing else. Not a good idea.

We do have a friend who gave up beef, poultry & pork for 1 year and lost around 60 lb from that alone. However, this guy was a big meat eater before...the type of guy to regularly hit up Buffalo Wild Wings and steakhouses.

I was a vegetarian for 15 years. then a pescetarian for 5 years. I turned omnivorian this past year.

I didn't become one for heath reasons. I did get fat being a vegetarian, and pescetarian didn't change that. Although eating fish gives you more options at restaurants. Personally I think cutting out something like that to get healthy maybe the wrong way of looking at it. Eating good food that is in your macros might be a better way to go. I can eat a TON of pizza and Filet-O-Fish. Not that those are things to restrict, just that I have no moderation on them.

I tried this for about 2 years. I gained about 60 lbs and developed a few major health problems. I've since lost the weight and reversed/lessened those health problems by adding meat back into my diet.

:laugh:

yeah, I laugh about it too. it seemed like a great idea at the time.

You must have been doing it wrong. There are plenty of very healthy people who eat that diet. Adding or removing meat on its own doesn't cause health problems or weight gain unless you've replaced meat with something high in calories and haven't made up for the protein and B12, among other things.

I gave up all animal flesh five years ago and I'm perfectly healthy and it hasn't made a difference one way or the other in my weight.

I did it correctly. I worked with a nutritionist and my doctor. my balance was 60% fruits and veggies and about 40% protein sources - like nuts, beans, fish. I was lifting 2 days a week and doing cardio 3 days a week. I burned more than I consumed and always had a calorie deficit.

I am sure that you and many other pescetarians are very healthy. Diet is not a one size fits all thing. Anyone who tells you otherwise is fooling you.

The OP wanted honest answers from people who had tried and tested this diet and I am one of them. I'm sorry if my opinion offends those who are successful with this diet.

it's harder to eat lots of fat

Nuts, peanut butter, avocados, cheese ...

I'm way over my fat "limit" by lunchtime every day and I eat no animals at all. I don't really worry about fat in general, but since I follow the old Weight Watchers system, I need to know fat grams to figure the points. I'm always in the red.

Fat, though, does not make you fat,

I tried this for about 2 years. I gained about 60 lbs and developed a few major health problems. I've since lost the weight and reversed/lessened those health problems by adding meat back into my diet.

:laugh:

yeah, I laugh about it too. it seemed like a great idea at the time.

You must have been doing it wrong. There are plenty of very healthy people who eat that diet. Adding or removing meat on its own doesn't cause health problems or weight gain unless you've replaced meat with something high in calories and haven't made up for the protein and B12, among other things.

I gave up all animal flesh five years ago and I'm perfectly healthy and it hasn't made a difference one way or the other in my weight.

I did it correctly. I worked with a nutritionist and my doctor. my balance was 60% fruits and veggies and about 40% protein sources - like nuts, beans, fish. I was lifting 2 days a week and doing cardio 3 days a week. I burned more than I consumed and always had a calorie deficit.

I am sure that you and many other pescetarians are very healthy. Diet is not a one size fits all thing. Anyone who tells you otherwise is fooling you.

The OP wanted honest answers from people who had tried and tested this diet and I am one of them. I'm sorry if my opinion offends those who are successful with this diet.

But you didn't respond to the vitamin b12 issue. Were you taking supps? Cause that is a huge issue many people don't know about. I am almost pescatarian and after a few months started feeling really tired and drained and not well. I insisted on a blood test and was very low in b12 and d vitamins. I later found out how common it is for this to happen when you are not eating enough meat. (b12 issue). Wish someone would have told me. I can at least happily say the problem was quickly corrected withb12 supps and sun exposure.