To meat or not to meat?

111grace · May 2015

Hi

& I thank you in advance if you help me with this debate going on in my head.

There is so many people pro meat eating & so many for just vegetable & fruit eating, so many totally against dairy.

During my 10 school years I was vegetarian ( no meat proteins) during a a doctor visit he threatened to feed me raw liver to up my iron count, ( iron tablets just made me constipated, lol), slowly I started to introduce meat proteins in my diet, chicken & fish & eggs that has brought my iron level to average. ( lol not going to win any iron man contests anytime soon). ( during school except for the iron count, & being more easily tired, I had less sick days than my brothers & sister, who eat everything). During this time totally at my normal weight.

I don't know if I got to my obese zone because of meat eating & a big decrease in exercise?

So I did a keto diet for about 2 months, very painful, did not work for me, ( blocked the works)!! On the plus side ( no pun intended) I learnt while reading about this diet how important fats are to a healthy body. (So I have added, things like flaxseed, avocado, coconut oil, ghee to my eating).

People are always saying meat protein gives you better muscle tone, is this true or not?
I don't want to loose muscle tone.

( bucks, horses, elephants, rhinos, etc, eat only grass they look pretty strong)

I eat vegetables, dairy & fruit ( Mondays, Tuesdays, & Fridays), fish, chicken & eggs ( Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, & Sundays). I noticed I have harder time in the john during meat days?

Do people who only eat vegetables & fruit look healthier or not?

& those whole don't eat dairy do they look healthier or not?

& do meat eaters look healthier than the above 2?

What is the best & healthiest way to eat?

Have a wonderful day & thanks for taking the time to answer

ndj1979 · May 2015

if you are not losing weight, you are not in a calorie deficit. Also, eating meat did not make you obese, eating too many calories did.

There is no "healthiest" way to eat…Just eat in a calorie deficit and make sure that you hit your macros and micros.

protein intake, not meat intake, is what preserves muscle mass along with a strength training program.

sixxpoint · May 2015

The above poster is correct.

To add:

1. Stay within the ballpark of your macronutrient targets.
2. Predominate your intake with a rich variety of whole and minimally refined foods.
3. Leave a minority of the diet open for indulgences (10-20% guideline). Do not abuse alcohol.
4. Ignore the rules of fad diets and stick with foods that fit your personal preference and tolerance.

earlnabby · May 2015

I need meat. A medium rare juicy steak just off the grill is heaven! I am also chronically borderline anemic and ended up in the hospital at one point with severe anemia (four units of blood plus one unit of IV iron) so I make a point of eating iron rich foods, both heme (animal based) and non-heme (plant based).

yesimpson · May 2015

A life without meat for me is not worth it. My iron levels are pretty rubbish even with me regularly ingesting big, bloody steaks, so in my case there's a health argument to be made FOR eating meat

Incorporating meat into a balanced diet, which provides appropriate proportions of carbs, fat, protein and vitamins and minerals and does not exceed your body's calorie needs, will not cause you to gain weight. However, as with all food, you need to be mindful of the calories in the portion you are eating. Lots of lean meats can actually be very satiating for the calorie count they provide. If you don't like meat, you don't have to have it in order to fulfil your nutritional requirements; if you love it, you don't have to give it up.

111grace · May 2015

Lol I agree on the too many calories part.

working on it.........though, God willing I will hit the goldilocks just right point.

PAST: I had no clue ( 1 large pkt chips, & cream cheese dip, choc nuts, 550 calories, my favorite in one sitting, pizza, 2800+ calories who knew, lol), until I joined mFp ( huge big thanks to the mFp creators, well done, thank you God), & started logging in meals, damn a life changer

( I never read the fine print on the packets aaaaaggggghhhh).

Alcohol not my problem thank God

I just started adding in a minimal daily exercise, walking & fruit instead of junk what a huge difference that makes

This week working on trying to increase my water input to 8 glasses. When does too much water become toxic? & removes too much nutrients ?

Its currently a little hard to balance my macronutrients, since I added more fruit, my carbs have gone through the ceiling, but loving the fruit. My proteins on the low side. fats lol not a problem.

janejellyroll · May 2015

111grace wrote: »

Lol I agree on the too many calories part. working on it.........though, God willing I will hit the goldilocks just right point.

PAST: I had no clue ( 1 large pkt chips, & cream cheese dip, choc nuts, 550 calories, my favorite in one sitting, pizza, 2800+ calories who knew, lol), until I joined mFp ( huge big thanks to the mFp creators, well done, thank you God), & started logging in meals, damn a life changer ( I never read the fine print on the packets aaaaaggggghhhh).

Alcohol not my problem thank God

I just started adding in a minimal daily exercise, walking & fruit instead of junk what a huge difference that makes

This week working on trying to increase my water input to 8 glasses. When does too much water become toxic? & removes too much nutrients ?

Its currently a little hard to balance my macronutrients, since I added more fruit, my carbs have gone through the ceiling, but loving the fruit. My proteins on the low side. fats lol not a problem.

If you drink when you're thirsty, you don't have to worry about water being toxic or removing nutrients.

Meat doesn't make you gain weight. Removing meat from your diet won't make you lose weight. I fully believe that you can live a happy and healthy life without meat (I haven't had any for nine years), but you will have to focus on calories in/calories out to lose weight.

avskk · May 2015

Eat whatever you like within your calories. Like other people have already said, it wasn't meat that made you obese -- it was eating more calories than you consumed.

111grace · May 2015

I just watched this youtube video that says meat proteins & dairy very bad for you? (Is this just like smoking, where for years it was allowed then smokers fought for the right to smoke, until they began to see the results of smoking a little by little people started giving up smoking. And if secondary (those who are in the vicinity of smoker)smokers also get cancer,), Is meat & dairy like smoking we don't get it? Then what about B12, I don't want to take injections, so then it must be essential right? therefore then meat & dairy okay or not? Also like when we are obese we don't want to give up takeouts/choc etc, until slowly by slowly we see results & let go of it?

NewMeSM75 · May 2015

Always remember that anyone can post a youtube video. It doesn't make them an expert.

SergeantNarwhal · May 2015

No one is going to agree on what is "good for you". You have to decide it for yourself. Listen to your body, see what feels good, what gives you energy, what keeps your mind clear and your body strong. For me? It's not eating meat. I eat almost 100% vegan. I've climbed across California, ran a half marathon, practiced yoga almost daily and lift heavy at the gym. I have very low body fat and I am pretty toned. But it took me YEARS to figure out that that was how my body needed to eat to feel and work well. My point is, getting a consensus on what others think about this issue may not help you - do what feels good and the rest will follow. Oh and about the iron? There is tons of iron in dark leafy greens. I almost always go over on the recommended amount.

To meat or not to meat?

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