Goodbye Three Years of My Life

I know the title looks like I'm going to say goodbye to blogging, but fear not.  You're still stuck with me.  I recently did make a life-changing decision though, and it was one I do not take lightly.

I've written a lot on here about being a vegetarian, and I swore I would stay one my entire life.  However, last weekend I decided to go back to eating meat.

I thought a lot about my decision, and had actually been considering it for a few weeks.  Whenever my family used to make chicken or fish or steak, I used to gag and look the other way.  Lately, however, my body was craving more protein.  When I went to Florida with my friend (and future roommate!) Sarah and she ordered steak, I asked for a bite.  When my friends ate dinner at the cafeteria and got grilled chicken, I asked for a bite.  

The final straw came last weekend when I woke up craving a chicken sandwich.  In my three years of being a vegetarian, I have never experienced that.  I fully believe that our bodies can tell us when they need something, and this was the wake up call I needed that I really did need to consume meat again because I was lacking in protein and vitamins.  

There are great vegetarians that eat amazing foods and try all new kinds of vegetables with organic, complicated names.  Then there are the kinds that eat the same things everyday with little variety and head to the pasta section of the menu when all else fails.  For the past two and a half years I was the great vegetarian who ate tempeh and tofu like it was going out of style.  But for the past few months I have been so bored with my options and have been consuming far too many carbs.  

In my health-concious mind, it's just as healthy- healthier even- to eat lean meats and fish then to eat a vegetarian diet the way I had been eating it the past few months.

What I've learned from this experience is to never say never.  Will I become a vegetarian again?  Probably. I loved being a vegetarian and think it's great when you do it the right way.  I could definitely see myself becoming one after college.  Right now, I need the extra protein with training for next season, but I'll admit I'd probably become a vegetarian after college when I'm no longer an student-athlete.

So while I'm saying goodbye to my vegetarian ways for now, I'm saying hello to a whole new world of eating.  And as I sit here stuffing my face with my chicken sandwich, all i'm thinking is

why did i wait this long to eat chicken?  this chicken is the best thing since sliced bread.  


And might I add how friggen excited I am for Easter brunch when I can eat 100x more then I usually eat?  SO EXCITED.