I was at a wedding on the 19th, actually in the buffet line at the reception, when it dawned on me.  I had not eaten any meat since Wednesday night’s dinner.  This was definitely not intentional up to that point.  I did, though, intentionally eat only the veggie lasagna as an entrée that night.

Truthfully, I had also run a 20K race earlier that day and was just not into very heavy food.  The chicken – everyone who had some said it was delicious – didn’t look appetizing to me and I eat very little red meat so the roast beef was definitely out.

A few observations from my one week – once I realized it – imposed vegetarian stint are as follows.  Some are common sense, whether vegetarian or not.  Others are observations of my life.  Realize that I work from my home so set my own hours.  I run between 25 and 35 miles a week.

1. I could have kept going with the no meat diet if I had planned it better. This is one of those common sense things.  I was still cooking dinner every night for my family.  I have three lads of Irish decent living at home – read that to mean they are meat and potato boys all the way.  I had to make a conscious effort to have something for myself that as not meat.  This requires planning and I didn’t plan.
2. I like greens. I ate a lot more romaine and spinach when I was not eating meat.  I love spinach, even going so far as to put it in smoothies after I run.  Not all my friends, and definitely not my children, think this is good.
3. I like chicken. While I didn’t miss having other things, I did miss it the night we had chicken spiedies, a local specialty.  I do like having occasional chicken or fish but not other meats.’
4. I required less sleep. This one sort of confuses me.  I did not intentionally stay up later or get up earlier but I did, without an alarm as it was my youngest’s first week of summer break, find I slept less.  I have noticed, just in the few days I have been eating meat again, that I get tired earlier in the day/night.

Do you eat meat?  Do you keep a strict vegetarian diet?  Have you ever tried raw eating or clean eating?