Do men over 50 need animal based protein to be healthy and happy?
From my own experience, no..
For several years, I have been reducing my intake of animal protein to the point where I don’t eat it anymore.
It has been a slow process because I wanted to be sure to embrace this diet fully and make sure I wouldn’t have cravings or would be questioning if I still needed it.
The first thing
I decided to do was to take out beef and pork, then chicken and finally fish. I also eliminated dairy products.
First, I reduced my intake of beef and pork, then I stopped eating beef and pork all together. Next, I reduced my chicken intake until there was no more chicken. Finally, fish. I recommend taking about 6 months to stop eating each type of meat, one by one.
The hardest part at the beginning was having a sense of not eating enough as well as remembering the flavors. This would trigger a craving to have a piece of meat, chicken or fish.
So I had to restart my memory bank and install a new set of memories associated with food in order to create new ones. I had to consciously create new neural pathways that would be the ones that would flash across my brain when I was thinking about food.
In order to create new neural pathways, I would slowly eat the new dishes and products. I would create a clear picture of the food. I would focus on its colors and flavors and create an experience in my brain that the dish would be filling and satisfying.
We are a product of our past, and food is a centerpiece of our lives. In order to make a permanent change about how we view, experience and think about food, we must have a strategy. In order for there to be a successful change, we need to be conscious and act accordingly.
One thing I missed most about meat was actually not the meat itself but, it was the cutting and preparation of the meat. I enjoyed cutting and preparing chicken, fish and all types of meat prior to cooking. My strategy in overcoming this was to cut fruit and take the time to prepare fruit before I ate it. A healthier option but, still including the preparation part that I missed.
As I was reducing these animal proteins, I noticed that I felt much better. I would find myself sleeping better. I was aware of the hours I would sleep because I had an app to track my sleep. It was a snowball effect, because I was starting to have better nights sleep, it also made the transition of reducing my meat intake smoother.
I chose to live in a tropical country so you tend to go to bed earlier and live with the sun. I would wake up early with the sunrise and new habits were formed because it allowed me to get extra hours to take care of my daily exercise quota. Your nutrition goes hand in hand with your daily activity. As I stopped eating animal protein, I noticed that it also affected other aspects of my daily life.
Being over 50 may mean you have more time for yourself, no kids to look after and a more manageable workload. For myself, I dedicate a minimum of 25 minutes to an hour of exercise because I have more time for myself.
If you think your physical performance and energy will be reduced because of reduced intake of animal protein, I would encourage you to re frame and rethink. From my experience, it taught me the contrary. I have a lot more energy, mental clarity and am able to exercise with ease. I just always have to push myself a little more to do cardio.