Flexitarians

Apparently there's a recent addition to the lexicon. A "flexitarian" is someone inclined to eat less meat, fish, dairy and eggs and more plant foods.


That's me, and it's probably the primary reason why I lost 35 pounds and have kept it off the last two years.


It only makes sense. You can get filled up and satisfied on far fewer calories eating fruits and veggies (particularly if they're uncooked), then you can on meat, fish, dairy or eggs.


But, as much as vegetarians and vegans like to protest, I do believe that eating small quantities of meat, fish, dairy and eggs is better for your overall health, than a purely non-animal diet.


So, instead of completely eliminating something you love from your diet, like chili, try reducing the amount of meat in the recipe and adding more beans and other vegetables.


My daily goal is to eat only raw fruits and vegetables for breakfast and lunch every day (although I do admit that I fall off the bandwagon every now and again).


But dinner is generally always mostly cooked (although I do like to include "a little raw in every meal"). While I try to focus on serving lean fish or chicken in my dinners, I also aim to have at least 1 (if not 2) completely vegetarian dinners a week.


That's the goal of flexitarianism, to be flexible. You don't have to swear off eating animal products, just eat less of them. It's a good goal to shoot for in your weight loss journey.