Mix vegetarian with meat eating options

[RCambrell]

I'm not vegetarian but I am about about to start me 3rd whole30 and was wondering if I can mix the vegetarian compliant meals with the meat eating options. I have found that sticking with the meat options meant I have been eating a great deal more meat/animal protein then I would like and was hoping I could incorporate some vegetarian meals/days and still be compliant.

[missmary]

It depends on what you mean by "vegetarian". Some people consider themselves vegetarian and still eat eggs and fish. If that's you, you could easily do the "standard" whole30 incorporating plenty of different egg dishes and kinds of fish and seafood. If you are willing to eat red meat, pork and/or chicken occasionally, so much the better.

 

If you are doing the vegetarian whole30, you do have more protein options, but the vegetarian option also contains nutritional compromises to get enough protein into the plan. I would really explore why the meat/animal protein is "more than you would like"and then evaluate your goals. As someone who was a committed lacto-ovo vegetarian for MANY years (15? 20?), I know it takes a while to transition, and I also know it was completely worth it to me to go back to eating meat. I'm still dealing with health issues from the way I used to eat (not all vegetarians eat the way I did, and not all bodies react the way mind did, just my experience). Anyway I'm thrilled to have found better health and I don't think the vegetarian whole30 would have brought me there. Here is a primer for the meat averse:

 

http://whole9life.com/2011/02/eating-meat-a-primer-for-the-meat-challenged/

[MeadowLily]

"You may think this goes without saying, but many vegetarians, even those who truly pay attention to eating nutritious foods, don't realize how much added sugar they are consuming. Food manufacturers will add sugar to almost everything, including "healthy" vegetarian foods such as soy milk, yogurt, salad dressings, and beverages. Read labels carefully, and don't fall for such sweeteners as "organic brown rice syrup", "barley malt syrup", and "evaporated cane juice". To your body, this is all just "sugar".

 

I'm not assuming you eat any sugar.   My vegetarian friends are consumed with sugar and they don't even know it.

They take photos of baked goods and make sweet baked goods/muffins.   I've watched them eat chips, pastries, pasta and give a sneer to folks like me who are eating steaks.  There are always extremes.

 

I make no judgment but after about 20 years, they had as many health issues as I did before I started here.

[RCambrell]

Thank you for your responses.

 

I'm actually not vegetarian, I just find that eating eggs, fish, red meat etc for every meal is a bit much and wanted to mix it up a bit on my 3rd whole30 with some of the items that are allowed on the vegetarian plans. My main goal in doing the whole30 is actually to eliminate processed sugar from my diet. I've done the reintroductions and don't seem to have any intolerances but I don't have an off switch when it comes to processed sugar and find myself eating items that I don't really enjoy just to get that sugar hit.

[Lunagirl]

I know this is an old post, but I too am curious about eating that much animal protein.  I like animal protein, but it is an adjustment to eat it at every meal.

[ohsherry]

I was a vegetarian for years, but really never felt my health was optimal and always needed to lose a few pounds. When I started eating fish and eggs again, I felt so much better.

 

I am on Day 23. Yay!  I also have eaten a little chicken, but no meat.

 

I have that same trouble with sugar. If I no sugar, I am fine, but even a little and I can go totally off the wagon.

 

One thing you could add for your next Whole30 is organic sprouted tofu. It's versatile  and much easier to digest than black or garbanzo beans. You can scramble it like eggs, use the firm variety for stir fry and mix it with veggies for a burger.

 

It's allowed on the modifyied plan and will keep you full while eating less animal protein.