To Veg or Not to Veg? That is the question.

First things first. I ate meat today and it was good! The no meat challenge wasn't all that hard after all and even though there were some mad cravings for steak sandwiches and fried chicken (it's always what you can't have) I made it through good as gold.
As promised I wanted to share with you some of the pros and cons of going meatless according to some information I trudged up.
According to peta.org ( http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/eating-for-life.aspx) going vegetarian can "lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other health problems." They also state that by going meat-free you can promote an increase in energy and lose weight. However, peta.org does stress that while eating ramen noddles other other forms of junk food is technically vegetarian you must ensure that you are sticking to more of a healthy diet, incorporating fruits and veggies to reap and maintain the benefits of being meat-free.
There are some pros to have a diet that incorporates meat as well, meat such as fish for example, has omega 3s which are proven to be good for your heart. Other meats, such as red meats have benefits as well according to  www.slashfood.com (http://www.slashfood.com/2006/11/27/pros-and-cons-of-eating-red-meat/ur). Red meat according to this site is high in zinc which is good for your immune system and also has plenty of vitamins and minerals that may help you in the long run. Also according to slashfood.com eating red meat two times daily can increase the chance of breast cancer in young women and is high saturated fats. Red meat can give your body the protein it needs, while with a strictly vegetation diet you, like I did, might find yourself forgetting to incorporate these much needed ingredients. Although both to go vegetarian or to stick with meat have valid points it's really about what and how much of it you are putting in your body. Overall I think it is OK to have a little bit of meat in moderation as long as you are also sticking to a nutritious diet that is also filled with fresh fruits, whole grains, and delicious veggies. What I have learned from this challenge is that I CAN go without meat, and although I didn't really notice too much of a physical change I did get to try some really great recipes. I think I will stick with meat, but I think I will eat it a few times less a week instead- just for the health benefits.