Meet the Meat-Less
Dixons
by: Lanie Dixon
lanieblaze@eXcapethematriX.com
I consider myself to be described by the phrase lovingly
coined by my girl Keesha as “hood thick.” This term is basically defined as
curvaceous, plump and most definitely sexy. Nonetheless, it’s only a Big Mac
binge or two away from swole and that can’t be close to ideal health.
“Since severely cutting back on our consumption of meat and animal
products both my husband and I have shed quite a few pounds without making any
massive effort to do so.”
So over the past couple of months, in an effort to eXcape
yet another matriX and hopefully create a healthier me, I set out to question
why I eat what I eat and why I eat so much of it. The food I decided to focus
on was meat. Each average American 
meal
seems to be centered on some kind of meat. There’s bacon and eggs for
breakfast, some kind of sandwich for lunch and some form of meat with sides for
dinner. With all the recent uproar about the ethical treatment of animals
(thanks to Michael Vick), I figured that maybe I’d give the poor chickens,
turkeys and cows a break.
I started by not buying a single meat product during my next trip to the grocery store. It felt really strange to not head straight for the deli and pull a number from the little red dispenser. I looked around to the smoked turkey legs that I usually make my slow cooked collard greens and black eyed peas with and stocked up on veggie broth in lieu of chicken stock.
Eco friendly vibes rushed through me as I filled my basket with fake burgers, chik patties, nuggets and corn dogs. While I was on a roll, I figured I’d go ahead and go for soy milk and cheese as well. Kittens don’t nurse from dogs, so why should we “nurse” from cows, right?
So I get all this stuff home and basically just cook as I normally had. There was no big vegetarian/vegan family meeting. I just put dinner on the table. To my amazement, my husband and kids loved the meals I cooked. They didn’t even miss the meat. But me…I was craving a big ole’ nasty corned beef sandwich on an onion roll with swiss and extra mustard from Lou’s Deli in Detroit.
Now here we are two months later. Are we hardcore
vegetarians? No. Nonetheless, we eat approximately a fourth of the meat and
animal products we used to. Our digestive systems, minds and spirits all seem
to be the better for it, too.
“Eco friendly vibes rushed through me as I filled my basket with fake
burgers, chik patties, nuggets 
and
corn dogs.”
I have always worked out on a regular basis but stayed at the same weight due to my unwillingness to change my eating habits. Since severely cutting back on our consumption of meat and animal products, both my husband and I have shed quite a few pounds without making any massive effort to do so. So it seems that I’m at least moving in the right direction and I’m hoping that a few chickens, turkeys and cows can sleep just a little bit better tonight.
Some tips for moving towards a more vegetable centered diet[1] include:
Make vegetarian versions of your favorite meals.
Explore thousands of delicious vegetarian recipes.
Try some tasty faux meats and dairy alternatives.
Sample vegetarian microwaveable meals and convenience foods.
Search online for the best vegetarian-friendly restaurants in your area.
Explore the amazing variety of meat-free ethnic foods.