Finally

So because I have already abandoned this immersion process, you can imagine that it has not really been on my mind.  I have been focusing my attention towards my art classes, and have been living in the Art and Journalism Building pretty much, so my food options come from the Atrium.  Well there is only so many days a week I can eat a cucumber sandwich, and the Atrium does not have very many vegetarian options (except those frozen, not-so-fresh sushi), so yes, I have been eating meat.
I know for a fact, I cannot be a healthy vegetarian, and I think other college kids stuck in crappy college towns face the same dilemas I have had.  So as of now, there is no way that I will be able to make the switch to a non-meat eating diet.  Well, because today is the last day of the immersion, I fare the well! I will no longer be updating this blog because I failed the immersion.  Sad day :(

And that is Justin Bieber's face made out of meat.  And that is all.

Almost Done!

As of now, I am no longer a vegetarian.  I have failed my immersion plan!! haha I mean, I will live, but I still feel kind of bad for not even being able to go a month in my immersion.
At first, I was all in to changing my diet and trying out this new way of life, but slowly I began to lose motivation.  I first started making small exceptions, like "sure I'll split a pizza with you; you want pepperoni? well of course I don't care!" Then Darin will bring home food from work, which is usually things like wings and such, and I would have to eat it because I hadn't eaten all day.  I started realizing instead of splitting meals with people and saving money, I would have to buy all my own separate meals (usually more expensive).
So for about 4 days, I have been saying "SCREW IT!" and eating whatever is convenient because I have been super broke.  Cheap, nasty McDoubles and chemically pumped hot dogs have been what's easy and cheap, which is still sad to me.  I wish I could have been able to eat a healthy vegetarian diet for these 30 days, and it would have been a treat to do so!
Maybe in a few years, when I have an awesome job and live somewhere just as awesome (no where near this town), I will have the means of finally committing to this immersion.

What's My Point?

After having to actually sit down and think about my topic and what points I am going to make in my final paper, I have come to a sort of dilema.  Should I write about the reasons that someone chooses to be vegetarian, as my original idea was, or do I go with what I have recently been thinking about?  I have been thinking that maybe I should just focus on how hard it can be, even with all the information I have gathered, to actually be a vegetarian in my situation?
As a broke college kid living in Muncie, Indiana...I am seeing this immersion to be almost impossible.  Although my research never really touches on the outside factors that can create difficulties, I am beginning to think it is a much more interesting and relevant point to touch on.
If I do this, I will be arguing my own idea, and only using the articles I have collected to show how for some people, being vegetarian can be laid out as simple as some of the authors have stated.
Does this even make sense?

If any of you have any pointers or any thoughts on how to clear up my train of thought, let me know!

Cheated with Chicken

I gave a warning out that I was about to cheat in the immersion, and that was exactly what I did! I had a buffalo chicken pizza with bacon and jalapeños the other night, and let me just say, it was magical!
I have been having trouble with this immersion the whole time, but I had been able to stay clear of the foods I chose not to eat for most of the time.  I know that for my research paper that I will be doing in the near future will have to focus more on the difficulties one can be faced when converting to a vegetarian lifestyle.  I will have to talk about the discoveries about myself that I have made, as well as the unexpected reactions I had to my research.  There are so many reasons for somebody to become a vegetarian, and I do not think I possess the right ones to make this situation work.  I do vow to finish up the rest of the 30 days meat free, but I can not say that I will enjoy it.

St. Patty's Day Tomorrow!!!

At least there is no meats that play a prominent part in one the best holidays we Americans get to enjoy!!!! Only BEER!!! The overload of carbs that I can only presume I am taking in on a daily basis will not be taken care of yet.  Tomorrow will hopefully not be my downfall though...I am sure everyone here knows that beer can usually lead to something like a Jimmy John's sandwich, or a nice, meaty hamburger.  I will try my hardest not to eat meat on this fine day, but then again, it is a holiday, and I may take the day off tomorrow!
So far, I have been staying the course pretty well, and have not been taking days off this immersion project, so I think that I will go ahead and enjoy myself tomorrow and eat what is provided at any cookout, kegger, or party I may be at tomorrow.  I just cannot bring myself to bring a salad or something to a party....just doesn't seem right.
VACATION DAY TOMORROW!
(then back to work)

Stress

It's definitely easier being vegetarian when you are too stressed out to eat.  I have not eaten in two days, and I don't think I can.  Between school, work, preparing for my internship in Dublin, and life, there has been no time for me to grab a quick meal, or any desire to.
I usually can make myself eat, but at times like this, my meals always consist of fast foods that I can get on the run.  Any other month, I would have driven to somewhere like Burger King and bought myself a burger, and ignore how nasty the food really is.  I have to actually put thought into what I need to eat and think about "have I had enough vitamins or proteins or anything?" and then make my food choices.  No time for that.
I think that fast food is actually very convient and helpful in this unfortunate society we live in, but would it kill a company to make a healthy place!  I would love to be able to jump in my car, go up to a window, and order a fruit salad, a spinach salad, or meat substitute products...like Falafels! So far, there are no places like that in this area, and if they do have these healthy items, they always find a way to destroy them with fats and preservatives.
Here's a list of fast food restaurants and their "healthy" choices of salads.  I was shocked to see so much fat included. :(

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=23373

In The Mood...For Veggies!!

With the 70 degree weather and being able to ride my bike around is making me have healthy eating thoughts! Bad weather makes me want to eat my comfort foods, like hamburgers and pizza, but this sunshine makes a nice salad or a piece of juicy fruit seem like a delicious treat!
My mood is very affected by the weather, and I never really thought about it in terms of food.  I think you have to be in a positive mood to want to be healthy, and that positive mood (for me at least) is solar powered! I really wish Muncie had a pleather of outdoor markets or something similar to go shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, but unfortunately our fine city is made up of fast food joints and Walmart is our main source of food.
Maybe in able to make this lifestyle permanent, I would need to live somewhere warm and awesome...like California! Somewhere where gardening is a major part of society; not Muncie, Indiana.

So I've Realized...

Let us see, it's been abou 2 weeks, and the only thing I can think about is what to have for my next meal without breaking free from the immersion.  I have realized that out of all the reasons that are out there for being a vegetarian, I only am able to keep this up for the healthy lifestyle.  I used to think that I had enough sympathy towards animals to let it keep me from meat, but I have not even found myself thinking about animal rights or any of that stuff when I get hungry for meat.
I have never been a feminist, nor practiced a religion that practiced any form of restraining from meat, but I have been always aware of animal rights.  I have contacted PETA and reported the mistreatment of animals in multiple situations, but for some reason, cows, birds, pigs, and the usual farm animal has never been in my mind.  I guess I have just grown so used to the fact that we eat animals to survive.  I think I have been so influenced by our mainstream culture, that my sensitivities towards farm animals have diminished.  There is a food chain, and the human race happens to be towards the top, and I think that after my 30 days are up, I will join back in.  I love meat because it supplies me with the nutrients I do not receive from my already picky diet.

Interesting Fact:

http://www.happycow.net/travel/top_five.html

Well according to the website above, Happy Cow - the healthy eating guide, New York City is the #1 place where a vegetarian can have many options in their meal choice.  Because there are foods from all over the world in the "melting pot", vegetarians are able to explore all sorts of fruits and vegetables that may not be familiar to our "typical American citizens."
From my recent experience, this fact might be true, but to afford the luxury of non-fried food, you must be ready to lay down a few more bucks than usual.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/20/nyregion/20consume.html

I ended up having to research different restaurants, and the average price-range was  between $30-$50 per person anywhere.  SUCKED!

The younger crowed were definitely the ones leading this trend developing in the big city.  They occupy all the juice bars, vegan cafes, and organic grocery stores around the city, while the rich, older society where their furs to keep warm.  The trend of becoming a vegetarian is exactly that....a trend.  I think it's awesome that our generation is becoming so aware of nature and the environment, but for some reason, I think it will fade at some point :(

NYC

So, yea. So much delicious foods here. Most being meat based. GAHHHH! O well, I have been pretty good. Went to this amazing burger joint called Stand4, and got myself a tasty salmon burger with tartar sauce and veggies on it.  Today I ate some mashed potatoes and a caesar salad. All of this is boring, sorry. I just am kind of bitter at the moment because Darin gets to try all these different dishes, and I am limited to a small portion of every menu.  I will make this statement with all confidence: There is NO WAY I could be a vegetarian if I lived in a city this full of culture. Strong culture = good foods.
On a positive note, I do feel like I have way more energy without the heavy meat filled meals weighing me down. We walked about 6 miles today all around the city, and Darin was the one draggin after he ate a thick, juicy burger. I felt energized the whole time, and even now as I type this, Darin is laying in bed and I'm planning the next stop! On my way to a cute diner on the edge of Central Park! Don't wait up! (ya know, cause all this extra energy from my lettuce and potates)
Alli

Blossom

I'm just watching some Futurama and eating broccoli, and I keep getting the urge to look for different vegetarian menus and foods! (Probably because I am so hungry).  Here's some place in New York City called Blossom, and it has a pretty delicious looking menu.  Maybe I will check it out when I'm there for Spring Break!
http://blossomnyc.com/ 

Day 4: Hungry for Meat

I have been thinking about cheating during this immersion project and eating a nice, juicy hamburger or some crispy bacon, but luckily the research I have done in preparing me for this project have provided me with enough inspiration to stay strong.
I would really like to improve my health and stop eating the gross, processed fastfoods that I am way too familiar with, and maybe lose some of this college weight I have put on throughout the last 3 years.  I now know about how being vegetarian can decrease your risk of some heart diseases and such, and I also know that my drinking and smoking habits do not help at all.  If I do at least one major healthy lifestyle change, I am hopeful for some positive effects on my body, such as more energy and a lower BMI.
My boyfriend, Darin, has been concerned about my food intake lately though.  He says that I do not eat enough calories as a vegetarian, and I am not prepared enough, nor have enough money, to stay healthy throughout this process.  I have been eating smaller portions, and sticking to fruits and vegetables, but I think as time goes on, I will learn about new and exciting things to eat!
For now, I'm still not dead, so it's all good.
Alli

Life Savers!

Best thing to buy in the Atrium and has great nutritional value!  Better than anything else I can find in there, which kind of sucks because I spend 95% of my time on campus in the AJ building.

Harder Than I Thought

So today was really the first day that I have really noticed that there will be difficulty in finding places to eat that have a wide array of vegetarian options. My boyfriend, Darin, and I were trying to find a place to eat today, and most of the places I used to go that have my favorite things to eat (which include meat). don't have the kind of stuff I like.  We finally decided to go to Pita Pit, which has a wonderful vegetarian menu! Not only do they have a bunch of veggies to choose from, they also have hummus and falafel!  I had never had the falafel, which includes chickpeas, onions, and other good stuff, and I really enjoyed it.  This experience is already opening my tastebuds up to new and exciting tastes.
I usually go out to eat because I am so lazy and I cannot cook to save my life, but Darin does love to cook! I am going to look up some recipes that he can cook, and this will save me from starvation and spending money on dining out. No more power bars, granola bars, or any other kind of bars to get me through the day, I am ready for some hardcore vegetarian home-cooked meals!
Because I enjoyed falafel so much, here is a recipe for this quick and easy substance that can replace meats on your favorite sandwich or pita!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-falafel/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=falafel&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

Alli

The Journey Begins!

Over the next 30 days, I will be immersing myself in the vegetarian lifestyle for my English 104 class.  I will be updating my followers on my journey through this blog, and hope to inform you all on the health benefits and risks in a non-meat diet, and well as the reasons for someone choosing to become a vegetarian. 

            I will be eating a semi-vegetarian menu, which means I will still be eating fish, eggs, and other animal products that do not murder the animal in the process.  I personally have had trouble with the attempt before in the past, where I was not getting enough nutrients from my vegetarian food selections of cheese, bread, and candy.  Now that I am older and have more information on the subject, I hope to adopt this lifestyle change, even after the 30 days.

            This immersion project might be difficult at times, such as Spring Break when I will be in New York City surrounded by delicious foods.  I have been a meat-eater for over 7 years now, ever since my one year trial in 8^th grade, so learning how to control my diet might be a problem I will have to conquer very soon.

            Wish me luck!

Alli