Since becoming certified to teach Group Fitness, I’m always examining ways to become healthier. Whether it’s incorporating more resistance training or trying a new fitness class, there is always room for change, including tweaking my diet.

Therefore, I was intrigued when the sorority I’m a member of - Delta Sigma Theta -- encouraged Sorors to participate in Veg-Out, a day of meatless meals, to encourage members to eat healthier.

I was skeptical. Although I eat relatively healthy, there are meats I didn’t think I could part with, not even for a day. I particularly enjoy grilled chicken, fish, salmon and turkey. I virtually eat no pork and very little red meat.

As I pondered more on Veg-Out Day, I decided to issue myself a personal challenge, to extend this day into living one week as a vegetarian.

In the process, I learned a few things. First, it was a long week. Secondly, I learned vegetarians fall into different categories:

• Vegans: avoid all animal products, processed food, dairy, eggs or animal-derived products.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians: eat dairy (“lacto”) and eggs (“ovo”), and exclude beef, pork, poultry, shellfish and fish from their diets.
• Lacto-vegetarians: consume dairy products, excluding meat, eggs and fish.
• Pesco-vegetarians or “Pescatarians”: a stepping stone into becoming a full vegetarian. These individuals abstain from eating meat products and animal flesh while they continue to eat fish.
• Flexetarians: a newly coined term referring to those who primarily follow a vegetarian diet, yet consume meat on occasions.

Finally I learned that my current diet is not as bad as I initially thought.

However, to get a more accurate feel for this lifestyle, I spoke to Tarina Pettiway, a vegetarian since 2000. Pettiway is a senior change manager who works in finance. She is also quite fit, having participated in her first half-marathon (February 2011) and will compete in her fourth triathlon this summer. After reading a book on the meat-packaging industry, she became a vegetarian cold-turkey (no pun intended).

“The book described in detail the process and hormones used to raise cattle, chicken, pigs, etc., for packaging, and I just wasn't comfortable eating beef, pork or poultry after that,” she says, adding, that like most African Americans, she was raised in a meat and potatoes household. Family and peers are supportive of her lifestyle.

“All of my family and friends know that I am vegetarian and do their best to accommodate me when inviting me over for gatherings,” she added. “It took my mother a while to adjust and accept my decision to become a vegetarian. Now she has perfected the art of making vegetarian greens and dressing.”

I also spoke to Alana Robinson, a nutritionist by trade who is also vegetarian. Robinson operates her own nutrition business, guiding clients on how to shop for healthy foods, menu planning and diet therapy.

Robinson’s road to vegetarianism differs slightly from Pettiway’s. During college, (Ohio’s Miami University) she needed material for a senior class project.

“I decided to focus on the benefits of a vegetarian diet and the effects (short-term and long-term) they have on individuals,” she said. “I couldn’t find a ‘guinea pig’ so I decided to use myself. Now, six years later, I am still meat-free and have seen the short and long-term implications of the vegetarian lifestyle. This experience has also allotted me the opportunity to try and enjoy a variety of foods.”

The remainder of our conversation follows. Answers have been edited for brevity:

Q. Does your profession as nutritionist have any connection to your becoming a vegetarian?
Robinson: I have always been intrigued by the Mediterranean diet -- a diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, healthy fats and a splash of red wine on occasions! This diet is known to reduce the risk of heart disease, which is one of the number one killers in my own family. It’s been a combination of family history, extensive research and a love for food science that helped shape my diet.

Q. You are currently engaged. Is it a challenge preparing meals for your fiancé?
Robinson: It’s funny because my fiancé didn’t realize that I had changed his diet early on in our relationship. After about two months of dating he realized that he had not had any beef, pork or chicken! He loves the way he feels and what a change of diet has done to his overall eating habits. My trickery has paid off and doesn’t make meal preparation difficult at all!

Q. Do you eat any meats?
Robinson: I cannot live my life without fish, and on occasion I do indulge in turkey. Some would say that my turkey consumption makes me a “fake vegetarian.” However, I primarily follow a vegetarian diet.

Pettiway: I am considered a Pescatarian because I eat fish.

Q. What health benefits are associated with a vegetarian diet?
Pettiway: I haven't had a cold since I became a vegetarian, and when I eat I don't feel bloated or stuffed. Every time I get a physical, my vitals (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., are always in line).

Robinson: A vegetarian diet isn’t always a better option. Some people who are mineral deficient or have compromised immune systems are not good candidates for a vegetarian diet. Others who have a family history of obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease may be better candidates. I always advise people to do their research and make a realistic decision regarding their overall health. I do not recommend a vegetarian diet to my clients unless they have a specific interest. A vegetarian diet is a change of not only diet, but in one’s lifestyle. It is up to the individual to decide if taking on such dramatic changes is right for them.

Q. What are simple steps to becoming a vegetarian?
Robinson: Start small! A vegetarian diet is a lifestyle that cannot be achieved over night. Understand that you WILL relapse; the smell of a flame-broiled burger can lure you in at a moment’s notice. This is okay and expected. Center yourself around people who will be supportive. Everyone will not understand your efforts in wanting to eliminate some meat (or all meat) from your diet.

Pettiway: I think initially I missed hamburgers, but now I don't.
Why don't more African-Americans embrace this lifestyle?

Pettiway: I think one of the challenges to becoming a vegetarian is the belief that you're not going to get all of the vitamins and nutrients in a vegetarian diet, which is not true. I do know of several African-Americans who are vegetarian. For example, Prince is a vegetarian and has been for several years.

After speaking with Pettiway and Robinson, I have new respect for them and other vegetarians. Although I’m not quite ready to give up my favorite meats (chicken, salmon and turkey), one bonus evolved from my experiment – I’ve added more vegetables to my diet. Today I’m open to trying new meatless dishes. I’m also pondering visiting one of Pettiway’s favorite restaurants – Dilworth’s Kabob Grill (offering a variety of vegetarian dishes) or Woodlands, a vegetarian Indian restaurant.

Who knows, one day, as Pettiway stated, I too may go cold turkey. Gobble, gobble.

In health and wellness,
***
Sondra E. Z. Hines is an adjunct professor of health and wellness and is certified to teach group fitness and Zumba. Email: sondraezhines@yahoo.com.

Got news to share with Qcity readers? Email us at editor@qcitymetro.com.
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter below

Sign up for our Weekly Email Newsletter Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

Other Ways to Share Twitter Del.icio.us MySpace

Discussions and Submission Agreement