Six Things that Happened when I became a Pescatarian

Over twelve years ago I decided I would no longer eat meat. Overnight I cut out poultry, beef, pork and ham. But I did not become a vegetarian – I became a pescatarian. That means that I eat fish. I also eat dairy but only eggs and certain cheeses. I try to avoid any sort of milk dairy and ice cream – relying on almond or coconut milk alternatives for both.

It started off as an experiment. I had seen what happened when my sister stopped eating meat a year before I had made the decision. She has been sick since she was born and once she swore off meat and became a pescatarian she suddenly became much healthier. It wasn’t the cure, but it has helped her. It made me wonder what was pumped into the meat we eat that affected her health so drastically. So I looked into the diet and it turns out that people who regularly eat fish instead of red meat or chicken have lower blood pressure, a lower risk of abnormal heart rhythms, and fewer fatal heart attacks. Sounds like a positive thing, right?

This is what happened to me when I became a pescatarian …

I became a more adventurous eater …

Before I made this lifestyle change, my take-out and restaurant orders were mostly “safe” options like burgers or chicken. With these items now on the no-no list, I had to look for other meals and sources of protein. I started eating more fish, vegetables, salads, eggs and pasta. Salmon, swordfish, and shrimp became like my chicken, steak and chicken fingers. And though I had always loved sushi, it started becoming a more prevalent part of my diet. I also introduced it to my husband and we’ve instituted a weekly sushi date. Being an adventurous eater also helps me as a travel blogger because I’m willing to try traditional dishes or cultural cuisine that other people may not find appealing.

I felt lighter …

Because I was no longer eating fried chicken fingers or fat-packed burgers and started eating lighter fare, I started to feel lighter. I was no longer getting up from the dinner table feeling like I had grown a food baby. All around, I just felt better.

My skin became clearer …

I’ve been blessed with a fairly clear complexion and since I started drinking more water, my skin is glowing. But I noticed the overall appearance of my skin became more luminous once I stopped eating meat. Not what I had intended, but I will take it!

My headaches improved …

I have always suffered from migraines, and I still do. But these terrible headaches became more infrequent just around the time I stopped eating meat. Coincidence? I’m not so sure. 

I became more informed about where my food comes from …

I had been a pescatarian before I went to journalism school, but it was an article that I read during college that ended up convincing me that I had made the right choice not just for my body, but also for the planet. That article is so old I can’t even find it on the internet, but it encouraged me to become more informed on what I was putting in my body. 

For example, do you know what is in a beef patty? Yes, there are places you can get a good piece of beef, but many places get their meat from slaughterhouses that prioritize speed over the quality of their product. I won’t go into too much detail here but if you look up “slaughterhouse wastes” you will get the picture. This is all on top of the cruel conditions that these poor animals are subjected to. I won’t turn this into a message for PETA, but really, it is appalling. 

In Chloe Spencer’s article for the Huffington Post, 5 Reasons to Become a Pescatarian, she explains that, “for every hamburger that came from an animal raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest was destroyed.” Now I try to find out where all my food comes from so I know that I’m being a responsible global citizen.

I became the talk of every party I went to …

This was a side effect I didn’t expect. When I first became a pescatarian, everyone had questions about this change in my diet. My husband, then my boyfriend, would have me look up the menu at every restaurant we were going to, just to make sure they had something for me. Side note: even steak houses have something for vegetarians and pescatarians. And when I would RSVP to a party, the hosts would always contact me to ask me what I could eat. Another note for my meat eating friends: chips and dip, salad, cake – all typical party fare – are good for us pescatarians.

Bonus: Arielle is a Pescetarian

I didn’t include this in the six things because it didn’t happen to me. Obviously throughout my pregnancy, I didn’t eat meat and then when Arielle started eating solids, we gave her the typical oatmeal, creamed spinach, bananas, apple sauce, etc. I did not set out to restrict her to a pescetarian diet. I want her to eat healthy and introduce her to all kinds of food. 

But when we tried offering her meat, she was not interested. She does like veggie hot dogs, Beyond Beef crumbles mixed with things like quinoa and tomato sauce, and the Incogmeato Mickey Mouse tenders from Morning Star. But if you try to give her a “real hot dog” or chicken, she is just not into it. Right now all she asks for is mac & cheese and “crabberygoon” (crab rangoon). I do not know how she’ll feel going forward, especially as she starts school, but for now she lives a pescetarian lifestyle like her mom. 

Though this started as an experiment, over twelve years later I have not eaten any poultry, beef, ham or pork. And between my love for fish and the improvements that company’s have made in meat alternatives like Beyond Beef (B.Good, a restaurant that I have an ambassador relationship with, has an AMAZING Beyond Burger), I have absolutely no desire to do so. 

Mandatory disclaimer – going meat free is not for everyone. You have to look for other sources of protein and depending on your tastes and dietary needs, a meatless lifestyle is not going to work. But everyone can do it for one day. So to start off, why not give Meatless Monday a try?