Green Blog
11 March 2011
Lenten abstinence: does it really raise the healthy eating stakes?
Standing in our kitchen wearing nothing but his boxers, my housemate gave me a shock this morning.
He wanted to talk about meat.
Although not a religious man, he's decided to give up the stuff until Easter.
The sight of his naked beer belly (or if he's reading, "rippling torso") and this unexpected news left me a bit lost for words. But although he legged it into the shower before I could interrogate him, I can guess at his reasons:
- Lower meat diets are reckoned to be better for our health
- Veg-heavy eating is generally cheaper
- He's concerned about the devastating impact of factory farming (I've banged on about it enough).
You'd be forgiven for thinking I practically high-five myself when a friend says they're making lifestyle changes to help the environment.
But there are lifestyle changes, and there are lifestyle changes.
I've always felt that doing something positive and feeling the benefits is more appealing in the long run than giving something up and feeling the loss.
And while it's a great effort, I can't help wondering whether going without for 40 days will amount to much if, come Easter Sunday, it's business as usual.
So next time we share a stolen moment in the kitchen, I'll suggest my housemate ditches the self-denial and pledges instead to eat loads of veg and a healthy amount of better quality meat. 40 days could be just the beginning.
I'll keep you posted re his torso.
Oliver Hayes, Fix the Food Chain campaign
© iStock
Discuss "Lenten abstinence: does it really raise the healthy eating stakes?" in our forum