I ate vegetarian for 2 years. It’s very hard to get enough protein or calories without over doing the carbs. It made me pre-diabetic. I’m now back on low carb and my A1C went from 6.1 to 5.2 in 90 days.
Well, we have dueling anecdotes, I went vegetarian (not vegan) 5 years ago and never looked back. I am in my 50s, and three seasons out of four I cycle at least 35 miles a week, run about 5K twice a week, and otherwise walk that distance every day. (During the winter I exercise indoors, and harder.)
My cholesterol is much improved, and despite being a type 1 diabetic for almost 40 years all the evidence indicates my cardiac health is terrific.
I’m not trying to boast, just provide readers a different experience. I’m glad you’ve found a regimen that works for you.
I had a college roommate who was a vegetarian from the time he was about 5. He said it started when he saw his dad preparing raw meat and was grossed out.
In college, he was pale, frail, low energy, and generally sickly—all of which he attributed to genetics but also believed he was healthier than all of us meat eaters.
We ate dinner together several times a week and when I cooked, I started preparing meals with small amounts of meat for him (with his permission). I started with tuna in pasta salad, then shredded chicken, then chicken chunks, and finally some red meat.
After about a month, he started helping me prepare the raw meat and said it didn’t gross him out like he thought it would. His energy levels really jumped and his skin color went from ashy gray to light pink. He started running and has been an avid long-distance runner ever since.
I’m not saying you have to eat a ton of meat but some meat makes it easier for your body to get all the nutrients it needs.