Gone with the Red - Ep. 2

It’s been four months since the starting of the year when I made the resolution to cut red meat from my diet — time to report and review my progress thus far.

Temptations, Temptations

Temptations are everywhere, and that’s life. ;p

From casual brunches to business lunches and fancy dinners, red meat is a staple in all settings. Think reuben sandwiches, beef noodles, burgers and steaks, removing them have significantly limited my options. Of course, I could always pick from fish, chicken or pork dishes, but seriously, how do I get as much satisfaction from a chicken or fish burger, or from a pork chop instead of steak or lamb shank?

Dietary options aside, social pressure is real. It is almost a little offensive to tell the chef that I don’t eat beef in a beef restaurant where my business dinners are often held. It is also slightly inconvenient when friends or colleagues have organized meals in restaurants that have great red meat dishes that they would recommend for sharing. And try ordering at a Chinese restaurant beef noodles without beef…

Of course, I have only experienced encouragement and understanding from people around me after explaining the reason of my abstinence to them. Some even felt slightly guilty consuming red meat in front of me. I am sure it doesn’t affect the overall enjoyment of having a meal together as a social activity, although at the moment it feels like my sociability rating is slightly impacted.

Times I Have Fallen

In all honesty, I have failed to keep my promise a few times.

The first time was the most innocent — an accidental ingestion of beef in green curry, which I thought was chicken before I took a bite.

The second time was me succumbing to strong temptation and social pressue to taste a small piece of the wagyu steak which was proclaimed by the society to be “amazing”. It didn’t really live up to the high expectation, so I regretted breaking my resolution for trying.

The third time was an irresistable offer of the “best-in-the-world”?reuben sandwich made with pastrami freshly flown-in from a certain famous cafe in NYC. I simply and conveniently forgot that pastrami is beef… (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture too.)

And last but not least, the fourth time was just me feeling like giving up. The craving is real at a Korean BBQ. After the reuben sandwich, I found myself guilty and could not convince myself to talk about the resolution to anyone else, except maybe as a joke.

Getting Back on Track

For the many other resolutions I have had, including quitting drinking altogether, they are quickly broken and forgotten, and maybe just hoping to be recycled when the new year is around the corner again. But if I have truly given up on this resolution, I wouldn’t be writing this piece.

Inspired by James Clear in his bestseller book?Atomic Habits, I believe that I could still work on improving myself and realizing my longer goals through working on smaller actions and habits. One slip, or a few slips, is not the end of the day. The baby must still learn how to walk, regardless of the times he or she had fallen.

So after my fourth fall to temptation, I am back on track saying no to red meats at meals.

Other Things I Have Done

Apart from just shunning red meat options, I have tried to choose vegan or alternative protein substitutes if they are available on the menu. Admittedly, these choices were often not satisfactory. The substitutes are no comparison in taste to real meat, but I do believe with the rapid developments in the alternative protein space, it is a matter of time for substitutes to achieve taste parity.

In terms of other consumption habits, I have also started buying fresh produces that are local, and if not, imported from countries nearby. While it may be difficult to take account of the exact carbon emissions saved from transport (and which may be negligble given the small quantity of fresh produce I consume from my individual grocery shopping), I think it is still an effort that helps.

to be continued ...

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Read?my other publications on:

LinkedIn:?Rabbit Holes and Failing Well; ?Let’s Talk About Governance;? The Social Aspects of ESG — Where Every Organization Finds a Soul ;?Carbon Credits — Quality Matters ;?On Greenwashing: Greenwashing Behaviours to Avoid as an Organization ;?Why I Still Believe in Blockchain ;?Chat GPT is Not Your Best Friend Yet — and Here is Why ;?Living a Colourful Life; ?Carbon Taxes & Credits — An Introduction ;?3 Reasons Why Every Business Should Incorporate Sustainability ;?Master of None — Reflections on Tips to Becoming a Successful Generalist; The Fool-Proof Guide to Setting up an ESG Framework & Policy for Businesses, Investors and Investment Managers, Part 1 of 5 ;?Gone with the Red — Ep.1; My footprints 2022 ;

Medium:?Failing Well Is the Best Lesson to Success; ?Let’s Talk About Governance; ?The Social Aspects of ESG — Every Organization Needs a Soul;? Carbon Credits — Quality Matters; ?On Greenwashing: Greenwashing Behaviours to Avoid as an Organization ;?Why I Still Believe in Blockchain ;Chat GPT is Not Your Best Friend Yet — and Here is Why ;?Living a Colourful Life ;?Carbon Taxes & Credits — An Introduction ;?3 Reasons Why Every Business Should Incorporate Sustainability ;?Master of None — 3 Key Tips to Success as a Generalist ; The Fool-Proof Guide to Setting up an ESG Framework & Policy for Businesses, Investors and Investment Managers, Part 1 of 5 ;?Gone with the Red — Ep.1;? My Footprints 2022 ;?More than Just Words — embracing a greener life