To the Ignorant Girls At the Gym

While meat is indeed a large staple of the North American diet, it does not have more nutrition than vegetables. The fabric of meat (muscle of a dead animal) is made up of protein, collagen, and fat. While each of these hold a place on the list of necessary nutrients for the human body, meat is not the only source for them nor is it the best source. Protein can be found in numerous vegetables along with the famous group called legumes (AKA beans). Using legumes as a main source of protein does not only give you less fats, it gives you the healthier fats, fiber, and other nutrients like magnesium and potassium.
Making the personal decision to stop eating meat does not mean that you will get less nutrients; if anything it means you will be inviting more nutrients into your body. The choice to eat or not to eat meat is both a cultural and a personal decision-- don't make statements about nutritional content unless you are actually educated in food. You can eat meat if you choose but don't go slamming on vegans. Some of the strongest men in the world are vegan. Vegan-ism can actually boost muscle strength because the fats from the meats are not lingering in your muscles; instead, you are creating more room for muscle (thus you can look smaller and actually be stronger).
Also, vegan-ism can be even more of an exciting diet* (please recall my personal definition of the word 'diet') than that of a carnivores. In North America the standard meal is 40% meat/protein 40% starch 20% vegetable.

Cracker Barrel's Meatloaf

For a vegan a meal can consist of all three of these (protein, starch, vegetable) throughout the dish. Kitchari has basmanti rice (which is indeed a grain but contains many nutrients), mung beans (protein, vegetable, fiber), assorted fresh vegetables, and many spices that have endless health benefits.

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/05/my-favorite-kitchari-recipe/

So, to the girls that I encountered at the gym earlier today, get educated on what you put into your body. While you might get a big hunk of protein from that steak, you are also getting a lot of 'bad' fats. (I put bad in quotes because all fats are necessary but everything has an ideal quantity and eating a lot of meat goes beyond the healthy amount). Next time, actually look into the nutritional content of food before slamming down a diet different from your own. Eating meat is fine but it is not the only way to get necessary nutrients.


*diet: a personal practice of eating;
         a day-to-day routine of eating that goes beyond the definition granted by fads.