Humane meat and bodybuilding

[TheEngineerGirl]

For ethical reasons I only eat meat that is humanely sourced. However, it is very expensive, and I want to be able to build a lot of muscle so I do need protein. What would be a viable alternative to meat as a good protein source?

[TigerAngelLeigh]

I'm vegetarian and eat eggs, low fat Greek yoghurt, cheese (esp lower fat options, cottage cheese in particular), tofu, Quorn (meat substitute derived from some type of fungus), beans/pulses, quinoa and protein powder. Protein powders may work out as more expensive than my other sources of protein, but are really convenient and make things a bit simpler. I use whey powder in a recipe for protein bars I found in the recipe sticky in this forum, which makes it doubly convenient and easy to include in my diet.

I've probably left out loads of other sources though, so do some searches - there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan bodybuilders and they have to eat!

[CajunSpecial]

I'm curious, what exactly do humanely sourced mean? Is this referring to how the animal is raised?

[lizdaly]

Echoing the Greek yogurt suggestion. 23g protein, 140cal per cup in 0% plain Greek yogurt. Can use it instead of sour cream, cream cheese, dips, etc.

[Schlangemann]

Unflavoured bulk pea protein isolate is the cheapest $/gram protein I have found.

[NatK]

I am the same way; so we buy a freezer pack of various meat from the butcher, who only sells local meat that hss been humanley raised (grass fed, no antibiotics, no steriods, etc). It is much cheaper to buy in bulk. You have to pay for all up front, but it lasts a long time and is cheaper than buying organic at the store.
Eggs from the farmers market can be pretty reasonable too. They don't have to be "organic" to be humane.....just ask the farmer about their set up

[sonti]

Well, you'll get different opinions of what humane is. I personally find hunted game meat to be far more humane than what dairy farms do to their animals. You can always try direct from a hunter.

[CajunSpecial]

Well, you'll get different opinions of what humane is. I personally find hunted game meat to be far more humane than what dairy farms do to their animals. You can always try direct from a hunter.

True but you can't hunt cows and depending on where you live, there are very limited hunting seasons for different prey. I just don't see how this would work much and I've never heard of any hunters who hunt to sell the meat. I'm not even sure if it's legal.

[bizarrosaurus]

I'm a vegetarian (well, a pescetarian for now) and get my needed protein from things like lentils, beans, (greek) yogurt, rice protein (very expensive), whey protein (less expensive), quinoa etc. etc. I'll also eat vegetarian burgers and such every now and then. There are these wheat gluten "sausages" that have 30gr per portion, so pretty good. I buy almost all my animal products (yogurt, whey) organic and it does get expensive but hey ho. If I can't afford it anymore, then that's that but for now I like my food mostly organic.

[gailh]

if you can afford the 'humanely sourced' meat products you can definitely afford a quality whey protein powder to augment your protein needs.

[rkcr1024]

I used to be vegetarian for that same reason but now I'm going to college so it's hard to got veg food, so I'm eating meat. But when I was I ate lots of eggs milk protein powder lentils quinoa and beans.

[nicolemc]

I'm vegetarian and lactose intolerant and I've never had a problem getting enough protein. I get my protein from legumes, nuts, some soy (not a lot though because it hurts my stomach), and I am in love with MRM Veggie Protein (<--- so good and WAY less expensive than vega; it's a blend of veg sourced protein (pea, rice, hemp, berry, etc.) and tastes way better than any rice or pea only protein I've ever tried). If I can find ethical eggs (local, free range <--as in gets to walk and scratch in grass and the like, non-battery cage, etc.) I can also easily get tons of protein from egg whites

[womanoid]

I'm not even sure if it's legal.

It isn't.

[sonti]

Maybe not in the states then - it`s a common practice here.

[CajunSpecial]

Maybe not in the states then - it`s a common practice here.

I didn't realize you weren't in the US. With all of our regulations, it would be really tough and not to mention most wild game and even some fish is not for resale. It's a good thought though.

[TheEngineerGirl]

Thanks, I already eat a lot of Greek yogurt. I just like meat too much to go completely vegetarian.

[Stewette]

Just a note on the wild game, sometimes if you know a butcher that processes wild game, some hunters don't come back for their meat so it never gets paid for. Often you can buy the meat for the processing fee. Most hunters might also be willing to trade out some of their meat. My hubby hauled in 7 deer and 4 feral hogs 2 years ago, we split that meat between our family and three others who were struggling to get by for the help in processing the meat (we did all our own butchering and grinding). Another option is to pick up fishing.. one of my favorite sources of protein! Best of luck, Engineergirl. I suspect one of these great people will have the perfect ideas for you.

[sonti]

Do you guys have local fish farms? I have a girlfriend who operates one and I know she treats her fish well (until D-day that is ) but yes fishing!!!

[TheEngineerGirl]

I am so glad that I am not being criticized for my meat choices. People in my day to day life just do not get it (ie, being fussy about where my food comes from) and they tell me to get off my high horse. Eating junk only got me into the situation where I am now (not being happy with my body and how it looks), and I refuse to stay like this.

My problem is that sometimes I go into a market and look at the price of meat and do the math and realize I could have enough meat for a month for what I pay for a week of good meat. And then I remind myself what is in the market meat, and how much I do not know about where it comes from and what kind of chemicals the animals were force fed.

I love to fish, I just do not catch big enough fish to eat. I want to get into hunting but I am not in a place in my life where I can have a gun (just graduated from college and stuck living with my parents who hate guns and hunting).

I do go to a lot of farmer's markets near where I live. I find that sausage is the best deal (I don't like the skins so I peel them off lol).