The Relcuctant Vegan

For a long time, I've been fascinated by Mark Bittman's idea of being Vegan until 6 pm.  It was a matter of health, but as a food writer and meat-enjoyer, Bittman didn't want to cut out meat altogether.  This guideline seems to work well for him, and I think it would work for me too.  I don't have Bittman's health profile; but I'm interested in lowering my blood pressure, dropping some pounds, and eating a healthy and sustainable diet.  I also like being creative with food. So it's time.

Here's what hasn't worked for me:

• Saying, "I'm trying to cut back on meat."  For me, the guideline has to be specific and rigid, like the 6 pm cut-off.  It's easy to do every day, instead of trying to define daily what 'less meat' actually means.
• Dieting by deprivation.  I, like many of  my generation, have tried more soup diets than I can name.  I've tried the milk-and-bananas, the cabbage, the slim-fast.  They work, for a time, but they're not fun.  I already do a lot of things that aren't fun.  So food deprivation is out.
• Giving up any food completely (unless I don't like it).  If I want to eat something, I'm going to eat it.  The question here, is when.  Can I wait until 6 pm to eat meat/dairy/eggs?  Let's find out!