Awakening consciousness is acquired by balancing and harmonizing all the tattvas together, and thereafter transforming them into the fifth element (
http://gnosticteachings.org/courses/alchemy.html). Too much of any element prevents that from happening. Stated psychologically, most of us lean on one element or another too much — that is, we use it the most (swinging the pendulum one way or another) thereby preventing the establishment of psychological and energetic equilibrium.
Psychological equilibrium is the third state of consciousness, which is supported by the foundation of the tattvas, and reciprocally balances them in return. Imagine walking a tightrope: the upper and lower parts of the body must work together to establish balance. The same is true in alchemy: the body and the psyche work together.
Too much of a given element — whether physically or psychologically — causes imbalance. Likewise with too little.
Understanding that, we can then understand that we often do not need to ingest more energy, but rather, we just need to better transform the energy that we already have. In most cases, we waste most of our energy through bad habits.
Note that the Pancatattva Ritual only requires a single bite of meat. That is sufficient energy for that ritual. Why then do we need to consume huge amounts of meat, or any other element? Generally, it is because we wind up wasting most of the energy, rather than transforming it well. I recommend that you reduce your meat intake, and when you do eat it, do so with profound awareness, and the mantra KRIM. Moreover, only use very high-quality meat (see our course on that:
http://gnosticteachings.org/download/healthy-spirituality.html).
The transformation of energy is mostly a matter of consciousness being active and profound, not quantities of time or matter.