I have been a vegan for two and a half months now (did I just type that?!). Sometimes I can’t believe it myself, but I have been dedicated to this new lifestyle change and have experienced some great benefits thus far. Since I’ve started my husband has gotten on board and some friends have even inquired and joined in on this lifestyle change as well. I don’t like to call it a diet because diets, in the way we’ve come to use the term, are temporary. I consider this new journey a lifestyle change because that’s what it truly is – a change not only in the way I consume food, but also a change in how I think and what I know about food and what it does to the body both good and bad. For as long as I can remember food has been a source of comfort and pleasure for me. I would eat when I was feeling happy, sad, overwhelmed, bored and pretty much any other emotion. I never stopped to think about the things I was putting into my body that weren’t providing any type of nourishment, fuel or energy – the things it needs day to day. My grocery shopping was based on what I thought was cheap and quick and had little focus on what was healthy and nourishing. I rarely read the labels to see the ingredients in anything I brought home. Sure I would have those moments where I was on a diet or clean eating fast, but that only lasted so long and I was right back to my normal eating habits.
Since becoming vegan I have gotten a lot of questions like, “how do you do it?”, “what do you eat?”, “how do you get your protein?”, and the recurring comment, “I could never go vegan”. I laugh at the last comment because that was me just a few months ago! So, how do I do it? Simple. God. That’s what I tell people. It’s not in my own strength, will or power, it all came from and still comes from God. I made the initial decision to surrender my health over to Him and He did the rest. It sounds complicated, but it’s not. I told God I was tired of being tired and not feeling my absolute best and I was tired of seeing my family (specifically my MIL) not feeling well and being their absolute best. God told me that I knew what I had to do and I did it – I surrendered. I’ve had this ongoing battle with food for a while. I LOVE food and couldn’t imagine life without my chicken and cheese lol. So to be at this point, it’s nothing but God.
What do I eat? Food. I eat more fruit and vegetables than I did before, but honestly I still eat what I ate before. I’ve discovered healthier alternatives to some of my favorite foods including pizza, tacos and macaroni and cheese. It’s been fun finding new recipes and discovering what I can make and still enjoy as a vegan. I will say that I still have to be mindful of what I’m eating because I can turn into a unhealthy vegan – it’s possible. I try to have a raw meal (like a salad loaded with fruits and veggies) at least 3 times a week, I try to include vegetables (raw or cooked) in at least 2 meals a day, I TRY to allow fruit to be my source of sweets (we’ve discovered some dairy free desserts which has been a gift and a curse lol) and I try to be as creative as possible so I don’t get bored or lazy and return to old eating habits.
How do I get my protein? This question cracks me up because majority of us don’t eat meat for the protein, that’s probably the further from our minds, we eat meat because it’s good! Any who, I get protein from green vegetables like broccoli and spinach, beans like chickpeas and black beans, and grains like quinoa. I also mix in chia seeds with my smoothies and oatmeal and I eat nuts as well. All of these are great sources of protein, so if you’re thinking about going vegetarian or vegan there are plenty of options!
I will be sharing more updates on my vegan journey including health updates. I want to share some of the yummy things I’ve been enjoying..
Yup! All of that is vegan! This is just a small glimpse into what my life has been like since going vegan. I plan to share some tips I’ve learned, some recipes I’ve discovered and just more encouragement for anyone considering any type of lifestyle change. Thanks for joining me on this journey 🙂
Until next time…
