In honor of "Veganuary" I officially started my new vegan diet and lifestyle on January 1, but have no intentions of stopping once January is over. I've found the transition easier than most would expect, and immediately felt improvements healthwise, and morally in my heart. Back when I first went vegetarian I felt a huge sense of relief as the guilt lifted off my shoulders, and now that familiar feeling has returned as I have rid even more torturous animal products from my diet. I still have the same attitude about being a veg, I don't feel as though I need to judge those that choose to eat animals and their byproducts, however I do try to immerse other people's minds in some of the horror of factory farming since most are just totally ignorant to what goes on inside these facilities. Everyone has free will to make their own choices, but it's the choices we make that can make a difference. Even adopting a vegan lifestyle one day out of the week or just some of the time can still save a lot of animals. Being aware of where your food comes from and eating locally or supporting family owned or small free range farms and butchers (that you actually visit... because labels LIE and unless you've seen the farm, there is no proof it's cruelty free) can help provide less support to factory farms. Some people think that by going vegetarian or vegan they won't be able to change anything. But they are wrong... it only takes one person to make a difference and even if you can't shut down factory farms, that's less animals being eaten, less pollution needed to raise that many more animals, and collectively around the world, vegans are making a big impact. Not only is it a way of life that may be a minority in comparison to full on carnivores, but it's on the rise and one of the world's latest "trends".
Being vegan has not only made me feel better about not supporting torture, but I've felt healthier and it's encouraged me to cook more. I never enjoyed cooking that much but now I cook every day, and every day of January we have been trying something new. Josh suggested that for the new year we make a different recipe every day, and I thought that was crazy. But then, as soon as we got back from NJ the first week of January, I just did it, and we have been making something totally different and new every day since!! It has really broadened my eating options, unlike limiting it as most people would think. I enjoy flipping through cookbooks, planning future meals and packing lunches and meals to sustain us the following day. I used to dread these things because I didn't want to put in the time or effort, but now preparing and eating food is much more enjoyable, and the benefits of the health foods I eat are remarkable. "What does a vegan eat?" you may wonder. Or, "where does a vegan get protein?" people say. You can get an ideas of the amazing foods I eat by checking out some of the recipes on my blog and as for protein.. well I incorporate a form of it into every meal I have, sources coming from fruits & vegetables (yes, they have protein!), hemp & wheatgrass or spirolina added into my daily morning smoothie, superfood seeds like chia and flax, all beans, legumes, and wholesome whole grains in everything I eat. Sounds like a lot of options to me! And way better for you than cow pus milk products (yes, cow products often has pus amongst other gross things in it), or meat that came from a sick, weak, tortured animal. I'll pass on that thank you! Veganism has not limited me one bit, but opened the doors to healthy eating, more variety in my diet, and the only doors that have closed were guilt, headaches, tiredness, laziness, the undesired to cook, and even weight gain. No thanks, I'm slamming those doors closed for good!
In conjunction with eating vegan food, I have upped my intake of water on a daily basis. This transition was easier since it was a goal I started training myself for back in December, unrelated to the new year. I read that drinking a gallon of water every day could fix almost anything and everything... including migraines, tiredness, acne, dark eye circles, digestion, cellulite and much much more. The only inconvenience is the increasing need to pee throughout the day. I aimed for a gallon (about 126 oz) but more realistically have achieved anywhere from 80-130 oz. each day. This is a big improvement for me, as I would be lucky to even have one glass of water before this new change, and was constantly getting headaches and falling asleep everywhere including at work and behind the wheel. My suggestion is to start off gradual... drink more and more when you can, and time it out so you'll have to pee when there is a bathroom nearby, and avoid drinking a lot when you don't have access to one. Carry around multiple water bottles with you everywhere, so you won't hesitate to drink a lot without running out, and continually fill them up when you do throughout the day. Every time you finish a bottle, write down in your phone how many ounces you finished and keep track all day. Have a goal, and force yourself to reach it. Drink a lot while you're home so you won't feel as inconvenienced. In the beginning, your body may be dehydrated and doesn't have the sensation of thirst if it believes water is scarce. Douse your organs in water and you'll naturally become thirsty again within a few days, making drinking more water easier than ever. Just don't chug an enormous amount at one time (like more than 15-20 oz) because it can strip you of electrolytes and make you feel really dizzy. Water is great for you, but too much at once is not, and may be too much for your kidneys to handle. Try to space out your drinking throughout the day, and start the day off right by drinking a big glassful immediately after waking up.
I've also incorporated some magical super drinks into my daily routine besides water. Water is really all I drink, I've never been a fan of sodas and avoid over-indulging in sugary juices, but have always been a big fan of smoothies. Growing up without the luxury of being able to have caffeine due to a heart condition, I have recently (better late than never I guess...) found out how drinking more water is an easy cure to tiredness. Better yet, a smoothie packed with protein and energy inducing natural additions can be an awesome start to anyone's day. I was introduced to wheatgrass while at an outdoor farmer's market in Venice, Florida when visiting my aunt. The wheatgrass shots made me feel classy, like an upscale foodie who could afford to eat only wholesome and organic foods no matter what the cost. Of course that's what I've always wished I could be, but with a limited budget, Josh and I have had to eat completely natural and organic by shopping local, scouting out sales, and somehow manage to eat very well without breaking the bank. But when I heard the whopping price of 60 dollars for a big jug of processed wheatgrass I had to walk away. I had wheatgrass on the brain for a while though, and shortly after found our superfood lady at our local county farmer's market who sold fresh cut wheatgrass by the bag or still in plant form. I've been getting fresh wheatgrass from her since, and making my OWN wheatgrass "shots" but incorporating them into a smoothie with hemp protein, greens, and fruits for a good pick me up in the morning. When we are out of wheatgrass or want to switch it up, we add a heaping spoonful of spirulina, which has many similar benefits as wheatgrass such as protein, iron, magnesium, b vitamins, and more minerals and vitamins that are found abundantly in animal products.
After I finish my morning smoothie, I fill my hand with a homemade kombucha substitute as I'm running out the door for work. 2 tablespoons of Bragg's unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (with the mother) and 2 tablespoons of chia seeds mixed in a 20 oz. water bottle with water and I'm done. To sweeten it up, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon are great additives I put when I'm in the mood for the perfect detox drink. I plan to write a kombucha blog in the future, but for now just know that apple cider vinegar has a plethora of health benefits, including fighting tiredness (along with an abundance of water and my daily wheatgrass... perfect combo for a non-caffiene drinking individual!) and helps significantly with my sinus problems. It has tons of other health benefits too which I will discuss in detail once I dedicate a blog to this interesting concoction. As for the chia seeds, they are packed with omegas and protein and actually expand and blow up giving the sensation of feeling full and preventing binge eating and snacking. My mom swears by this drink and she is the one that got me started on it when I was visiting NJ for the holidays. I have been drinking it ever since. Not only does it add some more health benefits into my new healthy lifestyle, but it helps me get in another 20 oz. of water each day.
I walk more than I ever did before, and even am getting back into going to the gym. Working in a lab means less physical activity than I have had at my outdoor field jobs, and a lot of sitting in one spot. I'm not used to that and my body hasn't appreciated it. The funk of inactivity has only made me lazier, and getting up to be active, even harder. In honor of the new year (I mean, when is there a better time?).. just like everyone else, I joined a gym. But unlike a lot of people, I'm actually going. Realistically, I have a ton of other goals so I don't have time to go every day. But I do go at least 3 times a week which is pretty good. I do Zumba or hit the cardio equipment. And I actually enjoy it like I used to. Josh and I started a competitive intramural volleyball team. Most that know me know I'm anything but athletic. I don't want to change who I am but I want to take on new things and challenges. Better than just adapting a healthy way of eating, I've paired it with an increase in physical activity so I can lose weight and build some muscle back too.
I have vowed to be more productive this year to complement my new healthy lifestyle, and the two certainly go hand in hand as these naturally awakening drinks help get me through the day without closing my eyes in front of the computer screen at work (not to say it never happens.. but it happens less than it used to!). Instead of focusing on when the day will be over, I can focus on the projects I tend to in each day, and push myself to get them done in the best way possible. Instead of lagging and dragging my feet because I had a rough time getting up that morning, I drag myself out of bed, and walk to work instead of drive every day. I enjoy hearing the clicking of my heels on the pavement, and don't mind the extra layers I have to wear during the frigid mornings that get stripped off by the end of the Florida day, and I always end up carrying them home. It's better to carry a coat, than the weather to be cold enough I have to wear it! I say hello to the creepy men that walk past me on my journey, because who am I to judge? After all they could be a normal man and just be having a creepy day. They may be harmless but never get a smile or a hello because others are afraid. I keep my filled water bottle dangling in one hand of course and my key in my knuckles of the others though, just in case. I smile and am friendly to all, because that's all it takes to cheer someone up or make their day. But I do however, stay street smart and aware of my surroundings. I appreciate the little things, like people going out of their way for me to make me a special vegan meal, or holding a smile for the rest of the day on a compliment I got. I focus more on wearing all the clothes in my closet, instead of buying more. I wear new combinations of things, that I like, even if others find strange. I have to keep up with my own identity of a style, which has always been like no other. I wear different jewelry each day, hoping that within a few years I may have had the chance to wear it all. Necklaces and earrings that have been on display attracting dust, now take the spotlight of compliments on a daily basis. I attempt to be less wasteful, and utilize the purses that overflow the closet, or as Josh says, "Our closet is throwing up purses". I try to use all that I have, and donate what I don't need. I blog at least a few times a week, if not every day. I pour my thoughts and dreams and ideas and new recipes into pages of readable information for people like yourself to enjoy, and for a forgetful brain like mine to come back to when I forget how to make that delicious recipe I made last week. I aim to inspire, even if only one person in the world (you!) ever reads my blog. I want to make a difference in what I do. In what I write, in what I think, in what I eat, and in who I am. I try to paint a little more. I try to garden and prune the pansies outside. The breath of fresh air and stroke of leaves is like therapy. Plants clean the air and they love us. Get yourself a plant. I dedicate an hour of DEAR time (drop everything and read) before bed every night to unwind my mind and avoid the bright screens of technology that can inhibit sleep. I finish books now, whereas before I had piles next to the bed that haven't been read in years because I "never had time". You never don't have enough time.. you just have to make it. I also go to bed at a reasonable time each night this way too. Instead of countless hours surfing Facebook aimlessly, napping to absorb any bit of energy I can that I wasn't able to absorb from my poor eating habits, catching up on too many shows, or zoning out to destress from a draining day, I can feel alive and free and full of enjoying all the things I love by spending every moment doing something I enjoy that doubles as a productive activity. (We still may catch up on shows... but not 5 hours of them in one night!). Every day I enjoy a smoothie and down a kombucha, walk a couple miles, work a full day, write a blog, cook dinner, hit up the gym, read for an hour, and enjoy time with pets and Josh. If I can't fit it all in, then I do a combination of those activities, and rotate them all throughout the week. I maybe even paint, garden, go food shopping, or go for a walk if it's a weekend. I get outside more. I like to try and do new things, instead of being too lazy to try anything.
I've really transformed with my lifestyle changes, and so can you! It takes some positive thinking and the motivation to get off the couch and do it. No one else can decide for you, but I hope if you've been secretly wanting to make a change that maybe reading this will help you do so. I feel great, and I never want to turn back to the old habits I've had. I just want to move forward with the incredible changes I've made. You have to make sure to develop new goals into habits.. not just trials. Engrain them in your brain so it's a new lifestyle and not just a one time thing. How have you improved yourself so far this year?
Every year I think things just get better and better, but not only are things going well for us this year, but I feel amazing about all the changes I have made in my life by CHOICE! I am not an overachiever and I'm not insane. I'm married, have a full-time job I love, I'm vegan, have a zoo of pets, am still an artist, a chef at home, an avid gym goer, a blogger and I'm HAPPY!! A year ago I would have thought all these things I'm doing are crazy and now I'm happier than I have ever been! Don't ever doubt yourself, just DO IT :]
No comments:
Post a Comment