Hey Loves,
Today’s post was going to be a fashion one but it changed last minute to show my support for the above. November 1st, 2017 is World Vegan Day! In fact, November is World Vegan Month.
This post is not meant to offend or try and convert you but simply tell you a little about my journey to becoming vegan and why I feel it has changed my life for the better. Hopefully, it will also inspire someone along the way to learn more about such an amazing lifestyle change for more reasons than I can probably express! There will be some links below that I found particularly useful if interested! Super excited as I recently attended VegFest London- my very first vegan festival- whoop whoop!
I became a Vegan on the 1st January 2016 this seemed an easy transition from being vegetarian for 3 years prior. I can thank my friend Nyomi for encouraging the vegetarian side as she has been one all her life. I remember a discussion we had about me feeling sick from eating meat and wanting a change. I was initially going to ‘trial’ being a veggie for a couple of months and see how it went. Honestly, in my mind, I thought I would be back to my oxtail and rice dinners or chicken roti before long but that never happened.
Let me correct my terminology as I know it is often confused. I was more of a pescatarian than vegetarian as I still ate fish. The simple terms are below:
Vegan: Does not consume, use, wear etc animal products or by-products!
Vegetarian: Generally does not eat meat or fish but will eat products such as dairy (by-product).
Pescatarian: No meat but fish!
So I was a pescatarian and then began to get fed up with fish and eggs. That is really what prompted the journey to Veganism. At the time I was also on a weight-loss campaign pushing myself harder than ever before to make some conscious choices about being overweight. People often question if I lost over 40kg as a result of becoming vegan but I was actually pescatarian eating clean! Much like the thoughts about trying to be a vegetarian, I thought I would do it for a month or two and would be back to eating egg sandwiches or having pizza with double cheese. And just like before it never happened.
The turning point came as I started to learn more about the ethical side of being a vegan. I looked into what being a vegan actually was and not simply someone who doesn’t eat meat, fish or other foods that have some sort of animal in them. Understanding that I did not need to animals to sustain a healthy and balanced life made me question what I was doing to my body. I equally got questioned on the daily as to where was I gonna get my protein from? What are you gonna eat then? Do you even eat? Are you gonna live on salad? I will leave out the more personal ones.
I said at the beginning that I was not going to try and convert you (but always happy to share more on a 1:1 level if anyone would like). This is still the case. The choice I have made to not harm an animal/ environment in order to satisfy my dietary requirements or life, in general, is a personal one. A decision I did not make lightly. I did my research. I spoke to people and spoke to myself about what being a vegan truly means. I am learning daily and can have great debates with friends and families without being ‘one of them vegans’ that people feel can’t have the feeling without passion- read it again!
Becoming a vegan has fulfilled my life in a different way and I am grateful for that enrichment. So as I close, I thank you for reading this and hope it makes you think a bit more about not only the animals but the world we live.
What I know you all want to know! I know you well, right!
- What do you eat? I eat food! Lots of food. Probably too much food. Fruits, veg, pulses, soya, wheat, grains and so much more.
- What do you eat when you go out? Errrr all of the above and not just salad- I am far from a rabbit (no offence Bugs). There are some amazing vegan restaurants and most places are happy to make remove or substitute items to make something vegan! Even some of your favourite food places have something suitable for a vegan- always check the allergen menu though if available.
- Can you lose weight on a vegan diet? You can. Depends on multiple factors. Those carbs can get you but so can sugar and everything else. You need to know your body and what works for you.
- Do you need to take supplements? This again is something you need to seek professional advice for. There is calcium and protein in vegetables and other vitamins and minerals too- it does not have to come from an animal.
- Will it be a lot of hassle? Absolutely not. Start small. Check out the links below for more info.
- The Lion King said it is the circle of life… First of all…
- Do I miss meat at all? No! Not even a little.
- Do you have a sneaky taste of meat every now and then? HECK NO! And for all my friends that always say… go on no one would know… I would!
The biggest change for me has been my improved health. I have not suffered from asthma since making this change. I have loads more energy and my skin and body are infused with more life than when I was in my 20’s grubbing on McDonald’s, Wendy’s Checkers, KFC and everything else under the sun. The other change is the one in my mind, heart and soul knowing that I am doing a little to help the animals and this troubled world we live in. That is a bigger deal than I can ever put forth in this blog!
If you made it this far then please do 1 of 3 things:
- Comment a plant or heart emoji in the comments below or in the comment section where you’ve seen this post or anywhere on my socials (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
- Like this post (only works if you’re a WordPress user apparently) so again maybe like or save it on one of my socials.
- Share this post with a friend or family member.
All of the above really means a lot to me and help me know that you are enjoying my blog. I know it seems a lot but takes a little of your time. Thank you for your support and enjoy World Vegan Day!
There are also some thought-provoking documentaries, search for :
Earthlings | Cowspiracy | What the Health
See you tomorrow! Hope you’re enjoying a new blog each day so far!
TBH 💋 xoxo
thebeautyholder 
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