Today I wanted to talk about the vegan/vegetarian diet. So about a year ago I was looking to go on a diet. Being that I have been on and off a diet since I was 10 and I have tended to take a long time to lose just 20 pounds, due to my weight fluctuating, I was looking to find something that was going to work and going to help me lose weight consistently each week. So, I took to reading a book we had in our living room called Skinny Bitch. I had no idea this book talked about the vegan diet, I just thought it would have tips in it on how to eat healthier. The book goes in depth into the food industry and how our food is really prepared. I was shocked and after reading the book I was determined to eat better. So, I made the decision to become a vegan. My family however was wary of this decision because they were worried that I would get sick following the vegan diet so, I took to the Internet to see what my options were as far as this diet was concerned. I ran across the term "flexitarian" which is for people who are unsure of the vegan or vegetarian diet or people who are transitioning to one of those diets. Now, it is my understanding that a lot of vegans/vegetarians turn their nose up at this term because they feel if you are going to commit, then you should commit all the way. I understand this viewpoint. After all if I was committed to something and somebody was doing something that seemed halfway or like a shortcut, I too would be upset at their decision to only do it halfway. However, this seemed like the best option for me because I was not sure about the vegan diet and I was unsure if I was going to be able to find all of these foods she described in her book at my local grocery store. Also, I didn't want to pull the rug out from under my feet and go so extreme so quickly and end up having health problems because of it and being that I am a picky eater already I didn't want to commit to something and then I can't eat because I don't like half of the stuff that is required by the diet anyway. "Flexitarian" to me also doesn't necessarily mean I am taking a shortcut, it just means I agree with some of the vegan/vegetarian diet and some of it I don't and I have made the decision just to eat healthier, or as healthy as possible and that's all it was really about in the first place for me to begin with. Anyway, you're probably wondering how I went about making this change and what were the results of the change. Well, first I started with a few small changes, like drinking more water and cutting out sodas, trying Silk and Silk yogurt and going meatless just one day a week. I then began cutting out other things like tea and coffee and now only drink water and Silk. It sounds hard, but once you cut it out, you find that you don't miss it. Anyway, I noticed that going on this diet led me to have more consistent weight loss and I was very happy with the results. On a typical diet I would yo-yo back and forth. The first week would be great because I would lose weight. Then it was a crapshoot after that. Then I would gain the pound I lost back. Then I would loose two pounds. Then I would gain one pound and on and on until a year later I was still struggling to lose just a measly 20 pounds. So, this diet seemed to work for me. Now at this point I have hit a weight loss plateau and have struggled to get the last four pounds or so off before I reach my goal, but I am working on it and I know I will eventually meet my goal. So, is the vegan/vegetarian diet worth it and is it right for me? Well I have had a lot of success with it and I would rather follow it in part, than to not follow it at all, but whether it is right for you or not is entirely up to you, your lifestyle and how you currently eat already. All I can do is give my opinion on it and give you some insight and you can take that information and make an informed decision from there. So, this is my experience. Drop me a comment and let me know if you are a vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian and how do you feel about it or how do you feel about the word "flexitarian" and people who identify as one?
Happy Healthy Eating,
Destiny
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