VEGAN FOR 6 MONTHS!!!

I wanted to do a post about how switching to a plant based / vegan lifestyle has been so far for Cody and I. Giving up fast food, meat, sugar and dairy actually has been very easy. I don't have cravings the way you may think someone would. I don't miss anything. I think that the rewards and benefits you get from eating healthy way out weigh any of that. Most everyone wants to lose some amount of weight and feel better about their body image. Taking care of myself and being thin, especially at 4' 9", has always been very important to me.


The side effects of being vegan in my opinion are other people and how you are treated. At least that is what is hard for me. When you say to someone, "I am Vegan", you see the shock and terror in their faces. It's like they just saw a ghost or you told them an offensive story. People get so bent out of shape about it. I can honestly say that before I gave up meat and diary, I never was judgmental of vegans or vegetarians. It's horrible that someone is judged badly because they eat healthy.


Eat your Fruit and Veggies by Andi Bird
How do you think I feel when I have to sit and watch someone stuff their face with a chicken breast? Do I say anything. No instead it builds up inside me. Breaking my heart, because I am the one being judged as if something is wrong with me. I don't like that people eat meat or unhealthy in general. Cookies, ice cream and whatever in LARGE amounts all the time. I may not like it but I would never be mean to someone about it. It's there choice and I get it. I used to eat meat everyday!

I knew it was just a matter of time before my food choices would come up at my new job. I hoped it would be later then sooner. After only being there for 6 days they had a huge cookout. Brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, cheese cake, dairy this and dairy that. SUGAR! SUGAR! SUGAR! It's gotten to the point now, that I can't even stand to see or smell chicken or other meat.

Source: Diana Garcia Photography
The point of my post in not to make you feel bad or that I would hate you in real life because you eat meat. The point is be nice to vegans and vegetarians. What started out as just a diet change based off the Forks over Knives documentary, has opened my eyes to many other issues that I had always ignored in the past. I am an animal lover and have been since I was a child. Once I realized how animals are mistreated and some raised just so we can eat them, I felt bad about it. It mattered enough to me to stop being part of it. A cow doesn't need to die for me to eat.

The other part of the whole vegan thing is, "How do you get protein!?!!!??" As if I am just going to fall over dead tomorrow because I didn't eat a chicken for dinner last night. Really???? Come on now. There are so many great foods out there and supplements you can take. Again, no chicken dying for this chic. I take a prenatal vitamin everyday and have a protein shake which is loaded with just as many vitamins and minerals as the prenatal. Ironically I am probably having more beneficially protein then most meat eaters. I just wish people wouldn't jump to conclusions or be so closed minded. We are a world raised to eat meat. It's what we know and it's the "norm".
Those darn Vegans are rocking the boat!!!!!
Source: Viva
I am not a doctor or expert, but I feel and look awesome. It's just food choices. It's sad that I have to worry about what people are going to think of me when I tell them I don't eat animals. It is what it is though. I just hope I can educate a few people. I do have some family and friends who are supportive and understanding. I just wish they would join me. Just cut out some of the junk food and unhealthy choices.

Another thing that I have changed is some of the daily products I use. I feel great knowing that I am using products that aren't full of crazy chemicals and not tested on animals.

New 2 me products that I am using:
Method // hand soap - sweet water
(sold at Target)
Nature's Gate // Shampoo - Pomegranate Sunflower Hair Defense
(smells so good! I buy mine at Whole Foods.)
Tom's of Maine // Toothpaste
(sold at Target)
Yes To Carrots // Bodywash
(sold at Target)

I plan to switch over to all vegan products as I run out of my "old" stuff!
The products are all amazing and smell AWESOME!