The Vegan Transition- One Month.......

If you have been following me on Facebook or reading my blogs, you know that I recently made the transition from vegetarian to full-fledged vegan.  For those of you who don't know; a vegan does not eat or use any animal products whatsoever--no eggs, no cheese, fish, milk, butter, mayonaisse, etc.  A true vegan also will not wear or buy leather, suede, fur or use skin care and cosmetics that contain animal derivatives and most certainly never anything that has been tested on an animal.  I have always tried to adhere to that second set of rules regardless of my diet, but I do confess falling prey to a great pair of leather boots on sale every now and then!  Not anymore! I will sit on leather couch  if I must, but I would never, ever entertain the idea of having one in my home no matter how sleek and classy it looks.  And.......back in my biker days I did wear a leather jacket.  When you are thrown from a motorcycle at 60 mph and rolling in gravel--a denim jacket just won't cut it.

I will tell you this.....being a vegan is not easy.  It is a total commitment and takes time, preparation and dedication.  It means ordering a tossed salad, steamed veggies, and a baked potato sans the butter or sour cream when everyone is enjoying steak or seafood, creamed spinach or cheese quesadillas when dining out. You must carefully read labels and ask how certain foods are prepared.  A simple dish like pasta with broccoli at your favorite Italian restaurant is often flavored with chicken broth. You also must say no to that mountain of freshly grated cheese on top!  It means you must avoid the big bowl of mashed potatoes made with mik and butter. It means carrying your own food with you when you go out. You will  be criticized again and again by those who disagree or don't understand.  You will explain a hundred times why you won't have just a little scoop of ice cream with your apple pie.  Most of your family and friends will never "get it".  You will need to make new choices, cook your food a whole new way, and shop in different stores if you cannot find what you need at the local market.  It is a big adjustment but after awhile it all becomes like second nature. 

Why on earth would anyone want to eat this way?
Well.... after a month of being totally commited to being vegan (back-sliding only once on Thanksgiving when I tasted a tablespoon each of green bean casserole and corn pudding and totally caved to a tiny sliver of homemade coconut custard pie), I have noticed some genuine and wonderful benefits.

Energy Level.....
Through the roof! I am already a pretty energetic person, require less sleep than the normal person, and usually never stop.  Now I have truly become the "Energizer Bunny"!  I have energy to spare. This is a great thing because now I am able to do my morning exercise rather instead of sitting on my couch at 5AM in the morning like a zombie waiting for the coffee to kick in.  I come home from the work, straighten up the house, and cook myself a marvelous dinner every night.  Chinese-takeout or a couple of slices of pizza for dinner is history as well as ordering breakfast and lunch from local deli when I am at the office.  Fringe benefit-- more money in MY pocket!

Sleep..........
I  hate to sleep (because I am afraid I might miss something) but I know how important it is to rest. Sleep is healing and absolutely necessary for good health. I slip under the covers at a decent hour (for me that's around 11pm or midnight). Now I am actually able to read several chapters of a book without nodding off after the first sentence.  In one month, I have already read three novels and am looking forward to a beginning new one tonight! I am sleeping soundly, no tossing or turning or waking up in the wee hours of the morning.  I am awake every morning by 5AM without an alarm and I am well rested and excited to start my day.

My skin............
Gone are the blemishes that erupted during my first week as a vegan (those were all the toxins) and now my skin is clear and radiant.  No dry patches, no flakiness, no redness. My skin looks healthy and I barely need any foundation.  I also noticed that the dark circles under my eyes that I have had all my life have diminished greatly.  No need to camoflauge them with tons of concealer. Yesterday we had almost hurricane-like weather conditions and I was stranded at the train station for hours because of delays.  I finally arrived to my doctor's appointment straight off the train totally drenched and exhausted. Everyone told me I looked fantastic and that my skin was actually glowing! Hmmm.....

My hair.........
It's shiny and soft and feels good to the touch.  It looks healthier.  Each time I washed my hair I would lose handfuls of it.  Some daily hair loss is normal but I was beginning to think it would only be a matter of time before I was completely bald! I noticed today in the shower that I hardly lost any hair at all. I am still using the same hair products I always have.  I believe it's my diet.  Amazing!

My nails..........
Long and strong! No chipping, breaking, or splitting. They are hard as.....NAILS! My cuticles which are always rough and shredding (my poor manicurist deals with them the best she can because I refuse to let her cut them) are now gorgeous.

My clothes............
Too BIG!! How wonderful is that? I don't own a scale so I have no idea how much weight I lost but my jeans certainly show it.  My body is giving up what it does not need and any excess fat is slowly melting away. My belly (not exactly abs of steel but I am working on that) is flat. No bloat. No discomfort! This is great!!

My cravings............
Gone! Cravings for chips, sweets, crappy carbs, pizza oozing with cheese--- zilch, nada, zero, zip! I don't miss any of it!

My attitude.......
Positive, hopeful, joyful, peaceful.  I feel clean, healthy and light.  I love the fact that no animal is killed, harmed or mistreated in any way to provide nourishment for me.

You might think I am crazy! Can all these wonderful benefits really be true? Well... they are for me. I am doing it correctly, I have studied extensively the advantages and the disadvantages--not to mention the fact that I am actually a well-trained, practicing nutritional consultant.  If this diet was not working, I would be the first to admit it's not for me. Some times we need to experiment and do a little trial and error to see what works best for us. 

I am not here to convince you to become a Vegan along with me.  I won't even push you to stop eating meat if you don't want to.  We are all fearfully and wonderfully made.  We are each unique with different needs, lifestyles, and health histories.  I function very well as a vegan. You might not. 

I just feel so fantastic that I must share it! I also want to offer my assistance and my professional services if you are curious about nutrition.  Are you interested in becoming a vegan or a vegetarian? Do you want to eat healthier but are not quite certain how to begin ? Perhaps your doctor told you need to start omitting certain foods from your diet or you are just sick and tired of unsuccessfully investing time, money and energy in every fad diet that comes down the pike.  Whatever your concerns, issues or questions; I am here to help.  Please feel free to contact me here, on Facebook, or send me an email at metamorphosis321@hotmail.com.   I would love to hear from you!