I’m going VEGAN! Well, I’m going vegan for at least 30 days. In the past, I’ve started the year by completing the January Whole30, giving up sugar, dairy, grains, legumes and alcohol. After a holiday season of indulgences, I love the idea of taking the time to reset and reboot my body from the inside out. Completing a Whole30 is tough but rewarding; however, aside from the number on the scale dropping a bit, I didn’t notice–or maybe I didn’t really pay attention to–any other major, non-scale victories. So, this year I’m doing something different.
Eating a plant-based diet isn’t exactly new to me. After reading Skinny Bitch in 2012, I went vegan for a month. During that time, I watched the documentaries like Forks Over Knives and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, read the books The China Study and Eat to Live and realized the negative effects the standard American diet has on our health and the benefits of eating a predominantly plant-based diet. I’m not a doctor or nutritionist or health coach, but I felt a difference when I did not eat meat. I lost weight, the inflammation in my body decreased, I didn’t feel sick after eating–I just felt healthier. But, out of habit and comfort, I began eating meat again.
My fascination with all things health and wellness hasn’t waned. I’ve continued to read books and watch documentaries, finding success with paleo but still believing we, humans, should not be eating so much animal protein. More and more, I find myself drawn to a clean, natural style of living and eating, so after watching The C Word and The Game Changers, I made the decision to not do a Whole30 and instead challenge myself to 30 days of vegan.
I started on January 1 and the feelings of health have already returned. I don’t have that full, uncomfortable feeling after I eat and I’ve already lost six pounds! This time around, I’ll take note of the changes I experience. Lost weight or, more importantly, inches? Do I have more strength and power in the gym? More endurance on my runs? What about my skin? Is it more clear? Does it even glow? How’s my energy? Focus? Mental clarity? Come February 1, I’ll see and decide whether or not to keep up my vegan lifestyle.
