The Beginning
As I get older my health is becoming more and more of a focus. Over the years I’ve seen on TV and heard elsewhere how eating animal products is like a silent killer and in many ways I believe it. This decision didn’t come easy but after much research I’ve came to my own conclusion that in order for me to live the life I want to live and be the healthiest person I can be, I cannot eat meat. A plant based diet is the best way to go.
After watching Russell Simmons interview on one of my favorite radio shows, The Breakfast Club, I knew I had make the change. He talked about his life and how it changed dramatically since he became a vegan. He had more energy, almost never gets sick, and feels more fulfilled as a person. The whole conversation was so inspiring I was easily convinced. He promoted his book The Happy Vegan: A Guide to Living a Long, Healthy, and Successful Life
Not eating meat isn’t only for health purposes. After reading and learning about the animal factories and the down right cruelty made me sick to my stomach. In the book Russell Simmons gave 3 reasons to not eat meat: health, saves the environment, and compassion
How To Do It
People always tell me they don’t know if they can do it and I agree it’s a very hard transition. Eating meat is something second nature and not doing so is a scary thought. The first step is to educate yourself. After reading Russell Simmons book, I watched several YouTube videos, followed vegan/vegetarian blogs, and continued to research. I wanted to be fully prepared for the change I was making. The last thing I wanted to do is set myself up for failure.
The good thing is that eating a plant-based diet is a growing trend and lifestyle change for more and more Americans and restaurants, grocery stores, and even fast-food chains are offering options for the non-meat eaters. For example Chipotle offers a meat replacement called Sofritas which is tofu blended with spices. It’s now my go-to there and it’s so good. Grocery stores like HEB are now having small sections just for vegans and vegetarians options. More and more vegan restaurants are opening up throughout the country and business is booming. People want to eat better and make a more conscious decisions about what they are putting into their bodies. My point is that there are now so many vegetarian and vegan food options steadily growing. All you need to do is research your local area and stores.
Even though there are restaurants and fast food options the best way to go would be meal prepping, basically preparing meals. I’m just now getting to a point where I’m planning out my meals and creating a weekly shopping list to stay organized. It’s a way to guarantee you will stay on track with eating a plant-based diet. Also set realistic expectations for self. Stop eating meat 100% is very unrealistic. I’m not even there yet. This is a gradual process.
Did You Know? (just in case you’re not convinced)
Countless celebs and well-known figures have transitioned their life to a plant-based diet and have been lovin it. One of the biggest being Bill Clinton. After suffering with almost fatal health issues, Clinton was convinced by a close friend to try the vegan lifestyle and he never looked back. Others include Samuel L. Jackson, Ellen Degeneres, Mike Tyson, Erykah Badu, Andre 3000, Venus and Serena Williams, and more. We can even take it back a bit with activist Angela Davis and Coretta Scott King for ten years before her death.
On another note why would you want to eat animals that spend their entire life in beyond horrible conditions and cruelty. Animals that are being fed and pumped with anti-biotics and much worse. I’m not here to go and on about this but simply read the book or google and you’ll see more than enough.
Conclusion
To sum it up this is something that has been heavy on my mind and something I’ve been wanting to do for some time. I think doing this will take my life in the right direction to becoming a better, stronger, and more empowered women.
My goal is to be healthy without drugs or pills. I believe that the food I eat will be a natural medicine that will help me through out life. I’m a believer ‘you are what you eat’ and I don’t want to eat anything that causes more harm than good. You want to put food in your body that fuels it, not slow it down. It’s gets to a point where you get tired of being sick and tired. Of being sleepy all the time with no energy and the right foods can give you all the energy you need. There is so many benefits but I’ll do a separate post on that. I just wanted to do an introductory to my journey. It’s still a work in progress like anything else. I still have my moments where I give in but anything great will require hard work and I’m down for it.
