Plant-based. It's something you may hear about all too often without knowing what it really means or why people do it. A few months ago, saying I lived a mainly plant-based lifestyle would have sounded CRAZY to me. But guess what? I absolutely love it!!! Being plant-based for me means that the majority of my diet comes from fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains. Where's the protein you might ask? Protein can be found in a wide variety of plant-based foods, such as: quinoa, chia seeds, nuts, tempeh, legumes, pea protein powder, oats, and even kale. Keep reading to learn about my journey from eating animal products at basically every meal to eating them just a few times a week. I will also talk about why I choose not to give myself a strict 100% plant-based/vegan title.
Why Title Free?
When I began this plant-based lifestyle, I was very tempted to just say I wanted to be 100% vegan and never eat anything from an animal again. But after some thought, I realized this was neither healthy for me nor was there really a point in doing so. I have a past of disorder/restriction with food, and giving myself strict limits like this would only bring back old habits that I promised to myself I would never return to. There is no joy in living that way. I absolutely LOVE salmon, eggs, and frozen yogurt. So why would I tell myself I could never have these again? In the end, eating majority plant-based will still give you so many benefits. Some fish or yogurt here and there won't take away from these benefits and honestly, won't hurt you at all! I, personally, just FEEL better sticking to an overall plant-based diet. (side note- I buy my meats wild caught/free range & try to get my yogurt grass fed) Also, I believe that everyone is different. Some people can thrive on a plant-based diet, while some may feel better and be happier enjoying some meat each day. I'm not here to judge those who do eat animal products for the majority of their diet. I just want to share my experience with cutting out the majority of it and tell why I love it so much.
Why Plant-Based?
Since about two years ago, I have dealt with bad skin, stomach pain almost nightly, digestion issues, and an overall lack of energy. I did not understand why this was happening. I had tried every face wash out there and had been to multiple doctors about my stomach issues. I couldn't get any answers and I was tired of feeling the way I did. I had seen a lot on people who's lives changed on a plant-based diet, so I thought why not try? Maybe it will clear up my skin and I won't have to lay in bed with a heating pad to ease my stomach pain every night. I knew dairy made me a little sick already when I chose to eat it, but why did I have these issues all the time...? Well, I am here to tell you that this diet change has changed my life. I would say I have some form of meat, dairy, etc. about once or twice a week. When I crave it, I do not restrict myself. But the way I feel with this new lifestyle, the cravings really don't come often. So, what has changed? Well, my skin is almost completely cleared up. I will have random breakouts occasionally, but nothing like how they were. My digestion is so much better. I have so much more energy. I used to drink coffee every morning and take a nap almost daily. I haven't had coffee in about a month and never feel the need to nap. I have also been sleeping through the night and waking up feeling refreshed and energized. And yes, plants can fuel me through difficult workouts, as this is a common misconception I would like to clear up. One of my biggest changes has been with my stomach pain, especially over the past 3 weeks. It had gotten much, much better just from having a majority plant-based diet, but now it's going extremely well. I have really limited my gluten and soy intake these past few weeks, and have had almost NO pain. I believe I may be slightly intolerant to the two, so I plan to eat them in moderation in order to feel my best. It's amazing not having pain every night that keeps me awake. I'm not saying you need to cut out soy and gluten too..this has just helped me even more due to some intolerances. The benefits I had even before this were something I would have never thought possible just from changing my diet to plant-based. I'm not saying you have to make the switch or you aren't healthy if you don't, but I do encourage everyone to give it a try! Even if that's just changing one of your meals each day. See what it does for you. It's worth the try, take it from me!
When I began this plant-based lifestyle, I was very tempted to just say I wanted to be 100% vegan and never eat anything from an animal again. But after some thought, I realized this was neither healthy for me nor was there really a point in doing so. I have a past of disorder/restriction with food, and giving myself strict limits like this would only bring back old habits that I promised to myself I would never return to. There is no joy in living that way. I absolutely LOVE salmon, eggs, and frozen yogurt. So why would I tell myself I could never have these again? In the end, eating majority plant-based will still give you so many benefits. Some fish or yogurt here and there won't take away from these benefits and honestly, won't hurt you at all! I, personally, just FEEL better sticking to an overall plant-based diet. (side note- I buy my meats wild caught/free range & try to get my yogurt grass fed) Also, I believe that everyone is different. Some people can thrive on a plant-based diet, while some may feel better and be happier enjoying some meat each day. I'm not here to judge those who do eat animal products for the majority of their diet. I just want to share my experience with cutting out the majority of it and tell why I love it so much.
Why Plant-Based?
Since about two years ago, I have dealt with bad skin, stomach pain almost nightly, digestion issues, and an overall lack of energy. I did not understand why this was happening. I had tried every face wash out there and had been to multiple doctors about my stomach issues. I couldn't get any answers and I was tired of feeling the way I did. I had seen a lot on people who's lives changed on a plant-based diet, so I thought why not try? Maybe it will clear up my skin and I won't have to lay in bed with a heating pad to ease my stomach pain every night. I knew dairy made me a little sick already when I chose to eat it, but why did I have these issues all the time...? Well, I am here to tell you that this diet change has changed my life. I would say I have some form of meat, dairy, etc. about once or twice a week. When I crave it, I do not restrict myself. But the way I feel with this new lifestyle, the cravings really don't come often. So, what has changed? Well, my skin is almost completely cleared up. I will have random breakouts occasionally, but nothing like how they were. My digestion is so much better. I have so much more energy. I used to drink coffee every morning and take a nap almost daily. I haven't had coffee in about a month and never feel the need to nap. I have also been sleeping through the night and waking up feeling refreshed and energized. And yes, plants can fuel me through difficult workouts, as this is a common misconception I would like to clear up. One of my biggest changes has been with my stomach pain, especially over the past 3 weeks. It had gotten much, much better just from having a majority plant-based diet, but now it's going extremely well. I have really limited my gluten and soy intake these past few weeks, and have had almost NO pain. I believe I may be slightly intolerant to the two, so I plan to eat them in moderation in order to feel my best. It's amazing not having pain every night that keeps me awake. I'm not saying you need to cut out soy and gluten too..this has just helped me even more due to some intolerances. The benefits I had even before this were something I would have never thought possible just from changing my diet to plant-based. I'm not saying you have to make the switch or you aren't healthy if you don't, but I do encourage everyone to give it a try! Even if that's just changing one of your meals each day. See what it does for you. It's worth the try, take it from me!