This crazy thing I'm doing......

I've sort of lost track of exactly when this all started. I think it was about a month or two ago when I started to listen to the Rich Roll podcast on Google Play Music. I was tired of listening to music on my morning commute and wanted something more interesting. I happened to stumble upon it when Google Music introduced their new podcast feature.* Within a matter of days I began to notice a difference in my thought processes. I took every opportunity to listen to his show in my car or while walking on my lunch break. 

At first, being a self-proclaimed "meat lover", I was very skeptical of the vegan hype. After all, I worked at Whole Foods Market many years ago. I 'tried out' vegetarianism on a very low scale back then, but my consciousness was not quite there yet. I did not eat well enough on this diet and consequently often felt tired and sick. At the time I attributed this to my lack of meat. However, if I am truly honest with myself, it was actually a lack of life sustaining nutrients, found in fruits and vegetables. I can't ENTIRELY discredit myself, as at that point in life I lacked certain resources, education, and financial means to understand what was really going on. 

With that said, people should know that eating vegetarian or vegan can actually SAVE YOU $$. But that is a topic for another day. (I'll try not to get off on a tangent - ha-ha!)

After doing some research (mind you, I am not a doctor or nutrition expert), I found the following simple and easy to understand information on dietary recommendations for those choosing not to consume meat, dairy, and/or egg products: 

http://veganhealth.org/articles/dailyrecs

http://www.vegetariannutrition.org/food-pyramid.pdf

But to be truthful, I haven't been paying attention to that much. I feel that every person is unique. Their goals for health and fitness will impact the quantity of consumption. Additionally, other factors may include current lifestyle habits, diet, height, weight, job activity level, etc. Everyone has a unique body chemistry and sometimes I think it can be good to throw out the 'rule book' and all the expert advice and actually listen to your body. Test what works for you and what doesn't. Find a balance that can be sustainable long term and doesn't require a cheat day. There's no way you'll be happy mentally or emotionally if you feel restricted. It's not about restriction from certain foods. It's about feeling good inside and out, and not feeling guilty about the choices we make. This is going to be an ongoing and evolving process. 

I didn't set out with the goal to remove meat, dairy, and eggs from my diet (trust me, I LOVE EGGS) for the sake of doing it. These changes naturally happened in response to my desire to increase my nutritional value through nutrient dense foods, while getting the most BANG-FOR-MY-BUCK in terms of calorie consumption. It just made sense to me. (And that's not getting into the other concerns that go along with that, like factory farming, etc). I'm talking solely on a level of what *feels* good. What gives me mental clarity. Keeps my energy level consistent throughout the day, instead of 'crashing' in the afternoon. Reducing cravings, instead of coming home every night and binging on wine and chocolate (Trust me, I GET IT).  What will help fuel me through my workouts and assist in recovery. 

Now, I know you're probably thinking that I'm making this sound super easy, when in reality I'm NO WHERE NEAR PERFECT. At this point, I am having an occasional piece of chicken, or a little cheese. But this is currently no more than once a week. Not by 'dogma' or because I "can't," but by choice. And honestly, I've pretty much lost the desire and cravings for that old stuff. Like I said, I'm not perfect and I'm not trying to be. Striving for this so called perfection only sets me up for failure. The best I think that anyone can do, is strive to be a little better everyday. When I said BETTER, I mean whatever 'better' means to you. I can't define that for you. It's a part of who you are and where you're at in your life journey. 

If someone wants to chastise me for my imperfection, GO RIGHT AHEAD. It's my journey. It's not a race. And I'm choosing to stop and smell all the aromatic flavors of veganism. 

Now, if you know me AT ALL, you know of my passion for all things sweet or chocolate. I'm rarely having any sugar cravings these days. On the off hand I do have one, I eat a date and that pretty much takes care of them. DATES ARE AWESOME. TRY THEM! The cravings are simply going away. My palate is starting to reset and 'real food' has so much more flavor than it used to. 

I take it one day at a time and see what I can do "better" the next day. I challenge you to ask yourself (along with me).......

• How can I care for myself better tomorrow? 
• What small thing can I improve on?  

Maybe it's not even food related. Perhaps it's yoga, a walk, meditation, going to bed earlier, or having an open conversation with someone important in your life. You know what it is. Pick one thing and take action! Your goals, hopes and dreams are just outside of your comfort zone.

I'll leave you with this thought (AND THANK YOU for taking the time to read my humble blog). I'm honestly not sure if this is mine or borrowed from Robin Arzon or Rich Roll, but here goes: 

"Real change cannot be contrived. It is often sudden and comes upon us with great force. It's in those moments that we must accept the call to act; sometimes without much logic or reason, but with passion we must step out and take a leap of faith and go out of our comfort zone. Because THAT is where the magic happens." 

 

Have an awesome rest of your week all! Thanks for sharing in my journey. 

Peace, 

Taunja

*You can also find him on iTunes