Which way should you go?

As the title states, a plant based diet vs. a carnivorous one has its awesome benefits.  I hesitate these days to say I’m vegan since there are so many rules to adhere to be a true vegan, I often say, “I just don’t eat meat”. That means i don’t eat red meat, chicken, turkey or pork.  I do eat fish.  I bounce from being a Pescatarian to raw-vegan most of the time. The mere labeling of “what i am” just seems to put restraint on me that I’d rather not have. And isn’t that just the way?  Whatever you ought not to do, you do that even more than what you want to do. 

The plant based diet is nothing to sneeze at. It does take commitment but yields rewards if you remain diligent and

Sometimes I feel like a shrimp, sometimes I don’t! However, I’m a cold turkey (no pun intended) kinda gal. I’ve learned that I just can’t wean myself off of things, so my mindset had to totally change when it came to my “relationship” with food.

Why I decided to go plant based

Growing up, my mom made hamburger patties and salad or mac and cheese with jiffy cornbread. However, you have to throw in the fact that food is just not what it once was.

I watched myself balloon up from a size 6 to a size 14/16 after I changed my diet over the last 10 years. This happened after I started to incorporate white rice and caribbean fare. Growing up on an maintaining a less starchy diet always helped me maintain my waistline.   It was just automatic for me.  When I began dating my husband, I fell in love with west Indian delicacies and we all know love makes you do some crazy things!  I was introduced to all these delicious foods that seemed to be the cryptonite to my body, but it tasted oh so good. 

For years, I beat myself up , waking up each day to begin the diet all over again. I would fast often but the temptation would get the best of me.  I’d fail at fasting only to binge eat and regain all the weight I had lost previously. I tried everything, loving myself the way I am, being comfortable in my own skin, fasting, Atkins diet, weight loss programs, meal delivery systems, yeh, all of that. It didn’t work. A vicious cycle that only my faith could end.

My Diet Transition

In December of 2018, after mulling over the decision and gradually reducing my meat consumption, I decided this was it. So I gave myself a date and after that date, I just didn’t eat meat anymore. That worked, and it wasn’t hard. Did I crave meat? Hmm..I more craved the experiences I had when eating it. Since I wasn’t a meat n potatoes type in the first place, meat was a couple of times a week or month thing for me. So when I did stop it wasn’t like I was daily wanting meat.

The way I did it was to incorporate healthy versions of the things I loved that contained meat. I started experimenting and trying taco bowls that used walnuts as meat substitutes. These things were always made and eaten at home. Store bought never tickled my fancy and as a result, I came up with recipes that I absolutely loved. I did pick up a few distant mentors along the way and one in particular is Laura Jane “The Rawtarian”. She not only champions plant based diet but a raw diet.  She has this “Raw“ taco salad which is delicious and i actually my first taco recipe from hers.  You can find my adaptation to that recipe and more when you purchase “My Prep, My Week, 10 recipes for a vegan transition”.

Do I “feel” the difference?

The feeling I get when I eat on a plant based diet is something I can only describe as pure adrenaline! I’m sure that you too will experience the same.  I’ve since rested on a plant based diet, because that term really resonates with me and embodies what I do actually eat. No strings or strict guidelines that if violated mean that I hate animals and therefore am deserving of criticism for what I eat. I find it strange that people come down on being judged but find no issue of making their whole instagram about those who don’t eat the way they do.  Anyway, that’s another blog post for another day.

How hard is a plant based diet really?

The food sources of today are hardly what my 92 year old grandma grew up on or ate when she came of age. I am usually posed the question when I’m with someone who notices I’m consistently NOT ordering any item that consists of meat or that I don’t seem to eat the normal lunch that most around do. “Is it hard?” Take it from me the answer is both yes, and no. Here’s why: Preparation is key- If you don’t prepare your food yourself, then it will be difficult to stick to any regimen your are trying to follow. So if you are starting this new journey, always keep something prepared. Eating out becomes more difficult if you aren’t used to the lifestyle. Don’t worry It does get easier as you go along.