Not a Vegan, yet

 Not a Vegan, yet 

I recently read a book called, “Comfort Crisis” by Michael Easter. He talked about how disconnected we are as a society from the foods we eat, more specifically meat. Those that eat meat in general have no idea what process is used to take the life of that animal. I feel I very much understand that process.  I grew up in a small-town hunting with my dad and brother. I have watched the life drain from an animal after it has been shot and killed. My uncle owned a butcher shop where I would walk through the meat locker knowing fully well what had happened to each one of the animals.  I would say I am not as disconnected from the food that I eat in that way. I have always been thankful for the life that was lost and was feeding me. 

Recently though I decided to choose the vegan way of life. I would be lying if I said I was doing it because of the animals and trying to save their lives. This is a choice that has been a year in the making. The reason behind it is because of how I have seen it change my wife and her body. You can read more about that change in a past blog post “What does Tough Really Mean”. I sat back and watched the things that she has been able to do and realized there must be something to that. I have always questioned the quality of foods that I have eaten. I have no idea any more how to trust that what I am eating is truly clean eating. Again, more specific to meat, the way animals are mass produced and raised. The hormones added or colors to make the meat look better. Every time I am passed on the freeway by a chicken truck stocked full of chickens packed so tight they can't move around in the cage and are covered in their own shit. There are so many levels to the food industry in the US that I don't know what's true and what is not. Michael Easter said something in his book that made sense to me, and it was a quote by Jimmy Carter, explaining his feelings of a person's uneasiness when killing animals:

“For people who might find these feelings overwhelming, my advice would be: Don’t hunt or fish. Indeed, if someone has a moral or ethical objection to taking an animal's life for human use, it is logical that he or she is a dedicated vegetarian and not require others to end lives for their benefits.” 

I would not say I am uneasy with the idea of killing an animal, probably because of how I was raised and the environment I grew up in.  What I have come to realize is I don't like someone killing for my benefit. If I am not willing to take that weight on my shoulders, I am not willing to have someone do that for me.  

So, for those reasons I choose to join the https://thevegangym.com/ to help me on this journey. I was assigned an incredible coach who is helping me build meal and workout plans, and an amazing wife who is also helping me through the transition. 

Thank God I joined the gym, because this was an overwhelming choice. I am not sure I could successfully transition without the support. I am one week into this process and the taste of things like cheese are calling me daily to come back. I read through the meal plans and some of the recipes and was overwhelmed by the work it would take. It’s easy to throw some meat on the BBQ and boom 12 min later I have food in my belly. I am learning that things are not meant to just be easy. I realize it will take work and time to reach my goals, for my body to adjust to these changes and cravings. The overwhelmed feeling will go away with time and knowledge. 

This first week has been incredible to meet the community and feel their energy encouraging me in this new adventure. They have helped me be accountable and cheered me on the whole way. I am excited to share this journey moving forward. To talk about how my body feels in this process and how my body changes, because it's not just about how I fuel my body. It's about creating a well-tuned plant powered machine!  I am feeding my body in a way that is clean and as healthy as possible with foods removed from ultra processed and additives galore. So far getting 2500 calories and 200 grams of protein has not been a problem. My body feels kind of beat up, so I am not sure I have a good evaluation as to any changes I feel. I think it will take time for me to truly feel the impact. I was not perfect last week either, I had one day so stressful at work that I went to the things that I have always used for an endorphin hit. Pizza, soda, and Starbursts. Habits are hard to break, but never impossible to change. I am excited for this journey and the group of people I am sharing it with. 

Stay tuned, because it's gonna be a ride. 

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