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Hello!
So last week marked my commitment to 3 months veganism. That means that for the past 3 months I haven't consumed meat, eggs, fish, dairy or any other animal byproducts!
It seriously just feels like yesterday that I watched Earthlings, this is the documentary that totally changed my perspective on the life that I was living and the choices I was making. This documentary gave me the final push I needed to change my lifestyle. Animal cruelty was not an issue that I recognised as being a significant problem. I never saw it happen, so it was irrelevant to me and my life. Of course I felt compassionate towards animal cruelty, however my mind was easily distracted by something else.
I hadn't realised it before, but I was living in denial for so long. In reality all of us live in denial. It really does make sense to ignore the existence of anything that makes us uncomfortable and doubt our beliefs. However there is a difference between genuinely not knowing, and knowing, yet choosing to ignore it. Once I knew, I couldn't go back.
Since going vegan my entire perspective about the world I live in changed. As I began to learn more about our fragmented and crumbling planet I became more and more inspired to be someone that actually makes a difference, instead of contributing to it.
For those of you thinking about going vegan, or are new to veganism, I hope this will be some help to you.
Since going vegan my body has undergone and is STILL undergoing many changes. I am going through what is know as the detox phase. This is where my body is flushing out all the toxins that have accumulated from years of eating animal products. As we all know, when the body is flushing our internal toxins, they need to exit externally. . . through the skin! Yes, that's right. My skin has been continuously breaking out for the past 3 months. I'm not going to say this doesn't bother me, because it really does. Luckily for me I had done my research beforehand, and so I was expecting and prepared to face this. My skin still continues to breakout, however the only cure is time. More time on this lifestyle will get my body readjusted and tuned to my new way of living, and the breakouts will come to an end slowly.
Another effect of veganism, is bloating and weight gain. Although I have mainly noticed more bloating when I fully transitioned to the high carb, low fat vegan lifestyle (about 1 1/2 months ago). After most meals, even fruit, I seem to bloat for 1-2 hours. I have also gained a bit of weight, but this all part of the healing process. Since I have come from a past of restrictive eating (low calorie) to now eating 2000+ calories a day, it is only normal that my body will react this way.
I have now consuming as much carbohydrates as I please! Rice, pasta, potatoes, kumara (sweet potato), bread, fruits, as much as I want. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I am finally finding a balance in my life, and no longer stress or worry about my calorie intake!
If I'm 100% honest, each day is still a bit of a challenge, but each day I become better than I was yesterday, I learn and grow from my mistakes, and when I eat well I feel my best!
Many people quit veganism because they are not educated enough about it. They break out, bloat and gain weight, and they think its the diet. No! It takes time for your body to heal itself. Especially if you are coming from a past of unhealthy or restrictive eating, patience and compassion is key!
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| For the animals, plant and myself. |
I hope this blogpost has been some help to any new vegans, or aspiring vegans! Make the choice to change your life! It is honestly the best decision you will make. Do it not only for yourself, but for the voiceless animals and the dying environment!
Much love
Kimberley
