megaflora

first day of summer, first day of my vegan experiment! i’ve been slipping my toes in the water for a couple of weeks, so while i’m not exactly brimming with confidence i do feel somewhat prepared.

something in me always wants to celebrate the solstice. get down and dirty and positively pagan about it, barefoot throughout. pledging my summer to veganism seems like a stout alternative though, and a great opportunity for a crash course in seasonal ingredients.

i feel like i should be scared, but with all you tumblr-lovin’ vegans out there i feel much, much safer. :)

Seven days into my cold-turkey vegan summer. Should I start by listing the changes I’ve felt so far?

For one, I’m drinking a fraction of the coffee. This probably has more to do with working out in the morning, but I wonder if my new vegan persuasion is bolstering my ability to jump out of bed and immediately get to sweating. Energy: check.

God, and breakfast? I’ve never been a breakfast person, but now I feel my belly almost as soon as I wake up. I eat small, frequent meals and drink much more water. Previously I was an omnivore (or a very bad vegetarian if you like) who ate one or two large meals in a day, supplemented with coffee, diet soda and maybe a healthy snack. I didn’t fit food into my day and I would often forget to eat until the evening, sometimes later than that. No wonder I felt so groggy in the mornings. Who wants breakfast when you’ve got a rock in your stomach?

Superficially, my skin seems clearer and I might have lost a pound or two. I don’t have a scale so I can’t say for sure, and anyways I don’t have much interest in counting. Speaking of, my habit of calorie counting (more like calorie obsessing) has also diminished.

I won’t say I wasn’t afraid of being hungry in the beginning. There are a lot of connotations attached to a vegan diet; a lot of preconceived notions about ‘protein’ and being ‘full’. A week in and I have no reservations whatsoever. It’s such a comfort to go to my fridge and see it full of bright, real colours. To eat well and often and not have to restrict myself.

From the outside looking in a vegan diet seems made of restrictions. I’m realizing now that it is the complete opposite. Of course there are some trying moments (goddamn you, hidden milk proteins!) but I’ve also never felt more confident about what I put in my body. I’m telling you, the impact on my mental and emotional health is just astonishing. I had no idea.

Anyways, I do have pictures to share and I’ll upload them as soon as I sort through them. As for the moment there is a lovely mango calling my name.