Hello- it's wonderful to meet you.
Dork. Cat lover. Photo Enthusiast. Panda. Gamer. Pseudo Asian.
VEGAN.
I started thinking this morning about how much I have enjoyed 2012. As every year starts reaching its later months (really autumn) I am more and more inclined to look back and see where I’ve been. This year is no different. This is a time of renewal, rebirth and growth for me. What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What can I make better for next year? As we wind down into the last four months of this year I find myself looking back and being really proud of myself and the accomplishments I have achieved.
Incidentally, ranking very near, and possibly topping the list, is my decision to go vegan as of March 1st. It’s been a few months now and there have been a couple of hiccups, though probably more accurately described “learning curves”, along the way, but my day to day life now is free of animal products I used to rely so heavily on. I find myself stronger physically, mentally and emotionally. When I sit down for my meals I do not feel any sort of guilt or remorse. I have been able to share my experiences and research with a number of people in my life and though I am no extreme activist I am leaving my footprint on the hearts and minds of the people I care about most.
I have been able to take photos, create recipes and share them with a community of people that has been both welcoming and inspirational. I have made new friends, improved my photography and learned about new foods, cuisines and styles that I might never have started to incorporate. I have ramped up my blog, started to network more thoroughly, share, inspire and learn. It has been an experience that has filtered into every aspect of my world. The way I shop, cook, live, talk, etc. From start to finish this has made me feel like a better human being. I am more patient. I am geared toward growth in healthy, stable, mature ways. I’m not perfect and there will be room for improvement for the rest of my life, but I feel like I’m on the right path.
I was sitting down with my friend and coworker Laura for lunch on Wednesday and as I’ve mentioned before I have started cooking for her. I make lunches for us four days a week and on Fridays we go to vegan friendly restaurants. She is in the middle of a huge weight loss journey (that I understand all too well) and it makes me feel like I can contribute and support her when I do this. Anyway, while we were talking she paused, looked at me and said, “You know…because of you I am only eating meat for one meal a day.” Apparently, I had inspired her to eat vegetarian Morningstar breakfast biscuits instead of her normal Smart Ones Weight Watcher frozen meals for breakfasts and with me making her lunch it was clear to be vegan! I thought on that for a moment and let it go. But it stayed with me. If you look at the Meatless Monday movement or what groups like PETA say about the numbers one person can make a difference. My little personal difference has expanded now. She is even starting a new Zumba class! Someone who swore she would never exercise is up and active in ways she never thought possible? A by product of her diet- absolutely! And I got to be part of that with my simple, meat-free, not judgmental philosophies. This is an incredibley rewarding lifestyle.
I’ve posed questions to my friends as I began to start eating no meat, cheese, eggs, etc. We would be eating sandwiches from Subway and I would order mine all veggies, no cheese and vinegar/oil. I would get the inevitable, “Ugh, it is so awesome you can do that- I could never give up my cheese,” as I watched the employee slap on some plasticy “cheese” triangles. So we would sit down and I would ask as my friend chomped away, “Can you taste the cheese?” Quickly I would hear and indignant, “Yes!” but as I saw the gears start to churn the answer was clearly: No. It’s unnecessary. Especially the ways in which we indulge.
I have asked similar questions about my own cooking when I share it with others. For example, I make a super simple Indian curry that takes four ingredients and four spices. I have asked people that try it, “Do you honestly believe adding something like chicken would make this better? Enhance the flavor?” More often than not a resounding, and inspiring, “No,” is returned. It’s not that meat is necessary. Meats are a vessel to deliver good flavor. Texturally they can be reproduced or even replaced with better items.
Like I said, I am not picketing businesses or anything like that, but I am making my stand and helping others make it easier to contribute. I am happy to be a member of the vegan community and look forward to sharing my knowledge with the readers of this blog, my coworkers, friends, family and others who are interested.
2012 has been a great year, friends, and I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the last quarter of it will rock and lead us into a great 2013.
Got something to say? 14 comments
I could never give up my bacon ;)
Haha… go you!
I’ve been slowly getting more and more vegetarian. I have been buying a lot of frozen dinners that are from LightLife, Amy’s Kitchen, etc, which I bring to work. When I eat at home for lunch I tend to eat Morningstar’s “Chick’n” patties in some of those “thin” sandwich breads.
I MIGHT be able to go the path you did, but I also feel like moderation is key. Not excessive meats, but not ONLY veggies either. I think I’ve found a good middle ground, but I’ll continue to test that as time goes by :)
I definitely believe there needs to be a sense of moderation. Currently though, with the system as it is, there are so many that are overindulging it seems that the only way to compensate is to have a portion of the population not only under indulge but completely delete their intake.
That said, for the first week or two of going vegan I kind of missed cheese, but not really. And this day and age, with all of the replacement products (which I don’t really use many of) give me the same flavor/taste but the same/better nutritional values.
To each their own, I suppose, but this has been a great year for me when it comes to health and now that I’ve fixed it I’m not going to break it again. ;)
Nicole.. it’s an inspiration to be around you. I like that you see the world as we do! By that I mean someone that has a background outside of the US! You really do “GET IT”! I am so proud of you.
You are so young and yet have a lot of maturity and I can see you getting spiritual and growing even more! :)
Sital- thank you so much for the kind words! I have had some amazing people help and guide me through and I am so happy that I get to call you one of them going forward.
I really look forward to sharing recipes and new foods/ideas! Actually, all I can think about is taking your delicious food home tonight and chowing down for dinner! :D
this is a great post. and thanks for reiterating and reminding me that it’s the ‘small’ impact and situations of inspiration like the one you described that make a big difference.
Tommy: I’m glad you liked this one. It was a lot of fun to write it and I love sharing my story. :)
Haha! Pseudo Asian?! So happy you transformed into a vegan not too long ago! :)
Hahaha- I say “Pseudo Asian” because I lived in Thailand and left a huge part of myself overseas. My heart is still there even though I’m a silly white girl living in central Florida.
Nice hair, too :)
Thanks, lol. I feel like such a dork sometimes, but it really is me. That’s how I am and I choose to embrace it. :)
Oi! I am so very proud of you little lady!
For me, I had spent most of my life as a vegetarian, so leaving meat behind was easy-peasy. Cheese and dairy were harder. I ate cheese and drank milk like my life depended on it. Oh, wait, my doctors made me feel like it did. Long story. I still to this day crave feta cheese like a mofo, though all others have no effect on me. Veganism is still sometimes a bit of a struggle for me on occasion. But, people like you help me stay focused and hopeful and make me want to cook my ass off. You rock, Nicole! <3 Meg
You have been quite the inspiration, my dear. The only thing that’s gotten me through is having good people in my life to teach me and show me that it’s possible. I’m so glad to have you in my circle. :)
[...] those of you who have been reading for a while you’ll remember the post I put about what being vegan means to me. I mention in there some of people and the variety in the community that I have met just in the [...]
Thanks for sharing your story! I love when you said, “I have made new friends, improved my photography and learned about new foods, cuisines and styles that I might never have started to incorporate. ” That’s how I feel too. Being vegan has opened so many doors for me and, like you said, trying new cuisines and styles and even new foods that I hadn’t tried before let alone heard of. It’s why it bugs me when others view a vegan diet as one which involves more giving up than gaining. Sure I cut out all animal products from my diet but the things it has allowed me to try and introduce me to is endless. So, for me, it opened more doors than closed. Now your making me want to write my story. :)
I too am a big dork, cat lover, photo enthusiast, and gamer. What types of gaming do you do?
Cheers,
Aubrey