Why I went vegan… and why I stopped

It was 2019 and I was TIRED. I had so much inflammation in my body, was constantly feeling low energy, had terrible recovery from workouts and training as a dancer, and I was over it.

I had tried Whole 30. Paleo and low carb diets (and I really gave them my all) and nothing was changing. I was in that place of “if I don’t change something I don’t know what I am going to do.”. Around this time I kept seeing information about plant based and vegan diets and the positive changes people were experiencing with their health. I heard stories about vegans and I also come from a very Southern background, so saying you’re going to stop eating meat is a sure way to get some weird looks and a lot of doubts, but I really wanted to give it a try. I wasn’t happy with what I was doing, so what harm could giving a plant based diet 30 days do?

So I went for it. Cold turkey. Overnight switch. I did my research, and it did take some time to adjust to different portion sizes and what my body needed on a different diet, but I found I didn’t miss meat at all. After a few weeks went by, I 100% felt a shift. Inflammation was going down, my energy was up, my skin was clear and glowing, my digestion felt great- I was hooked.

Changing the way I ate also opened my eyes to a lot of different recipes that I would’ve never looked to before. I found a love for curry, Mediterranean dishes, and also Japanese inspired cuisine.

I was strictly vegan for about 2 or so years and didn’t have ANYTHING that wasn’t 100% vegan. I was also very much about non processed whole foods- just as a disclaimer, because you can definitely be vegan and just eat processed foods. I was never into the whole impossible burger deal, my goal was really to eat clean, unprocessed whole foods, which I think in the end is what truly led to the results I was seeing.

While I still believe in the affects of a whole food, plant based vegan diet, after about two years I did find my body craving other foods. I remember one day craving eggs so badly, and for awhile I ignored that craving because I assumed it would go away. I think for so long what I had been doing had been working for me that I was a little nervous to change anything, but I also was growing in the area of listening to my body and it’s needs, so after awhile I added eggs back into my diet. And I found I felt really good doing that. When I made that small switch, I realized that maybe there were other food groups that could benefit me, especially if my body was craving it. I since have added fish and eggs, and some goat/sheep’s milk products on occasion, and none of these foods impact me negatively.

So what did I learn and what would I say from my experience?

During the last year or so, I’ve really dove into learning about the Blue Zones and Mediterranean diets. These diets lead to longevity and a healthy life, and I found I really resonated with them. I think more than anything, I’ve found that each person is so unique that you have to find what truly works for you, and what you resonate with.

Being 100% plant based served me well for a time, but in the long run it wasn’t optimal for me. It also made it extremely difficult when traveling or being taken out of my normal routine. I wanted more flexibility without having to worry with how my body would respond, and adding in fish and eggs allowed me to do that a bit more easily.

I believe in focusing in on whole, unprocessed foods. Eating an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. In these longevity diets, that is their main focus, and meat is more of a condiment than the main event, which is quite the opposite here in the States especially.

What I have come to truly believe is that the optimal diet looks different for everyone, and my goal is to give you resources to explore and find out what works best for you personally.

What my advice would be for anyone wanting to try a vegan/plant based diet

• If you are going to switch to a plant based or vegan diet, do research before cutting it cold turkey.

  Researching portion sizes and sources of protein would be a great idea when transitioning to a more plant based diet. It’s easy to not eat enough on a vegan diet and in turn deal with nutrient deficiencies, so learning more, reading cookbooks and plant based books, or following a well balanced meal plan from a registered nutritionist is a great idea.

• Give it time. At first, since your fiber intake will most likely be higher, you might find your digestion is a bit off or you’re experiencing odd symptoms, headaches, fatigue, bloating etc. Most likely with time these will all go away, it’s just your body detoxing and transitioning to a new way of eating.

• Eating light to heavy/food combining.

  I want to do a deeper dive on food combining, but for now, to start simple, I like to eat light to heavy throughout my day.

  In the morning I’ll start with a smoothie, fresh fruit, or chia pudding, then for lunch I love a big salad or a veggie wrap, avocado toast etc, and then for dinner cooked foods rather than any raw. I just find this gives me energy and my digestion feels the best. When you eat something quick to digest after something harder to digest, it can cause bloating and it’s just not optimal, so I would avoid eating fruit after meals or later in the day.

• The last point/advice is just to have fun with it! It may be completely new for you and hard at first, but use it as an opportunity to learn about yourself and what makes you feel the best. You may be surprised, given time, how much you enjoy eating this way and how much energy you feel!

I hope some of these tips are helpful for anyone looking to change their eating habits and I can’t wait to share more of my journey with you!