Pulled pork to vegan in four months
Back in February I made pulled pork for our Super Bowl party. It was a defining moment as an omnivore, the culmination of 30+ years of meat eating. Four months later (mid June) I made the switch, cold turkey, to straight up vegan.
I don’t miss meat, I don’t miss eggs, I don’t miss dairy. As long as I go to places that have several tasty, vegan options I’m quite happy. You really can’t go wrong with Thai (which I love) and Lisa and I have been able to find a few really great vegetarian/vegan spots. I’ve been going strong for more than two months now and I’ve never once had an urge or a craving to give in to.
My mom asked me the other day how my “vegan diet” was going. I don’t think she understands that it’s not a diet, it’s a way of life. It’s not just about what you eat, it’s about everything you buy and use. Lisa and I have been going room by room, switching everything we own to vegan. Just today I got my first two pair of vegan shoes: the Simple Shoes ecoS-Hemp and the Sno Tire-Hemp.
Of course, just because I don’t consider it a “vegan diet” doesn’t mean I haven’t lost weight. I’m down almost ten pounds since mid-May, almost 2/3’s of which is body fat.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
curious, is the loss in weight and body fat because of the “vegan diet” or is it because of the more careful / detailed look at what you eat. in other words, would you have lost the weight and body fat if you just ate non-vegan, but took more care in what you were eating?
August 19th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I’m guessing it’s a few factors. The biggest is probably staying away from the “crap” foods simply because they’re not vegan. Fast food is basically out, which means no greasy burgers and not much deep fried food. As a result of not eating out as much, we make more home-prepared meals, which are typically better for you. Lastly, vegan food just isn’t calorie dense. Take out all the meat and all the dairy and the most calorie dense stuff we get into is breads.
So, could I have lost that weight being an omnivore and simply watch what I eat? Yeah, I could have. But I think it’s easier as a vegan simply because it’s hard to eat 3,000+ calories per day when you’re mostly eating fruits and vegetables.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
congratulations on the change! i made the change 2 years ago and it’s been quite an experience. sometimes a little difficult but i’ve started to eat so many new foods than i ever did before.
please keep us updated on your new lifestyle.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:24 pm
http://www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com/ is another really great site for vegan shoes, boots, and more.
They really make shopping so much easier!
Congrats to you!!