If you read my latest book, The Try Angle – A New Slant on Life (if you haven’t, shame shame – go get it right now – I’ll wait… ) then you may know that one of my 50 challenges in my 50th year was to go Vegan for 30 days. (What?! You’re in your 50’s, that’s impossible! Yes, I know, thank you and carry on.)
You will also know that I didn’t do it, that seemed like too big of a challenge so I negotiated it to vegetarian for 50 days, with the thought that if I could get through the vegetarian challenge I could perhaps do a vegan trial in the future. The 50 days of abstaining (from meat) went really well and I have remained a pescatarian since that time (no meat but fish and seafood).
Fast forward to December 2018 when my middlest, Kara, read The Try Angle, she reached out to me. “Mom, let’s do Veganuary together.”
Ummm, I hemmed and hawed until she said, “You wrote in your book you would try being a Vegan for 30 days.” Oh, right, I think I did write that, thanks for the reminder my darling daughter.
And so living thousands of miles away, we began Veganuary – yeah it’s a ‘thing’. No meat, no fish, no dairy, no honey, no eggs for the month of January. This would be a ‘thing’ all right. (https://veganuary.com/)
The good news:
1. I actually loved it – surprise of all surprises it was kind of fun.
2. I felt great – not bloated, not over full and not hungry.
3. I was much more mindful – instead of just throwing food into my
mouth as I usually do, I was conscious of everything, label reading, and asking questions.
4. I learned so much – about animals, the environment, health and the Vegan lifestyle through reading, podcasts, and documentaries.
5. I cooked like a chef – damn I made some awesome, beautiful and yummy food!
6. I tried so many new things – beans, guacamole and lime on my sweet potato – yum! (See the recipe from Oh She Glows below)
7. I got creative – I had to think outside of my normal, every day food world.
8. I didn’t feel deprived – I was proud of myself for making conscious choices.
9. I connected with my daughter in a new way – sharing ideas, recipes, challenges.
10. The Hub ate a lot healthier too – He was going to go vegetarian for the month but by day two he ordered steak and eggs. “I thought you were trying Vegetarianism for the month?” I asked. “I forgot.” He said. “Oh Well!”
The less good news:
1. It took time
2. It took planning
3. It took effort
4. Parties/eating out were more challenging
5. It dirtied every pot, pan and bowl in my kitchen
The bad news:
Hmmm, none, well I missed honey and butter a bit and a nice gooey egg is hard to replicate but all in all no really bad news.
I’m not suggesting you go vegan for a month (but I’d sure recommend it), I am suggesting you try something new for thirty days – either adding something to your life or subtracting something.
When you do it, let me know and I will put your name in a draw to win a copy of The Try Angle – A New Slant on Life!
Thirty days of something, it’s just one more way to live Your Life, Unlimited!
