Ok, so I’m not normally one to jump on a bandwagon and follow the masses… but coincidently my next experiment and challenge for myself is bang on trend at the moment and has coincided with Veganuary.
The word ‘vegan’ polarises a lot of people, and I too have had adverse reactions to it but this is probably more to do with the attitude and way in which some present their beliefs… which is a discussion for another day.
I adore animals, and so from the animal cruelty and welfare point of view I am right on board with it, but I do have my reservations as to whether humans can truly thrive on a purely plant-based diet and be better off on one.
I’ve watched documentaries, I’ve watched people debunk those same documentaries, I’ve listened to arguments both for and against… I’m still none the wiser. There is only ever really one way to know something for sure, and that’s to experience it first hand and do your own damn research in the process.
I’ve heard of people dramatically improving their health and ridding themselves of disease and illnesses by giving up meat… but I’ve also seen people go the other way.
With my body in good working order and no ailments to complain of (which I am super grateful for 🙏) what I am most curious at discovering through my plant-based diet trial is:
- Can protein from plants be just as effective for building and maintaining muscle as protein sourced from animals?
- How does a fully plant-based vegan diet affect my energy and focus levels in comparison to a diet with meat in?
- Do I feel better with or without meat in my diet?
- How easy is it to stick to a fully plant-based diet?
I’m nearly 2 weeks in now, and guess what…?
It’s been far easier to do, and much tastier than I expected it to be! I’m actually really loving it!
It took a bit of calculating to work out how best to hit high protein goals without carbs and fats being too high…also a little experimentation of ingredients at first… beans were firmly OFF the menu early on… my goodness the gas that beans give you!
And while it’s way too soon to fully answer my questions above just yet, I have made some cool food discoveries in my first week of it.
If you’re doing Veganuary or just flirting with flexitarianism then click the image below to watch my ‘vegan food haul’ style video where I share my findings with you.
