My year as a vegetarian (nearly vegan)

Time flies by. It didn’t hit me on the day, but the other day I was reminded that it was just over a year ago (the anniversary would have been almost two weeks ago, on the 5th) I decided to become a vegetarian again (for the second time in my life). This time rather than chose the lacto-ovo route as I previously did many years ago, I chose to take it a steep or two further and become a strict vegetarian. Strict is basically vegan, which is what I tend to call it when dining out as most people have no idea what being a strict vegetarian is, but they tend to understand what vegan mean.

Strict is a diet void of all animal products (no meat, no fish, no cheese, no daily, no eggs, etc). While the diet is essentially the same as vegan, the term vegan denotes a lifestyle void of all animal products (ie clothes, products, etc), and many people I’ve talk with say the rational also must be for animal compassion. Since that is not my motive, nor do I omit animal products from other aspects of my life, I’ve tried to refrain from calling myself a vegan in respect for those that are.

I figured it’s been a year so I might as well write a post about it. Since I’m not doing this for social reasons (ie animal welfare) I’m often asked why. This is a good question, and one I thought deeply about before I started, and continually think about to this day. I’m doing this for my health (although through research along the way I have started to care a lot more about the environmental impacts of food production). For the few years prior to last year I essentially stopped caring about what I ate, drank, or my level of activity. I was too busy working. There was a lot of travel and a lot of very long days and nights in the office (some friends thought I died), leading to a seeming endless supply of catered meals, room service, and steak dinners, and a lack of time (or priority on my part) for physical activity. We all know what that combination leads to (yes that means too many extra pounds and being out of shape).

So in the fourth quarter of 2008 I decided I had enough, I obviously wasn’t making good choices, there was always a pastrami sandwich, a 14oz fillet, or a chocolate soufflé at the next meal and I seemed to always made the easy choice and eat it, and not a healthier option. I chose that path. I decided to talked with a few friends who were strict vegetarians, and what I leaned surprised me. It really didn’t seem that hard. Sure it would be a change, but as drastic as it sounded it didn’t seem as bas as my initial thoughts. I spent the next month or so researching online and reading a few books on eating a vegan diet to understand how to balance it, what to look out for, and ideas for success. After getting through the holidays (decided it wasn’t the best change to make right before thanksgiving), I had one last steak dinner and the next day went cold turkey.

I planed to ease into my new diet, taking out elements over a few weeks, but I found it easiest to go all the way from the beginning. It forced me to say no to tempting foods, thinking I would rationalize them as OK in a phased out approach. My goal was to make it as long as I could before adding back elements as I saw fit. Initially I thought if I made it a year I would be very happy (check).

Well now that a year has come and gone I really don’t know when I’ll start adding things back. I’m sure it will happen at some point (we all change throughout our lives) but I don’t have any foreseeable plans to do so. Going to the extreme seemed to be what I needed. I feel significantly healthier, I’ve lost weight, and am more physically fit then I’ve been in more than a decade if not my entire life. I’m not going to give all the credit to my change in diet, a contributor has also been the adoption of a more rigorous workout routine including working with a personal trainer for the last six months, but the diet certainly made a significant change during the first six months.

I have not found it to be that hard of a diet to follow. I’m cooking more for myself which is good, and there are some restaurants that I just don’t go to, but overall it has not been as bad as I originally thought.  Supportive friends and family have helped. During 2009, I do not recall having a “cheat” meal. Now, I’m sure some animal products slipped in there somewhere. With how frequently I eat out there’s bound to be some mistakes that I’ll really never find out about (ie, somethings cooked in butter and not oil as expected, or there is egg is some batter, etc) which is something I have come to understand and expect. I am certainly not as thorough as some people are, and take the approach that there is a balance between being overly cautious and living life. As a result, minor ingredients may slip through from time to time, but I’ve managed to avoid the “just this once I’ll have a cheese pizza” or it’s “OK” there is parmesan on my pasta (even at one of my good friends weeding), which I am happy about.

So here’s to 2010. I’ll see how long I can stay on this wagon. I’ll be happy if in a year I’m writing a two year post, if not I’m sure I’ll be happy as well.

Posted in Tumblelog on January 19th, 2010 Taged with Health, vegan, vegetarian

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