Veganism is my lifestyle. This blog is my choice. My choice to share what I have learned and what I have seen as far as results go from this lifestyle.
My choice to embark on this blogging adventure has been a long time in the making. I have many different reasons, many of which I call Loved Ones.
I do not claim to be the "All Knowing Vegan", by no means am I the "Trash-Heap" from Fraggle Rock, but I do believe that you should follow your gut. I have read a few books (more as time goes on) and seen some interesting documentaries that suggest a plant-based diet could help prevent and possibly help fight deadly diseases including some forms of cancer. This is something all too close to home for this veg, as I have seen too many loved ones fight this terrible disease. Late in 2012, I learned that yet another loved one was embarking on this fight. This was the last straw for me. I knew I had to do something for me!
Before I begin my "back-in-the-day", I want to make sure everyone knows from the start that I am not trying to change the world into veggie eating folks, or that what I say is at all 100% (unless notated that is), these are MY opinions sprinkled with fun facts (which are the best really), maybe some recipes and some yummy lookin' food!
It's 2009, I am working in the parts department of a local motorcycle shop, chatting with a fellow employee. One thing leads to another and we both discuss how we would really like to loose some weight. And so it all begins! A handful of co-workers and I decide to have our very own Biggest Loser challenge. For 3 months, we can diet and exercise however we choose, and at the end, whoever has lost the biggest percentage whens the pot-o-monies!
Well, anyone who knows me at all knows that I am NOT the kind of person that could ever count calories are say, "Well Shannon, you can have 4 bites of that, but then, no more!" That just wasn't for me. I had had a couple friends "say" they were vegan which had caused me to look into what exactly that was, I decided that maybe now was the time to see if maybe I could do it too! Because I love to do things big, I chose to become a raw vegan for 3 months and my goal was to lose 30 lbs! Well in the end I was a raw vegan for 2 weeks, and vegan the rest of the time. And in the end I lost a total of 16 lbs in the 3 months! Jaws dropped at weigh in, and in case it needs to be said: I won the challenge!
I felt so good about winning and just in general, I chose to keep it up! I hadn't made my, what everyone else said was ridiculous, goal weight loss, so I decided I wanted to see if I could get to that weight loss. Well, to make a long story short, I continued on my path and ended up losing over 50 lbs by the end! I hadn't been that size since high school! I was smaller, fitter, and happier which was the best part of the whole journey; I finally felt like myself again!
As my new found happiness began to sink in, so did a big change in my life: I went back to school! The crazy busy life of not working, going to school full-time, having a kindergartner and helping almost everyday at his school, taking care of my home, cooking and cleaning for my son and boyfriend, my happiness began to become strained and I ended up reverting back to my non-veg ways. Worst mistake EVER!
It's been 2 years, I have packed on a bit of my weight (I hate scales, so I am just optimistic that I haven't gained it ALL back), I am exhausted, crabby, just plain BLAH! So I have decided to get back to what I KNOW is right for me, so no more mac and cheese, or nachos for this lady!
So it begins!
