Vegan v Vegetarian

I became a vegetarian for several reasons--health issues, not wanting to eat animals, foot and mouth disease. seriously, this is what pushed me over the edge; I got really grossed out by the images piles and piles of dead cows. I had been eating a non-meat diet for a little while but I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to it. Then those pictures hit the airwaves and that was the end of it.

Living where I do, when I tell people I'm a vegetarian their first question is usually if I am a vegan. I'm not. I never thought I could be. It takes a lot of commitment and work and I don't know if I have it in me to do that. Plus, I didn't think I I would be able to take on a true vegan lifestyle.

The last couple of months I began to change my diet. I had hoped to lose some weight after moving here--both from the food and the increased amount of walking I would be doing. And then I gained weight. I realized it was time to do something about this.

I began to monitor what I ate. I needed to completely rethink what I was doing. I joined Weight Watchers online. I had no desire to go to the meetings--I wanted the guidelines and information, not the public weigh-ins. I've done WW before, and I know if you commit to it, it can help a person not only lose weight but completely change their diet.

I want to lose a total of fifty pounds. My goal has been to lose twenty pounds by mid-October. I am just shy of the fifteen pound mark. I'm pretty proud of myself. I eat much differently. Lots of whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruit--much of it local and organic. And like when I began to eat more vegetables and vegetarian items over meat, I noticed I am eating a more vegan diet. I've noticed I don't crave the foods I used to.

I don't know if I could ever take that complete plunge into a vegan diet. I didn't think I could commit to a vegetarian diet and I did. I don't know that I could live the full vegan lifestyle, but moving towards the vegan side of things is very appealing.

But all I know is that for the first time in a long time, I feel healthy. And it feels good.