Meat Lover to Green Machine

Let me start off by saying I never thought there would be a day when I would call myself a vegan; I always thought people who pursued that lifestyle were odd and not normal.

Growing up with a meat-cutter as a father, I've experienced just about every meat possible, and I've had some sort of meat just about every night at the dinner table. And I loved it. Meat was my best friend; it smelled phenomenal when being cooked, tasted great when I would devour it, and left me feeling satisfied. Not to mention the protein that came with it (as an athlete, this really peaked my interest).

However, there comes a time in everyones life where the status quo and their everyday beliefs and routines are disrupted- completely turned upside down, and you don't know what to believe. For me, that day came about two weeks ago. After watching a documentary film titled Forks Over Knives, I was scared silly. And I had every right to be. Needless to say, if you haven't seen this film yet, you absolutely need to. It's available on Netflix or their website (forksoverknives.com). Once I realized the damage that meat does to the human body, I became repulsed. I needed to change. But I've ate meat my whole life, how can I just change something I've been doing for about eighteen years? Easily. Look at the facts. The benefits of a vegan lifestyle are vast; more energy, and HIGH energy; better all around feeling, healthier organs, cleaner arteries, reduced risk (and in some cases reversal) of major diseases (like hypertension, cancer, heart disease), and not to mention you're doing the environment and the earth a HUGE favor by eating lower on the food chain. 

So, with a heavy heart and a scared mind, I quit eating anything that came from an animal, cold turkey (no pun intended). I've loaded myself up on fruits and vegetables I've never even known existed. And this is coming from a guy who stuck to apples and the occasional carrots. Two weeks into the vegan lifestyle, and I must admit, I feel tremendous! I'm packed with energy, I get more quality sleep, I can focus better, and not to mention I've lost about 12 pounds of fat already. 

While losing 12 pounds wasn't exactly my goal (I was actually trying to bulk up a little this summer) I must admit I'm happy how it's turned out. I'm much more toned than normal, and I feel great. 

The downside of not being able to eat animal products means I'm scarce on protein intake- no milk, no meat, no eggs, what do I do?! Well, after a trip to the closest Whole Foods store, I found a vegan protein shake called Garden of Life Raw. It's loaded with 34g of protein (better than most whey proteins!) B-vitamins, amino acids, and so much more that the body needs, that it doesn't get through meat, to function. SO, if you ask me, I'm getting a great deal by sacrificing animal products because I would have never been taking in the nutrients of my new Rsw shakes. 

Now, I'm not saying you have to watch the movie and go all gung-ho like I did. But, give the movie a shot and at least cut back on the animal food consumption, and reap the benefits! If all else fails and you still decide to continue how you eat now, at least you're a little more knowledgeable about nutrition.