Where else to start but the beginning?
This is I think my third? fourth? foray in to the world of cruelty-free eating. Each time my resolve would waver and crack and I would slide back in to my old habits. I’ve always been an emotional eater, and these old habits made me happy. They blocked out the negativity, entertained me when I was bored, kept me company when I was lonely, comforted me when I was sad. They helped me celebrate. They allowed me to socialize when I wanted to be antisocial. I could fit in if I was following in the footsteps of my peers, all with bad habits.
I ate at McDonald’s. Frequently. I gave up vegan eating for a chicken wrap at Chick-fil-A (which is wrong on more levels than I want to admit). I started smoking. I stopped exercising. I gained and lost and regained the same 30 lbs, plus another 20. I was already overweight. My whole family was, actually, and still is. As am I.
I still had terrible habits as a vegan. Vegan cookies from the co-op are the best I’ve ever had. I justified it by telling myself it had no animal products so no one was harmed in my cookie escapades. I may have not killed a cow to eat this decadent delight, but I was killing myself.
I decided to delve back in the the vegan world (and not only vegan–gluten-free, sugar-free, and low carb as well) to support my friend Stephanie at The Coexist Cafe. She’s on this wonderful journey to relactate after having trouble in the beginning stages of becoming a mama. Her son unfortunately is plagued with food allergies and terrible reactions to them, so she, as a long time vegetarian, is finding herself a gluten-free vegan as well. What a wonderful way to not only support a very good friend of mine, but to rediscover a passion in life! (More on that passion at another time.)
This purpose of this blog is two-fold:
-To help break my bad habits, and
-To keep me accountable.
So there is the short of it. The long will come later, since I’m tired with a 4.5 month old that’s not sleeping well. It will be interesting eating a very healthy diet with an energy level that only wants convenience foods, but I feel it’s what I must do. I will also be getting in to my desire to start running again, another passion I’ve had that’s fallen to the wayside.
So enough of lamenting over the past, and on to the bright lights of the future! Onward and upward!
VeganElle 