~ Update ~
The last time you read about my journey, I was just beginning. Since my first article came out two weeks ago, I’ve had a few people not only recognize my picture on the cover, but also tell me the diet would be something they would want to try. I’ve also had people close to me mention that my journey was a bit one-sided, because I’m young and my body can become firm again faster.
It was an oversight on my part not to mention that it was not my intention to prove or disprove any theories about vegan diets or weight loss. I have experienced the effects of a vegetarian diet before, so I figured being vegan would wield faster results in a healthier way. When I mentioned my plans to my coordinator, she thought it would be a really interesting way to show a different side of “dieting.” For example, with my method, I don’t count calories like everyone else does. I went online and read up about the proper daily value of vitamins and nutrients people need to have a healthy diet.
A majority of the food was not processed and I used very little amounts of refined sugars. Alcohol was almost non-existent in my diet, because, from what I’ve heard, it has a lot of unnecessary sugars. From what I’ve experienced first-hand it doesn’t take as many drinks for the alcohol to intoxicate you, but I’ll explain that later.
Again, I cannot prove or disprove any types of diets, because I am not a scientist or a doctor, I’m just a woman who Googles a lot and watches too many documentaries on healthy living. I do recommend that people try going vegan for a month, but only after they have a proper understanding of eating to be healthy. This is not a crash diet and the changes take effect a bit more slowly than they would if it was an all-liquid diet cleanse. I specifically chose to do it a month in advance because I know the amount of time it takes for my body to get into shape. Before this, I was vegetarian for two months to prepare for my body’s mourning the loss of cheeses. I really love cheeses.
Week 1
There were gleams of optimism in my eyes as I looked to a new day with hope and wonder. Basically, that’s my way of saying I don’t expect to see excellent results, but hopefully exercise wouldn’t be needed after a week. I experienced so many bathroom breaks. I was walking around drinking a gallon of water almost every day. My bottle coupled with air conditioning was a recipe for constant bathroom breaks. Because I was trying to avoid sugar, my coffee was unsweetened, which I don’t mind consuming even in an intravenous manner. The sugar limitations included some of my favourite things; but again, this week I was so optimistic! I was diligent about working out for the first day and overdid it. The rest of the week was spent with my arms too sore to function properly. This was not one of my best moments.
Week 2
During week two, I was still relatively excited about the project. I was checking the scale day and night, but it was playing a game of up and down with me. It laughed as I approached with spirits raised and laughed as I stepped down annoyed. I was still peeing, although a bit less, because bathroom visits were becoming counterproductive. I imagine this would be a real problem for someone who has to constantly stand or isn’t allowed frequent bathroom breaks. At this point, I stopped observing myself, using the excuse that a watched pot never boils, but really knowing that I was fed up with watching so much. A word of advice: give yourself time and don’t expect too many visible results just yet. My energy increased in the second half of this week. A majority of my best meals were created this week. I was very productive once I stopped looking for results. After speaking with my coordinator, she reminded me that correct posture can be an aid to exercise. So, I became more observant of how I positioned myself while driving, typing and walking.
Week 3
This was the previous week. I wouldn’t say that I’m pessimistic, perhaps instead I’d say I’m bored. If you’re not into cooking, it’s a problem. This week I was too busy and had to get a lot of takeout. The selection of restaurants with vegan menus or even vegan options is limited. Many places only offer salads and lacklustre, frozen vegetables which are slightly larger than the sides. Avoid eating regular pasta, as it is known to commonly contain eggs. Rice is a safe bet, but always ask if the sauce has a chicken stock base. It is pretentious and puts servers out of their way, but to make up for it, you should tip better. I found solace in Indian food, as they tend to have entire vegetarian menus. They don’t often use meat substitutes and are very good at developing flavours using vegetables as the stars of the dishes. But, at the end of the week, you can only eat so much curry. Exercise for this week was sponsored by leaving my car behind and walking, also the Causeway Jump Up.
The results
There were no visible results until three days ago. I was putting on a pair of pants that usually fits me very tightly and I noticed there was more space than usual. Looking at weight loss through clothes is never my idea of an accurate depiction, so I got on the scale and it showed I had lost five pounds. It took me about 17 days to see small results, and the weight was not significant, but when I take off my clothes, I can see the definition return. The next nine days will be a challenge, because I’m counting down the days until I can sink my teeth into a cheese platter again. While I am excited not to be vegan anymore, I don’t think it’s the last time I will spend a month or more doing it.
For daily updates on what I’m eating and what I’m doing for carnival, follow my Instagram page @revelry360. Follow; like the pictures; and if you have questions, comments or concerns, contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I am currently working on a project with a 54-year-old woman who wants to try being vegan for a month as well. If you’d like to hear about it and see the results, let us know.
