I made the choice nearly 5 months ago to give up meat for good. Being a big lover of animals I've been debating my choice of eating meat almost my entire life, there was a time when I was just 5 years old I came home to my parents and said I don't want to eat meat because it's animals and eating animals is mean! A big part of me wishes I was a strong as Lisa Simpson back then and stood my ground but I was eventually forced by the parents back on the meat eating diet and told I need meat to help me grow and get healthy, which of course I know now is completely untrue.
Earlier this year I suffered so much with illness to the point where I could hardly move or eat so I was living on smoothies and soup, I ate a meat free, dairy free diet for a few weeks as I recovered and my life was changed I felt so much healthier and in the process I was educating myself on nutrition and starting my days watching vegan YouTubers create these beautiful meals and discuss the meat and farming industry and just how damaging it actually is not just to us but to the planet we live in.
Like many I always believed that a plant based diet was expensive and hard to sustain but I was completely wrong rice and beans are the cheapest things you can buy and you can find so much fresh fruits and vegetables on sale in the supermarkets it's ridiculous. I've bought huge bags of salad for pennies and I nearly always get my bananas on sale because for some reason supermarkets don't like to sell perfectly ripe bananas. I'm also growing salad, potatoes, tomatoes and other fruits and veggies at home and that saves money and is even more rewarding, I swear food tastes better when you grow your own. I get so excited to try out new recipes and believe being on a plant based diet has definitely made me a better cook, food has never tasted so good!
As a meat eater I felt like a hypocrite, I wouldn't kill or harm any insects, I'd volunteer at animal charities and I would protest against animal cruelty but I would happily eat a burger, I mean seriously it makes no sense to protest against animal cruelty but then be ok with the mass slaughter of animals to make my meals so I gave up the meat because I don't think my selfishness and the death of an animal is right or necessary. Eating meat is a pleasure I no longer feel pleasure for and I honestly feel so much happier on a plant based diet, it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders now I'm meat free.
At the end of the day it's your body, your diet and your choice I'm not going to criticise or force my beliefs onto you, I'm only writing this as so many people have asked about my recent diet change after seeing so many of my food photos on Instagram and also because of the interesting conversations I've had with people regarding various animal rights and health issues. I'm still learning so much about this lifestyle and figuring out what works best for my body but I'm loving the journey and feel so much happier.
Are you vegetarian or vegan? Be sure to let me know in the comments
Love & Bunnies
Cate
xoxo
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