Day 19: Past the halfway mark!

I have so much to say, wish I had time to update this blog more often...

Ok, so in a nutshell, I'll try summarize where I am at this stage of the vegan experiment: 
 
- Although the idea of 'walking a mile in a vegan's shoes' was not one of the original intentions of this exercise, it has been an interesting side-effect. I feel a huge empathy for my vegan friends! It is not an easy way to live in today's society. 

- The healthy side-effects of this little experiment have been amazing! My energy levels are much better, I sleep like the dead and wake up feeling rested and refreshed. If I gave up sugar too I might feel like I can fly!

- Confession: I have only stuck to it about 98%... had sushi with mayo twice (once knowingly) and ate a pig's ear (the pastry, not an ACTUAL pig's ear). This is better than I thought I would do actually!

- It has changed the way I eat for the better. I know I will drastically reduce the amount of meat, chicken and milk from my diet going forward. I had strong vegetarian tendencies before anyway.

- Regardless of all the positives, I've reached a stage where I'm beginning to feel like it's enough... I know I will make it to 31 January but I'm starting to look forward to the end now. And my first meal in Feb will be EGGS!!! :)

Day 8 - going SO well!

I'm loving this little experiment!

I feel great, have discovered some amazing new foods and places to eat and shop - and I'm losing weight (whoop!).

Confession time: I had a little oopsie last night when I ate a veg sushi hand roll and didn't realise it had mayo... oh well, moving on.

My vegan friend showed me the best chocolate substitute... these biscuits pictured below. But I'm not eating that many of them anyway because I'm enjoying eating healthy again. :)

Other great new foods I've tried in the last week include avo hummus, rice noodles, quinoa and soy yoghurt.

Day 2 - Detox: Attack of the Snot!

I didn't realise my body would start showing symptoms of detoxing so soon. This morning I had a headache from hell and the sneezing and snot has arrived in a big way!

The good news is that coffee with rice milk is delicious! Even if it looks like dirty dishwater... (pic above).

Had a yummy salad for lunch - couscous, chickpeas, corn, peas and avo.

Bad news is there's no way I'm up to exercising tonight as I had planned... hoping my energy levels and detox symptoms improve soon so I can get back into it.

A Month of Veganism - Day 1

Ok, well day one went well and I'm feeling great!

Definitely already have more energy than I've had the last few days (which makes sense since the only sugar I've had the whole day was 2 spoons in my coffee). My pancreas seems happier... ;)

Breakfast was oats with rice milk - and it really filled me up until lunchtime.

Lunch was a soy hotdog on a wholewheat roll - delicious!

It's now dinner time but I'm still full from snacking on some almonds earlier so might just skip it.

I admit I am missing my chocolate but I know I just have to get through the first few days and that will go away... onward!

The last supper (and lunch and breakfast)...

So I've spent this weekend being EXTRA decadent to enjoy all the stuff I'm giving up for the rest of the month.

Foods that have been consumed in the last 48 hours include pizza, salmon sushi, eggs, ice cream, creme brulee chocolate, coco pops and (one of the things I'll miss most) coffee with milk.

Disgusting!

My body is screaming out for fruit and vegetables.

Resurrecting the blog: A Month of Veganism

So yes, it's been years since I've used this blog... but instead of creating more virtual real estate I decided to revisit it for the purpose of blogging about my latest experiment - a month of veganism.

The idea: 30 days of following a strictly vegan diet (2-31 Jan).
That's it really. Quite simple in theory but we'll see how easy it is to execute. I expect it to be quite a challenge!

Meat I can live without - it's the eggs and the dairy I'll miss the most.
And the chocolate! :(

So why am I doing this? Various reasons, the main ones being the need to get back to eating healthy and the desire to try something new (am so bored with my current food routine). And of course it's the challenge...

Anyway, I'm not embarking on this alone - my friend T is joining me (she was actually partly the inspiration for this project).

Watch this space... I'll be doing (hopefully) daily updates on our progress.

He he - swine flu...

Funny... but sad and true

This morning on 702, John Robbie was speaking to Professor John Makumbe from the University of Zimbabwe, who is a very funny man (not sure if he means to be but he is).

John asked him if he thinks it's possible Zimbabwe could suffer from post-election violence like in Kenya. The Prof's response was, "Very unlikely. The dictator has been very effective at turning Zimbabweans into cowards."

Funny... but sad and true.

Great Lyrics - the return!

Been listening to another mix tape in the car - it's a compilation of heavy rock I made called SBMONBWALOHG ("Songs By Mainly One Name Bands With A Lot Of Heavy Guitar"). Been re-discovering the genius of bands like Therapy, Bush, The Breeders, Sonic Youth etc...

Cold Contagious - Bush

Wherever you are you will carry always
Truth of the scars and darkness of your faith
Slowly move on, how did we get to here?
It all went wrong, gravity claiming all your tears
Everything looks so much better now, looks so much better now

You will get yours
You will get yours
You will get yours
You have no right to ask me now
You were never that around
And I have missed

Reality daytrips and your suit me, suit me ways
Turn out the light switch, we've been awake for days
And no one's coming round here no more, no one's coming round here

You will get yours
You will get yours
You will get yours
You will get yours

You have no right to calm me down
You were never that around
And I have missed, I have missed

Cold contagious
All the mighty mighty men
What you save is what you lose out in the end

Cold contagious
Cold contagious

Paint your perfect day
I don't mind this
I'm better off by the way
I'm deeply grounded

Snow in Joburg!

This was what we woke up to this morning... our thatch hut looked like a delicious icing sugar-covered cake!