This January I have decided to give ‘Veganuary‘ a go. Usually I snub any themed months (things like Movember, Dryathlon, etc), but I find veganism resonates with me very strongly.
I am passionate about animal welfare, the environment and my health – so it made sense to give Veganuary a go! It’s only for 31 days, so it’s not going to change my life, but I am looking forward to it.
For those who aren’t aware, ‘Veganuary’ means going vegan for the month of January.
For those who aren’t aware, ‘vegan’ means eating no animal products – no meat (obviously), no dairy, no eggs, no butter, no cheese, no honey (bees produce honey of course…), and so on.
Why, You Crazy Bastard… Why?
This is the question I get asked quite a bit.
However, I’ve read and watched a lot about the vegan diet and I know how healthy it is. It’s not a fad diet, it’s simply about eating no animal products.
‘But where will you get your protein from!?’ Beans, nuts, quinoa, soy, hemp, fruit, vegetables, protein powder… Honestly, if a gorilla is naturally ripped just eating leaves, I’ll probably be alright. (I won’t be eating any leaves however).
The vegan diet is naturally low in saturated fat, better for your digestive system, full of nutrients (providing you aren’t just living off chips), and comes with the added bonus of not having to distress animals. Not sure about you, but this is important to me.
I won’t go into details, as there are loads of websites with info on veganism, but when you see some videos of what actually goes on in the meat and dairy industries, it disturbs you. It disturbed me anyway.
Will It Be Difficult?
Possibly. There are a few things I may find a bit tricky (more on these in a sec). However, to this point, I have actually already been eating vegan around 70-80% of the time – I just find it fits my lifestyle quite well. Of course, then I’ll go and have a burger and a cappuccino, which will ruin in.
So to do a month won’t really be too difficult, considering the majority of my diet is already very plant-based.
Things I will miss include eggs – I tend to eat a lot of scrambled eggs. I will also have to replace the splash of milk I put in my coffee, while I’ll have to shun real cappuccino as well (soy cappuccino doesn’t sound that great).
I am also going to London for a few days to visit friends in the middle of the month. However I know London has more vegan-friendly places than Swansea, so it shouldn’t be too tricky to find somewhere to eat.
How Seriously Are You Taking It?
For the month, I will be very serious indeed. I have bought all the vegan protein powders and bars I will supplement with, and have also stocked up on everything from fruit, veg and grains to tofu, vegan sausage and BEANS. A lot of beans.
However, I am aware that my current grape seed extract and garlic tablets feature gelatin capsules. I have slightly high blood pressure (family history of heart conditions), and I am not going to stop taking these effective supplements for the month. However, everything else will be plant-based.
Unless you are a militant vegan, you can probably understand this decision.
Are You Giving Anything Else Up?
Nope. I’ll still be drinking alcohol as often as I usually do (which actually isn’t that often these days). I’ll also be working out as I usually do – there are loads of vegan athletes, so there’ll be no issues with energy or muscle growth.
And That’s It… For Now
I’ll be back during the month to update (unless I die of malnutrition on January 2nd – it probably won’t happen)!
Wish me luck (I won’t need it) and keep up to date with me on Twitter or Instagram.