What kind of journey are you on?

momopeach32
momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
edited April 2023 in Social Groups
Share what kind of journey you're on so we can get to know each other! You can share as much or as little as you would like to start. All answers are correct answers here :)

Replies

  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    I'll give it a start - I've slowly been transitioning from an omnivore diet to vegetarian, and now I'm leaning very heavily plant-based! Dairy doesn't seem to be my friend these days, so I'm doing it for health and ethical reasons.

    As I usually describe to my other friends - I don't care what you eat! I'm just really excited about plants 😁💚

    Plus, I've been having fun making lots of new recipes and trying new cookbooks too 🤤
  • Ghostofachance
    Ghostofachance Posts: 305 Member
    I became a vegan almost a year ago. Initially, I did it for health reasons. Even after losing weight and exercising on a regular basis, my cholesterol and blood pressure were a bit higher than I expected so I eliminated the primary dietary source of cholesterol, animal products.

    I thought I would miss meat, dairy and eggs more than I do but I have found there are plenty of options available and since I already ate a diet full of vegetables and beans/legumes, I had the building blocks for a sustainable vegan lifestyle.

    As I have continued, I've found the ethical component of veganism has become more important to me, especially considering how these animals are treated when raised for food.

    Ultimately, I have tons of energy and I feel better living a plant-based life.
  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    Heck yeah @Ghostofachance thanks for sharing! I've found that I don't really miss animal products as much as I thought either, it was a refreshing revelation 🤷‍♀️

    I'm still struggling with cheese though sometimes - the sweet siren song of Dominos pizza calls to me occasionally 😂 But mostly I'm plant based because my body feels better that way. No digestive problems anymore!
  • Ghostofachance
    Ghostofachance Posts: 305 Member
    @momopeach32 pizza is a challenge and I've yet to find a vegan mozzarella that mimics the taste/texture of dairy. I've learned to go without "cheese" instead of using substitutes most of the time.
  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    @Ghostofachance honestly you're right. Most of the time I tend to go with foods that avoid cheese just to make life easier.

    Violife brand is actually pretty decent, and tends to be the "closest" in general? Their cream cheese is actually really good, especially on sweet flavored bagels! It has a nice savory almost sweet flavor to it.

    Chao slices are okaaayyyy as a grilled cheese, but I'm struggling to find decent alternatives. I've found a lot of bad ones 😂
  • Ghostofachance
    Ghostofachance Posts: 305 Member
    @momopeach32 I will have to try their cream cheese. I used to eat more bagels prior to going vegan; now I have one, I usually use peanut butter on it
  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    @Ghostofachance I've switched to peanut butter sometimes too, except for the violife when I want something sweet!

    Their feta block is pretty good - I've made that baked feta and cherry tomato pasta a few times (the one that got popular on TikTok) and its really good!! Have to give it a few more minutes to re-solidify than dairy feta though lol
  • infinicca
    infinicca Posts: 869 Member
    Hi! I'm actually a lifelong vegetarian (my mom became a vegetarian a few years before I was born), but I'm not a very healthy one. Because there were so few "meat substitute" options while I was growing up, I ate a lot of carbs, starches, and fats: pastas, potatoes, cheeses, etc. I got used to eating that way. It didn't really affect me much until about 10 years ago, and it's been a rollercoaster since then.

    TL;DR: life circumstances have made it so that I really need to rethink my food intake.

    Fast forward many years: I started really gaining weight around 2012. I lost some when I started running (but decided I hated running). Then I got a terrible gut infection in 2016 (c. diff, if you know it) and lost the extra weight, but then, while recovering, I discovered that my "comfort foods" were those same carbs and starches and fats, plus things like tapioca and vegan jello. I also learned that cruciferous vegetables - you know, the good leafy greens - ruin my gut. I can't eat broccoli or brussels sprouts anymore.

    Between 2017-22 I went through a few more stressful events (fertility treatment, law school, moving twice, losing three relatives, bar exam), plus the pandemic, and... long story short I gained almost 50 lbs and became pre-diabetic. :(

    I've now gained a better understanding of what healthy foods I can eat (and will enjoy) following the infection and my recovery. I have a food scale and a lot of kitchen tools, and I love to cook. What I'm lacking is a support group - and enough time to make good meals! I can work on finding the time; I'm hoping you all can help form that support group.
  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    @infinicca - thank you for sharing your story with us! The last few years have been especially tough for everyone, and it sounds like you've also had other stuff going on too. Sending good vibes your way ♥️

    I don't think we have many members in this group, but I hope we can help! It's good to have folks to talk to :) Welcome!
  • infinicca
    infinicca Posts: 869 Member
    @infinicca - thank you for sharing your story with us! The last few years have been especially tough for everyone, and it sounds like you've also had other stuff going on too. Sending good vibes your way ♥️

    I don't think we have many members in this group, but I hope we can help! It's good to have folks to talk to :) Welcome!

    Thank you! Not to worry, I'm glad to meet you and I'll be around online a bit more - joining a challenge starting next week and I'm going to stick to it. I have to :)

    Happy to be friends on here if you're interested, feel free to send an invite!
  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    @infinicca Good luck with your challenge! What sort is it? A virtual one?

    Sorry for the delay here - my app has been acting up and not letting me actually get to the groups, so I've been just keeping to the log for a bit. Hopefully your challenge is going well so far!! I used to do one or two of those and they were really fun. Kept me motivated! But after a while life commitments also got in the way so I had a hard time keeping up with it lol
  • infinicca
    infinicca Posts: 869 Member
    @infinicca Good luck with your challenge! What sort is it? A virtual one?

    Yes! One on here actually, a Hogwarts challenge I've done before and where I know a handful of the admins. I stopped for a few years (yes, years) because I went back to school and couldn't pay enough attention, but it's been going strong forever.

  • momopeach32
    momopeach32 Posts: 161 Member
    @infinicca NO WAY, that's how I got started in these groups too!! I wasn't able to keep up with it either, so I ended up leaving my spot for folks who actually could lol I also kept getting hurt (multiple car accidents, minor surger - unrelated) and had a few job changes in there as well!!

    What house do you usually sort into? I'm a Hufflepuff for sure :smile: Have you had any luck this time around? I've briefly thought about it, but alas, I'm hurt again with an injured ankle. Weird how the world works, huh? Sorry for my late response!! I don't always get notifications properly for these groups and rarely (if ever) log in on my computer to check.