On The Road Vegan

So one thing led to another and I became a vegan. How? Well I don’t do things in halves. I started out doing a 5/2 diet. I just came up with the idea of doing 5 days vegetarian, and 2 days normal. I called it the Weekday Vegetarian. The only reason I was eating meat on a weekend was because every saturday, our family has a steak night, and on a Sunday was the usual Sunday Roast. I also happen to love meat. 

As I have been away, I stuck to the Weekday Vegetarian. I began to look into things in the animal industry and realised how exploited they are, and how much of the worlds energy goes into bulking up animals for humans to feast on. It made no sense to me, and all the sense in the world for me to go vegan. Full-time! 

I have been a full-time vegan for a month, but supplementing with B-12. The pharmacist said that I was to take 1 vile once a month. It was 1000mcg of B12. Is he having a laugh? That would last a few days, and especially with CF and the absorbtion problems. Furthermore, it is not how much B12 you are supplementing with, its how the body is able to absorb it. 

After about 2 week, I began to wake up feeling even worse then I usually do. I usually wake up feeling like i haven’t even slept. Now, I wake up with what I imagine a hangover would feel like. Headaches, body aches, taking me longer to do stuff, and having no appetite at all in the morning. I usually don’t have a big appetite in the morning, but now it is zero. 

Just the weekend gone, I craved raw animal and cheese. I usually listen to signs of what my body is telling me. I felt like I was giving up on something I committed to. Although, I usually am too hard on myself on silly little things. I felt it was a sign of weakness if I decided to start eating meat at the weekends. Instead of listening to that part of my conscious, I decided to go get some sushi. Worst part of it was, it wasn’t even nice sushi. So I met up with a friend for lunch number 2. I ordered carpaccio with basil infused olive oil. Texture was amazing, but the oil empowered the beef. Disappointing lunch on both accounts. Dinner time, and i found another Japanese. I ordered about 25 rolls. Tuna, salmon, shrimp and avocado. It was lovely. Guess what happened this morning? I woke at 6 am, feeling like i slept about 10 hours, which in fact, i only slept about 4. I didn’t have any headache, I felt brand new. So maybe a Vegan diet isn’t for me. Maybe instead of a weekday vegetarian, i will be a weekday vegan. A compromise. 

It wasn’t a coincidence on how I was feeling since turning fully vegan. It was a clear sign that I do need animal protein. Not to the extent of having it at every meal.

It is also very very hard to be a vegan with the lifestyle I have. It not an excuse, it's reality. In France, a lot of things have or are cooked with animal products. I have been out of my apartment for a week now and even tho I'm still eating vegetarian, I can't find anywhere that does vegan food. Not only is it extremely hard to be a vegan when on the road, it is also extremely hard to eat healthy. The temptation when I eat at all you can eat banquets that have a huge array of desserts. I have been a good boy! 

I think listening to the signs your body is telling you and adapting to situations is the key.