Throughout this process of attempting to eat vegan, I've found what I really want out of eating. It is nothing extravagant. My mission when it comes to food:
"To eat foods that will help me achieve my goals and dreams in life."
With that being said, my goals in life do not involve diabetes, cancer, or heart attacks.
They do however include hiking, swimming in the ocean, playing any and all sports, doing flips off the diving board, riding my bike, walking on the beach, backpacking across Europe, playing with my (future) kids, and living to see grand children and even great grand children. These do not even begin to cover all of my dreams and goals for life, but you get the idea.
Going forward, I am sure I will eat ice cream again at some point. And at some point I will eat my Grandma's baked macaroni and cheese. And some day I will eat a Nutella crepe. But the main thing is, a majority of my food consumption will be items that are full of nutrients and not just fat and carbs, and we all know macaroni and cheese and nutella crepes are not all that nutritious.
Eating for me has never been about eating for the sole purpose of nutrition. Instead it has been about comfort and community. When I think about not eating Ice Cream ever again, I don't just miss the taste of the ice cream; instead I miss the experiences tied to the ice cream. I miss walking to the local ice cream shop and consuming frozen treats on hot summer days. I could live without turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy, but those are both comforts that are tied to deep traditions. Traditions of family, traditions of holidays, and traditions of joy. Don't get me wrong, I love all foods animal, cheese, butter, and meat. But when I boil it down, I can live without them. In fact my life will be better for it. What I can't live without is experiences. The biggest challenge thus far has been learning to create new experiences with healthier foods.
In my next post, I'll give you a glimpse of what I've been eaten, and trust me, it has not all been rainbows and sunshine. And some meals have tasted like grass and onion flavored water. Exciting I know. But other meals have been delicious! Like I said, it's been a complete learning curve and I look forward to keeping you updated :)
