What being Vegan feels like :)

Many people have been asking me what made me turn Vegan and more over why I strive towards Raw Vegan actually. Then questions come like: “How can you live without meat, steak, prosciutto crudo, ribs and so on?”. Well, I can, and honestly I do not crave for them anymore. I did for a month at the beginning I think, but that was before feeling the way the Vegan lifestyle energized me and changed my body and looks also in the best way possible.

The truth is going Vegan was not a voluntary decision I took one day, but more like a way of being solidary with a dear person to me that was diagnosed with cancer. That is when I started reading about nutrients, healthy food and vitamins in general. I have to say I was kind of an ignorant before. I was always careful about what I ate because being fit was important to me, but I never considered the nutritious facts of what I ate.

The first thing my dear one had to do after starting the fight with cancer was to eliminate from her eating habits all that was regarded as unhealthy/processed food and everything that would feed the cancer cells – which meant meat, diary products, fried food, too salty or fat food. It was hard for her, so that is when I decided, in end March 2013, to do the same, follow her diet, so I could guide her better and be there  for her.

I must say that it was one of the best decisions of my life for my future health and body. One month after I started eating Vegan, towards Raw Vegan – eliminating processed or cooked food, my organism and body received a great energy boost. I eliminated meat from my diet, but I kept raw salmon and tuna. I also eliminated all cow diary products, and I started eating only soya milk  and goat diary: yoghurt or cheese as our organism is prepared to digest and assimilate nutrients better from goat while from the cow it lacks the enzyme necessary to process them. Now, I am in the process of transitioning to soya yoghurt and milk. And, I find it delicious :).

I eat as many salads, fruits, vegetables and seeds I can, and it keeps me full of life and energy. One other thing I noticed after I turned Raw Vegan, was that my blue/green eyes are even more intense in color, which is a clear indication of a healthier organism. And honestly, this is a perk I love a lot! 🙂

As I am a motivated person, I am strict about this lifestyle now, but as I am also a pleasure and life lover, I do offer myself small escapes, like Italian ice cream (my weakness), La Duree macarons or soya milk Starbuck’s coffee. I do not do it often though, as my main lifestyle has to be healthy and stretched towards Raw Vegan, but I think it is necessary for my mental health and enjoyment.

What I also realized with the Vegan diet, is that it gave me great energy to exercise, unlike what other people may believe. Because as long as you eat seeds (that have proteins) and also vegetables or bananas (especially in the morning) or the occasional raw salmon, you manage to get the exact necessary among of nutrients to keep you boosted for a gym workout also – believe me!

So, here I am, 8 months later of Vegan lifestyle and I have never felt better!

Below, I would like to share with you a regular day of my Vegan lifestyle in case you are curious:

BREAKFAST

I usually go for muesli (without any sugar added) and seeds with goat yoghurt or soya yoghurt and then a freshly squeezed fruit juice. I go for orange in winter for the vitamin C and for watermelon in summer as it hydrates me. Another option is eating two bananas and drinking half liter of water afterwards. The breakfast has to be very nutritious. Having a good breakfast does not mean eating a lot because that is what you think gives you energy all day. There are certain things we may eat at breakfast that drain us out of energy. A good breakfast actually means eating the RIGHT things for energy shot: vitamins and fibers. And they have value when they are as in a unprocessed state as possible.

Muesli with Soya yogurt and Raspberries

Fruits and Watermelon juice

LUNCH

Lunch is my main meal usually after the nutritious breakfast. I always go for salads without any dressing. I go wild on the vegetables I eat, including the ones with carbohydrates, changing them every day for variety. The no dressing aspect is very important – you can destroy a salad with what you think is a tasty dressing, making it more unhealthy than a McDonald’s burger. The only thing I add to salads is Aceto Balsamico that actually helps the organism assimilate better and faster the vitamins from the vegetables. I sometimes eat humus with a tabouleh salad, or go for vegetable fresh soups.

This is when sometimes I eat smoked salmon with avocado. I love it. Or have salmon or tuna in my salad. I tried to boost my diet here with proteins too, but I do not mix them with carbohydrates. It is either one or the other.

Pumpkin and Chestnut Soup

DINNER

During the week, I usually eat fruits for dinner –  a lot of them! Or I snack some seeds after a workout at the gym. I also go for sushi, seaweed salad or a tabouleh salad. And I am not running away from proteins at this time at the day either, as I have an active lifestyle and I workout, so I need them, especially if they lacked at lunch.

Beloved Sushi

Another important aspect of this lifestyle is hydration. So drink as much WATER as possible – it purifies your organism. Try to drink at least half a liter in the morning when you wake up, and end up with at least 2L at the end of the day.

If you ever decide to go Raw Vegan, read about it first, do it gradually and try to have fun and enjoy doing it. You have to start knowing your body and watch out for the ingredients it does not like. Eliminate those first. Try to keep in your diet whatever you think was boosting your energy before. You cannot refuse the things you pleasure a lot (don’t overreact here-just choose a few), and leave room occasionally for small treats (not more often than once per week), focusing that on the daily basis you eat healthy. Your body and also mind will thank you later, but you will also feel different, kind of REBORN. 🙂