HOW THE PLANT-BASED DIET HAS CHANGEd MY LIFE
Part 1
What is the Plant – Based Diet?
Thanks to our friends on Wikipedia, the plant-based diet can be easily defined as “A diet on foods derived from plants, including vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits, but with few or no animal products.” Gracias, fellas.
In other words, the diet consists of eating things that grow in nature and need little to no processing to be digested effectively. Mother Nature has done us a solid and already created easily digestible foods that are perfect for our physiology. The best part is, everything in the plant-based diet is naturally delicious and loaded with all of the essential macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals we need to maintain a long and healthy life.
Challenges
Though it sounds appealing, changing my diet was definitely one of the most difficult things I have had to endure. After 25 years of being a carnivorous, dairy-devouring, food-shoveling, wild man, it was quite a shock to my body when I made the switch over the course of just 2 months.
The first challenge was a lack of knowledge. For medical reasons, I NEEDED to be on this plant-based diet and had no idea where to start. I didn’t know what to do or how to do it and that was potentially the most frustrating part. I mean, at that point, I thought plant-based vegan people just went outside and started nibbling on some tree bark and grabbed some leaves for an afternoon snack! So, with an irrational view of the whole situation, I began my research and learned as much as I could about how to sustain this new diet.
The second challenge I experienced was weight loss. This was a bad thing for me because I was already underweight and dropping in weight every week. Initially, the only food I was consuming was an inadequate amount of things that I knew did not have four legs. As a result of eating some fruits and vegetables, I realized it was not going to be enough. With my metabolism burning at 5,000,000 mph, I was losing weight faster than I could pack it on. However, with a more knowledgeable strategy and monitoring my caloric intake, I began to put my weight back on and gain some “siiiiiiiiick muscles, bruh” (said by literally any guy).
The third challenge I encountered was my new grocery list. As if trying to find gluten-free and dairy-free substitutes wasn’t hard enough, finding plant-based food with enough calories and protein was worse. Eventually, I found that there are so many vegetables that have all of the protein you need to sustain and even grow body mass! Before I knew it, I was eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and loving every bite.
Benefits
First, a HEALTHY COLON! After being on the plant-based diet for a few months now, I have finally figured out a meal plan that works for me. In turn, I felt the effects of a healthy colon. Though there is still some active colitis lurking about, I can tell you that the symptom relief that comes with this new diet is incredible. By cutting out the harmful foods and replacing them with nothing but essential nutrients, I found myself getting my life back. Tissues have been healed and my body is rejuvenating.
Secondly, prior to firstly… (POC: On Stranger Tides 2011). I got my life back! Since I switched to the plant-based diet, I have essentially created a perfect environment for nutrients to be absorbed and used properly. My microflora or microbiome (good bacteria) in my digestive tract is being restored and my body is being pumped with everything it needs to be productive and active. Today, I am hitting the gym multiple times a week, going to work all day, and still having enough energy in the evening to make an amazing dinner and hustle on my passions.
Thirdly, I LOOK AND FEEL “AMAZ-A-Zing” (Benchwarmers 2006). My previous acne-covered skin has cleared up and is silky, smooth. I am putting on healthy weight and building lasting, lean muscle mass. Every morning when I look in the mirror I can pull a Johnny Bravo and say to myself: “Man, I’m Pretty!” All joking aside, I have a restored feeling of confidence in my own body that fills me with so much joy and appreciation for the word ‘healthy’.
Final Thoughts
If you are considering changing your diet to a plant-based diet, my suggestion is to most definitely do it! I would strongly suggest you ease yourself into it and do your research both prior to and during your switch. If time is on your side, try cutting out one ‘unhealthy’ thing a week and replacing it with something that your body will thank you for. You have the soul of a warrior and a body sculpted in perfection.
HEALING IS POSSIBLE.
You can do it!
Jake