i'm not a vegetarian...i just don't eat meat!

If you've read the journal on the cleansing/juice fast that I undertook at the end of June, that carried over to July, you'd know that I abruptly transitioned to a Plant Based diet. The results were immediate, and I simply couldn't see myself going back to beef, chicken, or pork. Like with any change, in order to be successful, you must replace the thing you 'vice' with an adequate substitute. This takes planning. You can't expect long term success by going cold turkey without a detox, weening off, and replacement. Eating bulky, slow to digest meats (not fish or seafood) requires you to fasten yourself to the idea that these foods, no matter how tasty contain nutrients that can be found in the earths food supply. You have to know what those plants are, where to get them, and how much to consume.

I've read about overweight, non meat eaters. And I'm no longer baffled at how they pack on pounds and threaten to lose weight but never do. It's their diet. It's in the SHITTER! They consume mountains of junk food, processed, high fat junk! They're better off eating meat.

So why did I do this? For years people I have struggled with Colitis. Food needs to digest as fast as possible and leave my body. I first discovered that I had an issue with a lot of foods back in 2000 when I first was diagnosed. Then I recalled a time when I didn't consume meat at all. I was doing a trial on Vegetarianism and I remember that I was fit, albeit with very little exercise. I decided that milk was going to leave and do so forever. Although over the years, I've tried to introduce it, to failure. I've found a substitute for that. Almond Milk!

I have to yogurt in my smoothies, no problem. A 1/2 to 1 cup of Almond Milk makes a delicious, nutritious substitute.

I love sausage or bacon with my breakfast occasionally. No problem. Boca makes a delicious variety and links is not spared at all. They taste great. But Veggie Patch and Morningstar Farms tops the list.

I like chicken salads, and meat balls, and meat in soups...no problem. Beans, lentils, vegetables, fruits, whole grains...have been a part of my diet for years. I'm thrilled to have made them the cornerstone of my diet now. I've even been more motivated to eradicating boxed rices in the many varieties, opting for whole grain (from scratch) replacements.

It's my goal to make sure now, that every single thing that I put into my mouth has a purpose behind it. I love some processed foods. Breakfast Bars and Oatmeal cookies, even Skittles! But if I truly only had nuts, raisins, and popcorn, I'd feel very blessed.

How's the budget? For the most part, eating at home has initially been explosive to the budget. And that's mainly because I've been in a 'try and buy' phase of gathering as much 'on sale-coupon' products I can find so that I'm presented with a plethora of options. I've been lucky ( I guess ) and have loved everything that I've ran across. I've discovered new and became re-acquainted with some old. Brands I've run across: Gardein, Boca, Morningstar Farms, Tofurky, LightLife, and Yves.  But the funny thing is that I've seen this stuff, and passed it by numerous times, not realizing how tasty some of this stuff is.

I'm a cook. So I'm engaging in a lot of new soups, tofu recipes, even sorbets to replace ice cream.

How's my energy level? off the charts! My speed and endurance is way up! I'm running longer and at faster speeds. So I'm naturally taking advantage of it. My goal is to run a 10 minute mile over a 5K distance. If I can do that in October, I would have exceeded my projected target one year ago, which was to run 15 minute miles. I think I'll definitely be under 45 minutes total. But God's Blessings! I'm feel fantastic.

I don't expect people to fall in love with the idea of not eating meat.  But if you have digestive problems, a diet rich in plant based foods is your answer. I love it. I challenge you to try it.