#learningvegan

[blackwomantraveling]

Late lunch, twice baked stuffed sweet potato. #ncveteran #learningvegan #sweetpotato #simplegreensmoothie #letseat https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccln67pO9BJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[blackwomantraveling]

Afternoon snacky, don’t mind if I do! This dip is made from almonds, and it has a pretty nice umami flavor, I wonder what roasting them first would taste like? #ncveteran #learningvegan #letseat #almonds #snowpeas https://www.instagram.com/p/Cci6jTvOpgq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sustainablelondon-blog]

Becoming vegan has definitely been a learning process. Initially I just made substitutions or restrictions to my normal diet, which was not always satisfying or sustaining. So now I’m learning to add protein sources and nutritional variety to my meals, and guess what? It’s not only satisfying, it’s delicious. Hope you all have a positive start to your day as well 🌱🌞⚡️ #learningvegan #veganbreakfast #veganfood #plantbaseddiet #plantbased #sustainableliving #energydiet https://www.instagram.com/p/BuieRmXHUNf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1alqkvk8871wz

[ipomwideopenminds]

[wtfcharly]

Running Like A Horse

For the past two days I decided that I was going to start focusing on cardio. The first day was such a drag. I like to run a mile right before lifting weights. Since the gym isn't a mile away like it use to be when I was in college I use the eliptical machines. One mile on that takes me way longer to run than 1 mile on land. Then after weight lifting I go on the Stair Master 25-35 minutes. It was such a drag I'm not going to lie. I was sweating bullets. Luckily I usually wear sweaters or a long sleeve gym shirt so my sweat gets absorbed quickly and I"m not sweating all over the machine (I feel so bad for the person using the cardio machines after someone who lets their sweat drop all over it. It just looks so nasty. The machine is all wet from someone else's sweat).

The biggest difference I noticed was that pain in my heart that I usually get while doing high intensity training was less severe. I could feel my heart pounding more and me gasping for breathe but not that 'Oh shit I'm gonna die, but keep going.' Some might say it's cause I wasn't pushing hard enough, but today was proof. I ran sprints and I know exactly how my heart would feel after sprinting. Shit I would even get that dizzy I'm going to faith feeling. No headache, no pain in the heart. I know it's from being vegan now for 2 months. It has to be.

I have been working out since I've been a little kid joining the local basketball league. I know how it feels to be overworked. I feel like my blood has changed. It's able to replenish my muscles and heart with more oxygen then when I was a carnivore. 

That's not very scientific but whatever. I feel great right now. I'm not all tired from my run like I use to be. (It's that Vegan Life)

[wtfcharly]

The Urge To Not Give A Fuck

        Last night was by far the hardest night for me to stay away from animal products. I started this war and I will win.

        My mom bought this huge container of potato salad from Costco. I FUCKIN LOVE POTATO SALAD! When I binge I binge, and potato salad was one of my favorite foods to do this on. I wasn’t prepared at all for my sudden urge not to give a fuck. You know those times when you open the fridge and see there’s nothing you’d like eat, but you keep on opening it as if something is magically going to appear. That was last night.

        I ended up eating my already made kidney beans and mixed it with brown rice. Had a avocado with salt on the side.

        Today I’ve been looking up alternatives to mayonnaise cause I really want to be able to say that being vegan is easy for me but I know this won’t be possible unless I start making alternatives to foods that I once loved that can be vegan friendly. Staying strong. 

[wtfcharly]

Vegan Problems

Here right now at my cousins birthday dinner party at Apple Bees. Googled vegan friendly dishes and everyone is saying Apple Bee's is the least vegan friendly restaurant. Wow. Lol

[wtfcharly]

Making Mistakes

Fathers Day was the hardest time I’ve had staying on the vegan path. My mom made all my favorite carnivore dishes since all my dad’s favorite meat dishes are mine. I wasn't planning on telling my two older half brothers that I’ve recently turned vegan because I don’t like occasions or dinner events to be about me. Yeah I’d like everyone to be more opened minded to a vegan lifestyle but I’m all about that psychological delivery. Unfortunately my mom didn’t have that in mind and told my half-brothers. It sucked cause I don’t want to have people around me question themselves at celebrations like that. Whatever now.

    What was most frustrating was my brother Julian telling me that I couldn’t eat the cookies. I was like “What the F*&%, give me a cookie B#$%” but then he informed me that in the ingredients list it had animal products (whole eggs). I’m not going to lie and say I had no idea. I did. My mind was blocking it out and I was acting as if I didn’t know. If it wasn’t for him I would of ate those tasty looking cookies that everyone around me was enjoying and I LOVE LOVE LOVE COOKIES! I’m known to eat the whole damn package of milk chocolates cookies. I need to go buy some vegan friendly sweets. There’s no break from this lifestyle. I was thinking maybe I should be a sacrificial vegan. But what the fuck is that? My carnivore spirit is making shit up to give in.

    My brother continued to tell me that he believed in what I was doing, which made me feel like that veganism was actually having positive effects on my carnivore family. So while I ate my rice, mixed with peas, and vegetables I thought of all the other vegans having a difficult Father’s Day watching their love ones enjoying the meals they once enjoyed. So it helped me stay sane and not give in.

    But guess I still failed. I’m not giving myself any excuses and confessing. I ate macaroni salad. Macaroni salad has mayonnaise in it which uses egg. So way to F#$% it up Charly. After not eating my moms homemade shrimp cocktail, Filipino Chicken bitter-melon soup, bbq honey chicken, and oatmeal cookies I go and eat macaroni salad. I guess it’s not that bad since it’s not meat but I know there’s people out there that bettet prepare for celebrations like this and come prepared with their vegan dishes ready not just for them but for everyone so something like this doesn’t happen. Success comes into preparation and I need to better prepare if I am to keep myself from making mistakes like this again. Wish this post was more positive. Thanks for all the vegans out there that are motivating me and showing me their ways. Much love and peace too all