One Day At A Time

Addiction is powerful. It doesn't matter what one is addicted to. One of the biggest addictions that almost all humans face is the addiction to food. We all have to eat, of course. But in American society, we don't just eat-we EAT. We eat food that we know is not good for us. If it can't be bought in a drive-thru, already made in the deli section of the grocery store, or heated up in the microwave, then we aren't interested. The economy is failing, but many restaurants are showing INCREASES in revenue. So we're making less money, and spending our already sparse paychecks on Chili's Two-For-Twenty deal because hey, that's a bargain! We can't be bothered with cooking meals at home made with fresh, organic ingredients. "Too expensive" or "too time consuming," people say. Until they go for their yearly checkup and hear that they're obese. Not overweight. Not fat. Obese. For some people, even that isn't a big enough wakeup call. But for most, it's a turning point. It's when we realize that it's do or die. Literally.

I am fortunate enough to have gotten fat. Yes, I said fortunate. Gaining weight was one of the best things that has ever happened to me, because it opened my eyes to a new way of living. Having spent 21 years of my life as a very thin person and then suddenly gaining a LARGE amount of weight VERY quickly (30 pounds in a month and a half!), I felt a little lost as to how to handle it. I kept putting on weight (though not at that same rate-no more drinking 3 bottles of malibu rum for me!), and then I realized that my metabolism was just not the same as it had been most of my life. In fact, I wasn't sure I had a metabolism at all anymore. It's quite possible I drank it away...Anyway, I could no longer get away with not exercising and eating whatever I wanted. After a few months, I was flipping through a magazine article and saw that Alicia Silverstone was coming out with a book called "The Kind Diet." Now, even at my heaviest weight, I was not naive or desperate enough to succumb to a fad diet. I know (and so should everyone else) that the only way to lose weight is to eat well and exercise regularly. But the title is misleading. After a little research, I found that this was not a diet plan trying to sell me supplements, equipment, or false information. So I bought it. My research proved to be correct-it was not a "diet" book-it was a lifestyle makeover. The only teeny weeny problem was that becoming a vegan meant giving up the only way of eating I had ever known-a diet with a heavy emphasis on meat and dairy.

I started reading "The Kind Diet" on a Friday in November, and by the time I had finished it by Monday I was a full blown vegetarian. I have not touched meat since then. I knew that giving up dairy wouldn't be quite as easy, so I gave myself a "quit date"-New Years Day. My first attempt at veganism lasted 2 months. I lost 19 pounds, without exercise. The only thing I was doing differently was eliminating dairy (and the meat that I'd given up months prior). I was still eating french fries, chips, and (vegan) junk food, but I was losing weight very quickly without any effort. I slipped back into my "old ways" and started eating dairy again by March, but I have never even missed meat since giving it up almost 2 years ago.

A few months ago, I realized that I was unhappy with many aspects of my life, and decided to re-evaluate the direction I was headed in. I simply couldn't ignore that the dairy in my diet was poisoning my body. I decided to re-read the books on veganism that I had accumulated over the years and remind myself of why I had adopted a cruelty-free lifestyle in the first place. I am so glad that I did. The first 3 days without dairy were difficult. I was grumpy and would have probably sold my soul for a slice of pizza, but I didn't cave. On the 4th day, I woke up without any cravings. And the next. And the next. It's day 16 now, and I've cooked pizza, ravioli, macaroni and cheese, and brownies with the kid that I babysit for and have not once felt the urge to stray. I can't say how long that will last, but I can say that I am much more committed (and much more educated) than I was during my first attempt at veganism. I now realize that if I "fall off the wagon," I can simply just get back on. It's easier that way. In just over two weeks, I've lost 8 pounds, my skin has improved, and I feel much better in general. I've taken a big step in the right direction to breaking the addiciton do dairy, and as long as I do that every day, I'll finally get rid of those toxins for good.

I know that not everyone is ready to make the change to a vegan lifestyle, but make no mistake-everyone IS capable of it. I hate hearing "oh, I could never do that." Sure you could. You just don't. I do think that it's important for all of us to know that what is going into our mouths impacts our both our precious bodies and the environment, and I think that everyone should try to implement more vegetable-centric dishes in their diets. Your booty-and your bank account-will thank you.