Go Veg, or Go Home.

I have to decided to fill a goal on my "before I die" list. I have decided to become a vegan next semester. Despite popular belief, I am not doing this so I can protest naked or anything... I'm not even doing it to take a stance against KFC. I'm just doing it because I've always wanted to try it. It sounds like a challenge. It sounds fun. It sounds like something I would enjoy. Do I support animal cruelty? Absolutely not. I think God made the animals, therefore, we should probably be nice to them and not inject them with growth hormones that make their legs break and hearts fail before the age of 2. I also don't think sickly and malnourished animals is something I particular want to put in my own body. I'm not a huge fan of the FDA either; I think they are greedy and evil consumerists that allow Americans to consume foods that make them fat and disease laden...but that's another blog.

All that aside, I'm already a pescitarian, meat makes me moody, and being a vegan will force me to be healthy 100% of the time. It's also a great opportunity to do research on proper, balanced veganism (not substituting soy for everything and it's mother). I love a challenge, I love cooking, I love veggies, and I love vegans. Hence, next semester I am becoming one. It's on my list, and crossing things off gives me satisfaction.

Along with this new health/spontaneous hippy extravaganza, I've decided to group other healthy habits in with it. I already lead a fairly food/exercise healthy lifestyle, so that's not something I'm particularly nervous about faltering on. However, I have SEVERAL other unhealthy habits I'm not a huge fan of. I hear stress is the biggest killer, so I've decided I need to fix my stress life. I am not at the place in life where I can have a day off... and that's okay. I understand being in school and working full-time isn't exactly a tea-party. However, it would be false to say I can't give myself at least five hours a week to spend doing something that relaxes me, something that's a me-thing. I'm committing to be a balanced individual. I'm committing to not going crazy (in the bad, 'I need PMS pills' way.) I'm going to actually be in the place I'm at as much as possible. I.e. When I'm at school, I'll be at school. When I'm at work, I'll be at work. When I'm with family, I'll be with family. Something tells me that will be much healthier than having my mind be all those places at once. I'm not a super-hero... I don't even own a cape, and my thighs are not pillars of steel. I'm just a fashion-loving woman on the quest to become a healthy and balanced individual, one legume at a time.

That's my story.
Go health.

~Rachel