4 years ago I decided to reduce my animal consumption. My reason was not health-related, but it was more about helping the environment as much as I could. My family is not vegan or vegetarian, however, my kids animal consumption on their diet is 30% and mine around 40% ( damn doritos lol! )
Our lives have been like this, and we just got used to it. A couple of months ago, I was trying hard to lose weight so I wanted to come back to the diet that has always worked for me, which is Atkins, but after a week of eating meat and tons of dairy every day, I was feeling bad, not sick bad but it just not felt right, and at that moment I realize that it doesn’t go with who I am anymore. I tried to do a vegetarian version of it, and I was basically leaving by their shakes until I just gave up.
With this I don’t mean that I think people are bad for eating animal products, I don’t think either than vegans are healthier than people that eat animals, it’s just different lifestyles. I’m a huge believer in finding the right balance and do what is best and feels best for you, not the society.
Friends usually asked me what my kids eat, they do eat regular yogurt and cheese, but they drink cashew or almond milk. Their favourite breakfast are smoothies so it so easy for me to add veggies! For lunch, they eat lots of pasta, cuscus, lentils, and beans, it’s been like this since Mia was born, and so far I have happy and healthy kids.
Even tho I tried to breastfeed as much as I could, I used cow milk with both of my kids on their first year ( formula ). I also gave Mia cow milk when she was 1 to 2 years old, after that I slowly switched to almond and now cashew milk.
I don’t want to restrict my kids on anything, I also don’t want my friends having to worry about preparing a special meal for me when they invite me to dinner, so I don’t think we are becoming 100% vegan’s anytime soon, however, with all the new options coming to the market every day, is getting easier and easier to consume less animal products.
Whenever I’m looking for a new vegan/vegetarian recipe, I would usually go and check it out Erin Ireland or youtube. I was so excited to meet her at the Vegan Appreciation day today at Spend Grounds! Can’t wait to share more about this journey with you!
Xo,
Athenas