How It's Going

No blue skies and flowers today--we have cool spring rain instead. Through my window a few minutes ago I saw a very fat squirrel in the process of bulking up, as if a nip of autumn were in the air. He's not quite in the Fatty McFat class yet, but is working on it.

I had another wildlife encounter Saturday morning as I took a short hike in Martinez after arriving too early at the Contra Costa shoreline for my running club's weekly training run. (Training run sounds far more respectable than fun run, which also describes the event pretty well.) Poring over Google Images results makes me think my little friends (I saw two) were common newts. I wouldn't tell them they're common to their face, however; they should go on thinking they're as special as I think they are.

The run was near Rankin Park, pictured below, but it was no walk in da park. We ran the course of the Brickyard Race, which is next weekend. My running companions and I meant to go out four miles and then return but we missed the turnaround and ended up going out about five. I can multiply (by two, anyway), so I think we ended up running about ten. The route is scenic--looks out over what I believe is San Pablo Bay. It's also very hilly. My quads and hams thank me for the workout.None of what I've written so far tells you how my investigation of veganism is going, even though when I titled this post that was what I had in mind. My report is brief and happy: It is going well. I thought I would find it a lot scarier and more complicated than it's been to stop eating eggs, dairy products, and fish, and at the same to be learning enough about general nutrition to stay healthy. Well, as we're fond of saying around here in times of desperation, it's not rocket surgery. Over the last week I have pretty much eliminated eggs, dairy, and seafood from my diet (diet cola too, just because), and I feel strong and energetic. Full disclosure, however: I did eat an egg breakfast at a cafe after the above-described run.

Anyway, I'm taking brown rice protein and vitamin B-12 and trying to eat a variety of healthful plants of all different stripes (beans! strawberries! broccoli! rainbow chard! tofu!) Dare I say it's fun? Well, it is. I feel that having been a non-meat eater for many years prepared me well for this current step.

It's a voyage of small and interesting discoveries. Did you know that Mini Wheats contain gelatin, which is most definitely an animal product? And did you know you should steam tempeh before you cook with it? Did you even know what tempeh was? I didn't. Ditto seitan, which I can now confidently say has nothing to do with the devil.

When queried by the many (two?) interested people as to how it's going, I now say, "I'm a vegetarian." I believe that true, pure and conscientious veganism is not what I'm practicing, but I feel good being headed in that direction even if I never get much farther than I am. The pressure to change, which was coming solely from within, has lifted. For twenty-two years I have said "I don't eat meat but I do eat seafood and dairy." Now, it's just "I'm a vegetarian."

Comments

Anonymous said…
I am becoming more aware of what I eat also. God Bless you.
5:44 PM
Gorgeous Nerd said…
It sounds like you're on the right track! I hope it keeps going well.
3:23 AM
Sunshine said…
Quinoa in place of wheat, teff flour in place of wheat flour, brown rice and brown rice pasta has been good for all of us here.
7:53 PM
Bob said…
good luck - there's a lot of temptation and hidden ingredients out there - you're stronger than most folks, that's for sure!
5:27 AM
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