I used to be a meat eater, every meal or snack I ate usually contained meat or fish. It got to a point where my diet was not giving me the energy I needed to get through the day so I decided to try something new. I knew I should decrease my meat intake and increase my fruit and vegetable intake so I decided to give up meat for a period… I felt so good that I have not gone back to eating meat (well I have had the odd beef steak when my body has been craving red meat), I still eat fish but I try to keep my diet mainly vegan.
Giving up meat can be difficult for some people to wrap their heads around, but knowing the benefits in doing so helped me with the struggle.
Despite growing awareness of how the food industry conducts its business, there is still a shocking lack of information getting through to the general public, so here are some of the benefits I have found.
Weight loss without dieting
Cutting out processed foods and animal products is the fastest way to lose weight without making yourself grumpy and sad. I stuck to whole foods and my diet contained a range of fruit, veg, grains, nuts and legumes, I found that losing weight simply wasn’t as difficult as I have been led to believe. Not only that, but I felt great, too.
Heightened energy levels
Going plant-based has had an amazing effect on the amount of energy that I have, and I can sustain that boost in energy throughout the day. The knock-on effect that this has on my life is not to be underestimated. I find that I want to exercise, I am more productive and I get to do more of the stuff that I love to do simply because I am energised enough to do it.
The reason why this is the case is because the vast majority of the animal products that we consume are extremely hard to digest. This means that if you are eating meat, dairy and eggs on a regular basis there’s a high chance that your digestive system will become overwhelmed so your body sends all of its available energy to tackle the problem, leaving you feeling low and lethargic.
Good bye bloating
Eating a plant-based whole food diet is fantastic for your digestive system.
Think about it for a minute you’re gut much prefers to deal with fuel that is essentially made up of water and fibre rather than to take on board a load of stuff that is processed and tough to digest.
I am not going to go as far as to say that humans are not genetically designed to eat meat, it’s abundantly clear that a diet high in meat is seriously detrimental to one’s health. We’re simply not made to process the excessive volumes of animal products that has become standard fare in the western world.
Giving up meat and processed foods left my body cleaner and left it feel less overworked and I no longer suffered with that annoying daily bloat.
Bloating is due to inflammation of the digestive system. Animal products such as milk, cheese, eggs and meat, along with the majority of processed foods, are all going to adversely affect the amount of inflammation that your body produces. Plant-based whole foods, on the other hand, are jam-packed with natural anti-inflammatory properties that will get to work and help reduce inflammation…before it’s too late.
Better skin, brighter eyes
Fruit and veg is packed full of the good stuff such as vitamin A, C and E.
Couple that with the fact that they also have lots of water and a shedload of antioxidants and it’s easy to see why I have the best looking skin and brightest eyes I have experienced in years.
Saturated fats can block our pores, too, so cutting them out by giving up meat helped keep my skin glowing naturally.
Replace the bad fats with the good ones that can be found in flax seeds and avocados and you’ll also lower the chances of age-related macular degeneration, too.
Better nights sleep
Once my body got used to having all of that goodness flying around, I found that my sleep became more predictable and peaceful.
I consumed more foods that helps promote healthy sleep. Things such as kale, almonds, broccoli, sweet potatoes and spinach to name but a few, all contain vitamin B6, magnesium and tryptophan, the perfect nutritional combo for a great night’s sleep.
In conclusion I found that a plant-based diet was far more suitable for my body and I feel so much more happier and healthier than ever but also I believe that everything is ok in moderation so there have been times I felt my body craving red meat and I do give in, red meat is a great source of Iron which my body may have been lacking.
