For the sake of documenting it...

Austin and I are at a "turning point" in our lives. We have decided not to eat meat or dairy anymore. ahh! Can you believe it?? If you've ever seen me with cheese, then no... You probably can't believe it. But, before you go assuming and judging, hear me out.

Maybe you're thinking, "Does this mean you're going vegan??" You could say that. Honestly, it's mostly for healthy reasons. While I don't support exploiting animals, we won't be joining PETA any time soon. What I mean is that the main focus of veganism is the abstinence of exploiting animals for human gain. If Austin or I were to slip up, it's not the end of the world. If we're starving in the middle of nowhere and only had a cheeseburger as sustenance, we'd eat it to avoid death. But, we will definitely try to draw the line pretty clear. We're still learning and we have a long way to go.

You could argue that a little meat and dairy here and there would be just as healthy as none at all. In fact, I've heard people argue that. But, meat and dairy just don't sit well with us. I've never felt good after eating a steak. Milk makes me feel sick. I feel that, in our home, it'll have to be "black and white." Austin has been pre-diabetic since around the time he was in high school. Because of genetics, he's more prone to heart disease. We've both gained (an maintained) a lot of weight since we got married. I feel like, aside from any other reasons we may learn more about, health is a really big one. I want us to live long, happy lives. Whatever illness or disease comes along, we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it, but if we can work to prevent it, you better believe we will!

I think making this choice will help us learn about new, healthy foods. We'll still get our protein and calcium. We'll still get all the nutrients we need. I think people (myself included) forget, or don't realize, that you can get the vitamins and minerals that you need elsewhere. There are so many foods that I don't know about - that I've never had or even heard of. We picked up a vegan cookbook last night and I've been looking online and I'm really excited and optimistic!

We'll have to take it a little more gradually at first. We have a lot of foods in our kitchen that aren't part of a "whole foods plant based" diet. We need to figure out new meals and get the hang of cooking new things. We aren't just going to throw away all our meat and dairy products (even though we don't have much meat left at all). We'll finish off what we can use while incorporating new ideas, recipes, and ingredients.

I'm excited for this change. I know it will be hard at first. I know we won't be perfect right off the bat. But, I think it's worth trying and learning more about. I know there are a lot of stereotypes out there. I hope, as my friends and family, you will understand our decision :) I really feel like it's a good thing! I would appreciate any help and/or support from everyone!