There are a few comments any vegan is most likely tired of hearing every time they tell someone new that they are vegan. “I could never stop eating meat!” “I love animals, but I just love bacon so much.” “With the amount I work out, I could never sustain myself.” “How do you get [Protein, calcium, iron, B12, etc.]?” “What do you eat though?” “I’m sorry, that sucks.”
So this is more of a nutrition and intuitive eating post, so I will save the rant for another day, but really? There are just so many things wrong with the questions or comments I have been confronted with, and for the most part I bite my tongue and stay calm and collected that I have strong ethical morals, but other times, I get a little hot-headed and frustrated, but what can I say? I have found my purpose and empathy and I am passionate. (Anyways, on to the nutrition portion, HERE is the link to my questions rant)
Personally, I do not take any supplements religiously. That being said, if I am going to a country that might not have as many options or my set up might not accommodate certain preparations, I try to be proactive. Two days ago, I got back from a chemist course abroad in Cozumel, Mexico. To be fair, I thought there would be more options available to me. I packed a bunch of vegan bars as well as B12 supplements and Cal-Mag vitamins. I took them most days, but I also found a large grocery store and bought organic cereal, soy milk, papaya, mango, limes, and almond butter that I later realized was 277 pesos (about 20 CAD) whoops. Breakfast and dinner were included and I ate huge plates of fruit and potatoes for breakfast as well as a banana or two. Dinner was harder, but I usually ate rice, a roll, and veggies. I have to admit it wasn’t the most stellar trip as far as healthy veganism goes, but I had energy and felt good for the most part. I would just say, do your research and find some good vegan options and have snacks on hand.
The most important thing to me is to eat what I want when I want it. I am focusing less on calories or nutrients, and more on what my body craves, whether that is peanut butter and jelly toasties, green smoothies, spaghetti, fresh juice, or 10 mangoes. We are born intuitive eaters, and keeping in touch with what my body wants seems to be working for me. I used to think there were three meals and two snacks a day, and eating an hour after breakfast because I’m hungry is bad, but I trust my body and I am healthy. That being said, being a woman in her teens, I do drink a good amount of soy milk, as well as eating a lot of greens when I can to get calcium and iron. I eat nutrient and calorie rich foods, but definitely do not struggle to get calories (not that I really count) as I am in tune with my hunger ques and cravings.
Intuitive eating is an easy concept, theoretically. I mean intuitive eating is simply, eating when we are hungry, stopping when we are full, satisfying cravings and seeing food as sustenance and nutrition, rather than calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. But in reality it is HARD. Listening to your body when it says I want a peanut butter sandwich at 9pm is difficult, but my body knows what it needs more than my conscious mind. I’m definitely not perfect, as I am eating asian noodles at 9:38am, but I am hungry and this is what I feel like eating, so fuck what the media is telling us.
Some days are better than others, but I am a healthy weight, get sufficient protein and calcium as well as tons of vitamins and about 15 a day of fruits and veggies, and I feel a connection to the earth and a love for animals doing what I do.
Vegan Traveller 