Karen M's Vegan Anniversary

By Karen M

After having my second child I weighed over 270 pounds. I knew I had to do something. I started a diet and exercise. I journal-ed every calorie that I ate. I took off over 130 pounds and I kept it off by watching what I ate. Last year I met my boyfriend, Brody. He had been vegan for over 5 years. He thought it was very silly that I watched my diet so closely but actually ate food that was not good for me. He explained that people are mislead by only looking at calories, fat, and fiber...He showed me food labels and I was shocked! I started doing some research and found it disgusting that the FDA allows blood and puss to be in the milk I was giving my children. I learned about gelatin being made from animals. BUT, my main concern as I began the journey was the chemicals that I do not need to consume. Half of the things on food labels, I could not even pronounce!

So, it has been over a year now. I can not even begin to explain how GREAT I feel. I have kept all of my weight off without even looking at calories and fat!!! There are soooo many wonderful products on the market that make going vegan easy. Sunshine burgers are wonderful, and are not filled with soy.

It is funny that my only challenges have come from other people. "What do you eat?" "Aren't you starving?" "Don't you miss cheese?" "How do you get your protein?" I have 2 children and believe me, I have to be able to please them at dinner time as well! We enjoy pizza, but with Daiya cheese. No one ever goes hungry at our house! We are so lucky to live in Columbus OH, where the vegan community is supported. We have a bar that serves an all vegan bar menu! Have you ever had deep-fried avocados? Hal and Al's Bar on Parsons Ave has everything from Vegan corn-dogs to sushi---ALL VEGAN! I love that I can go to a vegan salon and not worry about all the nasty chemicals being dumped in my water supply. Thanks Virtue Salon on High Street!

I hope that my story inspires others to take a look at their food labels. Research where your food comes from. I hope that people explore their community to find other people passionate about the environment, who are saying they aren't too small to make a difference! You can make a difference and it feels so AWESOME! Thank you for challenging people Bolder!

Challenge: Eat only plant-based whole foods for a weekend

Sponsor: Sunshine Burgers [ See Challenge Here ]

Action: "2011 is my anniversary of going VEGAN... ONE year down, and a lifetime ahead! Goal this year is to start cutting SOY!"

LOST: The TV show or the sit-down dinner?

It's a dreary, cold winter night. A delicious pot of gypsy soup sits simmering on the stove, just waiting to bring warmth to the soul. It also serves another purpose - as a centerpiece - to bring together friends for conversation and merriment. So what's missing? Unfortunately, the people are.

That is the scene that Erica M described to us when she completed the Sunshine Burger challenge. But don't fret for Erica. She ended up eating with a friend; however, it was not the dinner party she had originally envisioned.

Erica has found it tough to get her friends to the table. Not surprisingly, she has found TV to be the best motivator for collecting her group (what does this say about old-fashioned company or delicious soup on a winter night?). Erica says, "I have only had successful dinner parties when people get together for new episodes of LOST!"

Is this an isolated case or does it say something larger about our inability to pause for dinner with friends and family? Erica thinks, "It is a crazy, fast-paced world. With texting and Facebook, it's easy to feel like we are in constant contact. We become so busy and hectic that even young people (my friends are mostly 19-21) with the least responsibilities (salaried job & no kids) can't respect a real sit-down dinner."

Do families fair better than young people? Interestingly enough, family sit-down dinners have been on the rise in recent years, perhaps because of a simple awareness- that our busy lives are invading our real time together. It appears, real effort is being exerted to get the family to the table. For example, some are taking every family member's schedule and making a calendar for dinners. Wow!

So, do you find yourself struggling to sit down with your friends and family for a real dinner? Erica has some fantastic ideas for helping with that:

1. Awareness - "Remember to use our virtual tools (FB, texting, etc) as intermediate reminders, not replacements, for person-to-person relations"

2. Plan - "Get it on the calendar and stick to it."

3. Share the Care - "I would say the most important thing about getting together with people is letting them know you care."

4. If your goal is to meet new people, find a local food community like Cafe Selma (Ann Arbor) in your hometown. Erica describes Cafe Selma, "imagine knowing every week you have a place to go for delicious food, good company, intellectual stimulation, and all sorts of warmth. Cafe Selma, to me, is all that and more."

Or if none of those work for you, just wait for a new episode of LOST.

Good luck. Let us know what's working for you!

[This post is based on Erica M's top-voted action for the Sunshine Burger challenge "cook dinner for a group of friends." Quotes are taken from her response to us]