Today I had a breakfast of raw almonds washed down with unsweetened rice milk.  I, then, sat in my Prius and drove the short 5 mile trip to the studio for a day of work. I had a lunch of lentils, split peas, buckwheat with a dollop of black garlic hummus and avocado. At the end of my day, I jumped back into my Prius and sung along to some Foxes and XX all the way to yoga. After an hour of vinyasa, I returned to the studio to wrap up some unfinished work while I enjoyed a meese-cup of my favorite dried fruits – black cherries, blueberries, apricots, and figs. Sure, I sound like a paid hippie who likely lives in the Lower Haight district of San Francisco, but nope. I work hard to implement this sort of lifestyle.

Forbes magazine claims my choice in career, event production, lands in the top 6 more stressful jobs in the country. Thank Forbes, but the cricks in my neck and the knots in my back made that exact proclamation months ago. Get with it, kid!

I had enough of feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally run down. That’s when I decided to go vegan once and for all.  I don’t care for meat much, so the transition hasn’t been as tough as let’s say, going sober. But, the truth of the matter is that I work within 20 feet of a commercial kitchen full of eager, young cooks working to create the perfect menu for each client. That means exactly how it sounds – lots of taste testing. I don’t foresee myself cutting out all meat and fish forever, but with the way I feel, its becoming a definite possibility. I’ve been publicizing my new eating habits for some weeks now and the feedback and curiosity from those around me has driven me to write about a few ways to transition into a vegan diet, if even temporarily. Here are a few tips I’ve found helpful for a successful mind, body, and soul (What? I cant go this far and not get all “Days of Our Lives” for a hot minute)…

…Buddy Up: If you feel that you need that extra push, find a friend who is just as interested in the cause as you are.  Those who don’t want to take it seriously will likely take you down faster than an erotic poster on a bathroom wall in Catholic school. If you cant find anyone to change eating habits with you, do what the rest of the lonely world does and take your problem to social media. Post photos of your meals, check-in to restaurants mentioning what yummy veg dish you’re having, and talk about how energized, healthy, and happy you’re feeling.  If those drunken Oompa Loompa’s from New Jersey can collect followers, you’re self-motivated and positive being should have no prob, bob!

…Be Adventurous: Put all your previous stereotypes of greens, legumes, and nuts behind. Just like people, foods shine differently in certain environments. Maybe this next unfortunate real-life scenario may help you see it clearer. Have you ever met someone at a bar and thought, “Hot dang! He’s a hoot”? Naturally you agree to go out on a date and there you are at dinner thinking, “Boy that waiter with the soul patch and flaming skull tattoo is looking quite tasty right now.” You may hate cauliflower in your grandmother’s stir fry, but love it in a sweet potato and carrot smash. Take a chance!

…Get Beef(less)y: I cannot urge enough how much you need to substitute protein! Your body craves what it needs, especially when you deprive it of so many of its usual foods. If you are not doing a good job of eating foods high in protein content, you will crave that 32 ounce Top Sirloin Kobe Beef steak with a side of Squid Ink Pasta and Uni. This, I promise you. My next blog post will have lots of meat substitutes to fill that little carnivorous heart of yours.

…Plan Ahead: The hardest part of keeping a certain diet is having the foods readily accessible to you. I like to pre-package my own foods for the week, so I always have something to feed my hunger at work or on the go. My personal faves include hummus, buckwheat, quinoa, marinated tofu, and shredded cabbage for a quick salad. Recipes to come in the next blog post.  Sit tight…

…Be Positive: Stop talking about the foods you can’t/don’t eat and start talking about all of the foods you now have a new appreciation for. Who knew how delicious kale tasted or how sweet ponzu could go with more than just your sushi? I assure you no one having a cheeseburger feels the way you feel after having a quinoa salad with sauteed leeks, dried cranberries, Persian cucumbers, toasted sunflower seeds, and a curry vinaigrette.

A whole new world where fatigue is a joke, health is available continuously, and positive energy slips off of your tongue is within reach. I think we can all agree that this contagious mindset where human life is eternal is getting older than the collagen in Joan Rivers’s lips.

nJOY from nKAY