My Happiness Journey: Nutrition Story #1
Constance answered our questions about her path to veganism
Imagine a world where hundreds of thousands of people — or millions! — are working to become happier and healthier versions of themselves.
A peaceful place, with hearts full of love and joy, smiling faces, and fit bodies and minds.
We decided to share just that with you through a series of storytelling articles. We talked to people from all over the world who took real action to change the way they live and achieve one common goal: a sustainably happier and healthier life. After all, as we have heard time and time again, happiness is not the destination but the journey. Hopefully, these stories will make this world feel a tiny bit smaller and inspire you to finally take action toward your own goals and foster a happy, healthy life.
We are kicking off our “Happiness Journey” series with Constance, an international student living in Montreal, who we had the pleasure of interviewing about her vegan journey.
What was your lifestyle before? How did you diet look like?
Before I became a vegetarian, I always tried to be mindful and concerned about what I would eat but in a rather minimalistic way, meaning I was interested in staying healthy but I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice much, especially food-wise.
Although I strived to be careful about what I eat, living with my parents and eating every lunch at my school cafeteria also complicated things as I was quite dependent on other people’s choices, which involved a certain amount of meat, some processed food, few veggies, desserts and little fruit. However, being active and going to the gym 3–4 times/week have always been a priority.
What made you decide to take action to change it?
Several factors were key to changing my state of mind regarding what I was eating. I first decided to become a pescatarian after a year at University in Montreal where I moved for my undergraduate studies. The first major factor that made me decide to take action was the dodgy quality of the residence meal plan, the lack of healthy vegetarian options and the availability of processed and junk food.
A second factor was the people in Quebec and their incredible openness to alternative diets, as well as the vegetarian and vegan community. My first year was full of discussions and debates around the themes of food ethics, animal cruelty, slaughterhouses and the nexus between meat consumption and environmental damages.
A third factor was the city of Montreal and the simplicity of having vegetarian and vegan options in every restaurant and of finding vegetarian meat and substitutes in most groceries. After three months of being a pescatarian, I was a vegetarian. Four months later, after many debates and after discovering several vegan awareness campaigns, blogs and videos, and in the continuity of a vegetarian mindset, I was vegan.
Can you comment on your journey? What were the easiest and hardest parts?
Despite all the judgments from friends back in France and my family who believed I was a victim of a passing trend, I managed to completely adapt my lifestyle and consumption quite easily and sustainably. I recognize that all these changes have been sudden, but I quickly realized that this new way of life corresponded with who I am. So, despite how hard people told me it would be to go from meat-lover to vegan in less than 7 months, my journey has been rather easy and natural. I guess my undergrad made me understand who I really was and becoming vegan was fit for me.
Furthermore, I discovered a whole new range of ingredients and meat substitutes that allowed me to rediscover cooking and really enjoy it. The hardest part though would be being socially vegan, meaning going out with friends or having dinner at friends’ places and imposing my personal choices on them. Thus, I decided that I would be vegan “at home” but vegetarian “socially” because I refuse to make my choices those of others, especially when I go home to a French family who is accustomed to cheese, meat, and wine. Furthermore, few people actually know how to cook vegan.
How do you feel today? What has been the greatest change?
Today, I have never felt as much in control of my body and in harmony with myself. Throughout the journey, I learned a whole lot about nutrients, getting the right amount of carbs, proteins, good fat, fibres, calcium, B12, sodium etc. Today, when I go to the gym, I feel strong from within and I have never been as motivated to work out since knowing exactly what’s on my plate and how healthy it is. Furthermore, while becoming vegan, I was diagnosed with heart problems, which forbid me from consuming any energizing drinks, sodas, coffee, and tea. Thus, it was really important that I find my morning energy and strength in alternative foods such as fruits, veggies, high-protein food and that I did my research to stay fit and on point. It might have been the greatest struggle, but undoubtedly the greatest change.
Something else you would like to share? Comments, recommendations, wishes, hopes?
Some people might find it easy to gradually take out some items from their diets to become vegetarian or vegan, but personally, I found it easier to radically become vegetarian than vegan overnight. Becoming vegan was such an obvious change after everything I had discovered on animal exploitation and environmental damage that it had to be an overnight decision.
And to all meat-lovers who think they can’t possibly get rid of meat, I assure you that, coming from a traditional meat-consumer family in France, it is really not as difficult as it seems. Although I am not judgmental of people who are not vegetarian at all and although I do not wish to convert the planet to veganism, I do wish that today’s consumer society takes a step back and becomes more cautious of what is being sold and consumed to leave the way to more and more vegetarian and vegan options, bio/organic labels, local consumption and environmentally friendly production.
Would you like to share your Happiness Journey?
Then please email us letting us know what you would like to write about! Whether your journey is about nutrition, physical exercise, meditation, volunteering, time spent in nature etc. we are all ears. The important thing is, it’s about your personal journey toward happiness…
Email: mail@workoutforhappiness.com
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