My vegan story

I'd like to introduce myself and share a little information about my life! I'm a 17 year old athlete who loves to stay active and loves a variety of foods. Throughout the years I struggled with weight, mental health, and was never really happy with my body. At 16 I hit my absolutely rock bottom and weighed my all time high of 185 lbs. At this point of my life I was on the standard American diet and ate a pretty well-balanced variety of foods and was not picky at all. Now let me tell you, I was the biggest meat and cheese lover you could possibly imagine, making sure to incorporate some type of dairy in every meal. My portions were very large and food became an obsession, constantly a thought running through my mind. After being fed up with the way I looked, how I felt, and some other issues I had at the time, I decided it was time for a change. In January of 2017 I decided to go on a low fat diet. I tried a few diets before this but just ended up gaining weight because I'd over-indulge on the wrong things. Starting up with the low-fat diet I cut out cheeses, milk, and a lot of lean meats. I followed this diet for 6 months and actually lost 30 pounds with the addition of upping my exercise! I couldn't believe it. I had finally lost the weight by setting mini goals until I kept on reaching the next. Aside from all of this, I didn't ultimately feel "good". I would eat meals and still feel very bloated/sluggish. I came across a blog on YouTube of a woman and her family that were vegans and it just clicked. At first, I was skeptical. How could someone as tiny and fit as this woman eat so much and still be in great shape? After doing hours and hours of research it all made sense. The more non-processed, plant-based foods you ate, the more nutrients you would get. And from there on out I continued to do research and changed to a vegan lifestyle! I immediately felt and even saw the results after a few weeks. I lost some more weight, I was eating until I was satisfied, my skin became clearer and the bags under my eyes were even disappearing. And now that leads me up to the present. I am living a healthy and happy vegan lifestyle that I wish I had done years ago! I am at my all time high and I never thought I'd be happy with the number on the scale, with the way my body looks, and the energy I have. I plan on continuing this lifestyle and promoting it to help/inspire others! Here is a little transformation of my journey so far....