Announcement

So this huge grocery...

I have never ever spent over $200 in one day at the grocery store on my own before. Ever. Until yesterday. When the nice cheap awesome Loblaws is a 10 minute drive away and the most expensive grocery store in Ontario (Metro) is 2 blocks away, it's not surprising that when I have a car, as I did this weekend, I hurry to the better of the two and spend some dollar on some nice food.

A selection of what I got that I loved and can't wait to work with: couscous, quinoa, TVP, falafel mix, salmon fillets, peaches, zucchini, tomatoes, ginger, leeks, potatoes, avocados, marinades, artichokes, roasted red peppers.....etc etc etc.

You might have noticed upon reading this list that I have made a slight adjustment to my diet. After a few days of thought and consideration for my body and how it's changing and the changes I've made in my life, I've decided to lead a mostly vegetarian lifestyle. I remember myself saying not all that long ago that I could never ever ever in a hundred million years become a vegetarian because I love meat so much, and it's sort of funny to hear myself think the opposite on this day. I want to make a few things clear here before you all freak out: I won't stop eating meat. I'm just going to cut way back and eat as vegetarian as I can. If I'm invited over to someone's house and they're serving BBQ or a nice roast or something, I'm not going to refuse to eat it. If I'm having company over, I would probably make something with meat it in to accommodate the fact that most people aren't into strictly vegetarian cuisine.

A few points to explain myself in fewer words (it's late...and I have a potato soup to make in the morning):

- I will do my best to stick to vegetarian protein sources aka. quinoa and TVP instead of hamburger or chicken
- I will eat WAY more vegetables. WAY MORE.
- I will still be eating the odd meat, especially when I'm out and about.
- I will not refer to myself as a vegetarian, but rather someone who prefers not to eat meat when given the choice. If any of you followed my facebook veggie-for-a-week adventure, you'll note that I mentioned my frustration at "vegetarians who eat meat."
- I will not cut out processed foods. Sometimes things happen and that box of KD has to come out, or you're out with friends and it's poutine time. I'm just going to be careful and conscious.
- I will not be switching to organic foods, for a few reasons...a) I can't afford it and b) within reason, it's not sustainable for our global family to eat organic always all the time. If everyone were equal and lived next to wholesome farms and raised their own lifestock, life would be way healthier. But realistically, we're going through a food crisis in our time, and we can't responsibly ALL eat organic foods.

I feel strongly after what Alex told me last week and after the thinking I've done, that being veggie is a lifestyle. I live alone and I can therefore choose exactly what I feed my body (perhaps this will change one day once I'm not alone anymore, who knows). I practice yoga regularly, if not every day whenever possible, and I hate to sound like a tree-hugging cliche but it really works wonders on one's sense of self-awareness, health (physical, mental and emotional) and faith. My decision to stick to vegetarian sources of protein is one that reflects my current single working lifestyle, as well as my yoga practice, all in addition to my opinions on the food manufacturing industries. I believe that what we feed our bodies ultimately feeds our minds, so it makes sense to me to consume vegetables and nutrient-dense meat substitutes in an effort to maintain my mental and emotional health.

It's been a roller-coaster of a year. I'm in the best physical shape of my life and I want so much to bring my mental, spiritual and emotional health up to speed to match it and continue to make me a more well-rounded, mellowed, pleasant, decent person. I feel good about myself when I feed myself well, and I want to continue on this journey in a positive way by being careful with what I fuel my body with.

I'd love to hear your opinions on this. I'd like to emphasize that I have absolutely nothing against those who choose a different lifestyle as this one, but am making this choice for me and what I feel I need in my life. This is fluid and my ideals are going to change as I continue to grow. I urge you all to re-evaulate a little and make sure your lifestyle fits what you'd like to experience in your life.