Vegan | 4 Years On

It's me again, checking in on the whole veganism thing, with it now being 2020 I have been vegan for 4 years. I can confidently say the this past year I have not slipped up and drunkly ate some chicken, I now stick to the vegan kind of drunk foods.

I think 2019 and 2020 have been the year for vegan foods there is so much variety on the shelves these days. Even in lockdown people are choosing to bulk buy vegan food that they may not usually eat, yes this may be because their usual food has run out, but it’a good business for the vegan companies. Though a little annoying for the vegans who now have lacking choice of food.

This past year of being vegan I have put of the most muscle mass I have in my life, so everyone saying that vegan lifters cannot build muscle, prove me wrong. I have increased muscle mass and upped my weight to a healthy set point for me on a full vegan diet that is (for the most part) full of good food, if we discount all the burgers and tubs of ice cream I consume. A vegan diet keeps me full and satiated to carry out my workouts based around strong compound movements. No I do not need chicken or eggs to fuel my deadlifts or squats. I sometimes take a vegan protein if I am feeling like it but often enough I get enough protein from the whole foods I eat, and yes ice cream is included as a whole food in my world.

A vegan diet has helped me to truly love my body for how strong it now is and how cruelty free my life is thanks to veganism. Being vegan helped me to fall in love with food again, it helped me to be balanced and love myself. It is the most sustainable thing any one of you can do to help the planet. It drastically reduces water usage around the globe and cuts the need for cruel factory farming methods, saving innocent lives. It can save on thousands of gallons of water and grains that can be used to feed those people in need. It is also much better for your health, with reduced cholesterol levels and blood pressure. I personally believe that veganism is the only way forward for our planet to be sustainable as the way we are currently going about life just isn’t. We can’t continue mass producing cruelty. Factory farming isn’t sustainable and frankly isn’t humane either. Most diseases these days exist as a result of animal consumption by humans, the pandemic we are in the midsts of caused someone eating a raw bat, the only question I ask is why? Swine flu, from pigs. This surely tells you that animal consumption is not the answer for human health, it is the better interest of ourselves and the planet to go vegan or at least make steps towards it.

Some Books I Recommend

With time on our hands right now I thought I would share some of my recent favourite books that I highly recommend. Most of these books are part of a series so this list shall keep you busy for the foreseeable future.

1. Wolf by Wolf

This is a book I read many years ago, and still I hold it near the top of my favourite books. Based in the year 1956 under the rule of the Third Riech and Imperial Japan Rule. A victorious Hitler and Emperor Hirohito created an Axis tour, a motorcycle race across the continents. It follows the story of Yael, a former death camp prisoner and part of the resistance, a character I grow to love. She possess five wolf tattoos representative of people she has lost. She is given the task to win the Axis Tour and murder Hitler. Yael is no ordinary girl, she has the ability to skin shift, a side effect of her tortures, giving her the ability to complete her task impersonating last years Axis tour champion, Adele Wolf. People of Adeles past present challenges for Yael as she grows ever closer to her fellow competitors. This book follows her journey in her assassination attempt of Hitler and her struggle to decide what is right for her.

2. Throne of Glass

This series is truly encapsulating and I have a love for Sarah J. Maas' work. It follows the life of a former prisoner in Endovier, 18 year old assassin Celaena Sardonthien. She is offered release by the Prince Dorian, on the condition she is to be his champion, in a contest to find the new royal assassin. Should she win, she will be granted freedom after 4 years service as assassin for the crown. One by one rounds of the contest are completed and one by one contestants end up dead. This book follows Celaena dealing with life outside Endovier and her life in court, amongst deadly situations she finds herself in. This is the first book in a mesmerising series.

3. A Darker Shade of Magic 

Kell is a traveller and the last of his kind, he serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, though behind closed doors he is a smuggler moving between Red London and dull Grey London. His luck runs out as a transaction goes awry, he escapes Grey London running into Delilah Bard, a cunning thief. She robs him only to them save his life from a known enemy, in return she wants adventure. Little do the two know, darkness is around the corner as magic is on treacherous grounds.

4. An Ember in the Ashes 

Inspired by Ancient Rome in the Martial Empire, defiance leads to death. Those who do not give themselves to the empire face blood and death. Laia a slave girl, lives in this world, her and her family do not challenge the empire. Though one day her brother is arrested and so things change. In promise of saving her brother Laia promises to spy on the court within the military academy for the rebels. There she meets Elias, a talented, secretly unwilling soldier. He longs to be free just like Laia and so it appears there destinies become intertwined, as they both question the Empires rule.

5. Travellers in the Third Riech

A bit of a different read for me, though I still couldn't put it down. This book describes the history of the rise of the Nazi's to power from first hand accounts of all types of people. These accounts help you relive a three dimensional German world. This book gave me a sense of despair for the people involved as they tell their accounts of what their lives were like in a time so tragic.

Feeling Low in Lockdown?

Around this weird time it is normal to feel low. Having to be forced to stay inside and away from your friends and family is a tough situation. Feeling down in times like this is okay, just know that you are not alone. Yes, it may feel like no one understands because no one is there to listen, but trust me in saying, everyone across the whole world is feeling somewhat the same as you right now.

This is a tricky time, especially for those suffering with mental health issues. Do not let yourself fall into a rut doing nothing and getting stuck in your own thoughts. Keep yourself busy, learn a new hobby. Who knows what you will become a pro at during this lockdown? You have the time to do that thing you have always wanted to do, keep your mind busy. During this time I have retaken up reading and trust me in saying I have plenty of books to keep my mind busy. Reading helps my mind wander from the harsh realities of what is going on around us and it takes my mind off missing my friends. Now, I have taken up writing again, 100th time lucky? maybe I will actually stick to it this time for longer than a few weeks. I do these things because I know if I do not keep busy, I will most likely go insane stuck inside, and this is coming from a naturally introverted person.

Some calming hobbies

• Reading 
• Painting 
• Colouring
• Embroidery 
• Working out
• Go for a walk
• Learning new things 

You will get through this sad time, just remember you are not in it alone. There are things you can get out of this weird situation we are living.

Hi, It's Me Again

Oh look she disappeared again. Hi, I am back for now I guess. With everything that has been going on around the world lately, I wanted to come back to my safe space to take my mind of everything, because let us be honest, right now, nothing feels real. The world is in a crazy place right now and for some that can be quite hard to cope with. Lockdown is tough when you rely on your friends to keep your sprits up during tough times, it can feel lonely, but everyone is with you in this. 

So yes I left for awhile, again. University got hard and frustrating. All our assignments were given to us in the same month, just before the whole world went up in flames. If I am honest, 2020 has been a little bit crap if you ask me and I have been struggling to remain positive. But after making a rather fast departure from my university home, I am now bored of staying inside, though I know it is for a good reason, and so here I am. Life will soon go back to 'somewhat normality' and this will all be in the past, but for now we all have to stay home and stay safe.

There are positives to come out of this though. Have you seen the latest pollution levels around the world? significantly down, and yes this is probably just temporary but it is still a good thing. Dolphins swimming in the canals of Venice? beautiful. Everywhere animals roaming around the bare streets, it is rather amusing to say the least. All it took was a global pandemic for the world to start healing again. Take a walk outside and take in the silence, the fresher air. I am not going to talk much about the whole looming virus, as quite frankly I am sick of hearing about it and cannot wait for the day that this is over. 

For the time being however, I am sticking to keeping myself busy, learning, reading and now writing it seems. I do not want to promise I will continue writing but it is something I am going to do for now, for the few people who read this and for myself. 

Everyone stay safe and inside, this will all blow over soon.