5 Things You'll Be Surprised To Learn After Your First Year Of Going Vegan

I'm coming up on the 18th month of my vegan journey, so I decided to take a look at all the aspects of how this lifestyle has impacted my life.

Initially, I decided to become vegan because I wanted to lose weight, as I had been reading a few articles on how cutting meat and dairy from your diet is really beneficial for your health and so forth, but I never really wondered why.

I decided to take it on board anyway, thinking that I could do it for a few weeks just to lose some weight. Lo and behold, I definitely lost weight (nearly 6 kilos in three weeks) but then I relapsed. To sum it up, I got drunk one night and ate a McDonald's Chicken Burger. The connection was not there.

But then a week or so later, I came across a video on YouTube called “101 Reasons To Go Vegan.” This video changed my life completely.

My perception of the meat, dairy and egg industry had completely changed, and I knew from then on I was never going to eat animal products again. I then became more interested and found myself constantly wanting to learn more about veganism. Eighteen months went by, and I have never looked back.

I couldn't be happier with my decision. This journey has completely changed my life as well as the person I am in the best way possible, mentally and physically.

Here are 15 surprising things that have happened since I became vegan.

1. I became more aware of what I was actually eating.

I have been really interested in health for the past five years, but it is now at a whole new level since becoming a vegan. I found myself so much more conscious about what I was putting in my body. I try to buy organic as much as possible, I read the ingredients on everything before I buy it and I tend to shop more at health food shops rather than your standard supermarkets.

2. I didn't lose loads of weight.

I definitely did not fade away when I came to this lifestyle. There is so much misconception out there that vegans are malnourished and do not eat enough, making them skinny and weak. Well, I can assure you this isn't true. When I'm eating mostly whole foods and work out regularly, my body does lose weight and tones up. But sometimes, I eat super unhealthy (yes, it's possible to eat unhealthy when you're vegan) lying in bed watching Netflix. So of course it's still dependent on your lifestyle if you lose weight or not. I don't lose weight just because I'm vegan.

3. I'm environmentally aware.

I never use to think of myself as someone who cared a lot about the environment. I mean, I knew it was bad and something needed to be done but I use to have the mindset that it was “too far gone” and there is not much us individuals can do about it. That was until I watched a documentary called "Cowspiracy." Animal agriculture plays a major part in rainforest destruction, is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions (more than the combined exhaust from all transportation), is responsible for 80-90 percent of US water consumption and is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction. So when you start learning these aspects of the industry, you understand the huge impact it has on the environment. From this, I realized that becoming vegan wasn't only hugely beneficial to my health but also has a positive impact on the environment.

4. My energy levels increased.

Since the very start of my vegan lifestyle my energy boosted massively. I was working 12-14 hour days, and I still had the energy to do high-intensity workouts in the evening. My energy is at its absolute peak when I'm eating mostly HCLF (high carb, low fat) whole foods. The fatter I eat, the worse I feel — ergo, less energy.

5. I became more in touch with nature.

I have a whole new appreciation for the natural aspects of this world. Veganism has made me look at the earth so differently. I truly find myself happiest while I'm walking through a park, at the beach or just being outside in the sunshine.