Thunder......

         Life always seems to have a way to distract you. I had lost nearly 80 pounds, and all the lack of motivation that accompanied it.I began to dream and plan and make goals, and it felt great.Only problem, was that I had become a family man,Though this brought me great joy and satisfaction, some of my goals were put on hold.I realized I could not lose myself again.I had worked so hard to become healthy, and the best gift I could ever give my family was to stay that way.
              I began researching new and different ways to stay healthy.I had been struggling with poor results.I pondered the purpose of working out 2+ hours a day, if I wasn't even gaining any muscle mass.Nearly 2 years since I began this journey, and I really only looked like a thinner version of myself.I began researching other MMA fighters to see what they were doing.I came across an article on Jake Shields. Here is a champion fighter who had been a vegetarian his whole life.He wasn't some scrawny, protein deprived chump, but rather an impressive athlete in one of the most demanding sports in the world.I saw a few movies on his website and decided to take a peek and see what this is all about.
          The first movie I watched was food inc.This was a movie I had seen in the past.As an overweight,unhealthy and stubborn guy, I refused to learn anything from what I saw.I took an "that's just the way things are" attitude.Now,however, seeing this movie as a healthy,happy, family man, I realized there was so much I could learn.What if some of this movie was true? And what if I did in fact,have the ability to become healthier by  what I learned from it.I was appalled by the hormones and chemicals and medicines pumped into the animals that I was eating everyday.I didn't need to be a scientist or a doctor to realize it can't be good.I decided I had to look even more.
       I began watching movie after movie,filled with people saying the same thing.I read online articles, magazines and books.Again and again there were countless experts trying to sound the alarm.Factory farming was slowly, but surely, poisoning us.This went against everything I have always known. Healthy for me Meat,starch,veggie; meat,starch,veggie;meat starch veggie.Could I even change if I wanted to?
     It will be no surprise to those of you who know me,I went one hundred and ten percent.It has now been a month and a half, and I feel incredible.I feel leaner,stronger, and cleansed even.I was not sure what to expect when I began,but after a week or two I decided to go all the way Vegan. I was feeling pretty good already and had come across so much information that indicated vegan may even be safer.The conditions in the factories were horrible.Not only were the animals abused,sick, and diseased,but the humans were abused also.The largest slaughterhouses,like Tyson,Smithfield and IDP were well known for recruiting the poorest of the poor, the ones who had no voice if they wanted to provide for their families.This just further cemented my decision that I could no longer be involved with such a crooked system.
    So here I am, a vegan.Now that's a phrase I never thought I'd say.It is a decision that has made me proud.Proud of myself for my willingness to learn.Proud of myself for my willingness to change, and proud of myself for putting my health first.