So... we're not very good vegans. I think, unless you're eating this way out of an ideological viewpoint, it's really difficult to do perfectly. Like, its difficult to even care enough to do it perfectly. For example, many kinds of beer, though you'd think they would be vegan, use animal products somewhere in the refining process. (Don't ask what animal products, you don't want to know.) But so many products have these hidden animal products. It won't be mentioned on the label, because after all, you aren't actually consuming those products, but because they were used, it's not vegan. So, unless you really want to look up the entire process of making Product X, its hard to say 100 percent that it's vegan. Also, honey, because it's made by bees, is not considered vegan. I have a really hard time accepting this. So you don't want to kill the cute little sheep and cows and baby chicks. I get that. They're adorable. Also delicious, but thats beside the point. Bees on the other hand, are not adorable. They suck. I'll steal all their honey. All day long. And its better for me than sugar, after all. And cheaper than agave nectar. So I'm just gonna keep using it.
Anyway, that rant over. The point is, I just don't care to be a perfect vegan. And with some of the big changes I've been dealing with this week, I've been caring less and less lately. It was easy to contemplate being vegan when all I had to do all day was sit around and look at vegan recipes. Now though, when I have to be ready to go out the door, having eaten breakfast, with lunch in hand at 7:15 am? Its a little more difficult. And then I get home just in time to make dinner. Its like my entire life revolves around food. So, we've gone off track a bit. But today before taking a shower, I stepped on the scale, out of curiosity, and guess what? I've lost 10 pounds. I was shocked. I haven't even been eating diet food, nonetheless vegan for the last few days, and I'd about given up on the diet. But now I'm down 10 pounds! I'm back below the 200 mark! Finally! And I think this is giving me just the push I needed to get back on track. I guess it just goes to show that even small changes can add up to make a big difference.
So, maybe if you'd like to be healthier, but you don't want to go vegan. Try cutting out dairy, and see how that goes. There are milk alternatives which, in my opinion, taste even better in cereal. (Coconut milk? yum!). And the rest of dairy products  (cheese, sour cream, ice cream) are just added fats that you don't need anyway!