Cruelty-Free Living: My Journey to Ethical Eating

Residing and working in Baltimore, Maryland, Brittany Shavatt is a Cancer Research and Development Specialist who has been following a vegan diet for the past seven years. Although she attempted to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle a few times in the past, she struggled to maintain her commitment. Similar to many others, Brittany overlooked the inhumane practices of the meat industry and felt societal pressure to conform to meat consumption.

Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

Hi! I’m Brittany Shavatt, I am a Cancer R&D Specialist working in Baltimore, Maryland. I also am an extremely active person, I do crossfit, play ice hockey, and play intramural sports such as kickball and dodgeball.

My Personal Journey towards a Plant-Based Lifestyle

I’ve been vegan for a little over 7 years. I attempted to go vegetarian a couple of times when I was younger, but I never fully committed back then. Like several people, I swept the cruel practices of the industry under the rug and felt the pressure to conform to society and eat meat.

But in 2015, I stumbled upon a Youtube video that pried my eyes open and changed my outlook on animal agriculture forever. It was titled “The Best Speech You’ll Ever Hear” by Gary Yourofsky. The speech is a little over an hour long, but with several pauses for cry breaks, it took me about 3 hours to finish.

By the end, my whole body was shaking – I couldn’t believe what I just saw. It was then and there that I decided to fully commit to being vegetarian. Shortly after that video, I learned more about the egg and dairy industry, and with only a few months left in the year, I vowed to go fully vegan on January 1st, 2016. It was probably the first, (and maybe only) New Year’s resolution that I have ever stuck too and I’m never turning back.

My Experience Transitioning to Veganism

I came into the vegan movement right before the popularity of veganism/plant-based eating really kicked off here in the United States, so transitioning into veganism was quite the adjustment. I remember one of the first times I went out to eat with my friends as a new vegan, I was sitting at a country themed bar/restaurant staring down at the menu trying to figure out what on earth I was going to order.

I finally figured out I could get the house salad- if I ordered it with no cheese, no croutons, and with olive oil and vinegar on the side in lieu of dressing. And you bet ya, that pathetic little salad came out with shredded cheese all over it. Embarrassed about speaking up, I just picked out as much of the cheese as I could, ate a few bites of it, and practically starved for the rest of the night.

Thankfully, times have changed since then. We still have ways to go, but I can find a vegan burger just about anywhere. Don’t get me wrong though, I still run into social situations where I find myself at a restaurant with little to no vegan options. In situations like these, I either try to eat beforehand, see if I can make a meal off of the sides, or if I know the restaurant ahead of time, I’ll call/message them to see if they can whip something up. I was surprised to find out that some pizza places carry vegan cheese even if it’s not on the menu, and meats can be substituted with tofu at most Asian restaurants!

Vegan/vegan friendly places I recommend are:

Cinnaholic, Cloudy Donuts, Golden West Cafe, the Silver Diner, HomeSlyce, Pie in the Sky, Johnny Rads, Refocused Vegan, Liora, Tomo Sushi and Ramen, and Bodhi Corner.

Favorite vegan fitness/nutrition accounts:

@veganproteins
@fitveganchef
@plantbuilt
@nimai_delgado
@miss_meatless_muscle
@biancataylorfitness
@forksoverknives
@korinsutton
@that.veganbabe
@veganbodybuildingandfitness
@veganmuscle

To anyone that wants to go vegetarian/vegan, I would encourage you first and foremost to do your research. Don’t just eliminate meat and dairy and call it a day! Be sure educate yourself on plantbased nutrition and add in other foods to ensure that you are getting the appropriate calories and macronutrients (as well as micro!).

The easiest way to make the transition is to veganize what you are currently eating. For example, if you like beef tacos with cheese and sour cream, you can still have them! Replace the beef with vegan beef from brands like Gardein, Beyond Meat, or Impossible Foods, substitute cheese for a vegan brand, like Violife, Follow Your Heart, or Chao, and top with sour cream by brands like Tofutti or Forager!

Don’t be afraid to experiment with new foods and recipes! And don’t be afraid to connect and ask other vegans questions! We are always happy to help! 🙂

Misconceptions About Vegans: Separating Fact from Fiction

Some misconceptions about vegans are that they are weak, skinny, and nutrient deficient. As long as properly planned, you can meet all your nutritional needs on a vegan diet (including all of you protein). However, I do recommend taking a B12 supplement- as 40% of people in the US (not just vegans) are deficient. Another common misconception is that B12 is naturally found in animal products.

B12 is produced by a bacteria and is typically fed to animals as a supplement. Therefore, if you eat meat, you are getting a second hand B12 supplement. B12 deficiency is pretty serious and can cause irreversible problems, which is why I recommend supplementing even if you eat nutritional yeast or drink fortified vegan milks.

For more inspo, feel free to follow me on my instagram @Shiv_the_Vegan, where I show off my yummy vegan food and recipes, and inform people about vegan nutrition.