ILLINOIS (WAND) – Veganuary is a 31-day challenge in the first month of the year in which participants don’t eat products that come from animals (meat, cheese, milk, eggs, and fish).
While the general public usually associates veganism with animal activism, there are many reasons why people switch their diet, including health benefits.
Russell and Jenn Siller, a married couple from Stewardson in Shelby County, switched their diet to achieve their health goals. It helped Russell lose over 120 pounds.
His starting weight was around 350 pounds. At the time, Siller was a competitive barbeque chef.
“I only ate meat and bread for almost a decade. It was a decade where I was quite heavy and quite unhealthy,” Siller said.
He consulted his doctor about changing his diet and exercise habits. He initially started his journey on a whole foods diet. While he saw progress in his weight loss, his cholesterol remained high. He began researching diets that lower cholesterol and saw data that a vegan or vegetarian diet could help.
In March 2022, Siller completely cut out animal products. No more meat, dairy, eggs, or fish.
“I immediately got back on the weight loss train. My weight started to drop back off again. I lost another 40 pounds. My skin got better. I started to glow and look healthier,” said Russell.
Jenn Siller noticed her husband’s improved health. She went vegan shortly after he did and saw similar results.
“I had people sending me messages like, ‘Wow your profile picture looks good what are you using? Is that a filter?’ I’m like, it’s not a filter [laughs]” Jenn said.
While the couple initially changed their diet for health reasons, they later realized the diet aligned with their values on the care and keeping of animals.
The founder of the Springfield chapter of Project Animal Freedom, Austin Simmons, said oftentimes people go vegan for one reason, but reap other benefits as well.
Simmons switched to a vegan diet 8 years ago at age 15. His goal was to live a more sustainable lifestyle and support animals. But in the process, he lost over 70 pounds.
He said the goal of Project Animal Freedom is to create a stronger community here in the Midwest.
“We focus on building up the community through our social media pages and monthly meet ups. We’re providing resources that are local-based and support businesses that offer options for people that want to eat vegan food,” Simmons said.
Simmons and the Sillers both say that eating vegan isn’t just salads and smoothies.
“I eat a lot of the same meals I used to eat, with just a few ingredients swapped out,” Simmons said.
“We made eggplant parmesan the other night…we eat vegan substitutes of cheese… even vegan ‘junk food’,” Russell said.
If you’re curious about incorporating more animal-free meals into your diet, Simmons suggests finding an online community.
Project Animal Freedom has a Facebook group for the Springfield area. It is open to anyone interested in learning more about recipes and restaurant suggestions.
“You’ll see some really active members. We have over 530 right now and they’re posting every day. There’s people at every stage on their way to going fully vegan.”
The Sillers advise you to take your time and do your research.
“Make sure you think about the decision ahead of time and plan. I would never tell anyone to just stop eating meat tomorrow and just jump right in and grab a bunch of vegetarian groceries and try to make it work,” said Russell.
To learn more about Veganuary, visit their website.
Copyright 2023 WAND TV. All rights reserved.