I stumbled upon Clarence P. Wilson III ‘s social media profile when a friend shared his weightless progress and transformation upon going vegan. His story is indeed inspirational story and was so excited when he obliged to share it with me.
Q. What inspired you to go Vegan?
A. My family health history. Both sets of grandparents have diabetes, along with both parents. Both parents are diabetic, and are currently on dialysis. I went cold turkey back in 2017, after watching “What the health” with my best friend who at the time worked for the CDC in the PR dept. and verified all that was being said in the documentary.
Q. How long have you been vegan?
A. I’ve been vegan for 4 years, since 2017.
Q. What does veganism mean to you as a black man?
A. Veganism as a black man, to me, means defying the odds and dismantling the toxic and unhealthy ways, that my community has embraced for years. It means blazing a new path for those that will come after me. A new and HEALTHY horizon that I wish to set.
Q Tell us about your vegan journey
A. My journey hasn’t been as hard as many others will say.
It was all about determination. I was determined to rewrite the wrong that I was taught by my family as far as eating and diet. So I took it upon myself to do my research, make sure if I was going to do it, I was going to do it right!
I made a list of al of my favorite foods and found healthy vegan alternatives for it. It made the transition simple and easy.
Q. You lost a significant amount of weight on a vegan diet. How did you do it?
A. Yes! God is GREAT! I’ve lost a little over 136 pounds to date. I did it by doing intermittent fasting (8/16- eating between 12pm-8pm, and fasting from 8pm-12pm the next day) and meal prepping for each day in portion controlled containers. That has been the biggest help! I have also removed soda, most breads, and unnatural fruit juices. I consume a gallon of spring or alkaline water a day.
Q. How do you ensure that you stay healthy and eat a balanced vegan diet?
A. I make sure to watch my salt intake, and make sure I’m pairing my food properly. I also make frequent appointments with my primary care physician to help ensure that I am well and my chemical levels are where they need to be.
Q. What advice would you like to give anyone contemplating going vegan?
A. Just do it! Don’t allow naysayers and those who have never tried it or have not succeeded with the diet or lifestyle change, persuade you!
Be determined and map out your favorite meals and find the vegan alternative! Also: Pinterest is your bestfriend and guide to all recipes and things vegan. It has been like a bible for me, and I say that without being paid
Q. Are there things you wish you did differently or some pitfalls to look out for?
A. Yes, of course, with any new life change, there are things that you wish you’d known from the beginning, when you continue to research and learn. For instance, one of the biggest things I learned was how too much Soy can interrupt the testosterone in males, among other things. So since learning that I have cut completely down on soy, almost to the point of elimination. I also wish I I’d Known about how to properly pair my foods. Good pairing is important, as it definitely helps with digestion, vitamin/mineral absorption, and effective natural detox. Please please do your research on food pairing, to ensure that you do not pair more than 4 different type of food together one plate (for example: a good starch, a leafy green, a protein such as quinoa, and beans).
Clarence currently works as Dean’s Assistant /Program Office Manager for a Ph.D Program . Follow him on instagram @a_manmostworthy
