Okay, so I’m not really vegan — I wear leather and have no problem preparing meat for family members — but I eat like one.

This May, I found I couldn’t exercise because of plantar fasciitis in both feet, and I needed some kind of head game to keep me focused on my diet so I didn’t gain back the weight I’ve lost in the past couple of years. I decided I would give up meat and dairy, using the book Engine 2 Diet as a guide. It’s not as hard as I thought it would be. Certainly it’s a hell of a lot easier than my excursions into low carb eating.

The weight control aspect was a resounding win. I’ve lost another nine pounds since going veg. I got a checkup in August. Here are the results of my most recent bloodwork, as compared to 2008: