9 karma · joined July 10, 2018
Expect some gastrointestinal discomfort in the beginning, especially if you consumed a lot of meat and dairy before. From what I understand your gut flora needs time to adjust to the new diet, and your body likely isn't used to the amount of fiber and plant-based proteins which can cause some bloating and other issues for the first couple weeks, but this subsides and goes back to normal if you keep at it. I second the suggestion of checking out local cuisines from cultures with a vegetarian history, I've found that especially Asian cuisine offers a lot of variety and flexibility.
As for the effects beyond diet itself, I went through a hardcore activism phase when I just made the switch (and pissed off everyone around me :D) - but I've found that no matter if you do it for ethical, environmental, or health reasons, people usually don't really want to hear about it anyway. Let others open up the conversation, and direct them towards further resources (like Netflix documentaries) if they show interest. Vegetarian and vegan jokes get pretty boring pretty quick, nowadays I don't even register them anymore lol.
Bottom line, and back to diet, don't be afraid to try new foods and dishes, and make it your goal to find out what works for you - some swear on whole-foods plant-based (check out Dr. Greger for some good resources on this) while others are fine with a "junk food vegan" diet. It would be a good idea to get your blood levels checked (as with any other dietary change), you might need to take some extra precautions for B12 (at least) and possibly Vitamin D and iron but supplements are cheap and easily available so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Take as much time as you need, you're already taking the right steps towards better health and a more sustainable diet.
I took an extremely minimal approach: Single page, text-only, no CSS, just a short introduction and contact info. The page is PGP signed and includes a tiny easter egg that a techie might notice but is inconspicuous enough to everyone else (I really tried not to make it seem pretentious lol) - it's all about "show, don't tell". https://besa.uber.space/
https://nutritionfacts.org/2012/09/13/dietary-treatment-for-...
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/vegan-health/ib...
Other than that, since you work from home, maybe you could see if polyphasic sleep works for you. I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard good results from others.
https://www.polyphasicsociety.com/polyphasic-sleep/beginners...
I would also suggest getting your bloodwork done to rule out any hormonal issues or nutritional deficiencies that could cause or exacerbate your fatigue, if you haven't already. Taking B12 and Vitamin D supplements might also help.
Ultimately, I don't think you're as unproductive as you think you are, but it's always shitty to feel like you're not reaching your full potential. Be aware of the symptoms and consequences of over/underworking (burnout/boreout). Good luck!
(Not trying to promote btw, it's not my server)
For general purposes, I like Open Sans[2].
And I second the daily standup suggestion, if only to keep the ball rolling & so everyone keeps track of their progress.
So please do the right thing and just let them believe :)