The Plant Power Adventure

How one small experiment opened the door to a kinder way of living

Five years ago, when I was 51 years old, I made a small decision.

Not a big life change.Not a declaration that I was becoming vegan.

Just a simple experiment.

I wondered what might happen if I reduced the amount of meat I ate for ten days.

That was it.

No big plan.Just curiosity.

But sometimes the smallest experiments quietly open doors we never expected.

Because four days later something happened that changed everything.

Day Four

Four days into the experiment, something unexpected happened.

I bit into a piece of chicken and immediately felt nauseous.

It was one of those strange moments where something deeper seems to stir before the thinking mind catches up.

Almost as if a deeper intelligence had quietly woken up.

Nothing dramatic happened around me.

But inside, something had clearly shifted.

From that moment on, I never ate meat again.

Not because I made a rule about it.

It simply stopped feeling right.

Looking back now, I realise that small moment was the beginning of what I now call…

The Plant Power Adventure.

Then Came the Questions

Of course, the journey didn’t suddenly become simple.

If you’ve explored plant-based eating, you’ll probably recognise some familiar questions:

“What do you eat?”

“Where do you get your protein?”

“Isn’t it difficult when eating out?”

Family gatherings.Meals with friends.Curious conversations with strangers.

Food is woven deeply into our culture and relationships, so when we change what we eat it can feel like we’ve stepped slightly outside the usual script.

And sometimes that takes a little getting used to.

A Culinary Adventure

But something wonderful began to happen along the way.

Cooking became an adventure.

What started as a practical challenge slowly turned into a place of discovery.

New colours.New textures.New flavours.

Tofu — which I once resisted — became an amazing addition to my menus.

Vegetables I had never really considered before, like aubergine and mushrooms, found their way into my kitchen.

Little by little, what began as a small food experiment became a culinary exploration.

“Being vegan helps me feel really clear-headed and healthy and light. It also makes me feel that I am doing the right thing.”— Alicia Silverstone

Kind to Your Wallet Too

Another discovery came as a pleasant surprise.

Plant-based eating can also be kind to your wallet.

At first I assumed the opposite might be true.

But when plant-based cooking centres around whole foods — beans, lentils, rice, vegetables, herbs and spices — something remarkable happens.

Meals become colourful, nourishing and deeply satisfying.

And many people discover their food bills can fall by as much as a third.

Not through restriction.

But through rediscovering the beauty of simple food.

A pot of lentil curry filling the kitchen with spices.A vibrant vegetable stir-fry sizzling in the pan.A tray of roasted vegetables that somehow tastes even better than it looks.

Food that is kind to animals, supportive of our wellbeing, gentle on the planet, and surprisingly kind to our wallets too.

The Tea Moment

For a while, fish and cheese still lingered on the edges of my diet.

But gradually those fell away too.

Then one day something very small happened.

I made a cup of tea.

Nothing unusual about that.

Just a quiet moment in the kitchen.Kettle boiling.Cup warming in my hands.

I added the milk.

Took a sip.

And suddenly something felt… different.

The taste stopped me for a moment.

The milk tasted like what I imagine cow’s food must taste like — earthy and unfamiliar in a way I had never noticed before.

I had never tasted anything quite like it.

And in that moment something became incredibly clear.

I didn’t want it anymore.

From that day on, I never drank tea or coffee again.

And somewhere around the three-year mark, my journey quietly settled into what I now recognise as vegan living.

Not through strict rules.

Just through a natural shift in how things felt.

A Simple Discovery: Intermittent Fasting

About two years into the adventure, another interesting shift happened.

During a conversation with my teacher and coach — who also happens to be a GP —

we began exploring ideas pointing toward a deeper understanding of the mind and our natural wellbeing.

Many of these insights come from what’s often called non-duality, a simple understanding that points to the deeper connection that exists beneath our busy thinking.

Around this time I was also introduced to the idea of intermittent fasting.

At first it sounded unusual.

But the more I explored it, the more sense it made.

Intermittent fasting isn’t really a diet.

It’s simply a rhythm of eating that allows the body longer natural periods without food — giving it time to rest, repair and regulate itself.

Many people follow a simple rhythm like 16 hours of fasting and an 8-hour eating window.

For me it became another way of simplifying life.

Eating less often.Listening to the body more carefully.Allowing the nervous system space to do its job.

And interestingly, it seemed to point in the same direction as plant-based living.

Toward simplicity, clarity and balance.

Something I Didn’t Expect

Along the way I was surprised to learn how many well-known people had embraced a vegan lifestyle for different reasons — people like Lewis Hamilton, Venus and Serena Williams, Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, and Alicia Silverstone.

Different people.Different journeys.Yet all discovering something meaningful through the choices they make.

“Adopting a vegan diet is one of the best things you can do for your health, for animals, and for the planet.”— Lewis Hamilton

Something New From Our Happiness Factor

As this journey unfolded, something else began to take shape.

At Our Happiness Factor CIC, we began to see that food is often just the doorway.

When people begin exploring plant-based living, something deeper tends to emerge.

Curiosity about wellbeing.Compassion for animals.A deeper connection with the world around us.

Our Happiness Factor CIC’s purpose is simple:

To inspire a kinder way of living where happiness, human potential, and compassion for animals and the planet naturally come to life.

Through our work we support people in discovering that sometimes the most powerful shifts don’t come from trying harder.

They come from seeing differently.

Sometimes the most powerful revolutions don’t begin with protest or slogans.

They begin quietly. From the inside out.

The Plant Power Adventure

That’s why we created The Plant Power Adventure.

A transformative vegan coaching journey for people curious about exploring plant-based living — and perhaps even a vegan lifestyle if they choose to go deeper.

Not a rigid programme.

More like an exploration.

A place where people can discover new ideas, new foods, and perhaps even new ways of seeing life.

An invitation to power up kindness:

For animals.For humans.For our wellbeing.And for the planet we all share.

The Plant Power Kitchen

And of course, every adventure deserves good food.

Which is where The Plant Power Kitchen comes in.

A place where people can come together and experience the joy of plant-based food.

Not a lecture.Not a debate.

Just delicious food shared with good people.

Over the next six months, we’ll be hosting themed pop-up Plant Power Kitchen evenings, exploring plant-based foods from around the world.

One tradition we’ll explore is Ital food, a natural plant-based diet rooted in Rastafarian culture. The word Ital comes from vital, reflecting food that promotes health and spiritual connection.

Our next gathering will celebrate the vibrant flavours of Thailand.

Fragrant herbs.Fresh vegetables.Warming spices.

📅 17 April🕔 5:00pm – 7:30pm

Reserve your place here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/plant-power-kitchen-food-crafted-with-kindness-tickets-1984812678150

The Plant Power Kitchen is sponsored by Massacre St Vincents, with heartfelt gratitude to Cath and Natalie for their kindness and support.

Kindness has a way of spreading.

To animals.To humans.To our wellbeing.And to the planet we all share.

Happiness is our true nature, and kindness is the flavour that brings it to life.

Perhaps the Plant Power Adventure begins with a small choice…

And continues with a shared meal, kindness, and connection.

Gary LoftusPlant Power Rebel

Our Happiness Factor CIC 🌱

Our Happiness Factor CIC’s purpose is to inspire a kinder way of living — where happiness, human potential, and compassion for animals and the planet naturally come to life.

Through The Plant Power Adventure and gatherings at The Plant Power Kitchen, we invite people to explore plant-powered living, rediscover their natural wellbeing, and connect with others on a similar journey.

Because sometimes the path to a kinder world begins with something very simple…

A conversation. A moment of insight. Or a shared meal. 🌱