I don’t usually like to tell people my plans. Or at least not specific plans and goals. Even the resolution post I did at the start of the goal was pushing it for me. This is the reason I have never stressed my dietary choices. For the past 2.5 years or so I have been a vegetarian off and on. I did great for the first 5-6 months. Then I started craving big ol’ chunks of animal protein. As it turned out I was pregnant so I just followed my body’s cues and ate meat. Not every day & not obsessively. But I guess I just thought it was my body telling me I wasn’t meeting my protein needs. I would do it differently today, but I have mostly gone at the whole veg thing solo, so that’s what I knew.
After pregnancy and breastfeeding for a few months I decided to switch back into gear. It was never, ever hard for me. I am not a person who (normally) craves meat. Before any interest in all this hippie-eatin’, I would go out to breakfast and order a big veggie omelet with hash browns. Apps included caprese or some bread with dipping oils. Dinner was pesto fettuccine cheese enchiladas or veggie pasta. My comfort foods were carb and cheese with a splash of veg, so it wasn’t a lot of work. And really my version of vegetarian was more like pescatarian—that is I ate some minimal amounts of seafood.
And then I watched Vegucated. The documentary section of Netflix is by far my favorite. Seriously- check it out, you can learn anything! There are several that I watch on a somewhat regular basis. Vegucated may join that list. Although I hear Forks over Knives is pretty amazing too. So in Vegucated, the producer finds three strangers via Craigslist to commit to 6 weeks of a vegan diet and just to learn fully what being a vegan means. Of course there were struggles, tears, and improved health. All three are at least at vegetarian level today. I decided to start my own 6 weeks challenge that Sunday. That Sunday was 3 weeks and 3 days ago. And I LOVE it.
It’s not easy and it’s not like going vegetarian. There are foods I give a full up-and-down check out. ‘Member that whole thing about “carb and cheese”?… Yeah cheese is out. And carb is limited. Not for the popular carbs=devil reasons. It’s a lot more simple. Baked good often have milk, butter, and/or eggs. Soo… that means I usually have to pass. Luckily pasta is a-ok. Not egg pastas, but the rest. Just no real pesto (parmesan), alfredo, mac-n-chees, or any other of those cupboard staples I loved to love. A funny thing happens when you cut out over half the food you are used to consuming. You have to pick new, acceptable choices. Preferably plant-based foods and not Oreos and Dr. Pepper (technically vegan). For me that’s meant that by noon most days I have consumed AT LEAST the 4-6 servings of fruit and veggies the FDA recommends for an entire day. No more blueberry bagel with cream cheese. Now I have oatmeal with stevia, fruit and almonds and a splash of coconut milk or a green smoothie (spinach + other on-hand fruit/veggies). A banana for a snack. Or maybe some baby carrots with hummus. Lunch is a salad or a wrap with salad-type fillings. I sautee veggies. I bake kale into chips. I do really enjoy ALL of the food I am eating. I just linger at the shredded mozzarella in my fringe that would probably taste great sprinkled over the potato and leek soup or spinach wraps.
I am taking this time to makeover my entire eating habits. After the first couple of days there were no more Oreos and such. I ditched soda. No candy. No commercial peanut butter. I could probably cut my salt intake back… but eh, let’s not get carried away too quickly. In the first 2 weeks I lost 3 lbs. The weight’s not flying off, but that wasn’t the original point. Last week I joined my gym’s “Beach Body Challenge . Don’t judge. I didn’t name it. Anyway they shoved 35ish fatties in a room together and recorded our weights and body fat percentage. We will have weekly weigh-ins and prizes until the final weigh-in after 12 weeks complete with a $1000 prize. I suppose I should incorporate some sort of workout into the mix, but as of yet, nothing. This is already getting long and I am ‘bout ready for my beauty rest. I just wanted to catch you up to date since I am pretty sure this is gonna turn into a long-term lifelong life choice.
Cheers!
Life Styled by Elle 