My Vegan Challenge

After my first month of being a vegetarian, I am going to tryThe Vegan Challenge:

I start this vegan challenge, which is exactly like it sounds, a set amount of days for you to challenge yourself to cut out all animal products. How did it start?

Last Saturday:

Having vegetarian friends helps. It’s other people to talk to and order food with when we go out. So that you don’t have to feel like the black sheep at dinner when ordering. Two friends of mine, lets call them JJ and MK, came to visit me at work. It was there we started talking about going out on Valentines Day. Another friend of mine, let’s call her AO, had talked to me about a Valentines Day challenge of really spending the first two weeks of February loving ourselves and working out and eating right. I loved it. So when JJ and MK came and wanted to do something for Valentines Day I knew we could do something just as good.

We talk about becoming healthier all the time together. I wanted to challenge myself. I thought about being vegan for such a long time and thought that this might be the challenge I needed for two weeks. It’s truly something that I have never done or challenged myself to do. It wouldn’t just be a meal just here and there. Since I had become vegetarian my cheese consumption has become so great it had replaced meat in my diet. It has become it’s own food group. Not exactly the healthiest choice I could make. JJ and MK were immediately on board with the new challenge. They both had the same cheese filled diet dilemma I have. So now there were on board for the two weeks with me.

The start date was less than a week away. We went to dinner later that night and I went cheese crazy. I also went chocolate crazy. It was there at dinner I decided to start right then. I knew I would spend next week being a cheese glutton knowing I would be giving it up. So it was then my journey began.

Sunday:

            I’m optimistic when I wake up. I wanted to really accomplish this. I went to the store and spend a good hour looking in the natural foods isle. Or as MK said “spent an hour staring at nuts.” I explored the tofu and even the faux meat section. I already love veggie burgers but they don’t taste like meat or even try to. I was convinced to try the fake chicken strips with promises that “it tastes just like chicken.” That should have been my first red flag. I also bought snacks and some silken tofu for a homemade recipe for vegan sour cream. That should have been my second red flag of the night.

            So we proceeded with a taco night. Actually, we were having a vegan taco night. The first of many I hope. While we were cooking we all tried the vegan friendly snacks. Amazing enough, I found that I liked all of the snacks I tried. Dried figs, baked snap peas, and cinnamon banana chips. Then all chaos ensues. MK puts in too much taco seasoning. Too much, to the point that our faux chicken looks fire engine red. We break open the wine. I try the fake meat. I hate the texture. I have rice tacos. I try and make the sour cream. With only some of the ingredients. The silken tofu sour cream is awful. Epic fail. Even with tons of hot sauce. Garbage. I will have to find one at the grocery store that doesn’t taste like dirt.

Monday:

            Breakfast/Lunch = hangover and fruit. I however had to go to the hospital to visit a friend who just had a baby and decided that I didn’t want to starve. I brought my own snacks. I began to feel better. I also had a girlfriend come to town that wanted to do wing night. Wing nights, for the past few weeks, have been getting better since I cut out meat about a month ago. I crave them once in a while but not as strong as the weeks go on. What I ate: Guacamole, salsa, with tortillas. I also ordered french fries and even though everyone else was eating meat, I felt satisfied.

Tuesday:

            I woke up with a slight headache. It was only slight but it was annoying. I went to lunch with some friends. Hibachi grill. So what did I eat? I ate Salad, onion soup, and sweet potato rolls. Which is great because it’s stuff I already eat. That’s not shaking it up too bad. But, by then end of work that night I was feeling super tired. More than usual and we were not having a busy night. For dinner I had fruits, vegetables and nuts. I also just crashed so hard when I got home and in bed.

Wednesday:

            I woke up tired. But after a green, fruit and veggie smoothie, I started feeling more energized. I also packed a good lunch for me and AO when she came to visit me at the shop. I also packed a light dinner. I felt great after lunch. But then after dinner and closing time at my second job I really started feeling sluggish. Even my coworkers mentioned that I didn’t seem myself. I didn’t feel myself. I did have two more kiwis after work and started to feel a little better. I also had some green tea and by the time I went to bed I was feeling better. But, I crashed again. I miss cheese. And chocolate.

Thursday:

            I didn’t even eat breakfast today. I felt so awful. I had a headache and a sore throat. So I just drank a big glass of water. I didn’t have to pee. Like, my normal twice on a pint glass of water. I think I’m dehydrated. I guess I didn’t realize how many non-water drinks a day I consume between fruit juices and soda. I also let go of those. But I guess I have not grabbed for the pints of water. So I have another big glass of water at lunch. What I ate: Two chalupas and rice with no cheese. I still don’t have to pee. It wasn’t until my large glass of green tea at work that I finally had to pee.

            At work I could feel the difference in energy. I ended up having another green tea. So I had my dinner, which was my big green smoothie on top of what I packed. Which I’m finishing drinking as I type right now! My goal tomorrow is to commandeer some vegan sour cream. Some non-revolting sour cream. Also, tomorrow I’m going for some no bake vegan chocolate cookies. I will report on how that goes. May make them with peanut butter for good luck. And I was will be downing several glasses of water all day as to not get dehydrated again! So here I am on my vegan journey! I'll post on how it goes.