Vegan Challenge Part 3!

Tomorrow will mark two full weeks of being vegan! Lets talk about the biggest challenges. 

1. No cheese. I still see pizza and cringe.

2. Not reaching for pasta every single meal to feel full.

3. Listening to everyone ask what's wrong with me or how I'm just going through a faze. 

LOL. Now, the good.

1. I feel great. 

2. No more everyday bloating all day too full feeling.

3. I'm accomplishing something I put my mind to and I feel great about not giving up!

Honestly the cheese cravings don't seem like they are going away. They seem to get less and less but never totally gone. However. That's ok. I also crave green smoothies everyday when I wake up and I get to reward myself with one huge green smoothie every morning. That is satisfying. 

Also, I have stopped reaching for pasta at every meal. I have been making some killer salads with avocados and explored all my sushi, Mediterranean, and mexican options. They are all amazing. Going out to dinner is still an option. I also bought mexican options home and invested in some all natural dry soup mixes with all sorts of fun beans and spices in them. I went with the ones that the spice packets were separate and low in sodium. The first one was delicious. 

I think some people who see my turn down cheese and meat, especially since for the last few years they  have seen me eat both, don't understand why I'm doing it. But that's alright. They don't need to. This challenge is for me. I'm doing it to see if I can. I'm doing it to see if I like it. I'm doing it to cut my need for cheese down. If I stick to it after the 14th then I will be vegan. If I adopt the lessons I've learned, like I don't need cheese at every meal, then I will allow myself cheese maybe once or twice a week when sharing a lunch with someone else and stay vegetarian. I don't know yet. But that's not what's important now. 

What is important is discovering a healthier way to eat. Having salad covered in blue cheese doesn't count. Eating whole grain pasta in smothered alfredo sauce doesn't count. Eating half a wheel of low-fat cheese with a veggie burger and quinoa doesn't count. 

Eating a variety of veggies counts. Eating fresh fruits counts. Eating baked nuts and seeds counts. And I like making changes that feel good. I have been struggling against tasting veggies and now because they aren't covered in cheese I am. And through trial and error I have found I like a bunch. Prepared different ways, but I like them. I love that I have bok choy and spinach in my morning smoothie. Coupled with a banana, strawberries, pineapples, and water, it tastes amazing in my morning drink. (which is what is fueling this entry as we speak lol). I am enjoying my meat free - dairy free adventure into new healthier foods. 

Next time I'll show ya some of my smoothie recipes. Also! My friend MH joined in the no dairy or meat, except chicken, challenge. She loves her chicken and she's addicted to cheese. She's going to join the no cheese challenge part. I'm glad to have her on board with JJ and MK so now it's a big group of us doing it. So wonderful. Her goal stretches till Mid March and I'm thinking I might just do that too. We will see!!!!