I’m Going Vegan For a Month

I never thought I’d see the day when I would even attempt a vegan lifestyle, if only for a month! Quite honestly, like natural hair, going meatless is somewhat of a trend these days and not always a healthier choice. Sometimes people can be vegan (not eating any animal products including meat, eggs and dairy) but may load up on carbs, starches and refined sugar – where’s the healthiness in that?! Of course there are plenty of people who don’t but I say that to show that jumping in on the vegetarian or vegan trend does not necessarily equal a higher level of health. I also am not an animal activist either, so that has no bearing on my new adventure either. So yep. I’m going vegan for a month! Here’s how this whole thing came about – my new guy doesn’t eat red meat. He doesn’t eat sweets. He only drinks water. But his diet isn’t always the healthiest for the reasons I just stated. He eats out a lot, getting chicken sandwiches and fries and does a lot of convenience options like frozen pizza. He doesn’t have a weight problem, so dropping pounds is never a motivator for him, but feeling good is important. Remember when Jay-Z and Beyonce decided to try vegan-ism for a month? Well, he said to me “I think I’m going to try it also for a month. Just to see if I can do it and how I feel.”

At first I was like *eye roll*! But then I thought about my own bad habits and digestive issues. My lactose sensitivity has turned into a full blown intolerance and dairy is the devil! There is nothing cute or sexy about having the BGs or excess gas…at all. Plus dairy prevents fat loss. And meat? Well, I think I can go without. I’ve never been the biggest carnivore anyway and similar to my juice detox, I want to do it just to challenge myself and resist temptation. I know I’ll lose weight but furthermore, perhaps I’ll start some really great habits such as realizing every major meal does not require meat. I know my GI tract will thank me for eliminating dairy (seriously, I carry around lactase in my purse like tic tacs!). So, I decided to join him for one month. I’ve planned out my menu and plan to eat in the majority of the month. Much like my views on hair, I think different strokes work for different folks, so no matter what my final thoughts and opinions on this experience I won’t knock what others’ choice to do. But, I doubt that I will stop eating meat altogether at any point in the future, but I may transition to eating meat only a few times per week, who knows? As it stands, I eat a lot of poultry and fish but I do enjoy beef and pork in moderation as well. I plan to document my experience and update you a few times throughout the month – including my meals and recipes. On deck is vegetarian chili, black bean burgers, navy bean soup, spaghetti squash, vegetable stir fry, eggplant Parmesan, vegan alfredo and more. I want to try soy cheese and already drink soy and almond milk. Stay tuned throughout July for my updates! I’m nervous and excited but now that I’ve shared with you, I HAVE to stick to it! I tell you all the time how important you are for my fitness and weight loss journey – I hold myself accountable for YOU!

Any vegan readers? I’m all ears for tips!

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