Vegan Diary Day 1

You may or may not have read my blog on going vegan. If not check it out and hopefully you’ll find some little nuggets that will help you look at your relationship with food from a different perspective. How we interact with fueling our bodies can be empowering if we allow it. Being able to take control of what you put in your body is a rewarding experience; one I believe we should all have.

Since I’ve decided to jump into this vegan thing, I thought it might be helpful to keep track, at least the first few days, on how things were going in a diary kind of format. Of course I’m going to be transparent in the journey by sharing with you. This is going to be real, up-front, and honest because the last thing I want to do is misguide anyone on what this looks like. Everyone’s experience will be different and unique to them. But hopefully something here will encourage you to either keep on your journey or give this a try so here we go with the Vegan Diary Day 1.

Lunch

I decided to cold turkey start in the middle of the day so this may seem a little out-of-order. But Day 2 will get us back on track. There was a small pack of anxiety as a side with lunch because I started without really being prepared. Note to self: Do not begin until you’ve got your recipes laid out and shopping list together. I’m pretty sure I mentioned this in the To Go Vegan or Not to Go Vegan Blog, but ummm….yea I didn’t follow my own advice. I know, “Walk the walk.” I’m getting there, but I’m human….lol.

Anywhoo. I had an event, a birthday at Chuckie Cheese. I knew they had a salad bar so I decided I’d just eat there. To my surprise it wasn’t too bad. A little pricey but I was on time, the kiddo was happy to see his Auntie, and I stuffed my face full of lettuces and other veggies (no cheese or croutons) and had a tasty balsamic vinaigrette. Another note was that I ate slowly and savored the flavor. Even though people around me were eating pizza and cake I actually enjoyed my little meal and was satisfied afterwards without feeling like I had been left out.

Dinner

Dinner was a lot easier because I headed to the Green Acres Health Food store. When I walked through those doors it was heaven. A whole slew of vegan goodness opened up. It’s like they knew I was coming (ha). Everything I wanted was right at my fingertips and I left without spending my “whole check”.

I did have my menu planned. I selected two recipes from The Glowing Fridge so I knew what I was looking for and wouldn’t get overwhelmed. Sometimes the reason people won’t stick to something is that it’s too stressful and confusing. Preparation is key to relieving some of the unknowns and keeping things fun. I picked the Spiced Vegan Minestrone and the Key lime Coconut Dream Bars. I wanted something simple to make that would help me transition smoothly from taste bud overload fast food to healthier options. I’ll update you on how these went in the next post.

Tofu What?

My actual dinner consisted of something entirely different. I went off the edge a little. But you only live once. I found some cooked tofu “patties”, some sunflower bread, and put that all together with some organic pickles and Vegenaise. Walla, I had a nice little sandwich. I was pleasantly surprised with the texture and the flavor. The bread was amazing! It had a slightly tart taste, in a good way and it was moist. The most rewarding was I was full after a few bites with no indigestion or bloating. Next time I will try avocado, tomatoes, and alfalfa sprouts. I decide the tofu would be even better in a veggie stir fry so that will be another option I’ll test out.

Day 1, though just ½ day, was great. But I know as the days progress they may become more challenging. Going through a workweek will be my biggest challenge due to less time for preparation and the anxiousness that comes with work. I did notice the next morning that I woke more at peace and happy. My digestive system was at ease. It’s usually going haywire first thing in the morning. I had a more restful sleep no night sweats. I’d say that’s a WIN-WIN.

I’m excited to see what tomorrow brings and even more excited to taste the new meals I selected. If you’ve started your own journey please share some recipes and learning points. Hope you enjoyed the post.

With Love,

Keela