21 Day Challenge

08.20.14

I'm always looking for new goals and new ways to challenge myself. I have been doing so much running lately and I desperately want to try something different in the health and wellness department. 

I decided that I am going to try a 21 Day Vegan Challenge. As many of you probably know, I have been vegetarian for close to a decade. But I'm ready to kick it up a notch and try a vegan lifestyle for three weeks.

In the last year or so, I have introduced fish into my diet and my body has responded really well to that. (I actually tried salmon for the first time earlier this month... is anyone as shocked as I am?!)

Why 21 days, you ask? Because 21 is the magic number for successfully creating or breaking habits.

This shouldn't be toooo hard because I don't chow down on Big Macs regularly... or ever. However, I do hold a special place in my heart for milk, cheese, and greek yogurt. I'm going to have to find substitutes for three weeks. (I think I can manage putting almond milk in my coffee for a few short weeks.) 

I am certainly at an advantage because I live in a city that is exceptionally accommodating of peoples' differing dietary needs. Almost every restaurant I have been to has so many vegetarian and/or vegan options on the menu. 

These three weeks will be an experiment to see how my body and my digestive system feel after cutting out animal byproducts. I'm sure 100% of you are thinking "How are you going to get calcium? How are you going to get Vitamins X Y and Z?!?!" There are substitutes for every micronutrient. For instance, foods like oranges, broccoli, and kale are all really great sources for calcium. Plus, I will be taking iron and B12 supplements just to be safe.

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me "But how do you get protein?!" I could pay for graduate school and then some. Well, this picture will be my guide for a few weeks!

Because I am still training for the rest of this week, I won't be starting this challenge until after the race is over. I really cannot change up my eating habits until I cross the finish line.

There are so many pros and cons for going vegetarian or vegan. Here are just some of the links I used for my research:

http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/vegan-diets-pros-cons.php
http://www.livestrong.com/article/265682-pros-cons-of-vegan-diets/
http://pcrm.org/kickstartHome/resources/grocery_list.cfm

I'm marking my calendar to begin on August 25th and end on September 15th!

(Shout out to my mama and dad for celebrating their 31st Anniversary today! Love you T & A!)