Vegan Challenge

Mission Level: Success
I was a vegan for 7 days. I ate no meat and almost nothing with animal bi-products.

What Is Vegan?

My daily intake

Most people know what a vegetarian is – someone who doesn't eat meat. Vegans take this to another level and do not eat anything that comes from animals. This includes all dairy (butter, cheese, milk), seafood and items that contain trace amounts of animal products like Lucky Charms cereal and Jello.

I failed because some of the supplements I take are not vegan. I wasn't going to give them up or buy something new just for this challenge. I was aware I would have to if I went totally vegan, though. I have a feeling some of the items I ate might have had animal bi-products in them but were under some chemical that I didn't know.

Beyond that, vegans adopt a lifestyle that involves not wearing or using items that are derived from animals – no leather, no wool and certainly no fur. I didn't go out and buy a new wardrobe, I just was aware of this situation. For example, my shoes are made of leather. Mostly everything else I wear is cotton or rayon or something.

Becoming Vegan

Smarties - Vegan candy

First, it was not as hard for me to get into being a vegan as I thought. It’s an ok place to visit, but, I wouldn't want to live here. I do eat a lot of fruits and veggies. However, I'm very much an omnivore and I like my meats.

I also buy my food on a weekly basis so I just didn't buy any meat. I did have bacon and eggs in my refrigerator and a pack of frozen chicken tenders. Most people make a joke about, “How can you give up bacon?!” but, the chicken really got to me.

So, here is a list of the items I ate for the week:

• Apples.
• Bananas.
• Blackberries.
• Blueberries.
• Bread.
• Broccoli.
• Butternut squash.
• Carrots.
• Coconut.
• Coconut milk.
• Diet Coke.
• Flax seed.
• Garlic.
• Kiwi.
• Lightlife Smart Ground - Veggie ProteinCrumbles
• Onion.
• Pears.
• Pita chips (with VEGAN on it).
• Popcorn.
• Potato chips.
• Quinoa.
• Raspberries.
• Rice noodles.
• Rum.
• Smarties.
• Spinach.
• Strawberries.
• Sweet potato.
• Tomato.
• Walnuts.
• Water.

Really, in the right mind-set of opening food-doors, being a vegan is the way to go because you are limited and have to branch out. I set my brain in the mode of embracing rather than enduring. Obviously, there are a lot of foods I don't eat and this was a good time to eat them – or eat more of stuff I forgot I liked.

Week In Review

I did cry a little in my soul at Whole Foods when I walked through the cheese department. I do love some good cheese. I don't eat dairy too often, maybe twice a month. I like to get my dairy in cheese form. I do have a love of La Tur cheese and a nice bleu cheese.

Just a little. . .

I did actually eat better dinners this week than I had before this process. Normally, I eat some popcorn or bacon for dinner and call it even. This week, I made up some rice noodles, Trader Joe’s tomato basil sauce and the protein crumbles for a nice little pasta dish.

I also cooked for my boyfriend. I made a really pathetic vegan chili – it was pathetic because I don't eat beans and I don't like spicy (as in hot) foods. He ate it like a champ.

I have a Nutribullet so I got a variety of fresh fruit (and frozen) for a nice smoothie. The Nutribullet is an emulsifier so you don’t need to add any dairy to make it creamy – it breaks down everything you put in there into a nice, thick consistency. I like to add a touch of spinach to everything (I go through two bags of spinach a week because of this) for some extra goodness.

New Stuff I Tried

I never had coconut milk, so, that was new. It's very watery but has a nice sweet kick. It's also suppose to be pretty good for you. I got these like boxes of it, each were 60 calories. In my Nutribullet, it added a nice hint of sweetness – almost made my berry blend taste like a tart. It was delicious.

I also tried the protein crumbles. I'm not into fake stuff. Since I was giving up animal products, I wasn't going to go try to find a replacement product. What the hell is in “soy cheese?” Crap. That's what. I am not into tofu, either. I think it can be over-processed. I like my food to be food. Why dress edamame up to be fake cheese – it's perfectly great as edamame.

I just don't trust high amounts of soy or tufu. I couldn't get over this during the week.

However the protein crumbles were pretty tasty and well seasoned. In reviewing the ingredients, I think I might try them again because they are packed with protein. It's a bit if a mind-shift for me, but, what's life without a couple mind-shifts.

Issues

One of my main issues in finding foods to eat was my inability to eat canola oil. Sure, a little isn’t going to kill me, but, I’m not going to buy products with canola in it.

Canola, by the way, is pretty healthy. No reason for anyone not to consume it. It did create an interesting problem as I toured through Whole Foods to find some vegan-approved foods to eat. Even the hot bar marked with “VEGAN” I couldn’t have. Bummer.

I did crave the normal foods I enjoy - I really wanted some chicken. I think part of it was because I could not have chicken. The other part was because I normally make myself a couple plain chicken strips for dinner.

True

I did not plan the first couple days that well when I was at work. I was hungry because I packed some fruit and nothing else – and not enough fruit. I could not go out because the closet café didn’t have vegan stuff. I also couldn’t go to the vending machine because I couldn’t read the back of the labels to see if the item was vegan or not.

I’m going to admit, I’m not the best vegan when it comes to getting the calories I need. I think it would struggle more if I was in training for a cycling event and I would have to rely on others to help me find the foods I need to keep going.

Thoughts

I knew one vegan but I think she used it as an excuse to hide an eating disorder. Others I have met in passing were often more concerned with evaluating food choices than having a non-weird conversation. Walking a week as a vegan (in non-vegan shoes) did offer me some time to think about food choices and people as individuals.

NOM!

I always said, it is truly a luxury to live in a world where you can choose what you want to eat and you can choose not to eat certain foods since everything is abundant. The flip side is respecting that just because we live in a world where we have access to more than enough doesn't mean it's fair to judge those who exercise that choice.

So, I had a lot of tangles with highly moralistic and judgmental vegans. Do they have a leg to stand on?

While I can't comment on morality, I can see where this lifestyle can wear on you and make you more defensive.

It’s not easy being a vegan, it takes some time, research and work.

I did not attempt to go out to a restaurant this week – I know only of one a bit of a hike away that is a vegan/vegetarian place. Otherwise, I am not sure where I could go. Vegetarian, sure. Vegan, no. I also have to be careful due to my beans and canola oil situation.

I felt a little bad when someone offered me food this week or there was an event and I was like, “Damn, can’t eat that.” How many times can you say, “no thanks, friend,” before someone starts asking you why.

I can see where frustrations can emerge if someone made a nice dish and I started questioning everything about it. I can see how both sides might feel challenged or insulted. 

I know I get scared and frustrated in just explaining to people I can't have vinegar.

Mom: I made you some chicken salad.
Me: I can't have mayo.
Mom: Why not?
Me: It has vinegar in it.
Mom: Oh dear, I didn't think of that.
Me: Sorry.

My boyfriend, might I add, was really supportive. At one point, I said I could just break down and make something that was non-vegan, like pizza with cheese. He said it was ok and I said he wasn't going to let me give up because it was “easier.” I appreciated that support.

I don’t think the vegan lifestyle is for me but I think I will try to incorporate it more into my current omnivore lifestyle.

I would like to think I was never mean or insulted by someone with a special diet or food allergy. I think I am always curious about it and I will think more carefully about how I ask my questions before I do.

Then, well, this also happened.



On the list. . .

Be Part of the Adventure

Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.