If your first thought is, “oh, hell nah.” Keep reading, at least for a couple more paragraphs.
This month’s challenge stems from the fact that I am so curious about the benefits of a plant based diet. I mean, I see all you veggie monsters with your shining skin, and your just stepped off the yoga mat disposition. Plus, I saw a deer in our backyard and he no joke, was looking straight into my soul.
So what the heck? I like salads. Lets give it a go. Pro-tip: Being vegan doesn’t mean just eating salads. I’m talking smoothies, savory stews, fruits, dips, wraps. We will be eating the rainbow.
I want to invite you to move closer towards a plant based diet. If you are eating racks of ribs on the regular than going vegan cold tofurkey might not work for you. At the very least, make one of your daily meals vegan. Or maybe, you could just have a small portion of meat with dinner. OR get crazy about your health, challenge yourself, and dive on in with us 100%.
Following is a list of reasons to join us as we go vegan. Note: we will continue eating organic(whenever possible) real whole foods. i.e. no fake meat products for us, and we will try to steer clear of overly processed foods.
1.) You don’t have to debate whether you should buy meat with added hormones and antibiotics because vegans don’t eat meat.
2.)Your grocery bill is going to be way cheaper. Take a look: animal products and beer are generally the most expensive thing.
3.) You won’t be partaking in the questionable treatment of animals. There’s a better way. Animal cruelty is illegal in all 50 states but, we put pigs in gestation stalls where they can’t even turn around for their whole life. It’s industry standard for a chicken to live in an area that’s 2/3 the size of an 8×11 piece of paper. Why are we okay with this?
4.) If you’re like us, and want to stick to whole foods. You are opting for a diet full of vegetables and nutrients that are going to make you feel insanely good.
5.) You might learn something! You might feel better, maybe you will have more energy, discover a new love of vegetables, learn where your meat comes from, or incorporate a few new recipes. You don’t have to be a PETA activist to appreciate nutritious food. I will be posting all our meals on Instagram for inspiration and accountability
6.) Totally being transparent here. Page and I have some extra weight we are trying not to bring into the future. Pick up the fork and ditch the knife with us. Unless of course, you are eating a portobello mushroom, or cauliflower “steak.”
Hmm, just realized our “Page made a sale at work” pizza celebrations will be now be cheese-less. Oh well, bring on the healing benefits of the nutrients that only come from plants.
Let me guess…you’ve got an excuse for not doing this challenge:
- It’s too hard. Every challenge is hard. Anything worth doing is challenging, and may take some adjustment.
- Where will I get my protein? Foods are made out of Fats, Carbs, and Protein. Even a banana has a small amount of protein. Did you know a cup of milk and a cup of peas both have 8g of protein? Eat your beans, greens, fruits, and healthy grains to your hearts content. You will get more than enough protein.Read more about plant based protein here. Read more about plant based protein here.
- I don’t like vegetables. When I hear this I know I make a face that is like, “what is wrong with you?” Shut your mouth, and eat your vegetables. Also, there are so many vegetables, and different ways to prepare them. Get back to me when you have exhausted all vegetable possibilities, and matured into a reasonable adult.
- I don’t have time to prepare food. That’s an awful excuse most fruits and vegetables are already “prepared” Plus, we really should make time to cook, and enjoy the food we put into our bodies.
You’re probably like woah, you need chill out. But hey, animal products don’t prevent and fight disease. Even though I’m a challenge tyrant, I’m not a machine. We all screw up when it comes to food choices. But I’m not satisfied with that, and you shouldn’t be either.
Alright, let’s party. Join us for our September challenge: Vegan for 30 days.
The rules are simple: Don’t consume any animal products for 30 days. For the sake of the challenge that includes honey. I feel like I am going to be asked if eggs are allowed. The answer is no.
Your to do list
- Follow us Instagram to see what I’m cooking up, and the products I’m using.
- Join our 30 day challenge. You can commit to as little as Meat-less Monday, or you can go vegan with Page, myself, and our group of awesome challenge friends.
- Check back on our blog for a free giveaway. Trust me, it’s a good one.