I Took a 7-Day Plant-Based Challenge and This is What Happened

About 20 minutes ago this idea popped into my head…

How would I feel if I were eating an entirely plant-based diet? Could I make it work? Would I want to?

I have been leaning towards a plant-based diet for years. Most of the people I look up to in the health and wellness space are vegan and the message has started to sink in. I started with small changes like Meatless Mondays and switching from cows milk to almond milk. Over time I’ve noticed a positive change in the health myself and my family.

However, I’ve never gone any significant amount of time without eating any animal products. I figure, now is as good a time as any to try it out.

I started by laying some ground rules.

7- Day Plant-Based Challenge: Ground Rules

I find I have the most success with diet changes when I focus on what I can eat rather than what I can’t. Like a lot of people, you tell me I can’t eat cake, the ONLY thing I think about is cake. I also don’t like to be too dogmatic about my food, so here are a few ground rules.

1. I’ll still have my morning tea from the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The vanilla powder is not vegan, though I wish it were.
2. I’ll look for vegan pasta and bread but if I can’t find them I’m not gonna worry about it.
3. If I slip up I won’t consider it a failure, I’ll just make a different choice the next time.

Plant-Based Pre-game

I know from experience that the best way to set myself up for success is to plan ahead.

Here are a few things I’m doing to get ready.

1. Plan dinners that can easily have animal protein added if needed for the kids and hubs.
2. Pre-make vegan snacks like these pumpkin energy balls
3. Do a 3-Day Refresh in the three days leading up to my challenge to prepare my system. 3 Day Refresh is basically three days of fruits, veggies, and shakes.
4. Eat a bacon cheeseburger. Totally counterproductive I know, but we were already planning on it and my husband makes a damn good burger.

7-Day Plant-Based Challenge

Here’s a little summary of how my week went.

Monday

After my 3-Day Refresh, I woke up really excited… Maybe too excited, to eat my oatmeal.

I could literally write a whole post on how my oatmeal has evolved over the years. I used to add at least two heaping spoonfuls of brown sugar, but now my oatmeal is an omega-3 filled, fiber pact breakfast of champions and it is actually one of the things that pulls me out of bed on the mornings I’d rather hit the snooze button.

For dinner, I made balsamic marinated portobello tacos. They were so fresh and exactly what I was craving!

Tuesday

I met some friends for lunch and found it surprisingly easy to order. I just looked for the sandwich with the most veggies and took out the cheese. I forgot to say no aoli, but as I said in my ground rules for this challenge, “If I slip up I won’t consider it a failure, I’ll just make a different choice the next time.”

For dinner, I made a slightly modified version of this Asian Black Bean Pasta and grilled up a chicken breast for the hubs and the kids. I made the full box of pasta so I could use it in leftovers later in the week.

Wednesday

I made a delicious snack with the papaya and jicama salsa from Monday. I just added in some chopped avocado, a squeeze of lime, and Tajin.

For dinner, I cooked up some chimichurri rice from Trader Joe’s and tossed in some beans, corn, spinach, and avocado and wrapped it all in a tortilla. I grilled a chicken breast for the hubs and the kids.

Thursday

Lunch is the busiest time of day for me. I’m usually trying to wrap up a project at home or squeeze in a workout before school pick-up. A quick vegan protein shake with frozen fruit is filling and easy for when I’m on the go.

The hubs plays softball on Thursdays which makes it a perfect leftover night for us.

Friday

My son plays football on Friday nights so that means I would need to at least get the kids fed before his game. I also had to consider that we would be getting home close to 8 pm and the hubs and I would need something quick to avoid a hangry meltdown.

Brinner to the rescue!

This was my first attempt at a tofu scramble. I added in some salsa and nutritional yeast and it turned out pretty good.

Saturday

There’s nothing better than a quiet moment with a #fancysnack. Bonus points if that snack is healthy.

Sunday

I had a volunteer commitment in the morning and I was glad I packed a bar before I left. I love the vegan Pro Bars from Trail Nuggets. The orange, cranberry, beet is my favorite.

We drove down south for a friends birthday party so dinner was a jumble of leftovers before we got the kids into bed a little too late, but it was totally worth it!

Plant-Based Verdict

To answer my questions from the beginning…

How would I feel if I were eating an entirely plant-based diet?

Honestly, I felt great.

The white film that was usually on my tongue at the end of the day was gone. I also didn’t have any stuffiness at the back of my throat that always seemed to be there. Also gone were the afternoon stomach pains I was used to getting a few times a week.

Admittedly, I was more tired, but who knows if my added sleepiness was due to my change in diet or just because I have three kids.

Another thing I noticed was a sharp headache that still persists now. This could be from the change in diet or withdrawal. Along, with cutting the animal products I decided to limit sugar and caffeine and I may have been a little too ambitious.

For the most part, though I did feel better eating plant-based than when I was eating meat and dairy. I guess I would describe it as lightness… like my body didn’t have to work so hard.

Could I make it work?

The short answer, Yes.

I am fortunate enough to live in an area where a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are available year round. Also, many of the restaurants have vegan items on the menu or are very accustomed to making modifications.

There were some logistical problems.

Between me, the hubs, the kids, and the baby bringing it all together got pretty complicated. There were a few nights where I was overwhelmed with cooking and plating so many different meals.

I was also sure to be mindful of my portions of both fat and carbs. I didn’t want to rely too heavily on oils for flavor and pasta and rice to fill me up.

I do think planning and practice can take care of all of that.

Socially, things can get a little sticky.

Most people don’t notice or even care, but every now and then I get strange responses from people. I can’t tell if they are curious or worry I’m judging their food choices, or maybe they just don’t know how to react to someone going against the norm.

Would I want to?

Truthfully, I don’t know.

My goal, even before this challenge is for my family is to see meat and dairy as more of a garnish rather than the main event, a thing you eat now and then, but not a necessary part of a healthy diet. I think I can do this, but I’m not sure I can give up animal products forever.

I may make the Paleo and Keto people angry when I say this, but I believe a plant-based diet to be the healthiest option available especially for those concerned with high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer risk… Which is pretty much everyone right?

The science surrounding the benefits of a plant-based diet is just too strong to ignore. I’ve also seen this work first hand in my own family.

Since our we started inching towards a plant-based diet I have watched my husband’s cholesterol levels drop and his blood pressure maintain without the need for any medication.

But here’s where I get stuck…

I believe sharing a meal is one of the most authentic ways to connect with another human being. For me, eating should be enjoyable. Some of my best memories were made around a dinner table or in an amazing restaurant. A good meal can be both entertainment and art and I want to experience it all.

I wonder though if the pleasure of eating my husband’s fried turkey and ribs on Thanksgiving would really be lost if I were eating a plate of veggies instead?

I just love food. It’s actually the food that draws me to a plant-based diet in the first place. I really like vegetables. But, I also like ice cream and pizza, and a ribeye steak from Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Maybe it doesn’t really matter that much. Maybe, like sobriety, I just need to take one day at a time.

I guess my final verdict is, I’m vegan, except for when I’m not. I heard this from a friend I think it perfectly suits me and how I feel about food, and healthy eating.

Are you plant-based? Have you ever considered going vegan? Drop a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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