What the heck am I doing?
- I am becoming a vegan for 30 days
Have I lost my mind?
- Probably.
Why?
- I want to be healthy. I realize that being healthy doesn't have to mean being vegan...and yes I do realize that vegans aren't necessarily healthy...blah, blah, blah, yada, yada yada. I have finally gotten it through my thick skull that I am unable to follow any diet plan, no matter how brilliant...and no matter which overpaid celebrity doctor made it up. In order to finally become healthy I must blaze my own trail. I LOVE FOOD, I mean I L.O.V.E. food, and I finally need to learn about it - and do it my way. So my journey will start with me stripping out all the bullshit foods and drinks (let's have a moment of silence while I mourn the loss of Diet Dr. Pepper), and getting down to the basics of nutrition.
What can you expect from reading this?
- I don't know. Seriously...I don't. haha! Honestly, my plan is to help myself by documenting my journey and to get some feedback along the way. Those of you who know me, will understand that this blog will not be all puppies and sunshine. There will be swearing...lots of it, moments of negativity and also happy posts, too. You will get 30 days of honest Jen, no bullshit and no candy coating. (pun intended) Possibly some sarcasm too, although I'm not really sarcastic (note the sarcasm).
What is my plan?
- So far it's this: be a vegan for 30 days. I will try to rely on mostly a raw diet, and I plan to do this with very little influence of soy. After the 30 days, I plan to add in more food groups, not sure yet which ones. I don't expect to remain vegan or even vegetarian for life. I will eventually pick and choose which meats to add back in to my diet, and consider how to include dairy in there somewhere. I am not going to become a non-deodorant wearing hippie with dreds and tie dye (wait...dibs on the tie dye!) who shouts peace and flowers to the universe. I just want to be a better version of me.
What is my goal?
- I want to understand what goes into my body and what it does TO my body. I want to learn to respect food for what it is: a source of nutrition....the stuff keeping me alive. I want to become un-obsessed with food, and re-obsessed with what good food can do FOR me. I'm sure some of you at this point might suggest me reading a book or twelve, instead of doing it this way...but I have always learned and understood things better by doing.
- I want to also learn to trust myself. Can I do this? I really don't think I can... I'm hoping that by making this journey public, I can put more faith in myself and this process.
- I also need to break habits. I have some really crappy food habits and I will never be healthy until I get rid of them. 30 days of drastic plant-eating should be a pretty good start.
- Most importantly...I want to help my husband and kids. I want the 4 of us to be set for life on being healthy, and living long lives happy as clams.
- Give me honest feedback. If my post sucks, tell me. Please don't go all "grammar police" on me...but otherwise I really want to know what you think!
- Help! Let's share some healthy recipes. If you know a way to make some cool spiced nuts, or have a magic recipe to make brussels sprouts taste like something other than an armpit...share it!
