One Hungry Vegetarian

I’ve hit a bumpy patch in my meatless 40/40/40 challenge. I am hungry ALL THE TIME. I have been making sure to keep plenty of protein and fats in my diet; it’s not like I have been living on carrot sticks. I am really not liking this trend. Any advice from you vegetarians out there?

Meatless Update at 1 Week

I am a week into my 40/40/40 meatless challenge and it is so far, so good. I’ve only had one meat craving for fried chicken all week. Much like when I gave up soda (how I miss you Dr. Pepper) I really only crave it when I see someone else having it. There is just nothing like the smell of meat.

I’m trying to remember to replace the meat in my diet with vegetables and alternative proteins instead of just starch. I could easily live on bread and cheese, but that doesn’t seem like a good idea. I found out last night that my rice cooker makes perfect quinoa so that will be lunch for the next couple of days.

Aside from the environmental benefit, the goal of the exercise was to make me much more mindful about what I am eating. Every time I eat I have to think about it. I can’t just have the hot dog at Costco because it is really easy and I’m hungry; I have to plan and shop differently. No rushing to work and picking up lunch at the greasy spoon allowed and I’m pretty happy with that so far.

8 days down, 32 to go.

Meatless For 40 Days

Yesterday I signed up with our Fellowship's 40/40/40 challenge. We are taking 40 days around Earth Day to make a small change in our lives that benefits the planet and I chose to forgo meat for that time.

I hope that this challenge will encourage me to eat more mindfully. At every meal I have to make the decision to eat foods other than meat. I will have to really think about what I am eating, what it really is, and where it comes from. I have tried to do this before, but I hope that signing up and being accountable with encourage me to stick with it. I have restricted, but not eliminated, meat in my diet in the past, but difficulties in feeling a family and the lure of bacon always had me backsliding. I will still eat dairy and eggs and some wild-caught fish; a vegan diet just seems to great a switch to make all at once.

The children are not at all excited about this. Their diet is not restricted, except that I'm sure I'll be cooking a lot less meat, but they can have it at school or when I am not home. Still, not fans.

I also like the idea of pursuing a Lenten-type path for 40 days to see what benefits might be there. Evangelicals don't practice Lent so it was never part of my childhood. I was intrigued this year by the growth people found in a Lenten fast, but I didn't want to add another Christian-based observance to my calendar. I'll keep you all posted as to how that goes.

Suggestions from meat-free folks out there are more than welcome. One note though, I want to avoid fake food. I would much rather eat beans than tofu hot dogs or the like. Tofu is fine as tofu. I only have a handful of vegetarian dishes that I make so I would love to learn some others so that this 40 days doesn't end up feeling like 4 months.