Yesterday, I started the Vegan Experiment Challenge.
The day started off with a true challenge. The breakfast I had planned was mock scrambled eggs made with tofu. Unfortunately, I didn’t research any recipes before I shopped and I got the wrong consistency of tofu. This threw off my plan for my very first meal! Even with a bumpy start, my husband and I perservered and were 100% vegan on the first day of the challenge!
I felt tired; but I don’t think that was related to diet (more a poor night’s sleep and a busy day!). I felt like I ate a lot of vegetables and the 51 grams of fiber indicates I did indeed eat many vegetables yesterday. I hit my calorie range; but was low on protein. Meal details and nutrition information follow with all the numbers at the end of this post.
Breakfast: Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal with almond milk, coffee with almond milk and splenda
Morning snack: almonds and raisins
Lunch: bean burrito made from a Flatout wrap, mashed black/pinto beans, salsa, avocado, rice, cilantro, and lime juice served with tomato and cumumber slices on the side
Afternoon snack: while I hesitate to call it a snack, I must confess to having 2 beers while relaxing on the beach in the afternoon…
Dinner: Quinoa with red/green bell peppers, red onions, garlic, pineapple, sliced almonds, and a dash of sriracha sauce served with a side of roasted vegetables (beets, carrots, onions) seasoned with canola oil, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes
For those of you out there who like the numbers, here you go!
1560 calories, 209 grams carbohydrates, 51 grams fiber, 37 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 0 trans fat, 0 cholesterol, 47 grams protein, and 890 milligrams sodium. For the daily values, my numbers were 73% calcium, 71% iron, 31% vitamin D, 13% zinc, and 0 vitamin B12.
All images are personal photographs. You may use them as long as you credit (my name and a link back to my Web site).
Alexia Lewis - Health Speaker & Writer 
Great job! I usually top by cereal with some peanuts and a banana. If you’re concerned about the protein, you could have a smoothie for breakfast and add some kale and/or hemp protein. You could also add some spinach or broccoli to lunch/dinner to help out as well with the protein. I’ve got a lot of great tempeh recipes for protein, or you could throw in a lentil soup… Lots of options for protein as a vegan. I’m 3 years vegan and LOVE it, which I never would have guessed. I’m still very strong and my body fat dropped to 9.5% (and my energy level is through the roof). Good luck with the experiment! Make sure that you ask a current vegan for help with food prep, we’ve got plenty of experience at making food taste amazing with extra seasonings… 🙂
LikeLike
Jason – great ideas! I did buy some plant protein powder today and that will definitely help. I actually have a lentil soup recipe to post once I finish this challenge. Let me know what you think of it when I get it posted. 🙂
Way to go with your vegan lifestyle and what amazing results! I’m happy to hear your energy levels are still up. I’m finding myself feeling pretty energized throughout the day and a bit tired when I get home (but I think that’s typical for me).
Thanks!
-Alexia
LikeLike
GOOD FOR YOU! My blog is very similar to what you’ve been doing on your first day except I usually don’t have time every day to take pictures of everything I eat, but I always explain what I eat. I like this post, I might start tracking the percentages and how much of what I eat to give me a better estimate of how balanced my diet is!
Thanks for the post! Good luck on your vegan experiment!
~Ally
LikeLike
Hi Ally,
I love food photography and am working on getting better at it; but it is hard to remember sometime to take pictures… and then the food starts getting cold LOL. I’m glad my posts gave you an idea to help analyze how balanced your diet is. I use sparkpeople.com but there are many free, good trackers out there.
Thanks for the encouragement and for commenting! 🙂
-Alexia
LikeLike
No problem! Good luck(:
LikeLike