Our First Month Vegan (The Cresses)

{Photo Source: vegetable art print from GeraldineAdams on Etsy}
 

Our family went vegan this month, along with not eating out and avoiding refined sugar. What an incredible month! I am doing monthly resolutions for 2012. My resolution for this month, “Meal Management March,” had 3 parts: {1} going vegan, {2} eating in, and {3} ditching sugar. Here's what I learned through each of these changes.
 

GOING VEGAN

I already shared a little from our first week going vegan. Here are some of the results after a full month...

1. The transition wasn't that complicated. We already eat a lot of vegan meals (i.e., pasta marinara, thai peanut curry, haystacks, pancakes, chilli, pita pockets), others are easily made vegan (i.e., leaving the cheese off our sandwiches and pita pizzas), and some have easy substitutions (i.e., scrambled tofu instead of scrambled eggs).
2. Not all vegan recipes are created equal. We tried quite a few new recipes this month. Some were delicious and will be a great addition in our go-to recipes. Others were so-so or hardly edible, but they got us through a meal and don’t have to be made again. It’s all a little trial and error, and taking recommendations from trusted sources (a favorite blog or a good friend) helps ensure against wasted time and food.
3. We are focusing more on a whole foods plant-based diet and less on being vegan. We're trying not to get hung up on the vegan trend of it all, and focusing instead on the healthy aspects of a whole foods diet. For instance, even though there are tofu alternatives to cream cheese and even vegan cheese options, we don't plan on buying them because they are pretty highly processed. The bread we buy also contains some whey, and that doesn't bother us where we are now as long as we are choosing true whole wheat bread.
4. The awesome results we've seen are less about being vegan, and more about choosing an overall healthier lifestyle. My husband, Daniel, lost 5 pounds (and counting) this month (I think it could have been more if he wasn't on the road and eating out for the first half of the month), and I'm feeling more energetic and positive. But it would be unfair to say going vegan is the single cause. Overall, eating healthier home cooked meals, adding more fruits and veggies, choosing only whole grains, and avoiding refined sugars all contributed to the wonderful results we've found in going vegan.

EATING IN

We have been in a habit of eating out too much--whenever we don't feel like cooking, whenever we didn't plan properly and get groceries before the next meal, whenever we're feeling tired or like we "need a break," whenever we want to treat ourselves for a date night or on the weekend. Maybe we didn't eat out that much, but it was becoming too often and taking too much of our budget. Breaking that habit meant we had to plan better, muster up some energy when we just weren't "feeling it," and embrace the wonder of meals at home. Here’s some things we learned in the process...

1. Support makes all the difference in breaking habits. Trying to break our eating out habit while Daniel was away proved a little difficult for me because I didn’t have his hands-on help at home when I felt the temptation to just grab some take-out for supper. We texted and talked on the phone a lot. Hearing his challenges and successes, and sharing mine, was encouraging enough to stick with it. And talking challenges over with my brother helped tremendously. More on that when I talk about ditching sugar.
2. You don’t have to be a chef to invite friends over for a meal. A friend returned from several months overseas and asked if we could meet up for lunch. My instincts were to say yes to eating out because I feel my mediocre cooking should remain in the family. I decided that would be a terrible start to this resolution, gulped back my pride and invited her over for lunch. No, it probably wasn’t the best thing she’s ever eaten, but it felt good to open up my home and share a healthy meal with a friend. I hope to do that more.
3. Nothing beats a home cooked meal. When it comes to spending quality time with the family, eating healthy unprocessed foods, saving money, experiencing the satisfaction of making a delicious meal--home cooking is where it’s at, with so many possibilities for variety that can’t be found at our go-to restaurants!
4. There is a time and a place for eating out. My grandpa unexpectedly came to town and invited us out to eat. This seemed an acceptable reason to break the resolution, so we gladly accepted. Doing so helped me realize appropriate reasons for eating out: {1} celebrations or special occasions (although certainly not every special occasion should be celebrated by eating out), and {2} when with friends and family. Which brings me to the next point...
5. There are unacceptable reasons for eating out. Many of the reasons we opt to eat-out I would now categorize as unacceptable. Every time we don’t feel like cooking; every time we’re tired; every time we’re lazy and don’t plan meals or buy groceries right away; every time we want to treat ourselves. Knowing that eating out is an option motivates the laziness and lack of planning. But taking restaurants out of the mix encourages a better planning and cooking routine, helps us learn to work with our laziness and tiredness rather than allowing it to cripple us at meal times, and helps us discover new fun ways to treat ourselves.
6. Eating vegan food in mainstream restaurants is doable. Daniel was out of town for the first two weeks or so, and thus ate out for every meal. Staying vegan while on the road proved a little difficult, but still doable. He says he ate a lot of veggie burgers and fries. A burrito bol at Chipotle was an easy and delicious option. And, while he opted out of the cheese, he didn’t get hung up on details like whether there is whey in the bread (there probably is).

DITCHING SUGAR

I’ve had a self-diagnosed addiction to sugar, and I'm happy to report that's no longer true! This month without sugar (er, limiting sugar) strengthened my will power, gave me fresh perspective on eating healthfully, and showed me a better quality of life unhindered by the constant fog of a refined sugar overload. So, how did I do it (or, did I do it) and what did I learn?

1. Smoothies are a delicious (and healthy) alternative to sweets. After day 2 I was craving something sweet after the kids were finally in bed (and my husband was out of town), so I blended up a strawberry, peach, banana smoothie that has become my new favorite. So sweet and delicious! And naturally energizing without the inevitable fall that follows a sugar binge. I drank a lot of smoothies throughout this month. Sure, drinking one favorite smoothie all the time lacks variety in a diet. But, as an alternative to regular cookie dough feasts? Absolutely it's 100 times better!!
2. Temptations aren't so tempting when they're not in reach. The first couple days were relatively easy, because there weren't any easy sweets in the house to tempt me. Or so I thought. Just a few days before starting this resolution, we bought Girl Scout cookies and still had a few remaining in the cupboard. I forgot about them, temporarily. Once I knew they were there, it was hard to get them out of my mind.
3. Sugary sweets are okay in moderation. Daniel brought home dark chocolate Ferrero Rochers on a break between his travels for work. He literally stuck one in my mouth moments after walking in the door, and I didn't object. So good! But, as previously noted, temptations become an issue when they're sitting right in reach. I ate a few more of the chocolates, until they were gone. I can't be trusted to buy a bag of candy and not eat it all at once. Knowing this weakness is a good reason for me to not keep a stock of sweets in the house.
4. Sugary sweets simply suck in excess. After Daniel returned from his traveling, we went on a date to see a movie and both chose candy to share with each other--a bag of Reese's Pieces and a bag of sour gummy worms. Together, we ate both bags of candy. And felt miserable afterward. The healthy whole foods and smoothie treats gave me more energy and clarity and overall feel-goodness. But that one sugar overload reminded us how miserable we've felt with our past eating habits. I'm sure it will happen a few times over before (if) we ever learn. But at least such binges will be farther and farther between.
5. Any major life change needs outside support. Several times when I felt stressed and tempted to just take the kids to McDonald's for an ice cream cone treat (of course, breaking all 3 of my resolutions for the month), I'd instead take them to the park and call my brother. He was so encouraging in these moments of weakness. Reminding me why I needed to go longer without sugar, encouraging me in my meal planning, and just giving a fresh perspective and kick in the pants when I needed it.
6. There is a time and a place for desserts. One major point I learned about desserts came from a book I read this month, In Defense of Food. Michael Pollan notes the disconnect between Americans’ relationship with food compared to people around the world. When asking what comes to mind when a picture of chocolate cake is shown, Americans will overwhelming respond with something relating to guilt. However, in the same activity, French or Italians or others from around the world will answer with something along the lines of celebration. Duh. Americans (me included) have missed the point of treats and desserts, often making them a regular part of our everyday, without limits--of course we feel guilty about it. But there is a time and a place for sweet treats, as better known in other cultures, and that is celebration. Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries--all great reasons to splurge on otherwise unhealthy treats. I'd say there's even little celebrations throughout the week worth a little celebrating--like a weekend dinner or date night--perfect opportunities to enjoy healthier desserts.
7. Reducing regular sugar intake allows healthier treats to taste better. Healthy dessert options are sweet and delicious! But should not be compared with the high fructose corn syrup alternatives. If you just ate a Little Debbie, would a healthy oatmeal fruit bar taste delicious? Most likely not. We made avocado pudding topped with homemade granola for dessert after Sabbath lunch. Given the option, I'd rather some decadent chocolate and peanut butter concoction. But choosing a more whole foods plant-based diet and healthier dessert alternatives--that pudding was a perfect sweet treat.

CONCLUSION

We will continue to eat a vegan (or rather, "plant-based whole foods") diet at home. We will not worry our family or friends about the details, and will gladly and gratefully eat whatever is cooked when we are invited to someone else's home (yes, even if it is cheese pizza). And we will try to choose the healthier, cheese- and milk-less options when we eat out. We will eat out, but will do so sparingly, seeing it as a celebratory treat, rather than a last minute solution every time we "don't feel like cooking." I will also start baking vegan treats that may include sugar, but again will do so more for special occasions and less to fill a daily craving.