October Vegan Challenge

Good day y’all!

If you follow me on social media, you know that I am doing an October Vegan Challenge and I am so excited about it! I know some people may be wondering what is the point of being vegan for a month, am I mocking their lifestyle? I have a few reasons why I personally wanted to go vegan for the month of October and I am so happy that I have an amazing accountability group made up of friends, family and Instagram followers!

 

 

Below are a few reasons why I’ve decided to take on this challenge:

1. To give my body a break from my excessive meat and dairy consumption, especially before the holiday season!

2. Add a lot more fruits and vegetables to my diet

3. To expand my foodie pallet and try new cuisines

4. I have been feeling stressed and unmotivated so I needed a challenge and something strict to stick to!

5. Find dietary alternatives to clear up my eczema and skin blemishes

6. Healthily loose weight in a way that fits my busy work and life schedule

7. Be more conscious about what I am putting in my body

Let me elaborate a little more on aforementioned reasons!

 

To give my body a break from my excessive meat and dairy consumption, especially before the holiday season. I usually consume meat on an almost daily basis and I definitely enjoy cheesy and creamy foods. I have noticed that after eating I would feel very sluggish, tired and over-stuffed. Food should be fuel for your body and I certainly don’t want it to slow me down! I believe it is very important to take a break from eating these food to let your body detox and get to its healthiest state. Also, November starts the fall/winter holiday season which includes on of my favorite days, Thanksgiving! My very large Jamaican family usually gathers on this day to spend quality time. This includes everyone bringing dishes of American and Jamaican comfort foods that definitely weigh down the body. I wanted to cleanse my system before entering this food-heavy time of the year.

Add a lot more fruits and vegetables to my diet. I have noticed that I have been grabbing some not-so-stellar snacks when rushing out the door on my morning commutes or weekend adventures. I want to force myself to drastically increase my fruit and vegetable intake to feed my body what it really needs.

To expand my foodie pallet and try new cuisines. Your girl is a true foodie at heart! I have tried foods from different cultures and regions, but I have not really dived into many vegetarian or vegan dishes. I have heard that a lot of vegan versions of food tastes just as good, or even better than, many dishes I already enjoy so this gives me a change to broaden my food horizons. It is delicious, and is much healthier for me! You can’t beat that pro.

I have been feeling stressed and unmotivated so I needed a challenge and something strict to stick to! Sometimes when I am feeling overwhelmed with work, bored with the monotony of every day routine, or just am feeling unmotivated, I need to find a project to dive in to. Challenges give me the opportunity to compete with myself! At times I need to strengthen my own willpower and not give into feelings (like craving a burger when I know I should not have it).

Find dietary alternatives to clear up my eczema and skin blemishes. I have severe eczema when not controlled by my prescription medications and I want to find more natural ways to keep the flair-ups at bay. Although studies do not directly link acne, dermatitis and other skin issues to dairy intake, it has been shown that those who consume dairy products are more prone to having some of these issues. I have read numerous testimonies about how removing dairy and even meat from their diets has drastically improved the appearance of their skin. Many individuals have allergies to milk and some develop one later on in life. Dermatologists, including my own, often recommend removing or limiting dairy in your diet as an initial step in improving your skin. So I am curious to see if I too see my eczema spots decrease and my over skin gets a glow. I am crossing my fingers!

Healthily loose weight in a way that fits my busy work and life schedule. Last year into early this year I’ve gained approximately 30 lbs and I can definitely feel that extra weight when I walk and am active. With my busy commute and social calendar, I do not always have the time for an intense workout in the gym. I am hoping that this temporary dietary change will help shed some of the extra weigh naturally and safely. I am longing to put the days behind me where I split my pants in the thigh area from excess rubbing and larger thigh circumference.

Be more conscious about what I am putting in my body. I am guilty of consuming new foods and not reading the labels. Being vegan forces you to read food label and know what you are putting into your body. As the old adage goes, “you are what you eat”. If I continue to fill my body with artificial ingredients and high fat foods, I cannot expect my body to perform optimally.

 

 

Now that you have read my main reasons for trying the vegan lifestyle, I want to take you along on this journey and see if the hype around this improved lifestyle and diet is true! At the time of writing this, I am at the end of day 5 and I can honestly say I do feel some results. The main one is I no longer feel sluggish and tired after lunch and dinner. Usually I am ready for a nap after a meal and never in a position to take one. That urge has gone immediately after I switched my diet. As for the other results like increased energy, radiant skin and a flat tummy, those have not presented itself yet. BUT it has only been 5 days so I know not expect miracles. I am excited to see what is in store for me week 2!

I will share with you my easy recipes and lessons that I am learning in the upcoming update posts. Stay tuned!

 

One of my favorite, quick breakfasts are my green smoothies with a twist! So what is the twist you ask? Well I basically make my smoothie extra thick, top it with fruits and eat it as a fruity pudding bowl.

Ingredients:

1 cup Spinach

1/2 Mango (frozen chunks)

4 tbsp Water, or more if needed for blending

5 tbsp Applesauce (small amount)

Chia seeds

1 banana

protein powder, optional

 

I keep the mango chunks very frozen, chia seeds and add small amounts of water to to make the smoothie extra thick, and blend all of the ingredients in my Nutribullet. I love the Nutribullet because it effortlessly chops through the frozen chunks. The chia seeds expand into a gelatinous consistency when you let it set in the liquid. I then top the fruity bowl with my favorite berries and more chia seeds! I love the thick, jelly-like texture that is released from the seeds and the vibrant green colors from the spinach. It is delicious and looks great. And when I am in a rush to finish it on my way to work, I toss it into a cup and find a wide straw and enjoy it as a smoothie. I then eat the berries at the end of the drink as a sweet, chilled treat. Let me know how you like it if you make it!

 

This is the blender that I use and I love it! If you want to make delicious smoothies with a blade that cuts your ingredients into a smooth texture without hickups, this is your product. Get it here by clicking the link below. This post does contain affiliate links.

Until the next update! Have a wonderful day and I will speak to you later.

With love,

CoCo

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