My Meat Free Week

So last week I decided to try to not eat meat all week.  I was going to still eat fish (sorry, but I love seafood) and some cheese.  Overall, I did very well.  I wasn’t hungry, and actually felt better as the week went on.  I already ate a ton of vegetables, and in the past couple months added brussels sprouts and kale to my array.  I love fruit, and most grains, beans, and nuts.  So, I added in some tofu and kept the greek yogurt (my favorite breakfast is greek yogurt, almond butter and berries).  I really enjoyed the week, my body felt lighter and more alert.  I didn’t once crave beef or even chicken.  Anything that called for meat, I found a non-meat source of protein to exchange.  I have scoured sites and blogs and twitter for recipes and ideas.  Thank you to EVERYONE that posts them, this blog isn’t log enough to thank you all.  However, my true test of this…. my husband made bacon Sunday.  Not just on Sunday, but after I came home from an 8.5 mile run and was now STARVING he made bacon.  And, I didn’t want it.  Did it smell good, yes, but, I didn’t want to eat it.  Wow.  My only set back so far was a lunch meeting on Monday.  I first ordered a salad, they didn’t have that any more, then eggplant, and apparently didn’t have that, so a chicken sandwich was ordered for me.  I ate very little of the bread, but the chicken didn’t taste great and I felt sluggish the rest of the day.  Have been good other than that incident!

So, Since December 2010 I have given up soda, fast food, and 99% of processed foods (I am still a sucker for m&ms). 

Up next: continuing this lifestyle change and looking at lessening my gluten intake.  Any recipes, suggestions or ideas for that or for being meat-free?  I have already discovered and love brown rice pasta!

Here was tonight’s dinner: brown rice pasta, shrimp, edamame, peas, kale and a small amount of parmesan. 

Run, Live, Laugh, Love…. smile every day, it makes all the difference in the outcome of the day if you start with a smile!!