Things I learned during my 30-day plant-based challenge

Well hello team! It would appear that consistency has not been my strength when it comes to blog posts. I will do better moving forward, because I know you’re waiting with bated breath for my next word. Right!? I thought so.

Tell us about the plant thing!

Right. Ok, so as most of you maybe already know, I challenged myself to a plant-based diet for all of October. Why? To see what it was like, to develop a better appreciating for real food, and to spend more time in the kitchen! Also, because why not.

To say that I came out on the other end feeling 900% better, like a new human and cooking my way to success would be entirely false. But it certainly opened some awareness and positive revelations that will only help make me stronger as your trusted herbalist.

Here are a few things that I learned along the way:

• To eat with an acknowledgement and appreciation for the nutrients going on, not the calories.

• High protein is found in so many places! (Chickpeas, nutritional yeast, lentils to name a few)

• I have a very real fear of fruit that needs to be dealt with. (Somewhere along the way I’ve equated fruit with sugar and therefor with bad. Lots of unlearning needed).

• I don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and I’m not sure I want to.

• I like quick, easy to make, delicious meals. (And my dream is an on-staff chef)

• Lots of plant-based packaged foods (i.e.: vegan junk food) are actually quite bad for you. (They are high in sodium and sugar! And contain more artificial ingredients than you’d like).

Things I struggled with:

• I was hungry a lot. My usual diet is high in animal protein and I’m used to feeling full.

• I genuinely missed meat. And that’s ok!

• I genuinely missed yogurt.

Ok, so fair to say you’re not a vegan now?

I think that’s fair to say. I’m a ‘eat a well-balanced diet of nutritious, real food that is as unprocessed as you can get” kinda girl. In the meantime, you can find me digging into this fear of fruit issue. Poor little oranges!!

I learned so much along the way and I’m feeling grateful as we head into another month! This one is an exciting and busy one for me and I will certainly keep you posted as it rolls along.

In the meantime, eat your veggies, eat your fruit, add plants to every meal and be grateful for all that you have.

To your health!

G