Who:

Two girls, each with a curiosity about the vegan diet and its role in healthy living.

Katy: a married triathlete with no allergies, eating issues or dietary restrictions. I believe in REAL foods — organic and local whenever possible — and I’m trying to maintain a 40-pound weight loss while getting into the best shape possible.

Michelle: an American living in Australia, trying to stay healthy and fit while miles (and miles, and miles) away from home and pursuing her goal of becoming a nurse. Michelle lost 120 pounds and has several restrictions on her diet.

YOU!:

• VEGAN FOR A DAY- Thursday 19th November
  • Thursday eat all day vegan, or just one meal.
  • We’ll be tracking all of the Vegan eating throughout the day, all over the world — how cool is THAT??
  • This will be one of the best ways to enter a very cool giveaway…details to come.

What:

A commitment to follow a vegan diet — no animal products — for one week. Both Michelle and I will be documenting what we eat, the choices/challenges we faced, what we like and what we don’t, and our honest appraisal of a vegan diet.

In addition, we’ll be bringing in experts (a dietician, a vegan triathlete, a vegan baker and more) to share their tips and tricks for staying healthy while on a special diet like veganism. We’ll also have some great contests and giveaways for people who choose to follow our adventure!

We will also provide resources for anyone who is interested in learning more about veganism.

When:

Monday, November 16th through Monday, November 23rd. Both Michelle and I will be making at least one daily post about #VeganWeek.

Where:

SillyTaterTot.com and EatingJourney.com, as well as our Twitter accounts (@kwidrick and @eatingjourney). If you would like to follow the links and conversation on Twitter, search for #VeganWeek.

Why:

Now we get to the heart of the matter.

This idea started with a question I asked out loud — on my blog — about whether I could become a vegan. There are many reasons WHY I’m interested:

• Ethically, I’m very concerned about the state of factory farming and animal testing in the United States. Normally, I try to do my part buy buying organic meats, seafood, dairy and more. I read lables, try to understand who is making my food and how it gets to me. I think I’m more aware than most.
  • BUT, people who recommend a vegan diet often claim that it’s the most ethical way of eating, when it comes to the animals. I’m curious to research that claim, and I might as well give it a test-drive as I do.
• When it comes to health and nutrition, a vegan diet CAN encourage people to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as minimally-processed grains and beans. Inherently, veganism falls in line with my beliefs about eating whole foods and staying as close to the source as possible.
  • I certainly understand that with any diet — vegan or not — it comes down to making healthy choices. A vegan who does not eat a balanced diet is not any healthier than a carnivore who does. I’d rather be a responsible meat-eater than a “trendy” vegan. I’ll be exploring those ideas this week, as well.
• I want to experiment to see what impact a vegan diet has on my training. As a triathlete, my goal is to perform as well as I can, whether it’s faster, longer or more often. Food is fuel, and I’d like to what difference a vegan diet makes.

And finally…I’m a planner. I do better when I have a reason to think about what’s going into my mouth. I’m happiest when I’m organized, and I’ve really gotten away from that in recent months. That’s led to a lot of mindless eating, over-eating and a tendency to eat things that aren’t exactly ideal for my health.

So I’m jumping into this challenge with open eyes and a ready tummy. I am excited to try some new recipes, and to give the vegan lifestyle an honest shot. I very much doubt that I will stick with it after the week, but like anything else, it will be a learning experience and I hope it gives me new insight into a life that so many choose!

Be sure to visit Michelle’s blog and come back tomorrow as we lay out a very special way for YOU to get involved and win some awesome stuff!

          

Related posts:

1. #VeganWeek Day 2: BEST.MEALS.EVER.
2. #VeganWeek Day One: So Far, So Delicious!
3. #VeganWeek Day 4: Thanks to YOU!
4. #VeganWeek Getting Fit; Having Fun
5. Going Vegan — Are You In?