January brings out our most motivated selves as the idea being of able to start fresh inspires us. We even make goals to guide us through the New Year. People feel especially ballsy and make crazy goals like to lose 50 pounds or save up for a brand new dream car. Unfortunately, my good friend from high school made a goal to go through a huge detox and guilt tripped me into doing it with her.
The rules are simple: no sweets, no meats and no dairy. So, I’ve kissed buttered toast goodbye, as well as pizza and good old ice cream. Not only did I forget that Valentine’s Day was during February, but I also didn’t think of how much I’d miss my amazing cook of a roommate’s food. Though I’ve been extremely tested with temptations like buttermilk fried chicken, cookies made from scratch and lo mein (and that’s just a few) I’ve stayed strong.
Here’s how it’s I’m managing so far going into my third week-
1. It’s not as expensive as it seems
I’ve mostly been getting through this challenge by eating a lot of fruits and veggies. I’ve branched out and tried eating more asparagus, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, ginger and plantains. Stores like Aldi and Kroger aren’t too far from campus and have reasonable prices for these items. Buying in bulk usually means you get a bang for your buck. For example, I got plantains for 19 cents at Aldi and a bunch of Kale for about $2 at Kroger.
2. Making vegan and vegetarian meals is relatively quick and easy
Since there’s no meat involved in this challenge, there isn’t a lot of cook time required. Most of the veggies take a few minutes (no longer than 15 minutes) to sautee, bake, grill, roast etc. Also, things like quinoa or rice can be quick when you have a rice cooker or a similar device.
3. Trying new dishes has been really fun
Even though I miss the convenience of getting Panda Express or Einstein’s Bagels, it’s been nice not having to rely on campus food. Cooking my food has been fun because I’ve had to look for different recipes and different versions. It’s exciting when you find a recipe you want to try and it turns out pretty good. It’s fun knowing I’m really learning how to cook and am building a base of different recipes. Also, adding my own twists to recipes is always fun.
4. It forces you to become more equipped in using different spices
Since I’m very limited in what I can eat, things I usually use to flavor and spice up my food is generally off limits. I’ve learned rely on a wide variety of spices and not just the basic ones. I’ve also learned what tastes good with what and what’s the right amount for different dishes. Spices like cumin, turmeric, curry, mustard seeds, coriander etc. are pretty cheap and lasts for quite a while. So, now when my challenge is over my dishes with meat will taste even better!
5. Sometimes it gets difficult and very limited
About the first week and a half in I had already tried about seven recipes with a lot of the same vegetables being used. I missed the convenience of just being able to pick up food on the way home and sad that I couldn’t treat myself to something like Coldstone. Valentine’s Day was terrible because there was so much free candy around campus.
6. Online cooking like “Tasty” and “Delish” are really useful
Sites like Buzzfeed Tasty, Dining Delish and Tastemade have all been big helps in finding new recipes and having an easy guide on how to make them. I’ve made dishes using only the instructions but getting to see a quick and simple video with someone else doing it was easy to follow along and ended up tasting pretty good.
7. Results make it worth it
So far I’ve had a boost in energy, better focus, looser fitting clothes and more vibrant looking skin. I look forward to seeing the benefits at the end of the month and am happy and proud that I have been sticking to this fast!
8. The memes have been really funny
Here are some of my favorites:
And my personal favorite courtesy of Scott Pilgrim vs The World