After one week of giving up meat, amazingly, the world has kept turning, and I have been receiving more support than I could have ever imagined.
The first day wasn’t so bad. Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and hummus got me through most of the day. But by the second day I knew I was going to have to find something other than rabbit food to keep me fueled. I took a trip over to Lassen’s and Smart & Final and spent more on produce, nuts, and grains than I ever had before. I didn’t really have a plan for what to buy but walked away with a TON of rice and beans, quinoa, and tofu to add some substance to my meals.
Enjoying a sweet potato, eggplant, and spinach taco
I realized that there are still inexpensive food options when eating vegetarian! Pizza, mac & cheese, and big pasta dinners are still cheap options for someone, such as myself, having trouble getting off of his college-budget meal choices. I’d like to move past processed foods somewhere down the line, but for now, Easy Mac is a quick way to get some calories when I’m in a hungry panic looking for something to eat in my pantry.
In regard to my weekly health measurements, there hasn’t been a huge difference so far, but I imagine it takes more than 7 days to truly feel any effects.
Current Health Measurements on June 27, 2016
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 165
Body Fat %: 15.5
Resting Heart Rate: 68
Resting Blood Pressure: 120/80
What I can say is that I’m able to identify more plant-based food choices in the grocery store. Even if I turned back to meat today, I would likely continue to purchase more produce, which I consider a big plus to this diet already.
Jake is a graduate of the Kinesiology Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is currently pursuing his master’s within the same department. He coaches track and field at Old Mission Middle School and enjoys taking weekend hiking or backpacking trips to Montana de Oro or Big Sur. Running the San Luis Obispo Marathon, backpacking in Salt Lake City, Utah, and participating in the local Tri-Tip challenge are some of his most recent adventures. He has worked at GH Sports since June 2014 and most appreciates helping customers get fitted in the right running shoe.
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