It's Alive!

Today is the official start of Veganstein. I hope you'll follow along with me throughout these 90 days because I'm super excited to see how I'm feeling along the way. As I've been preparing for this experiment, I've been thinking a lot about how I'll plan my meals, most importantly when those Non-Vegan Meals (or NVMs for short) will work into my weekly diet. This experiment is just for me, but it will naturally influence my family's diet because A- I do the grocery shopping,  B- I make most of our meals, and C- We eat together and we always eat the same thing for dinner (meaning I don't cook separate meals for my husband and I than I do for our children). I've also been wondering how special events will play into my meal plans, such as parties, date nights, and holidays (did you see that my experiment ends AFTER Thanksgiving?). Should I eat vegan meals all week just to make sure I can enjoy those events without any dietary restrictions? Or, should I challenge myself by choosing to eat only vegan for some of those events (the latter is out of the question for Thanksgiving, I want turkey!)? Another thing I've been considering a lot is, how true to a vegan diet am I going to be for my vegan meals? I made one batch of vegan bread which was pretty tasty, but I think the recipe could use a little tweak before I share it, but I will definitely be using vegan bread. I was reading somewhere that white sugar is not considered vegan because apparently bone char is used in the bleaching process. Okay? Yeah, I don't care. White sugar isn't something I use so often or in such large amounts that I think it'll significantly effect my experiment, so I'm using it. The same goes with white flour, although I am using a lot more whole wheat flour too because whole grains are a big part of this experiment. What about spread, that butter-ish stuff I put on dinner rolls and other things? I use the "vegetable spread" already, but it still has whey in it (not in the first few ingredients though). Regardless, I'm going to continue using the same kind I always have, again it's really not something I use frequently and when I do I use so little I don't think it's going to change the outcome of this experiment for me. Of course I will not be using butter or margarine in my cooking for the vegan meals. I'm sure I'll run into more food items like those that I'll have to consider more carefully. I feel this is a good place for me to remind you that the main focus of Veganstein is not the vegan part, it's the plant-based, whole foods part. I'm trying to incorporate more plants and whole grains into my diet and eliminate some of the excess meat and dairy, that's it. If you're looking for someone who has become vegan to fight social injustices or reverse global warming, you've come to the wrong place (and if you do your research you will find that becoming vegan isn't going to do that anyway). I'm also going to be using this experiment as an opportunity to introduce new things into my diet, such as tofu and flax seed, as well as cooking with vegetables I haven't tried before. It should be fun.

Why My Being Mormon Matters

I'm not going to dive into the doctrine of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in this entry or in other posts here, but I do want to explain the relationship between this experiment and my religion. Most people who know us Mormons know we abstain from using tobacco and alcohol containing products as well as drinks such as tea and coffee, but did you know we have a whole list of things we should be consuming too? It's called the Word of Wisdom and it is found in a book of scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants. The Word of Wisdom is, in a nutshell, the code of health we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, have been given and are instructed to follow with a promise that by doing so we can increase our health and enjoyment throughout life. We believe these words to be commandments, just as we believe anything we are instructed to do or not do by our current prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is a commandment. It is from the Word of Wisdom where we were first instructed not to consume or use the products I mentioned earlier and I think most Mormons have a good handle on that, but it's the things we should be doing that I fear many members of our church just don't have a full understanding of, me being among them. In particular we are instructed to "eat meat sparingly" and yet the truck my husband drove as a teenager and young adult had only one bumper sticker which read simply, "Eat Meat", and that seemed more than acceptable among other church members. I think I have misunderstood this and other guidelines in the Word of Wisdom. I remember once hearing a friend speak in church, he was 19, he said that he followed the commandment to eat meat sparingly by always making sure his hamburgers had lettuce and tomato on them too, not just meat and cheese. I'm not so sure that's what it means, but then again I think we all have to find out for ourselves what it means. So, this is my attempt to figure it out. What does the Word of Wisdom mean for me? I'm sure to find an answer. One other reason that my religion is playing such an important role in this experiment is because it is easiest for me to stick to something if I am 100% committed to it, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Every good thing I've done, any note-worthy accomplishments, were completed only because I was fully invested in them. I gather most people are the same way. I know that if I make this more than simply a way to lose weight, I'll have more success with it. Being Mormon is a large part of who I am because I allow it to be and this experiment wouldn't matter if I didn't let my religion play some role in it.

If you'd like to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it's members, or the Word of Wisdom, please visit www.Mormon.org.

An Introduction

Although "carnivorous" might be an exaggerated description of my diet up to this point in my life, I would have to say that meat and/or dairy has played a significant role in my diet most every day. I'm changing that. Thanks to some eye-opening documentaries, such as Forks Over Knives, and some soul searching, I have decided to shift my diet emphasis to a more vegan-like mentality. No, I am not a vegan, I will still enjoy cheese and meat occasionally, much like traditional dieters seeking to drop a few pounds might treat themselves to a slice of pizza or a brownie every now and again. Thus, Veganstein, a dietary hybrid (85% vegan, 15% omnivore) is born.

Here's my plan:
1. I will post my daily meal log for 90 days (look for a weekly entry on Fridays, I'm not going to post every day)
2. All but 3 meals each week will be completely vegan
3. I'll post recipes and links to resources throughout my experiment
4. I'll also post my thoughts, feelings, and observations regarding my dietary changes as I go along

The real experiments begins Monday, August 27. Right now I'm in the research and preparation phase- getting recipes together, stocking my pantry, etc.

My goals for this experiment are:
1. To change my eating habits to become a healthier version of myself
2. To teach my children the true quality of their food and break the cycle of relying on meat and dairy for nutrition, thus giving them a healthier life
3. To gain a testimony (a better understanding and complete belief) of the Word of Wisdom, the code of health outlined in the Doctrine & Covenants, a book of scripture for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the members of which are often called Mormons; FYI, I am a Mormon)

Please enjoy this blog. I want it to be just as educational for you as it is sure to be for me. I look forward to sharing this experience with you.