I pride myself on the strict semi-pescetarian diet I’ve been on since 2012. I’m living a clean lifestyle equipped with a (somewhat) clean conscience. Though I have hopes of eventually becoming a vegetarian, I’ve been quite hesitant to take the full plunge into tofu wonderland. But since October is National Vegetarian Month, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to try a completely vegetarian diet. Here is my experience of attempting a meat-free diet for one week.
Day 1: Oct. 13
Today was my first day as a vegetarian, and I’ve already managed to fail miserably. For breakfast I had my usual, two clementine oranges and a warm croissant. I was feeling good, and started off on the right foot. But by lunch, things went a bit haywire. I had less than 20 minutes to dodge traffic, make it to class on time and to think of a healthy vegetarian meal. Twenty minutes quickly turned into 10, and by the ninth minute, I was going for the quickest meal possible: Chick-Fil-A. Terrible, I know, but I was hungry and on a time schedule; I had to sacrifice something. It’s the first day and I’ve already been met with the struggles of a wannabe vegetarian.
Day 2: Oct. 14
I was determined to stick to my diet, and I was unhappy with how I began my journey, so I made sure to compensate for yesterday’s loss. I woke up to a coconut yogurt parfait with granola, cut-up peaches and honey, supersized warmed butter croissant and a nice cup of soothing chamomile tea. To say I was winning at 7 a.m. would have been an understatement. I was full from the breakfast for a while, but by noon I was hungry again. With limited options on campus, I choose to eat a veggie burger from the Flight Deck Pub. I’ve had plenty of veggie burgers before, so I wasn’t concerned with the taste; I was concerned if I was going to be full. Luckily, this flame grilled chipotle black bean and vegetable patty topped with American cheese and avocado, with freshly cut classic French fries was filling enough for me. I was beginning to get used to my new diet.
Day 3: Oct. 15
I started today off a little late, so instead of breakfast, I had a nice brunch with my friend at Canyon Ranch in Miami. I’d eaten there plenty of times before, but this particular experience was much more complicated than my previous visits. I normally get a nice lox bagel with a side of fruit and orange juice, but since I wasn’t eating meat, this left my options very slim. I ordered traditional French toast and a side of fruit. As I assumed I would be, I wasn’t full nor was I satisfied. I left brunch already thinking about lunch. When I got to school, the only thing on my mind was food, so I went straight to Greens Etc. I ordered a grilled cheese and a salad with vegetables for rainbow colored fillings. After this, I was a bit more content, but I was concerned about how full I would be considering my meatless dinner options. Being a vegetarian requires a lot of creativity and thought when it comes to eating especially in a world that caters to meat-eaters.
Day 4: Oct. 16
Thursday’s are my very active days. I begin with weight training at 6 a.m., have dance class from 10 a.m. to noon, and dance rehearsals from 4 to 6 p.m. So those days, my diet usually consists of protein drinks, breads and fruits. I have a fear of eating too much and having it backfire on me mid-pirouette, so I try to keep my eating to a bare minimum until after 6 p.m.
I’ve been avoiding dinner for three days now, indulging in quick snacks and convincing myself I’m full. But that day, I was starving and ready to eat. I didn’t feel like eating a veggie burger or grilled cheese sandwich, and because those were almost all my options on campus, I figured I’d have to leave campus to find or cook an adequate meal. And that is exactly what I did. A full plate of yellow rice and beans, seasoned cut-up potatoes, broccoli and cheese and bread had me feeling brand new again. I had all I needed on one plate: starch from the rice and potatoes, protein from the beans and potassium from the broccoli. I was finally getting the hang of a no-meat diet.
Day 5: Oct. 17
For some reason, when I hear the word “vegetarian,” I immediately rule out all junk food. But today, that changed. Today, I ate cheese pizza, garlic rolls and fettuccini alfredo (hold the chicken) heaven. Friday was my vegetarian-styled cheat day, and I indulged in every moment of it. Besides the tomato sauce on my pizza, I didn’t have any veggies, but I was completely OK. It was Friday, I had completed my last midterm, and I was still a faux vegetarian. Things were looking up for me.
Day 6: Oct. 18
At last, Saturday – one more day until my diet was over. Although I was super proud of myself for buckling down and sticking to my regimen, I was really beginning to miss those marinated teriyaki chicken and fresh honey glazed salmon days. And the fact that my friends and I were going to Sushi Saki for dinner didn’t help my cravings at all. I ordered vegetable fried rice and tempura bagel rolls – with salmon. I officially cheated. These were my favorite sushi rolls; I wouldn’t have felt comfortable going to a restaurant and not ordering my favorite dish. That would have unsettled me more than cheating on my diet. Reminding myself that I’d make up for it tomorrow, I made every bite of my sushi rolls well worth it.
Day 7: Oct. 19
On Sundays, my best friend’s mom always cooks big Sunday meals. It’s the highlight of my week. That Sunday, she cooked baked chicken, potato salad, macaroni and cheese and rice and beans. While I was still feeling innocently guilty about my sushi binge yesterday, I was ready to successfully finish my last day as a vegetarian. I ate everything but the chicken and didn’t even think twice about putting the chicken gravy on my rice. I had officially completed my week as a vegetarian – kind of. I obviously cheated on two out of the seven days on my diet. I think I completed this task with a C+ average.
Being a vegetarian is much more difficult than it seems. I was faced with limited food selections, unfulfilling meals and tasty temptation. Though I was hesitant and skeptical about my food options in the beginning of the week, by the end of the week I was a pro at creating meals that didn’t include chicken or fish. I think it’s absolutely necessary to make meals ahead of time, because the temptation of driving around looking for a quick meal could easily turn into a quick trip to Chick-Fil-A. Believe me, I know.
The only downside about my experience of being a vegetarian for one week is that I lost two pounds, and I’m already very petite. Because I’m so used to getting most of my protein from chicken and fish, I was clueless as how to incorporate a substitute into my diet. But, that’s nothing a quick Google search can’t help with. My week as a vegetarian was certainly a learning experience, and in the future, my body and I are looking forward to basking in bowls of tofu, cups of fruit and plates of mixed green vegetables.
