My 30-Day Vegan Challenge

For the next 30 days, I’m going to be eating vegan. This seems wise given that I love charcuterie, lattes, cheese, honey, bacon, and eggs… So, why on earth am I doing this?

1. To see what it’s like.
I’m an animal person. Despite that, I’ve never really considered going vegetarian before (or vegan, ever) as I also love the way meat tastes (I’m a conflicted omnivore). Could I order the vegetable entree instead of the meat one? Probably, but I don’t. By doing this, I hope to be more mindful when it comes to what I eat and incorporate more non-animal proteins into my diet after this challenge is over.

2. To eat more fiber.
Yes, this seems like a drastic way to do so, but sometimes a drastic change is necessary to reboot one’s brain. To do this and not feel miserable, I’m going to have to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables…not vegan scones.

3. To challenge myself.
I eat (relatively) healthy most of the time, so making a change to “clean eating” isn’t a big deal for me. But, I’ve seen friends and family members make the switch, and I’ve seen how hard it can be. I’m sure I’ll struggle. I’m sure I won’t know what to buy at the store. I’m sure I’ll get frustrated (especially when watching the Super Bowl). But, I also like short-term mental challenges like this. It keeps me on my toes and helps me manage bigger ones.

Why now? Honestly, I was in Hollywood the other day and wandered into a health food shop and the vegan burritos and salads and sandwiches looked amazing. I thought, hey, maybe I could do this.

Got tips? I need ’em! Post them below and follow my journey on Instagram at r_swanner. Want to join me? I’m using the hashtag #30DaysVegan.

Click here to find out what I learned after these 30 days of eating vegan.