Sorry I totally neglected to mention the start of this challenge. Now that week one is complete, let me tell you about it!
Wendy and Marty, in all their awesomeness, have offered to donate $100 to Broadway Impact (the charity for which I’m running) for every week (up to 3) that I can be a vegetarian. If I can be a vegan on week 4, that’s another $100 for Broadway Impact.
I adore challenges, and it’s important to me to raise as much money as I can for marriage equality during my 52 half marathons, so you better bet I was in for this vegetarian challenge.
I knew it would be hard to be a vegetarian, but I figured, “Well, about 90% of my diet is dairy anyway.” (I’m not saying that’s healthy, I’m just saying it’s true.) “So, what’s the big deal about going from 90% to 100%?” (Obviously, it wouldn’t dawn on me to replace that 10% with vegetables. That’d just be silly, huh?)
The first few days weren’t all that bad. It wasn’t until I got hungry for dinner the night before the Disneyland half that I missed the ability to heat up one of the individual lasagnas that are a staple in my freezer. I looked around my apartment for things that didn’t contain meat. The only things I had were Doritos and yogurt.
I was too tired to go out, so I had Doritos yogurt dinner – the pre-race meal of champions, of course. Since I was sauntering, strolling, and hanging out during the half; it didn’t matter that I didn’t plan the optimal pre-race nutrition. Being a current vegetarian still wasn’t affecting my life all that much… until after the race.
(Photo Credit: WestPointSteakhouse.com)
I realized that I get an immediate craving for meat once a race is over. I never thought about it until I couldn’t have it anymore!
I love ending race with a burger, or maybe a steak – you know, any kind of awesome meaty meat. But I couldn’t! (Commence loud crying noises.)
I found a Clif protein bar in the bag Disney gave us. I ripped open that protein bar, and devoured it. Then ate a pretzel with cheese from downtown Disney ‘cause it was the easiest vegetarian thing to get – and I was starving.
Sorry, body. I am an extremely irresponsible vegetarian.
Speaking of being an extremely irresponsible vegetarian, as I caught up with Wendy and Marty after the race, they asked how the week was going and what I’d been eating. I didn’t keep it secret that I’d been having cheese pizza for lunch everyday. It’s so convenient! It’s right across the street from work. It’s still delicious. And it doesn’t have any meat in it. Kapow.
They weren’t having it. They made a new rule that I could only have cheese pizza every other day. Marty made a good point that instead of just cutting things out, I may want to be adding things in that I don’t normally eat – things other than pretzels with nacho cheese sauce.
He’s probably right. I do think a vegetarian is actually supposed to eat some vegetables. I’m pretty sure that’s sort of how the whole thing works…
Will I survive to week two? I guess we’ll see in 7 days.
I wish I were there to make you a big pot of beans every week like I do for Harold – pinto beans, brown rice and cornbread, black eyed peas, acorn squash and cornbread, 15 bean soup and of course cornbread. You can also pile any of these beans on a tortillia, salsa, lettuce, tomotaoes and green pepper for a little Mexican – yum! All of the above are complete protein – even more that you might get in chicken or steak.
I wish you were here as well! But, only ’cause I’d love to spend time with you. I wouldn’t really want any beans, though it’s very sweet of you to think of me! Unfortunately I eat like a 5-year old, only liking a few simple foods. Beans are not one of them. Maybe I could (overly dramatic grossed out face) give them a real try sometime. 😉