Lean mean no meat eating maching

February 17, 2010 | Filed in: Uncategorized

So I’m not Catholic nor do I truly celebrate the ‘lent’ season but this year, as I have in the year’s past, I tried to think of something that would make me really challenge myself. I’ve done the fast food thing, I’ve done the soda thing, I’ve done the workout every day thing. This year I’m already trying to eat healthier compared to previous years, I’ve weaned myself off eating fast food for every meal and I think this year I’ve had it about 5 times, which is epic if you know me. I barely ever drink soda, so I’m doing much better on that front, so I decided to try something new. I don’t eat much red meat but I eat a TON of chicken. I think that this year I’m all about doing things that really make me test myself, I mean, why not. So this year, for forty days, this carnivorous little monster will not be eating meat. I am allowing myself to eat fish, but this will be really challenging for me, especially since I don’t eat salad because I don’t like lettuce. DJ last night was like well then what are you going to eat?

I came up with some good ideas:

Eggs

Sandwiches

Cereal

Oatmeal

Fish

Rice

Beans

There are a lot of options but I know I’m going to have to get really creative, but I’m excited to see if I can do it. I guess I really don’t think I can, so therefore I kept thinking, let’s give this a try. I know it will be even more helpful in the cooking aspect and will branch out my taste buds even more! It’s almost like how I started running a marathon. I didn’t think I could do it, so let’s give it a try and look at me now. So last night I shoved as much meat in my face… okay, that’s what she said, and now today no more meat for me. I will keep you guys posted on my progress. I really hope I can do it!

Also, good news is with my new job I can re-join the gym! I got back there last night and though I haven’t swam in a while and I thought I would lose my swimming skills I was like Flipper! Back to swimming like a dolphin and lifting weights!

Speaking of dolphins I may have sang Lonely Island’s, “I’m on a Boat” last night at the Doodle karaoke night. Yes, I frequently go to a bar called Yankee Doodles and it’s pretty much amazing. BUT after singing the song, I realized that barely anyone knew the song there. WHAT! This is the best song ever. Therefore I wanted to leave you all with the video of it, if you haven’t seen it, come out from under your rock! PS. It’s pretty vulgar, but entertaining, and I have a sick crush on Jorma Taccone. Sigh.

Today is my last day at work for a week and tomorrow I’m going snowboarding and I’m super pumped. I’m going to be like Shaun White out there! Hopefully I don’t break every bone in my body.

Tomorrow I have some SICK Olympic videos I wanted to share with you! Wow, that Skinny Vanilla latte really went to my head this morning.

xoxo

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I am *so* excited for you! I’ve been a veg for 5 years now, and love it. If you need any recipe ideas, please let me know!

(p.s. don’t forget that you can substitute beans for meat in ANY Taco Bell product… Crunch Wrap Supremes with beans instead of meat = Heavenly)
xoxo,
Lulu

I don’t eat salad either! everyone thinks I am weird. I am not Catholic but I usually try to give something up, but I haven’t decided yet. Fast food is a good idea. I just have no will power!no chick fil a for 40 days?!?

Don’t forget about lentils. You should be able to find some recipes online. I like them in soups (with zucchini and squash and onions) and they are a good source of protein. I don’t care for tofu, but it might be an option for you. You can still eat pasta & sauce, just without the meat. Fresh veggies with rice or pasta can be filling. Also, try some online cooking communities (Tasty Kitchen comes to mind) and search for vegetarian.

My husband and I were practically vegetarians the first year of our marriage simply because we were too broke to buy meat. I certainly missed the meat, but it opened my eyes to a lot of meatless options.

Have fun with it!

Good luck with the goal! I tried it once and lasted a week. I eat a ton of fish and shrimp so if you need meal ideas, let me know!

Nice goal! you should try tofu! You can crumble it up and with the right seasoning it will taste like meat! :) Good luck. May the fork be with you. Yeah that was lame, but I went there.
I can’t believe people don’t know about the “I’m on a Boat” song. Best song ever. Tpain is the man!

Great lent idea! Here are some things you could add to the meatless menu:

pasta
soup
wraps
veggie lasagna YUM!

That’s all I can think of…

I think this will be fun for you! It will cause you to experiment so much more and try things you have never tried before.

If you don’t like lettuce, try broccoli slaw. SO good!

I am shocked and appalled that people didn’t know the song! I went on a cruise a few weeks after it came out…let’s just say there was a T-Pain. There is nothing like listening to “I’m on a Boat” while actually on a boat wearing flippy-floppies.

Also, maybe even though you hate lettuce, branch out into other vegetables? And don’t be afraid of people being like “omg you aren’t eating enough protein without meat,” you’ll get plenty with dairy, beans, and nuts.

I’m giving up red meat too! (Minus one night, already planned for over a month, at the best steakhouse in town) That’s justified though, right? I’m interested to see how this affects my body with training :) Love it and be safe snowboarding! 31 days til 26.2!!

**T-Pain overdose

Yay! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how good you’ll feel without eating meat.

I cut back on meat a few months ago and only eat once every week or two weeks, with the exception of a little seafood here and there and I feel soooo good!

Good Luck!

That song is hilareous! I can totally imagine you pimping out on the stage. I want a video of that next time!

Did I tell you Congratulations on your new job yet?! If not, CONGRATULATIONS. I remember reading it along with several other posts, but I’m not sure if I commented.

Good luck with the no meat. Lots of BEANS for protein!

I wish you luck with the whole giving up meat thing for 40 days! I definitely love meat too much to give it up for that long.

You can eat lots of falafels! They are easy to make and filling too

i’m totally nom-nom-noming on a beef sandwich and don’t envy you at all! good luck and always remember Pure Protein shakes (by Worldwide Sport Nutrition)…they make great tasting shakes with only 170 calories, 1g fat and 35g protein!

i sound like i work for them…fail!

Oh tons to eat Sister! I have been a vegetarian for a looooong time. You may never go back;-) Check out Andy’s recipes. She has a lot of good vegetarian dishes (you can throw chicken in if you must;-) http://laeasymeals.com/recipes/

Good for you! I’m too stubborn to give anything up. Hehehe.

Beans will be your friend! I love making bean salads… especially chickpeas. Chop up all the veggies you want (no lettuce necessary!), add a can of drained beans and your oil & vinegar salad dressing of choice. So yum! Easy too…

Sometimes I eat it from a tortilla bowl… just lay out a wrap in a shallow bowl, pour the salad in. Eat with a fork until there’s just a bit left, then wrap it up and finish the rest.

Enjoy your last day at work and YAY for getting back to the gym/pool!

Next year, you should give up complaining about cold weather and run a race in sub 32 degree weather. My recommendation is the Frozen Feat 5k/10k in Grand Forks, ND on 2/12/11. http://www.frozenfeat.com Proceeds go to Special Olympics Grand Forks.

OH MY GOD. you actually go to a place where they don’t know that song?? You need a new bar – asap.

I’m surprised that you were able to find a censored version of that. (Not as good)

….it’s a big blue watery roaadddddd….

Haha. I’ve never seen or heard this music video/song, but I do like me some TPain. I was down in LA for the Rose Bowl rooting on my Ducks and I definitely made a stop at Yanky Doodles on NYE for dinner and a drink! It was the official Duck bar while we were in town. Enjoy the slopes!

gaaaaahhh those crying steaks KILL me! haha M and I can welcome you to the wide world of non-meat eating this weekend…we can stuff our faces with mexican food! holla! ♥

I just started to play with Tofu and it’s so easy and yummy, I swear!!

I’m a long term vegetarian too. Vegblogsearch.com is great for recipes especially if you are trying to figure out how to cook new vegetables.

Good luck! Definitely be sure to post your progress. I’m very interested!

Oh and try greek yogurt for breakfast… it will fill you up! (14ish grams of protein!)

It’s definitely doable, so don’t give up! I decided last January I was going to do it for a month and I ended up feeling so great that I did it for an entire year. Good luck, it’s definitely worth it!!

Ok, I’m amazed people still don’t know about this song, how could they not?!
Plus, it was up for a Grammy, which is ridiculous/hilarious.

It was my goal this year to reduce the amount of meat I eat (I rarely eat red meat though) so I’m in the same predicament as you are… I spend a lot of time checking out food blogs and finding alternatives. So far, so good (although I’ve kept in fish/seafood so it hasn’t been so hard).

I was a veg-head for three years b/c my dad once bet me I couldn’t go a month without a hamburger—take that dad! LOL

Good luck! It can be challenging but I’m sure you’ll be posting some awesome and creative recipes for us.

PS Super funny story about the “boat” song. Jen’s husband Zach, who isn’t super outgoing sang that song karioke at Sarah’s birthday—it was HILARIOUS!

OK so I gave up eating meat one year for lent….and didn’t eat it again for 7 years. Just a warning ;) Of course, I never was a big meat eater and I still don’t eat a ton of meat, so it wasn’t exactly a big sacrifice. Probably won’t happen to you. LOL

that video is hilarious! have you ever seen taco town from snl i think with andy s in it? i die every time i see it.

Eat Quinoa. It’s a complete protein source: High protein, balanced amino acids and easy to cook (similar to couscous).

hahaha well, I don’t really eat meat at all so it is easy for me – not because of the animal thing – just because I don’t like it that much. Suggestions: cheese + beans = quesidilla (spelling?), there is this pasta at the store that has protein in it…barilla brand. OH, and try Veggie Grill – seriously, it is really good…my brother who loves meat even eats there. You can find locations online. GOOD LUCK! ;)

I decided to give up meat for Lent also! Except I forgot it started today so I will be starting this evening and omitting my lunch! Haha! Good luck girl, looks like we are in this together :)

It sounds like a good challenge! I am still thinking of what I want to do for Lent. Everyone at work today was eating lunch and was eating meat except me!! I ate fish.

I’m a vegetarian (only because I don’t like the taste of meat). Don’t forget about pasta! I like to make spaghetti, and instead of adding ground beef to the sauce, I add sauteed mushrooms and onions for more texture. I also eat a lot of omelets, soup, stir fry, quesadillas!, and basically anything with cheese, haha!

Hope this helps!

Nice, good for you on giving up meat. I’ve been a vegan runner for about 8 years now. Can be tough at first, but if you keep trying different foods you’ll find what works for your body. Plus you have the added bonus of having a great online following to help you along. Definitely post any questions and I (and I’m sure many others) will definitely give you any tips/recipes/advice that we have.

haha–i LOVE that song!! good luck with the meatless adventure–I find there are LOTS of great options out there–it’ll probably be easier than you think.

Good luck! There are so many awesome meatless dishes. You’ll be surprised!

Hahaha…thanks for edumacating me with that video. I’m one of those fools who have never heard of it before. Lame?

I am proud of you for giving up meat for a while. You won’t really miss it for 40 days. There are lots of other greens that you can eat that are delicious. I also hate lettuce but I love baby spinach and mixed field greens. You can get a big ol’ box of mixed greens at Costco for $3. Not eating meat doesn’t mean you have to eat salads 24/7, there are so many options out there. You should go have a meal at some different vegetarian restaurant and taste all the amazing things without meat. Proud of you, keep rockin’ that karaoke!!

No meat for Lent?

I tried that. It was the longest 40 days of my life. I couldn’t figure out which Lent was worse – that one or the one during which I gave up chocolate.

I think I’m giving up green veggies this go round ;)

My favorite veg blog is http://www.veganyumyum.com. The author of the site was a guest on Martha Stewart and just published her own cookbook. Her photos will make you drool.

I’ve been a vegetarian for three years, and honestly it is so easy. The only hard thing is eating with the extended members of my non-veg family, but my parents and sisters are cool with it. We even had a vegan Thanksgiving!

I am so proud of you – I think that this is an amazing goal! I’ve been doing no meat on Daniel Fast and eat a ton of beans, barley, and brown rice. Let me know if you want some ideas of what I’ve come up with! xoxoxoxo

Thinking good thoughts for you as you give up meat and I am going chocolate-less for a full 40 days!! I do it every year but it never gets easier. I am not a professional chef by any means but I LOVE to cook and I make a lot of vegetarian dinners and have some delightful recipes if you ever need any!!

Good luck. Try to go all veg though without any fish or shrimp. I also suggest saying away from tofu, it’s processed crap.

I also don’t like lettuce, so I make my salads with baby spinach. A lot more flavorful (and better nutrients)!

If you can be a marathon maniac, you can DEFINITELY handle vegetarianism for 40 days! I would recommend a trip to the library for a Moosewood Collective cookbook–they have AMAZING recipes that are easy and delicious (says a girl who eats veggie 90% of the time but still loves her some filet mignon and fried chicken)

hey. so. i’m on a boat was like my marathon survival song. is that weird? it’s one of my favorites. and re: veggie eating! if you’re looking for ideas (and seriously, I didn’t intend for this to be a plug), but I write a blog totally dedicated to vegetarian and vegan foods. we try to change over some more sinful stuff to the veg-side . . . and we never leave out the flavor.

uh, also love that you have that’s what she said in there. i do that, too <3 i'm new to your site. and i love it!

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