According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, our recommended daily intake of vegetables requires between 2 1/2 to 3 cups through the age of 50. Our recommended daily intake of fruits requires between 1 1/2 to 2 cups for all ages. Ironically, most people get more joy out of fruits than they do with vegetables. Coming from a small town, I learned more about vegetarians after meeting a few classmates and college professors. Depending on the food product, I do agree that there is maltreatment on animals within the industry.
On the other hand, I've told that it's more expensive and less protein if you become vegetarian. But I kept an open mind on everybody's dietary preferences. Instead of considering it as a lifestyle choice, I wanted to give myself a trial week of only fruits and vegetables.
Back in 2014, I took the risk of an immediate change of diet. Starting from February 17th of that year, I denied all of the other food groups (meats, dairies, grains and sweets) to survive a vegan week. I didn't purchase prepackaged vegan meals nor plan any balanced meals. I made salads that weighed around 8 ounces. I tried drinking the men's recommended daily water intake at 13 cups per day with the three "meals." To slightly moderate my protein, I had one bottle of Naked Juice (15.2 fl oz) per day.
The following food log has been approximately measured by memory and journaling of my 7-day diet:
Pre-Diet Body Weight: 151.8 lbs
Day 1
Breakfast: 3 California Mandarins; 6 Strawberries; Water
Lunch: 6 Fully-Lengthened Celeries; 1 Cup of Broccoli; 1 Gala Apple; Water
Dinner: Salad (Lettuce, Carrots, Cucumbers; 8 Ounces); Tropical Mango Naked Juice
When I started this "experiment," I was still living in Duluth during my second year at the Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College (FDLTCC). At the time, I had a roommate going to school at the University of Minnesota- Duluth. Since he was a Biology student, he asked me what was my hypothesis after the next seven days. I only wanted to see how extreme a vegan can go with only fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.
Day 2
Breakfast: 1 Banana; 1 Gala Apple; Water; 2 Strawberries
Lunch: 1 Cup of Broccoli; Water; 1 Cup of Blueberries
Dinner: Salad (Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers; 8 Ounces); Water; Green Machine Naked Juice
Located 20 miles away in Cloquet, I drove most school days to FDLTCC. In other days, I took a transit bus as well. Whenever I was able to take a bus, it required more walking. The long hallways between classes made it even more exhausting. My body knew it had the simple goals of hydration and conserving energy.
Day 3
Breakfast: 1 Avocado; 1 Cup of Cantaloupe; Water
Lunch: Salad (Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Peas, Pickles; 8 Ounces); Water
Dinner: 5 Fully-Lengthened Celeries; 2 Medium Carrots; Power-C Machine Naked Juice; Water; 0.5 Cup of Blueberries
I never had an avocado before. It tasted similar to a devil's egg; I was in great surprise as it was a perfect taste for breakfast. For lunch, the college's cafeteria conveniently had a salad bar. The two medium carrots looked like they were straight out of the garden when I took them out the prepackaged bag from Whole Foods. So, I rinsed them in cool water and scrubbed them with a clean sponge.
Day 4
Current Body Weight: 144.6 lbs
Breakfast: 2 Gala Apples; 2 Bananas; 1 Avocado; Water
Lunch: Salad (Lettuce, Spinach, Cucumbers, Pickles, Diced Green Peppers, Diced Onion; 8 Ounces); Water
Dinner: 4 Fully-Lengthened Celeries; 0.5 Cup of Snacking Tomatoes; 1 Cup of Cantaloupe; 2 Cup of Pineapple; Water; Red Machine Naked Juice
Due to my low energy, I checked my weight on the bathroom scale. Only after three days, I lost seven pounds. I wasn't intentionally losing weight, but I expected it. It had me want to eat more in somewhat of a panic. Since I promised myself that I wasn't going to add dressing to my salads, I added more items for flavor (pickles, green peppers, and diced onion).
Day 5
Breakfast: 1 Cup of Strawberries; Water
Lunch: 2 Beets; 2 Cups of Peapods; Carrot Naked Juice
Dinner: 2 Cups of Sliced Pineapple; Water; 1 Cup of Broccoli
It may have been a Friday, but it was a busy one. After eating a couple of strawberries, I hurried to work starting at 9 A.M. The roommate had me run errands afterwards at noon. So, I went around a grocery store for the last of my foods to finish off this diet. The first time I tried beets, red juice got all over my hands like a bloodbath. It seemed impossible to wash it all off after a few hours.
Day 6
Breakfast: 2 Cups of Seedless Watermelon; Water
Lunch: 3 Medium Carrots; 1 Cup of Broccoli; Water; 1/2 Cup of Peapods; Pomegranate Acqui Naked Juice
Dinner: 1 Cup of Strawberries; Water; Salad (Lettuce, Spinach, Kale; 8 Ounces)
After the beets not having much of my desire, I wanted to continue with my favorites to help ignore more of my cravings. I craved pancakes, steak, chicken and Mountain Dew. I stayed off pop for a whole week by then. In the late afternoon, I found out I had prehypertension when a Walgreens pharmacist measured my blood pressure.
Day 7
Breakfast: 1 Cup of Grapefruit; Water; 2 Gala Apples
Lunch: 2 Cups of Seedless Watermelon; Water; Tomato Kick Naked Juice
Dinner: Salad (Lettuce, Kale, Cucumbers, Spinach; 8 Ounces); Water; 1 Cup of Blueberries
The prehypertension threw a red flag at me, but I stayed cautious by spending a relaxing Sunday with a walk outside. I knew I wasn't going to miss kale anymore after this "experiment," but I finished it off in my last salad because I'm not wasteful.
Final Body Weight: 142.4 lbs
I do consider my trial week as a vegan simpleton to be one of many risks I put my body through. If I ever decide to become a vegetarian, the transformation would have to be a process. For a smarter approach with a research of recipes, I could start by having one balanced vegan meal per day. Let's just see how anyone else could've done it differently from me. At least, I could say I tried. All we can do is try with no strings attached.
