30-Day Plant-based Challenge

For a whole month we are encouraging you to take a break from animal products and follow a plant-based diet for 30 days. Yep we know there are going to be some challenging times but what’s life without a few challenges, they only make you stronger in the end, don’t they?

We believe you will surprise yourself about how easy it is to adopt a plant-based diet. The Planted Life team has been following a plant-based vegan diet for the past 22 years and is thriving daily.

Keen to join the challenge but have a few reservations? We ask you, what can Planted Life do to help you prepare?  Here’s our guide to surviving and enjoying 30 days of a Planted Life:

• Don’t panic, there are plenty of foods to keep you from going hungry – it’s not what you can’t eat but what you can eat
• View foods with a different attitude, you are doing this for the environment, the animals and your health plus your not one to ever turn down a challenge
• Spend more time in your kitchen – start using those saucepans to cook up a storm
• Feel good about your decision, empower the power of plant foods and feel the difference when you nourish your body with grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits
• Veganise your favourite foods, that way you wont feel like your missing out on anything. Use TVP (texture vegetable protein) to make a bolognaise sauce, buy veggie burgers instead of beef burgers and make your pancakes sans eggs – we promise you wont taste a difference
• Be assured your body will be getting enough protein, calcium and iron if you eat a wide variety of the 4 food groups; vegetables, fruits, legumes and vegetables
• Change the way you shop; shop at organic grocers to see the best of real foods, shop weekly at farmers markets for fresh & seasonal produce
• Start making small changes now: replace dairy milk with soy or oat milks, replace butter with a dairy free spread such as nuttalex, buy tofu instead of eggs and buy coconut yoghurt in place of sheep/goat yoghurt
• Stock your cupboards with grains such as quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, cous cous and barley
• Hunt down savoury yeast flakes; this will help with any cheese cravings!
• Read the labels of the foods you buy.  See if they contain animal products and of course remember to read the nutritional panel, it’s about a change in what you eat too
• Find reassurance in the fact that you can still enjoy chocolate, ice cream, cakes and cookies – just make sure they are vegan
• Be social follow us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram @plantedlifeau for continuted inspiration and guidance
• And last but not least, if it all gets too much follow the planted life for 5 days, Monday to Friday play the joker card on the weekend and begin again on Monday

Its a lifestyle!

Going plant-based is not only about your diet but your lifestyle as well.  Your diet has a direct impact on how you feel so we hope by increasing your intake of vegetables, grains, legumes and fruit you will wake up with a different kind of spring in your step.

We also encourage for the month daily exercise whether that be a run around the park or a brisk walk, its about getting the body moving and spending more time outdoors than on the couch even in the cold winter months.

Its important that when changing your diet, you really do think about what you will be eating – planning ahead will stop you craving the vending machine for foods that a) contain animal products and b) foods that contain empty calories.  Take to work with you a handful of nuts, 2-3 pieces of fruit and remember to drink up to 2L of water a day.

If you are wondering what you will eat for the 30 days here is a recommendation for day 1:

Breakfast

• A serving muesli, granola or Bircher with coconut yoghurt and ½ papaya, 1 kiwi fruit or a handful of blueberries and raspberries
• Beverage: shot of apple cider vinegar or kombucha

Mid morning snack

• Handful raw almonds
• Pear or fruit of choice

Lunch

• Moroccan chickpea soup; Ingredients: organic vegetable stock, organic whole tomatoes, leek, celery, carrot, kale, puy lentils, chickpeas, white quinoa, spices (smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, chilli) sea salt & pepper.
• Sourdough bread

Afternoon snack

• Seaweed snack
• Turmeric latte

Dinner

• ‘Green’ dhal served with brown rice and vegetables; Ingredients: split red lentils, green lentils, vegetable stock, silverbeet, onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander), sea salt and pepper.
• Vegetables: roasted sweet potato and steamed cauliflower

Tempted?

We encourage you to get involved in the #30dayplantbasedchallenge and join the Planted Life team as we show you the deliciousness of eating a 100% plant-based diet.

Sign up here

To sign up to the challenge click here. Let the journey begin!