A day in the life of an experimental vegan.
6 weeks ago, I became a vegan. DUN DUN DUN.
Don’t worry meat-eaters, this isn’t a lifetime thing (I don’t think…). I’m just in the midst of a two-month long vegan experiment. And you know what? I’m actually loving my plant-based vegan lifestyle. Under the watch of Skylar Griggs, I’ve squashed all worries of not getting enough protein and am actually eating a ton of food, AND I’ve even lost weight (which was part of the plan btw, based off my test results from Inside Tracker and Cenegenics).
So you’re probably wondering…what does a former meathead-gone-vegan eat on a daily basis? How on earth does this former meathead-gone-vegan get all the protein she needs? Which bar will this former meathead-gone-vegan turn to instead of her beloved Quest bars? The answer my friend, lies in my Instagram.
I present to you, a day in the life of eating for a former meathead-gone-vegan.
6AM: Pre-workout
Generally 2 clementines, a banana or a piece of toast with some coconut oil based buttah. Sorry, these things are not Insta-worthy.
8-9AM: Post-workout
I try to get the highest amount of protein in this meal because #gains (I should say #gaines but I won’t, though I kind of just did.) At the start of The Vegan Experiment, I went to GNC and tried to find myself a good plant-based protein powder. My goal was to try to find something that was high in protein, low in carbs & fat but didn’t taste like grass. I settled on Sunwarrior, vanilla flavor. It has subtle tastes of grass. That’s what I used here in my post-workout smoothie bowl.
For the record, after a few weeks with Sunwarrior, I got myself a package of Vega Sport to see what all the fuss is about and lemme tell you, that shit is good. Turned my smoothie green which I wasn’t expecting (the power itself is white) but it’s delicious and has zero notes of grass.
On other occasions, when I don’t gone home after my workout, I make myself overnight proats or I’ll head to a coffee shop and first get myself some sort of iced soy latte (giving me quick sugar and some protein) and then I’ll follow it up with toast and avocado. If I don’t have toast & avocado in the morning, I’ll usually find a way to squeeze it in at some other meal of the day. The obsession is real.
A photo posted by Sarah Gaines on
It’s safe to say breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, here are some other post-workout breakfasts I’v enjoyed…
A photo posted by Sarah Gaines on
11:15AM Pre-Cyc
I’m a Cycologist at Cyc Fitness Boston (come ride with me!) and usually teach the 12pm classes. So somewhere between 11-11:30, I grab myself another piece of fruit. Maybe a shot of espresso if I need some added energy.
2PM Post-Cyc
I need carbs and protein post Cyc…I’m usually hangry. This meal usually consists of some sort of grain (quinoa, brown rice or cous cous), some sort of bean (black or chick pea – is a chick pea a bean??), lots of greens, lots of veggies, and some sort of dressing (guac, hummus, or olive oil). Ginny, the 7YO I babysit always asks, “Why do you eat salad EVERY DAY?!” Because it’s delicious and damn good for me Ginny! That’s why.
A photo posted by Sarah Gaines on
And sometimes if I’m really hangry, I’ll get Chipotle.
A photo posted by Sarah Gaines on
If I’m not teaching that day, I have the same sort of lunch…just an hour or so earlier.
PS: Don’t go double beans at Chipotle. Learned that the hard way.
3/4PM Snack
I don’t stay full for very long. A few hours after I eat, I generally start to get hungry again so I have myself a little snack. I’ve become a huge sucker for D’s Naturals No Cow Bars. Consider them the vegan version of Quest Bars. They have essentially the same exact amount of protein and carbs (including fiber). Fat is even a little bit lower on the No Cow Bars. My favorite flavors are the Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Crunch & Raspberry Truffle. No photo evidence for you but trust me on it.
7/8PM Dinner
One of my favorite dinner stapes is the same ingredient you can find in this meal. It racks in 25g of protein per serving and tons of fiber along with it. I generally use it as my base and top with veggies, of course.
A photo posted by Sarah Gaines on
Other frequent dinners are generally similar to my lunches…salads, grains and veggies.
Or sometimes I go for tapas instead 😉
It’s been surprisingly easy to go out to eat, most restaurants have at least one vegan option on the menu or a few that I can at least modify to fit my needs. Thank god sangria is vegan.
A photo posted by Sarah Gaines on
9/10 PM: Dessert
Sometimes (most of the time) I get hungry one last time before bed so I have myself half a Complete Cookie and maaaaybe top it with some nut buttah.
Follow me on and Snapchat to see how the rest of #TheVeganExperiment pans out!
Check out these articles too:
What Happens When A Meathead Goes Vegan
Why I’m Going Plant Based
Follow My Whole 30 Journey
What You Need To Know About The New FDA Nutrition Labels
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