Belated update

I am completely sorry for being so crap at giving updates to my veganism. We are now 17/28 days down and I can't honestly say I have struggled to this point.

Last week I lived at the office, and the team ate take out 3 out of 5 nights last week. I sat on the sidelines for the consumption of Thai, some tasty looking Pizza, and an array of food from Deliverance, and while epically jealous (the Chilli Beef looked tasty) I didn't waver at any point. I was however forced to eat another bland vegan sandwich one evening, I skipped dinner completely on the second night opting to eat at 11pm when I got home and on the third night came Deliverance, or not. Great I thought, somewhere I can order food from, perfect! Surely from the globally diverse and extensive menu I would find something. The answer is my friends, not. I couldn't guarantee that anything I thought might be safe was, and of course nothing was marked "suitable for vegans" (more on that topic in a separate post).

Noodles looked pretty safe but most have some egg in somewhere, a salad - a vegan favourite, but all came with meat/cheese/dressing that ruled it out, the vegetarian stir fry (again with the noodles), it was finally narrowed down to some steamed bok choi and a side of steamed rice, a bland sandwich was looking suddenly more appealing. Fortunately Tesco around the corner has just (last week was the first time I have noticed) the "Pick Me" range of vegetarian ready meals - some of which are vegan. So while not comfort eating a double cheese burger at 10pm (7 hours before I finally left the office on Wednesday) with chunky fries dipped in mayo I at least ate something which tasted vaguely like real food.

And tasting vaguely like real food is I think the problem with being Vegan. Finding things to eat when out is borderline impossible unless going to a Veggie specialist restaurant, and even cooking at home is, in truth, beige. Yes, I am eating more fresh vegetables than usual, more beans, more pulses and more fruit, but there is a lack of flavour in my diet. To make fairly boring food interesting I find myself currying and chilli-ing more than I would normally.

That said there are some surprising places that it is possible to live 'normally' to be spontaneous - to not have to plan every meal days in advance. If I didn't live in one of the busiest and most diverse cities in the world I think this would be more difficult.

Stock Favourites and lifesavers over the last three weeks have included:
White Americano with Soy (at all good coffee shops).
Hummus and Roasted Vegetable wrap (Starbucks - good for hangovers)
The 'Dairy Free' range from the Crussh chain of cafes.
Bagels with baked beans (the post lash hangover cure - a poor man's bacon butty)
Divine 70% Dark Chocolate
Fruit Smoothies with Soya yogurt (every morning for breakfast)
Walkers Salt and Vinegar Crisps
Tyrrles crisps
Pick Me! Ready meals for working late

One week in

Apologies all, I have been remiss this week and neglected to make any blog posts. Work has been a bit crazy, and I have been spending a lot more time in the office than I was expected.

It's going very well, I am still on the wagon, and the withdrawl hasn't been too bad. The tough thing this week has been working late. I have been nice and organised and taking lunch to work every day (more accurately Ruth has been some kind of Vegan domesticated goddess cooking dinner and ensuring that the freezer is well stocked with portions to take to work for lunch).

I was in the office until 0045 on Monday night but nipped to Tesco around the corner and bought a Vegan Hummous Salad sandwidch which has to be blandest, dryest thing I have ever eaten, I won't be returning for one of those in a hurry.

and so it begins...

I have now been Meat and Dairy free for 10 hours, this is easy! I had a bacon sarnie for breakfast, and a last supper of meat pie for lunch and duly took myself off for Tubathon weigh in. Nothing animal shall pass my lips now until 1300 on the 6th of Feb.

This afternoon was easy... had a meeting and stuck to sparkling water rather than black coffee, and then on to a drinks reception after the event. I couldn't really be sure if the drinks being handed around were vegan friendly, but a quick google from my phone took me to www.veggiewines.co.uk which told me the Champagne on offer was safe , at least if nothing else I can substitute meat with Fiz, that should keep my spirits up.

Beans on home made vegan bread for tea. This really isn't too hard... for now.

http://www.justgiving.com/nickvarney

The 28 day Vegan

Lets get this straight from the kick off... I like meat, I like cheese, I like milk, I like eggs, I like these things combined and I like them in fairly large quantities.

So why would a man who is a committed omnivore decide to go Vegan for 28 days. I have long been a member of the Facebook group "For every animal you don't eat, I am going to eat three", I am hardly a prime candidate for Veganism.

This started back in mid December. I noted that things have been so crazy at work recently, and that with the run up to Christmas I had gained a lot of weight. We have an annual charity weight loss in January, and somebody suggested that as I was going to do that, I should follow the latest celeb diet. " Oprah is raving about it. Go Vegan! Get sponsored to do it!"
Foolishly I said why not and committed myself to what, I have no doubt, is going to be 28 days of hell, but it's for the NSPCC and Cancer Research so probably worth while.From midday on January 9th until midday on February 6th nothing that can be classed as an animal product will knowingly pass my lips. I say knowingly - which seems a nice get out - because you wouldn't believe what you can hide animal derivatives in.

Below is a short list of things that I can and cannot consume:
OUT

• Meat & Fish (I was shocked to find this came from animals!);
• Dairy: Yoghurt, Cheese, Milk, Eggs etc.;
• Condoms: Latex ones at least as these use dairy produce in their production;
• Various beer/wine due to the way it's filtered when fermenting;
• Quorn - contains Milk and Egg powder.

...and of course anything that contains any combination of the above. Thus, sadly, my preferred dinner of Chicken a la Durex is out.

IN

• Lentils, Chick Peas, Barley, Pulses and other bean type ingredients;

• Textured Vegeable Protine (it's like an even more unappetising Quorn);
• All alcoholic spirits;
• Soya - in milk, block, whey and all other forms possible.

IN (but really pure vegans would debate this)

• Refined sugar - bleached using small amounts of animal bone ash. This will be out in granulated form - but where it is included in things it wont prevent me from eating it.
• Honey.

So there we go - check back for regular updates, and no doubt after 4 days of lentils for every meal amusing flatulence stories, and go and sponsor me!

http://www.justgiving.com/nickvarney