When folks talk about vegan diets/lifestyles they almost always consider it to be either extreme or unattainable but I’m here to tell you that it isn’t. Stay with me.

I am currently enrolled in a wellness program called REBIRTH (Restore, Energize, Build, Inspire, Revive, Trust, Heal). REBIRTH is a 8-week hybrid mentorship program aimed to improve overall wellness though holistic practices.

The first step I took towards improving my health, was to address the very thing that keeps us all going, our gut. Though it was optional, I challenged myself by doing a 3-day gut cleanse. See below for my daily routine:

Before eating breakfast, I drank 8 oz. of water + 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother). ACV has many benefits and drinking it with water first thing in the morning, helps to detox your body and balance PH levels to prevent inflammation. PH is a measurement that helps determine how acidic or basic a substance is. We want to maintain a balanced PH to prevent disease and other dysfunctions in the body. Mother is a group of good bacteria that creates the vinegar.

For breakfast I drank smoothies that consisted of fruits and vegetables.

For lunch and dinner, I either drank another smoothie or ate a green salad. I ate 1 snack after breakfast and one after lunch. Some of the snacks included 2 hands-full of nuts or fruits.

As for supplements, I took super enzymes and probiotics to support a healthy digestive system.

After successfully completing the gut cleanse, I was ready to make a shift in my diet.

Although I have not gone completely vegan, I have adopted a mostly plant-based diet by incorporating aspects of the gut cleanse routine into my everyday life.

I now drink water with ACV first thing in the morning. I’ve also continued taking super enzyme, probiotics, along with my multivitamin supplement.

Here are some of the foods I’ve replaced with plant-based substitutes:

Instead of drinking cow milk with my cereal, I have replaced it with cashew or almond milk.

And, instead of eating lots of white bread, I now grab the pita bread or gluten-free wraps for my sandwiches.

Also, I now use raw honey as a sweetener opposed to processed white sugar.

Five + years ago I went cold turkey (literally), and eliminated red meat out of my diet.

For additional protein, I stuck with meats that were categorized as ‘white meat.’ (chicken, fish, turkey). As for fish, I only eat wild caught salmon or fresh local pot fish and as for chicken, I strictly consume chicken breast since it’s the leanest part of the chicken. Since I started the program, I now incorporate veggie burgers as a substitute.

I challenge you to start your journey towards a happier, healthier you. Our diet is the foundation of our physical, emotional and mental health. I encourage you adopt a plant-based diet or to begin incorporating plant-based meals into your diet. It is crucial that we fuel our bodies with the things it needs rather than the things that satisfies our palate.

Stay tuned with me as I continue my health/fitness journey and tag me on instagram to share ways in which you’re taking steps towards becoming a healthier you.