Hey hi hello! This is my official Whole30 Vegan week 3 check-in! Woah.. I am about to embark on my final week! I can’t believe it. If you missed the first 3 blog posts in this little series: Whole30 Vegan: What, Why & How , Whole30 Vegan: Week 1 and Whole30 Vegan: Week 2 be sure you go and check those out now before reading Whole30 vegan week 3 so you can get up to speed on my journey thus far! There is a full grocery list + the guidelines in Whole30 Vegan: What, Why & How and between Whole30 Vegan: Week 1 and Whole30 Vegan: Week 2 there are 2 full weeks worth of meal ideas that can help you plan some meals for your Whole30 Vegan journey! Also for day to day updates and Whole30 vegan recipes I share on the daily be sure to follow me on instagram @shaylaquinn ! 🙂

Whole30 Vegan Week 3 Overview

Okay, week 3 is done and dusted- where do I begin?! I have to say it wasn’t until this past week that I really started to settle in to this new way of eating.. and while truthfully I still think about bread/rice/snacks (lol) it is WAY less frequent, and the craving usually only lasts for a millisecond and then poof, it’s gone! I have also been craving sweets at times but not the same sweets I used to.. when I have a sweet tooth now I have been going for fresh fruit like organic blueberries, papaya or cantaloupe and I am completely satisfied (no more vegan donuts for me… for now haha) which is amazing.

As mentioned in my last post (Whole30 Vegan: Week 2 ) I started reading Body Love by Kelly LeVeque and I couldn’t put it down! I am completely obsessed with Kelly’s stance on eating overall, she is an absolute wealth of knowledge and  her book beyond resonated with me. I have been putting the things she shares in Body Love to work this past 7 days and I have noticed a HUGE difference. (if you haven’t read it yet it is a MUST READ!!!) While Body Love is not related to Whole30 in any way, there are (in my opinion) a few similarities so it has been really easy for me to adapt while still continuing on my Whole30 vegan journey; however the major difference is that Body Love is not about a diet, it’s about a sustainable long term way of eating.. which I love. Kelly is all about eating to stabilize blood sugar, which is a concept I have never explored until now. For the last 7 days I have simply committed to starting my day off with a “fab four” smoothie as outlined in Body Love and in the spirit of honesty: I have noticed the biggest difference since incorporating this into my daily routine. I am excited to continue this morning ritual and see what other changes emerge.

Whole30 Vegan Week 3 Meal Plan

This week I am not sharing a meal plan as I repeated a lot of the same meals that I already shared in the Whole30 Vegan: Week 1 and Whole30 Vegan: Week 2 blog posts! The major difference is that I am no longer tracking meals/calories as I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on portions etc. after 2 weeks of tracking. In leu of a meal plan I am going to share a general outline of how I have been eating the past 7 days, as it is infact a lot different from the 2 weeks prior!

Meal 1: Fab Four Smoothie – I have been doing 1 handful of either kale or spinach + 1-2 cups of New Barn unsweetened almond milk + 1-2 TBSP. of MCT oil or coconut oil + 2 TBSP. chia seeds + 2 scoops of Moon Juice Vanilla adaptogenic protein powder (PS: EVERYTHING is organic… always!)

Meal 2: Giant salad with vegan protein (tofu, tempah or tempeh) and I’ll usually either eat it as a regular salad in a bowl, or in a dehydrated veggie wrap or on a dehydrated “pizza” crust.. doing it in a wrap or on “pizza” crust makes it feel funky but it really just is a giant salad any way you prepare it lol 😉 I have also had chickpea pasta with steamed veggies once or twice like a little veggie pasta salad which has been really yummy too! I love the Banza chickpea pasta as it has very few ingredients and is high in protein!

Meal 3: Spaghetti squash, a roasted veggie bowl or pureed soup! There have also been few times I have just had another fab four smoothie and then some steamed veggies on the side. I swear to you the combination of protein + fiber + greens + fats is so filling and satiating, it’s crazy!

Snack: organic blueberries, papaya or cantaloupe, frozen banana with almond butter or a handful of nuts!

A few other eating habits that have changed during week 3: less fruit – rather than eating it as a meal or with a meal I have been only eating it as a small treat as needed because…..fruit=fructose=sugar=blood sugar spike=no bueno, also… I have not eaten any dried fruit, and I am doing waaaaay less snacking in general.. I truthfully have been less “hungry” throughout the day since incorporating the above mentioned  nutrient dense fab four smoothies! Now that I think of it I have been sleeping better AND waking up in the morning a lot easier too! I have noticed less bloating overall and my skin has felt smoother (which is sort of an odd thing to notice but figured I’d share it anyways haha)…. connected? I think so!

Alrighty that concludes my whole30 vegan week 3 recap! If you have any questions please feel free to leave me a comment below! Don’t forget to  follow me on instagram for day to day recipes and updates! 🙂 Hope you have an amazingggg week!! WEEK 4 LET’S DO THIS!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional! PLEASE consult a medical professional prior to adhering to this diet and this meal plan. You may have to make adjustments, or take the time to write out your own meal plan based on your health and personal needs- find what works for you, this meal plan may not work for you!I am not suggesting anyone try this I am simply sharing my experience on a Whole30 Vegan diet!