Day 2: Make Your Lunch Without Animal Products

Meatless means no flesh from an animal, so that includes pork, lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, and fish. I know you might rely on turkey and Swiss sandwiches or chicken salad or beef burritos. They're the lunches you grew up with and they may be the only foods available near your office, right? You might be wondering what the heck you're going to put on your plate if it's not meat or dairy. Please know that this is indeed a big lean, but the payoff is quite extraordinary in terms of your weight and your health -- which of course are inextricably linked.

Here's the thing: The word revolution, as defined in the dictionary, means "outside or beyond the established procedure, principles, etc." Well, the established diet of choice for the past few decades has been one full of animal protein and low on carbs, and if you look around, the population hasn't been getting any slimmer. No, in fact, we've become alarmingly obese. And if you've been swept up in this craze, or simply tried one or more of the popular diets touting success through eating anything that flies, swims, or walks, you've most likely not enjoyed great and lasting success in your weight loss endeavors.

And it's not at all your fault. Yes, you will probably lose weight on a high-protein, low-carb diet. But the weight loss comes partly from eating fewer calories because you are knocking out so much of what you normally would consume, and partly because these days eliminating carbohydrates means doing away with calorie-dense, highly-processed foods (most of which contain HFCS). Of course you lose weight when you give up cookies and cakes and doughnuts, which erroneously get lumped together, even in "good" diets like Weight Watchers, with good carbs like those from brown rice and quinoa. But eating a high-protein, low-carb diet doesn't work long term. Not only that, it wreaks serious damage to your precious body by putting a lot of stress on your kidneys; your heart also takes a beating with all that cholesterol and saturated fat.

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Below is a great recipe for a meatless lunch!

ULTIMATE BLT SANDWICH

This recipe is one of the many delicious recipes created by Dayna McLeod specially for The Lean: A Revolutionary (and Simple!) 30-Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss.

What takes this sandwich from unflavored to ultimate is the addition of the nutrient-dense avocado. This heavenly fruit has 20 essential nutrients and is a rich source of fiber. Not only does it taste wonderful, you'll be satisfied for hours.

Serves 2

Active time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 pieces tempeh bacon

4 slices sprouted-grain bread, toasted lightly

4 romaine lettuce leaves

4 slices tomatoes

6 slices ripe avocado

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons light vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise)

1. In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil and cook the bacon according to the package directions. Be sure to watch the bacon closely, as it can burn quickly. Place the cooked strips onto a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside to cool.

2. Lightly toast the bread and spread two slices with the Vegenaise.

3. Assemble as you would a BLT, adding avocado on top.

4. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

*Variation* I like to omit the vegan mayonnaise and instead spread yummy hummus on my bread.

What to Do Today:

- Eat a Hearty Breakfast

- Make Your Lunch Without Animal Products

What You'll Need for Tomorrow:

Pick at least ONE from:

Goji Berries
Chocolate (over 70 percent Cocoa, dairy free)
Chia Seeds
Blueberries
Kale

"Thanks for taking The 7-Day Lean Challenge with me! The Lean is a 30-day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss. It's designed to help you crowd out bad habits and replace them with new healthier ones. I'd love for you to join me for the whole 30-day plan. Please visit http://www.kathyfreston.com/the_lean_badges.html to preview more steps! The Lean is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bound."

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