30 Days Without Red Meat and Pork: Practical Tips for a Healthier You

A few things are changing in my life right now. The moment you realize you can no longer do what you used to do is humbling. Physical limitations creep in, food choices have to shift, and one day you look up and you’re in perimenopause, and things feel like they go to a whole other level.

My dietary choices have been changing for years now. So, when a new challenge presents itself, it’s a little difficult to make changes because it presents another lifestyle adjustment, but it doesn’t scare me off. During my research of perimenopause, I’ve noticed that it can be common for a  woman’s blood panel/profile to shift. Things like cholesterol, LDL, and HDL can seemingly go from good to not so great without any notice. I typically do my lab work annually, and decided to adjust my eating habits in order to see if there were any significant changes in my profile.

Since I know red meat and pork are higher in saturated fat, I decided to eliminate my consumption of these things to see if they made a difference. This was a hard because one, I love a good hamburger! I mean a ground beef burger. And two, I’m a Chicago Pizza lover. Sausage and cheese on my pizza please. I knew I had to have a plan for 30 days, and that required me sitting down and making a menu. My chances for success are better when I map things out as best as I can. I focused on turkey, chicken, vegetarian, and occasional seafood dishes. Some things just required making a simple swap like using ground turkey for tacos, instead of ground beef, and finding new recipes to try like Thai basil chicken, added something new and delicious to my rotation.

I had to plan in other ways like traveling and holidays. How in the world did I manage to start this challenge when the Fourth of July would be happening? Well, I just ate barbecue chicken and I was ok. Traveling was different because a lot of places I had to wait until I knew where we were eating before I could look at a menu. I actually survived a trip to Chicago, and enjoyed Chicago pizza with turkey sausage, and I loved it.

The point here is with a plan you can hit those goals you set and not feel restricted. I’m still going strong more than two months later, and I haven’t decided when I will allow myself to enjoy a little of each just yet. I’ll check my blood work again to see if I notice any changes as well. I included a list of a few items I made during my 30 days of no red meat or pork challenge, but if you want the full menu, just let me know and I’ll get it to you.

30 Days No Red Meat or Pork Challenge Sample Menu Items

1. Tacos using ground turkey

2. Skillet Chicken

3. Spicy Meatball Subs

4. Turkey Chili

5. Chicken Lettuce Wraps