(Make sure you read through the entire post for details on how YOU can take part in #VeganWeek and enter to win some awesome prizes!)

It’s amazing the new friends you meet in the healthy living blog world. I never would have connected with Michelle, my #VeganWeek partner in crime, if we didn’t both write about our lives.

And one of the best experiences I’ve had recently was at the Healthy Living Summit in Boston. I flew home to visit with my mom, meet bloggers and learn all about healthy living.

One of the speakers was Janel Ovrut, a registered dietitian, triathlete-in-training (now a REAL one!) and Syracuse grad. Winner, winner, tofu dinner.

Janel and I got to talk a little bit at the summit, and I took lots of notes during her presentation:

And I really appreciated her realistic, down-to-earth approach to food. Like chocolate? “Eat it,” she said. Want some wine? “Drink it!,” she said.

All in moderation.

So, when Michelle and I started brainstorming our must-have list of guest bloggers for #VeganWeek, Janel was the first person I thought of. Who better to speak about the challenges of balanced nutrition while on a vegan diet? So, I present to you, Dietitian Janel from Dine Dish Delish.

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Five years ago I switched cold-turkey (pun intended!) from a meat-eating to a vegan diet, literally overnight. I found it opened my palate to so many new foods and flavors and it was a time in my life when I really started learning about food, cooking, flavors, and the health benefits of plant-based meals. Sure I had just spent the last four years studying nutrition and getting my Registered Dietitian credentials, but this new way of eating really opened my eyes…and mouth. I adopted a veg diet primarily for health reasons, and it was an experiment I wound up sticking with. But I actually found it to be a simple swap for me since I already was a big fan of fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains, and since I was lactose intolerant, I didn’t do dairy anyway!

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to counsel clients who are also opting to switch to a vegan diet and I make sure to caution them on some veg mistakes to avoid, and clear up some misconceptions. Let me share with you some of my top talked about veggie topics:

But how do you get enough protein?

This is my favorite. Really, most Americans consume WAY too much protein and our excessive portion sizes are partly to blame. A 16 ounce steak at Outback could probably meet the protein needs for you and the bodybuilder next to you (ok maybe not quite). Too much protein does not build bigger muscles, and it’s not necessarily a good thing either as it can be damaging to your kidneys. I make sure to get plenty of protein through foods like beans, lentils, nuts, tofu, and seeds. But most people don’t know that veggies and even grains contain protein too. Look at this breakfast:

• ½ cup oatmeal – 3g
• 1 banana – 0g
• ½ cup soy milk – 4g
• 1 slice wheat bread – 3g
• 1 Tbsp peanut butter – 3g
• Total: 13g protein

That’s nearly 25% of a 150 pound healthy adult’s needs for the day, and you didn’t’ see a single bean, lentil, or block of tofu in there. It surprises a lot of people to see they can get protein from non-meat or dairy foods.

What about athletes? If we’re talking the regular runner or gym-goer, yes they have higher protein needs but not excessively higher (unless you’re an endurance athlete but that’s not what this post is about!). I do half marathons, duathlons, triathlons, and frequent the gym and yoga studio and just make sure all of my meals are balanced. The way I see it, if you’re eating a balanced diet that’s meeting your calorie needs with whole grains, plenty of fruits and veggies, and nuts, beans, seeds, etc. you’re likely meeting your protein needs. However, it’s not a bad idea to meet with a Registered Dietitian if you’re not sure, or need some guidance. And, ahem, if you’re in the Boston area, allow me to plug myself: eatwellwithjanel.com

The Unhealthy Vegan: Whether you go vegan for health or humane reasons, veggies should be an integral part of your diet. I’ve met my fair share of veg who don’t eat or like vegetables but survive on white pasta, fries, bagels, and onion rings alone (all vegan). It is also very easy to get wrapped up in vegan junk food. There is a place, in moderation, for those packaged vegan foods, but remember they’re still processed products and it’s best to focus on whole foods as much as possible. Look at the ingredient list, which tends to be pretty long. Some vegan packaged foods are chemical-containing with lots of additives. Vegans should beware that some meat substitutes or even veggie burgers contain ingredients like egg whites, cheese, and dry milk so read carefully!

When people come to me to tell me they want to go vegan, or even vegetarian, I always ask why. There are some sassy books out there (ahem, Skinny Bitch) as well as some science-y informative ones (China Study) and I just want to get a sense of where my clients are coming from, what they know, and what they don’t. I work with clients to help them plan what they’ll eat. I think if you’re going to jump into a vegan diet, it’s going to take some planning initially to make sure you’re meeting your nutrient needs. Fortunately there is a wide variety of grains, veggies and beans out there just waiting to be eaten that are so good, and so good for you!

When people ask me why I chose to go veg, I tell them it’s because I feel better eating this way, and I love how it has expanded my food and health knowledge. I will never tell them why I don’t eat animal products but rather why I do eat plant-based. As a Dietitian, I counsel meat-eaters, flexitarians and everyone in between, and keep an open mind – personally and professionally – about all ways of eating. So instead of focusing on why one might not eat meat, I focus on the benefits of eating more plant-based foods.

I also try to stay away from using the word vegan as much as possible, for a few reasons. I have nothing against the word, but for starters I really can’t say I’m ever 100% vegan – I will eat birthday cake someone made with eggs and butter (but won’t use either if I make it myself), yes I have had pizza in the past five years, and the boyfriend just loves those soy meatballs that have egg in them so they have a place in our freezer. I cook and bake vegan. But I also don’t think I need to label the way I eat. I eat foods that make me feel good. They just happen to all be plant based and void of animal products for the most part. I just eat. And I love to educate people by telling them what I DO eat, instead of what I don’t. Want to know? Check out my blog Dine Dish Delish to find out what I eat, how I cook, and more!

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Isn’t she fantastic? I strongly encourage you to check out her blog for great recipes, photos and more. And you can also follow Janel on Twitter.

Speaking of…here’s some exciting information:

• Follow me on Twitter here and Michelle on Twitter here.
• Use the hashtag #VeganWeek in your tweets about this adventure, or your own vegan-minded thoughts!
• Check out my page of Vegan Week stories here and Michelle’s here.
• Healthy Ashley did a great guest post on Michelle’s blog. Check it out – love her!
• Tomorrow, I’ll have a guest post on vegan baking from Angela of Oh She Glows, along with a Glo Bakery giveaway you won’t want to miss!
• On Thursday, I’ll have an interview with vegan triathlete (and super-hottie) Brendan Brazier, who makes the Vega products we all know and love so much.

Those are just some of the things that are rocking my vegan face off. And, what’s that? You want to take part? You want to win a cool prize? Read on, my friends:

On Thursday, November 19, we are asking that you devote one or all of your meals to being vegan. We just kindly ask if you could link back to either my blog or Michelle’s when you make your posts about Vegan Week. We will be compiling a list of all who participate throughout the day, on our blogs under the ‘VeganWeek’ tabs. If you could make sure to either send us the link and/or leave it in the comment section of the ‘Vegan 4-A- Day’ official post on Thursday then we can give you proper accolades.

If you know of any other friends, bloggers or not, who are up for the challenge…spread it around! Everyone who takes part will have a chance at a really cool prize — details of that to come soon!