I haven’t shared a post like this is foreeeeeever! In the past, I would share What I Ate in a Day posts, but I found that it put me in a weird headspace, it made me feel like people were judging my diet, and then I found proof of that in gossip forums talking about how I ate too much or ate too little. So I dropped that style of post for years. I also found that other people would compare themselves in a some sort of negative way, and that’s not why I shared those posts. I shared them because I think it’s helpful for some people, it gives other people ideas of what they could eat at home, and it inspires others to try new foods. But if looking at people’s daily food intake triggers, just don’t read it. I simply want to share what my diet is looking like these days while on the Bean Protocol to hopefully help someone who is going down the same path with their health.
I started the Bean Protocol over 2 months ago and I’ve seen drastic results in 2 months. My acne is clearing up like I hoped and I’m really loving this kind of eating. For the first 2 months, I was SUPER strict. No sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine, no fat when I ate beans, etc., but now I’m being a bit more flexible with my meals. And that’s because it’s something I want to stick with long term, so I need a bit more balance. If you’re a person who is trying to heal a health issue or autoimmune disease, that flexibility might not be an option, keep that in mind. For me, it’s worked, BUT I still have had some breakouts from not being super strict. Not being as strict has helped with my mental state, but not my physical state, aka acne.
Now before we jump in, let me prepare you for BOREDOM. My meals are boring AF, especially last week when I was absolutely drowning in work. My meals are mostly comprised of leftovers because that’s all I can get together in the 10 minutes I have free. Not all weeks look like this, many others are filled with way more veggies, but it’s a good overview on how it’s averagely looked day-to-day during the Bean Protocol. Just know, I never measure or weigh anything, or even track it in full details, so you’ll see ‘spoonfuls’ or ‘handfuls’ because of that. And just FYI, I’ll be sharing a full blog post at the 3-month mark of the Bean Protocol where I’ll share a full in-depth look at my experience on it!
Below is a photo of the bean dip I’ve been LOVING lately and eating all day every day! I eat it with chips, with veggies, with meals – with everything. So when you see me mention bean dip, this is what I’m talking about!
Monday
Snack 1 – Glass of Oatly low fat oat milk
Snack 2 – Handful of plantain chips with bean dip
Breakfast – Black beans, turmeric rice, ground turkey cooked in everything but the bagel seasoning
Lunch – Black beans, turmeric rice, ground turkey cooked in everything but the bagel seasoning
Snack 3 – Handful of taro chips
Dinner – Stewed beans and steak tip hash
Tuesday
Breakfast – Black beans, turmeric rice, ground turkey
Snack 1 – 1/2 red bell pepper and bean dip
Lunch – Steak tip hash, eggs (leftover from a burrito bowl over the weekend), black beans
Snack 2 – Handful of taro chips with bean dip
Dinner – Modern Market pork grain bowl – I divided it (so I could have leftover the next day) and added black beans
Wednesday
Snack 1 – 1/2 redbell pepper and bean dip
Breakfast – Burrito (made into a bowl) at Bacon Social House (ate about 1/2-3/4 of it)
Lunch – Leftover Modern Market and couple handfuls of plantain chips
Snack 1 – 1/2 yellow pepper and bean dip
Dinner – Bean and steak tostada with chickpea tortilla (ate only 1/2 the tortilla and more of the stewed beans)
Snack 2 – Couple spoonfuls of peanut butter
Thursday
Breakfast – Black beans, turmeric rice, ground turkey
Snack 1 – 1/2 yellow pepper and bean dip
Snack 2 – Couple spoonfuls of peanut butter
Snack 3 – Handful of plantain chips
Lunch – Ground sirloin, black beans, bean dip, turmeric rice
Snack 4 – More plantain chips and bean dip
Dinner – Lentil taco pasta with some garlic dip mix in
Snack 5 – Couple spoonfuls of peanut butter
Friday
Snack 1 –Glass of Oatly low fat oat milk
Breakfast – Turmeric rice, stewed beans, bean dip
Snack 2 – Couple bowls of popcorn
Lunch – 1/2 burger with fries from Five Guys + small bowl of black beans on the side
Snack 3 – Handful of plantain chips and bean dip
Dinner – Ground beef cooked with onions, mushrooms, and lentils paired with a veggie sauté of onions, bell pepper, carrots, and zucchini
Saturday
Breakfast – Oats with leftover ground beef with lentils and a small bit of veggies
Snack 1 – 1/2 yellow pepper and bean dip
Snack 2 – Decaf oat milk latte (drank 1/2 of it) from Rivers & Roads Coffee
Lunch – Ground beef with lentils, turmeric rice, and black beans
Snack 3 – Plantain chips with bean dip
Dinner – Khao Sio from Daughter’s Thai – only ate 1/2 portion (got rice instead of noodle)
Snack 4 – Bowl of black beans with white rice
Sunday
Breakfast – Turmeric rice, leftover ground beef with lentils, and black beans
Snack 1 – Black beans with white rice
Lunch – Inside of falafel wrap with a couple bites of wrap & some fried cauliflower & broccoli from Vital Root
Snack 2 – Couple spoonfuls of peanut butter
Snack 3 -small bowl of black beans
Dinner – The other 1/2 portion from my khao sio
I hope this post gives you a little more insight into what the Bean Protocol for someone who isn’t being too crazy strict on it while still making it part of their daily life! Let me know if you have any questions below!!
Are you allowed a tumeric latte with almond milk and dash on honey
not if you’re doing the protocol super strict at first to fix any health issues
These posts are amazing! I’m preparing to start the bean protocol but I had a few questions. How long did you stay super strict on the bean protocol? And did you find you were able to ease out of the strictness as you felt better? And did the bean protocol help your mental health? Thank you again!
i stayed strict for 3 months then i began easing back a bit, mostly with not obsessing around the amount of fat in my meals with the beans then being a bit more lenient with some sugar. but i found that the more lenient i became, the more my skin acts up so i go back to more strict. nowadays i have one decaf coffee per week, but i try to be as strict as possible the rest of the time because my skin looks better and i feel better. and i definitely think it helps with my mental health!
This is so encouraging Juli! I’m 45 and STILL suffer from cystic hormonal acne. I can track my most recent horrible breakouts to mask use during this pandemic (just bought a silk mask, we’ll see if that helps) – but I too have concluded that exterior fixes are only temporary. I started on a hormonal diet protocol (Dr. Jolene Brighten’s) that focused on cruciferous veggies and seed cycling with the same goal – ridding the body of excess estrogen. I’ve also followed the paleo advice that legumes will cause inflammation, but I’m now encouraged to add beans back to my diet due to your incredible results … and because DUH! Of COURSE we should eat beans! Already feeling better.
amazing!! beans are truly the best! i hope they help you!!
Hi Julie!
This is very inspiring! Can you tell me how you prepared your oatmeal? Is there non dairy milk in it or just water, and what about a sweetener if any? Thanks! Melissa
for savory oats with the bean protocol, i would just mix a little bit of water with oats along with salt and garlic powder then just heat in the microwave!