Response post #1
After reading my friend Allison’s blog post and talking to her in class, I have decided to try veganism for a month. Allison’s blog post encouraged me to sign a 30 day pledge with PETA. Today I have completed 7 days of my animal-product free diet, and it has been an amazing experience.
I was a vegetarian for ten years, so I feel this alternate diet is not that foreign to me. I never was a big fan of meat. As a child I rarely asked for meat; I always enjoy bread, potatoes, and veggies. In the fourth grade my best friend’s family were vegetarians, so I decided I wanted to be one too. I swore off all meat until my freshman year in college.
When I went to college, vegetarianism was not easy, at all! I ate pizza and french fries everyday, due to lack of food options. After gaining 15 pounds my first year of college, I decided I needed to expand my diet. Since freshman year, I have added fish, chicken, and turkey to my diet.
This decision to try veganism didn’t happen overnight. It has always interested me, and it is like one step further than something that I was able to accomplish for ten years. Being a vegan would mean I would not only avoid all meats, I also could not eat anything made with dairy products or eggs. I have been exposed to veganism a lot recently, because there are quite a few people who I work with that are vegans. I knew this is something difficult that I wanted to try, because like Allison expressed in her blog, I share the same issue of a LOVE for cheese.
I had quite a few friends doubt that I could do this. So, it has definitely encouraged me to go through with it. On March 31st I did an extensive, $220 worth, grocery shopping at Whole Foods to accommodate my new lifestyle. April 1st I became a vegan!
I have been keeping a journal of my challenges and rewards of being a vegan. I am also tracking the recipes of the vegan meals I have cooked and hopefully will continue those habits when I convert back. And, I have been recording what restaurants I have been eating at and the vegan options they have. I will have to update you all when my 30 days are complete. Thanks Allison for giving me that extra push to experiment with this healthier diet 🙂
Fabulous-n-Favored 