Even as a proud meat eater, I thought one week without meat wouldn’t be a big deal.
My vegan friends always brag about how the change in their diet changed their lifestyle, and, being the pessimist that I am, I was excited to finally prove to them that being a vegan is really not hard at all. So I put my theory to the test, and I decided to be vegan for one whole week. This meant I could not use or consume any meat, eggs, dairy or other animal products for seven days. The challenge hadn’t even started, and I was already declaring my victory over veganism.
Day 1
I woke up feeling like Rocky Balboa, ready to take on this challenge. I headed to the kitchen where my mom, who joined me in my challenge, was busy chopping up fruits for her morning smoothie. I watched as she opened the refrigerator and reached for the Greek yogurt, but then she paused. She turned around and a look of realization swept across her face; she remembered she was a vegan. I giggled and took my apple back to my bedroom, all the time thinking about how weak she was and that she wouldn’t last the week. By day’s end, I had not consumed any animal products, and I felt fine. The bean burrito I had at Chipotle for lunch and vegetable soup for dinner were so delicious that I started to consider converting to veganism permanently.
Day 2
Day two started just like day one ― an apple for breakfast, some guacamole and chips from Whole Foods for lunch and a salad for dinner. I was still amazed at how easy veganism was. My mom and I enjoyed reading labels and googling complicated ingredients to see if they came from animals. It made us feel like real health fanatics. I couldn’t believe that there was a time when I used to buy something without reading the ingredients.
When I saw my vegan friend in class that day, I told her how easy being a vegan is and that she exaggerates the severity of it. She gave me this sinister smile, as if she knew exactly what was about to happen.
Day 4
By day four, I started craving chocolate. A Snickers bar looked like an apple in the Garden of Eden. I knew it was forbidden because it contained milk and eggs, but just the sight of the brown package made me salivate. I found myself standing in Outtakes reading the ingredients repeatedly, trying to wish away the milk chocolate. Eventually, I mustered up enough courage to walk away and join my friends for lunch. That was an even bigger mistake. All they talked about was sushi, pizza and deli sandwiches. To be fair, I’m sure they said other things, but the only time I heard them was when they talked about food I couldn’t eat.
That evening when I got home, my mom was busy like a bee in the kitchen. She was making cauliflower risotto with mushrooms and soy crumbles. It looked and smelt divine, but I felt unsatisfied after the meal. The soy crumbles reminded me how much I missed beef, and the risotto was missing heavy cream and cheese. My mother’s culinary skills paled in comparison to the need growing in my stomach for forbidden foods.
Day 5
Day five was torture; I hated the sight of vegetables and fruits. All I wanted was a cheese pizza with a side of Snickers and bacon. Moreover, my mother was annoying me with her diligence and commitment to veganism. She bragged about how amazing she felt and looked forward to every meal. I regretted ever bringing it up to her because without her, I could cut the diet short guilt-free.
My friends even noticed the change in my mood; I was tired, groggy and extra mean to everyone. I even had dreams about meat, which my vegan friend told me happened to her during her transition, so I shouldn’t worry. That night, my mom and I went to Blaze Pizza and ordered a vegan pizza. The workers were extremely cautious. They changed their gloves before they packed on the vegan cheese and sent our pizza to the oven.
The first bite was mind-numbingly good, but as reality set in, the cheese started to taste weird and slimy. There was no juicy meat, and the lack of mozzarella could not be ignored. My mom eagerly ate every slice of her pizza as I stared into space. I started to feel sick, and before I knew it, my head was over the toilet and my pizza found its exit.
Five days into my vegan experiment, my body was reaching its limit. I’m not sure why I threw up that day, and I refuse to blame Blaze Pizza because my mom was perfectly fine after our dinner. But I knew I couldn’t last two more days. It was impossible for me to healthily finish the vegan challenge.
My mother went all week without meat and reminds me every day how life-changing the experience was. She still reads all the labels and has even vouched to only consume meat once a week. She’ll probably fully convert to veganism one day.
I, on the other hand, can’t fathom living without meat. What’s even more ironic is that the reason I started the whole vegan experiment was to prove how overrated it is. My mother turned out to be a living testimony to my failed hypothesis and ignorance. It sucks to be wrong about something, but it really sucks when your mother is a constant reminder of it.
Nevertheless, the vegan experiment taught me a lot. It made me pay attention to where my meat came from, like which farms treat their animals with dignity and which do not. It also taught me that there are delicious alternatives for food such as cauliflower risotto, which is healthier than traditional risotto. I also became hyper-aware of restaurants that did not carry a vegan menu and vowed not to eat at those restaurants.
I’m sure I went about my vegan experiment the wrong way. I was blinded by my ignorance. I didn’t do enough research, and I invited my mom to tag along, which was probably the biggest mistake. But the most important lesson that came from this was the respect I now have for all vegans. It takes an unprecedented amount of discipline and dedication to become a vegan, and that in itself is admirable. Choosing a vegan lifestyle challenges almost every preconceived notion of traditional concept of food and our relationship with animals.
Most of us have been consuming meat and using animal products since our childhood. Few of us ever question why our parents chose to feed us Gerber’s chicken and apple or reward us with an ice cream cone. Animal products are so embedded in what we call “normal” that we seldom take the time to consider any alternatives.
Yet most of us will agree that our consumption and use of animal products has led to desensitization and abuse of animals. So when someone is willing to challenge that norm and become a vegan, they’re pretty courageous. Moreover, to become a vegan and stay a vegan in a world biased to meat eaters deserves a standing ovation; kudos to all vegans and vegetarians.
