I was a vegetarian for 5 years and I enjoyed it immensely. It never felt like I was depriving myself or that my dietary issue: not eating meat, was problematic for the people around me. Being a vegan was not the same. In fact, even though I prepped for almost two months before doing the challenge, the Vegan Challenge was ROUGH! Some things that I discovered:
1.) There is honey in everything. Why are vegans so rigid? The bees don’t give a sh$t about us eating their honey. Geez! I couldn’t just pick up a protein bar. I had to go to Whole Foods or Alfalfa’s both natural grocers in order to get pick a vegan protein bar.
2.) I couldn’t eat enough. Everyday my poor friend and colleague would hear several times a day, “I’m hungry” I just couldn’t stay full. Don’t ask if I ate beans, tofu, etc. Of COURSE I did! If veganism is more expensive it’s because you are never full and keep needing to buy food to get you through the day.
3.) The first two weeks were AMAZING. I had so much energy…then, I didn’t. Wow. I crashed pretty hard the third week. And ate incessantly. It was almost like I had a tapeworm.
4.) I didn’t loose any weight. Probably because I didn’t have any energy to exercise
5.) I spent around $300 on food related expenses. This includes: groceries, going to get coffee, one dinner out and lunch and a snack on Friday. This is the same amount that I normally spend on food expenses.
6.) I could never be a Vegan full-time. But, if I were stranded on an island I would be able to survive on coconuts and all of the vegetable items that I foraged without having to turn to eating my fellow castaways. Then, I would be able to hunt the little creatures on the island as well as in the sea. I would survive the longest if I were a contestant on Survivor.
7.) My friends, family, and colleagues were so great and supportive! With me whining about how hungry I was-every single day. They just listened and didn’t say anything because they didn’t know why I would do this to myself! Had to say this twice!
8.) Americans eat WAY too much meat. It’s clear that we don’t need to eat meat every single meal. I felt great for the first two weeks and would have felt even better if I had a steak at the end of week two. Then, I would have been fine eating vegan for the next two weeks.
9.) There are a lot of cheese and meat combinations in our food. Check out the menu of your favorite restaurant. You will be amazed to see how many cheese and meat combos are out there!
10.) Life is too short. I will continue to eat a diet pretty low in chicken, red meat, and fish. But, the vegan diet is so restrictive that it was annoying. I would get angry from time to time. And those glowy, thin, yoga vegans who were like “You will get over the cravings after two months” really pissed me off. If I go to someone’s house I don’t want to tell someone who has prepared me a lovely meal that I can’t eat what they offered me. It’s just rude. Also, I like going to happy hour. I love proscuitto, manchego cheese, olives, lamb, bison, and a glass of wine. However, too much of a good thing is bad.
11.) I spent the same amount of money on food expenses. So, anyone who thinks that being a vegan or vegetarian is expensive I would disagree.
12.) You have to be so freakin’ organized! I normally carry snacks with me and bring my lunch. I had to make sure that I brought snacks with me everyday! No slacking.
13.) There is a clear tie in to personal finance. Vegans are so disciplined! They have to say no or avoid certain food situations everyday. I will apply the discipline that I used to stick with the Vegan diet and apply it to my financial life. The fact that I was able to achieve this goal was huge.
14.) I have a huge amount of respect for people who follow the Vegan lifestyle. They are self-righteous because they are hungary and their poop doesn’t stink. Really.
Some final thoughts
- I support sustainable practices and am very uncomfortable with how our food is mass produced. Producing our food in the way that we are makes life simple-but, it’s making us unhealthy and shortening our lives. There is a middle ground and I am trying to find it.
- If I am cooking for myself I will continue to eat vegetarian/vegan in my home for the majority of the week.
- I need at least one or two pieces of high quality meat a week. Hopefully, it’s at happy hour. With a glass of wine.
- I’m not a quitter. So many people said that they would quit if they were doing this. The way you deal with challenges says a lot about you. I wanted to quit, several times. I didn’t and I’m glad that I stuck with this. Maybe I won’t quit when I undertake my debt repayment plan which is a painful and uncomfortable process.
- Vegan food is quite delicious-when I make it! HAHA. Really, I loved the taste of what I was eating and if I were able to stay full, I would probably stick with the diet a little longer. I just couldn’t stay full.
- I won’t do this challenge again 🙂 But, I’m glad that I did it!
Have you undertaken a food challenge. Why? Did you successfully complete it? Were people supportive or did they tease you while eating what you weren’t supposed to eat-in FRONT of you?
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I’ve never done a specific food “challenge” but there was a time when I wasn’t eating red meat, but that was also before I got to be more athletic and my coaches encouraged me to eat more protein. I probably could never give up meat entirely, but could cut back from the amount I’m eating now and turn to more beans. I’m also pretty sure I could be vegetarian (probably not vegan) if someone cooked it for me. I’m just the laziest cook ever. Good for you for completing this challenge!
I will never do it again! But, I am glad that I’ve tried it once. Towards the end it was like a scene out of a bad t.v. show. I was a hot mess.