“WHAT?!” I exclaimed. I’d been thinking it would be fun to do, but never said anything aloud. Never in a million years did I think he’d want to do it, too. My boyfriend, Aaron, and I were watching a documentary about 3 random people in New York who were challenged to become vegans for 6 weeks. A vegan is someone who does not consume (or use) animal or dairy products; they abide strictly by a plant-based diet. The documentary, Vegucated (well worth a look, and it’s on Netflix!), follows these people on their journey to the grocery store, to the kitchen, and to their understanding of veganism based on the education they receive. It’s funny, enlightening, and informative.
About halfway through the documentary, he suggested it would be something fun to do together. Uhhhhhhh, let me give you a little insight. This truly Southern Louisianan wanna-be Coloradoan lives on a diet of bread, potatoes, pasta, ice cream, pizza, hamburgers…you get the picture. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great cook. Here’s the kicker: he hates vegetables! And not just a little bit. Hence, my reaction: “WHAT?!”
I do my best to be mindful of what I eat for the most part, but have a wicked weakness for ice cream/frozen yogurt, seafood, and cheese….not together.
But, there you have it. Based on his suggestion, from March 11 to April 11 we will be completely vegan. No meat, no eggs, no dairy (which means no cheese, which is a horrible, horrible thing). No animal products of any kind. Thank Mother Nature I can still have coffee! During the next week we will do a weigh in, do ‘before’ pics, get our blood drawn to check cholesterol levels (and maybe a few other things), go grocery shopping, find recipes, and mentally prepare. I’ll go ahead and add the disclaimer that we’re not doing this to lose weight. We’re doing this as an adjustment to our lifestyle and eating habits. It’s going to be quite the challenge, especially since we’ll be in different states for part of the time, making it harder to keep each other in check and resist a bacon cheeseburger or some frozen yogurt supreme goodness. I was also banking on Aaron doing the majority of the cooking, I’m not exactly kitchen savvy – usually anything that could go wrong, will. I did take the liberty to order a vegan cookbook, though, mostly because I liked the name of it. Whether or not I actually attempt to make one of the recipes is a different matter.
I’ve never thought about going vegan before. Ever. But things change, and I do love a good challenge. If you’ve thought about it, or even if it’s the most ludacris idea and furthest of your food desires, I encourage you to watch the documentary or do some reasearch on veganism. Afterward, if something has peaked your interest and you’re so inclined (I might be pushing it), join us on this challenge and journey. Even if it’s just for a week. Or even a day. We’d love to hear about your experiences! I will be posting weekly updates on here, as well as on my personal blog.
My goals for this personal challenge:
- Become more familiar with the vegan/vegetarian community
- Gain an appreciation for a strict plant-based diet
- Actually cook a few recipes from the cookbook
- DON’T CHEAT
- Be an inspiration (hopefully) for those interested in trying it
- Learn – I feel like this will be happening a lot
- Have fun!
If any of you have already taken the plunge to veganism and have any advice, suggestions, and favorite recipes, please help us! We will most certainly need it.
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