The Beginning

Why on earth would I, of all people, go vegan?

Well here is a basic outline of my diet: hot wings, cereal, eggs, anything beef, Chinese takeout, beer, soda, chicken, Mexican food, cheese anything, candy of all kinds, definitely chocolate, loads of starches, etc, etc, etc. 

But, at the end of my first year of graduate school, I had packed on even more weight and broken my own record of my highest weight. Though this led to a few tears, it did not phase me. However, last week, I went shopping and I could not fit in any clothes that were supposed to be my size.

That. Was. The. End.

I told James that he and I were going on a diet.

But, I didn't know what kind of diet or how or anything. There's hundreds, maybe thousands, of types of diets... all with their own rules and shortcuts and flaws and expensive books or videos to follow. I needed something that was grad-student-budget, easy, and strict. I didn't want any shortcuts.

Then James' sister, Gina, mentioned that she went vegan because of the strict rules. No meat, no dairy, no eggs, no fish. Absolutely none.

I realized that this was the kickstart I needed and the diet that I should try.

So, here I am before the beginning of my vegan experiment... in a weight class designated for small sumo wrestlers, racked with frequent headaches, weird swelly ankles, constant breakouts, occasionally crippling moodswings.

Yes, I am happy. I am happy because I am with my best friend in the whole world, James. Despite all the flaws I see in myself, he will still say that I am the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

But, I don't see myself this way. And I want to! More than that, I want to FEEL like that. So, I decided we would try this vegan thing for one month, just to see we feel at the end.

And so begins our one month experiment with the vegan lifestyle!