Once upon a time, for a few solid months,
I went completely vegan. It was really hard, partly because I was always craving cheese and partly because my husband still eats meat and dairy, so planning meals at home was exhausting.
Since those clean-eating months, I've reintroduced dairy into my diet. First it started with milk chocolate and cupcakes, and then cheese, then yogurt.
Don't get me wrong, I still believe in eating a plant-based diet. But in my vegan adventure I learned a few things:
1. Vegans aren't weird. They eat the same things as other people do, just without meat or cheese.
It's not that weird.
2. The first time I went vegetarian a few years ago, I ate so much cheese, eggs and milk-based products I didn't make much room for fresh foods. The difference in how my body feels when I overload on dairy versus when I stick to my goal servings is incredible. Dairy can weigh you down, can't it?
3. My body isn't meant to consume multiple servings of dairy. Since cutting dairy completely out of my diet, I don't feel like I have to depend on it. I try to cap it to one serving of dairy a day, except for days like today where I ate a million pieces of cheese and pineapple pizza.
4. I don't understand the aversion to eating vegetarian or vegan food. When I pick up foods or order out, I have no problem eating something vegan. At the end of the day, it's still food and it still tastes good. I work in a male-centric office and if I had a penny for every time someone my beef head coworkers made a comment about vegetarian food, I probably wouldn't have to work.
5. Eating fruits and vegetables is actually pretty cheap.
6. Soy milk, almond milk and coconut milk taste a whooollllle lot better in cereal than plain ol' boring blah cow's milk.
