Massachusetts Daily Collegian

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A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Lessons I learned when I tried veganism

Here is my beef with Veganism
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(Courtesy of the ‘Popsugar’ facebook page)

I never thought I’d hear myself say I’d go vegan… even if it was for just a week. I am the total opposite of a vegan: I love ice cream, wings and literally anything barbeque. Although growing up I had always eaten pretty healthily—making sure I ate fruits and vegetables—I still loved meat and dairy.

But coming to college, it’s natural to go through body changes, and I put on a few pounds since I’ve been at school, so I decided to make a change. Why not go vegan for a week and detox myself? Flush everything out and maybe even lose a few pounds?

Much easier said than done.

First of all, do your research! I neglected to do this in the beginning, and it came back to bite me. Since I’m on campus, I eat in the dining halls. I don’t have to go grocery shopping or cook, which is a plus for me. On my first day, I ate a black bean quesadilla with guacamole and a few slices of pineapple. Since my body isn’t used to this intake, I was still hungry afterward, so I decided to have some cereal. I ate Cheerios with almond milk, not knowing at the time that Cheerios aren’t vegan. They contain vitamin D3, which comes from sheep. I didn’t beat myself up about it, but noted to myself to do my homework if I really want to commit to this.

With that being said, I realized there are so many more restrictions than I thought, especially when you’re living on a college campus. I found out I couldn’t even have pasta, because it’s usually cooked with eggs. So day one, I was crazy hungry all day, only snacking on granola bars, fruit and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I was determined to get through it, especially since I decided I would write about it.

Continuing on throughout my week of veganism, days two and three were the toughest. I felt completely drained. I had absolutely no energy, and even though I slept for a good amount of hours, I felt like I didn’t sleep at all. My stomach was constantly growling from hunger, and I couldn’t concentrate on my homework. During these few days, I wanted to quit my challenge- quitting was the easiest option. But I kept powering through, and it got easier. I got my energy back, I wasn’t hungry all the time anymore and my mind wasn’t constantly thinking about food. On top of it all, I physically felt good. I was eating tons of fruits, vegetables and drinking a lot of water and I felt great.

I started to see the changes in my body once it fully transitioned to the new diet. I was getting a lot of compliments on my skin, which seemed to be clearing up, I never felt bloated and I had plenty of energy to get through my extremely busy days. I even lost two inches off my waist at the end of the week!

Finishing up my week, I am really proud that I finished my challenge. What I can conclude from this short veganism lifestyle is to definitely do your research before you commit to such a huge change to your body, and don’t sweat the small things—especially on campus. At first, it was difficult because I felt very limited by my food options, but as the week went by, I became much more open-minded and more willing to try new things.

 

Isabel Marseille can be reached at [email protected].

 

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  • M

    Michael CohenFeb 28, 2018 at 7:56 pm

    Nature is the best laboratory and human history is the longest running dietary study extant. If veganism were at all fitting or proper for humans it would be reflected in the natural world. In fact there are no naturally occurring human vegan cultures ANYWHERE. Life absorbing life to sustain itself is a primary function of the natural world. Committed veganism is not about ethics or compassion. It is about self hating humans using a plant based diet, the exact opposite of The diet that allowed us to evolve into humans, to mentally, emotionally and above all physically flagellate themselves and those around them.

    Reply
    • R

      RMar 1, 2018 at 2:15 am

      funny you should say that considering that human ancestors were tree-dwelling frugivores for far longer than we have been meat eaters (as reflected in Genesis 1). sorry you don’t know anything about committed veganism and that you feel so defensive and upset by it that you need to project your self-hatred onto others! veganism is better for your health, for the planet and for the countless animals that suffer needlessly for human appetite….the only nutrient that is tricky is b12. like the author, before her ever so brief experiment, you should have done some more research before spewing forth your opinion.

      wonder why there is so much vegan-bashing going on in DC lately. are there no vegans on campus who can speak for themselves? i feel like there must be plenty…. or is it just that no one cares about this paper?

      Reply