Veganuary: an honest account of a month (almost) without meat

I will go straight to the point; I did not finish Veganuary. If you measure that you do not consume any animal product between January 1st and 00:59 on January 31st at 12:59 am, which, technically, is the premise of the challenge, then I have failed. But I will not see it as a failure, not really.

While I officially retired four days earlier – January 27 (and maybe once before that for a melted cookie dessert that I do not even regret a bit) – I will always see it as a victory because Honestly, most of the time, I hardly noticed that I was doing it.

I walked into this room as a meat eater, as a cheese addict, and if I'm honest, a little skeptical vegan. Meat and fish have been a central part of my meals for 28 years and I was waiting to find the hole he left on my plate. Instead, I found myself looking for new recipes, trying new things and, despite the fact that I'm struggling at the national level, I'm starting to enjoy cooking again.

Vegan fatigue

I will not lie and say it was a complete sailing race. After the overconsumption of the holiday season, I expected a few weeks of herbal meals to provide me with energy, lighter feet and a healthier body. And yet, as the third week unfolded, I struggled to keep my eyes open.

In hindsight, I now know that it's because I have not made sure to take all the supplements you need as a vegan to make sure you replace all the vitamins and nutrients you lose when you delete products of animal origin. I naively thought that if I prepared with vegetables for four weeks, everything would be fine. I learned the hard way, I was wrong.

Just getting out of bed in the morning had become a struggle and I found myself, as a non-coffee drinker, turning to caffeine just to allow me to spend the day. But after panicking and buying a supply of B12 and iron supplements, I slowly began to feel human again and the lightness began to come.

Shopping has become a challenge

I was also not prepared for the time I would spend at the supermarket. What should have been a quick race to buy ingredients for dinner has turned into a study session of one hour label – often leaving me confused more than when I was I started.

It's been four days since the challenge ended and I did not eat meat anymore – and who knows, maybe I will not do it. I do not miss it.

In fact, many things that are labeled vegetarian are actually vegan – thank goodness, for the deep, dark corners of the vegan web that contain all the answers.

With veganism, the fastest growing food trend of the last three years and the record 250,000 people who joined me in my January challenge, one might think that brands would capitalize on their vegan products , which would avoid the trouble of trying to work. know what each ingredient is and has been in contact with animals.

Veganuary felt comfortable in my kitchen and my lunch box. I found what I liked, I kept it there and I did not let my mind think of anything else. A night of oatmeal with almond milk, avocado cookies, rye and Thai green curry plant made me happy most of the time. That's how I know that meat and dairy products are out of place in these places. But I do not think I'm ready to say the same thing about eating out – it's something I often do, whether it's for work, pleasure or laziness.

Make no mistake, the restaurants have taken giant steps in their vegan offerings in recent years, but in January, the only thing I could order on a menu was french fries. It's just not what I want to eat regularly because I have no other choice. In addition, I can not describe the pain I felt when I visited a Mexican restaurant, watching everyone around me tackle their cheese nachos mountains, while I ate my delicious fajitas with mushrooms, sour cream.

If you're wondering why I failed, it's because I left for a trip where I was served incredible food that was too difficult to refuse. I was there to write about the restaurants – Indian, Italian, Steak – and I decided to leave my veganism in Abu Dhabi, where I would get it back when I landed. Eating meat for the first time was strange, I hesitated to hesitate before taking my first bite, but the cheese made a very welcome return. Restoring yourself to normalcy – all that can mean to you – after Veganuary is definitely the way to go. I felt moody and extremely sick after the four-course lunch that I ate to meet the challenge and I could only take it to myself.

Life since Veganuary

It's been four days since the challenge is over and I have not eaten any meat in the UAE – and who knows, maybe I will not. I do not forget it, so it may be the beginning of its phasing out. Cheese, on the other hand, I can not break for the moment, but I learned that it was an old friend – the kind that can stay weeks without seeing and it looks like nothing has changed, rather than the kind who hangs out every day, trying to make bad life choices.

Yes, I have failed, and no, I am not vegan, but I have definitely made some changes for the best that, I am sure, will hold. It's easy to let veganism keep you from considering it, but if everyone made a few small changes, we'd be in a much better place.

The hights …

Vegan pizza from Freedom Pizza – infinite choice of toppings and does not leave you in a coma caused by a pizza, even if you accidentally eat it for yourself

Vegan Curry with Wagamama Katsu – so delicious and hearty that you will wonder if it's vegan

The socks …

Mayo vegan – the look, the texture and the taste are totally false

Blurred Tofu – It's bland, it's weird, and frankly, it's not eggs