Upon reflection of how this inquiry into veganism went, I would say it did not end up where I believed it would. I had hoped to be 210 pounds of pure lean muscle-powered solely on a plant-based diet… well this was not the case I did although I learned a lot about cooking and about my body.
I found that cooking vegan meals was much more affordable. Substituting tofu or beans for meats is about 10 dollars difference. Switching from regular milk to soy or oat milk cost roughly the same. Margarine from butter is roughly the same.
I found that cutting down my meat intake leads me to feel better and my digestive system feels better also. Although I did not go completely vegan the increase in plant-based foods made my alopecia much better. I found fewer spots and less hair loss in the spots that I did find. I also found that my skin was much less greasy and that my skin cleared up. When I would eat red meat on occasion I would breakout and feel unhealthy.
I think that veganism is a wonderful idea but requires full commitment. I was unable to maintain the diet as I did not perform meal preparation in advance. I found that a vegetarian diet or a pescatarian diet would be easier to maintain. I found that ensuring I had enough protein was a major concern of mine throughout the process. I did eat much less junk food during this time because I found I was constantly thinking about what I was putting in my body.
If I were to suggest to someone how to conduct a similar inquiry-based learning experience, I would recommend planning. Plan out each meal for the week and stick to it and adjust accordingly. Also, ensure that you do not share groceries with someone who is not on the same diet. My dad would buy groceries for us and it is mostly meat products despite his knowledge of my inquiry. I also believe that just making sure it is a realist goal, to begin with, is important. Had I chosen pescetarian at the beginning I would have been able to maintain that diet I believe.
Thank you for following this journey!
Until next time,
Ari Stevens