I am a vegan and trust me, I know what you are all thinking. When I talk to people about the benefits of a vegan lifestyle I hear things like, “I have a hard enough time eating vegetables as it is” or “where will I get my protein from?” Possibly the most common reaction of all is, “but milk gives me strong bones, I don't want to have osteoporosis!” or “I can't possibly give up cheese or meat." Living in a state that thrives off of the dairy industry can make the concept of adopting a vegan diet seem almost impossible. However, I can promise you that it really is possible regardless of your location. I can even promise that it is possible for college students, whose most common reaction is “I can't even come close to affording that, I'm so broke!"

These are all common thoughts that float around in people's heads, especially in a college student's. The truth is that the world is full of misconceptions. The problem with misconceptions is that they prevent people from trying something they might want to, even if it's against the social norm. Let's face it, we live in the Midwest and we've always been fed brats and deep fried cheese curds. I don't know about you, but just because I was raised on it, doesn't mean I need to live the rest of my life in that fashion.

It wasn't exactly easy becoming a vegan, but I'm here to make life easier for those who would like to adopt the lifestyle. The headaches I went through when I first began were awful. It's a little messed up to think that I was going through withdrawals due to of all the hormones pumped into the meat I was consuming. It was also hard because I had no idea what I was doing when it came to adopting a vegan lifestyle. I cannot emphasize this enough, find recipes and use them! I frequently reference "The Thug Kitchen". I thoroughly enjoy the BBQ bean burritos with grilled peach salsa, and my non-vegan girlfriend does as well (we just turned them into salads as well). In my opinion, good recipes are the difference between backing out or diving in.

However, I would like to focus more on the positives of my vegan diet. I couldn't stop losing weight! It was actually a problem, I'm not trying to flaunt my fake problem in someone's face, like when your friend complains to you about all of their free time when you're swamped with everyday activities. I want people to understand just how much my body was detoxing itself, which is also a little messed up to think about. I never feel lethargic after a meal. The amount of energy I have after I eat and throughout the day is unbelievable, my roommates have to remind me that "not all of us can be so energetic in the morning," but we actually all can. Recovery isn't a problem either. I'm a firm believer that the only reason I can train for triathlons and lift weights six days a week is because of my diet. I'm not just saying this to try to be convincing, I'm simply presenting facts. Look up "domzthompson" on Instagram, he is an ultra-marathon runner, triathlete, and a bodybuilder.There are plenty of other plant-powered athletes as well who claim that their diet helps them perform and recover better.Even better, I am helping the world everyday.Producing meat and dairy has an enormous impact on the environment, I recommend watching "Cowspiracy"on Netflix, it does a lot more justice to the numbers than I will be able to even begin to tell you about.

Being a vegan can be easily attained in the Whitney Dining Center at UW-L as well, granted it won't be as easy as when you live off campus, but there are plenty of vegan options. Just be sure to look at the food information to make sure it is vegan.You might have to purchase a complete vegetable protein powder, such as RawFusion if you believe you might not get enough protein and at it to one of your meals. I also recommend taking a zinc supplement and a vitamin B-12 pill as well every day just to cover your bases. I encourage everyone to give this lifestyle a try and feel free to ask me questions should they arise!