A moist burger patty topped with crunchy strips of bacon, the smell of smoked sausage at a cozy diner, and teriyaki sauce drizzled over grilled chicken; giving all of that up seemed impossible to imagine a year ago, when all I wanted to do was order the chicken parmesan from Oliver Garden. But, when you consider all the health implications that come with consuming meat, poultry, and fish, it’s no mystery that many popular Youtubers, celebrities, and everyday people in the United States are starting to follow a vegetarian diet.

My body’s reaction to meat was not at all welcoming. Oddly enough, it all began happening during my first years of college when there was a random shift in my body’s reaction to certain foods. It was like my body had downloaded an anti-meat software. No matter if it was red meat or poultry, my chest flared up from acid reflux that felt like I was having a minor stroke. When I went out to eat a burger at TGIFridays or scarfed down delicious Tikka Masala from the local Indian restaurant, I found myself depending on heartburn medication to get me through the rest of the night. That was a beast in itself since I had morning classes and exams to prepare for after having hardly slept.

I wasn’t addicted to heartburn medication like someone can become addicted to addictive medicines, but I carried it with me in case of a flare up and worried about going anywhere without it. Depending on any over the counter drug to get you through the day is a warning sign. There were dark circles under my eyes from constantly waking up in the night and medicating myself with NyQuil (since I didn’t own sleeping pills.) Falling asleep was a struggle. The weight on my chest would keep my body alert, in survival mode, waiting for the drowsiness to kick in. Multiple times I had nightmares of suffocating that shot me up at four in the morning. I felt like my head was being forcibly shoved into a bucket of water and it wasn’t entirely in my dreams; I was gasping for air.

I got to a point where I had to listen to my body. I had no choice but to make a change.

Motivated by my younger sister, who was already a thriving vegan for over a year, had lost a good amount of weight, was in healthy shape, and had shown progress, I settled on following a vegetarian diet. Instead of slowly transitioning into vegetarianism, I cut it cold turkey (no pun intended.)

Soon, I noticed that being vegetarian wasn’t as hard as I had initially feared. I won’t lie to you— the first few weeks after eliminating meat were a continuous upward battle. I wanted to order the spicy wings instead of the salad. I refused alternative meat products because they were unfamiliar. It wasn’t until I finally welcomed it into my meals that it became easier to transition. The sacrifices weren’t scary anymore. My attachment to food started to decrease and I was eating to provide nutrients to my body, not to relieve unhealthy cravings that gave me extreme chest pain.

Eating out wasn’t an easy task and it still isn’t, especially when it comes to eating at a Steak House, but the options exist. Olive Garden is your friend as long as you don’t order chicken parmesan. You can eat baskets and baskets of bottomless fries at Red Robin; if you feel you need to. Those aren’t the healthiest choices, but in a completely unhealthy environment that’s already loaded with sodium and calories, there are vegetarian options.

Eventually, ignoring foods that my body wanted to reject was simple to the point where I didn’t even realize I was doing it.

The outcome on your body isn’t immediate. Your body has to adjust to the fact that you are now on a meat-free diet when you had been eating it almost your entire life. In the long run, your skin may be clearer because you are eating less greasy food. Your overall body will feel better when you sacrifice the sodium that certain meat contains. You will feel more motivated to eat nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, beans, or soy because you have no choice but to replace all those meat centered dinner past-times with different meal combinations. I’m sure that if the average person were to eat meat in moderation, they wouldn’t suffer as much from the health problems I faced, but why not give it up entirely instead of wondering? The meat industry’s quality control is constantly in question and no one is safe from diseases that could spread through meat products.

Ever since the change, my health has transformed. I haven’t been losing any crazy amount of weight, but I can finally sleep at night and I haven’t suffered from the frequent heartburn that plagued me for years. Though my diet isn’t perfect, I can feel the impact of sacrificing those products. My consistent chin acne has cleared up, my imbalanced hormones have calmed down, I’m eating way more fruit and vegetables than ever before in my life, I can finally sleep again, and I simply feel great about what I’m doing with my body. I wake up every morning feel full of energy.

I’ve been meat-free for almost a year and this is my conclusion: Becoming vegetarian isn’t simple by any means, but it is a challenge that is worth trying because your body deserves it.