Growing up I was a hardcore meat eater. I come from a family that are true southerners and love to cook southern foods. Therefore, that is what I was eating basically the first seventeen years of my life. Once moving away from home I have made some changes in my diet that are very different from the diet I had growing up. I went from meat eater to vegetarian to vegan in less than a year.

When living in my hometown I knew what vegetarians were but I literally knew no one that was a vegetarian. Also, I had never even heard of the word vegan. Every day I'd eat a bunch of fried meat or hamburger and never even think about it. Not just about the animals and how they were treated for me to be able to consume it but how unhealthy it was as well.

I eventually my senior year of high school cut out all red meat and pork. I was only eating grilled chicken, broccoli, brown rice, and lettuce. That was literally it. Every once in a while I'd have a "cheat meal" where I would eat red meat or fried foods.

When moving to Charlotte that changed again drastically. I was back to eating every meat, fried foods, sugar, etc. The second semester of my freshman year though, I tried my best to only eat grilled chicken again, rice, and vegetables. Which I was pretty successful except every now and then. This past summer when I moved back to my hometown I was trying to eat healthy mainly. I would eat oatmeal, salad, veggies, chicken, fruits, and rice. Of course, no one is perfect so I would yet again have red meat every once in a while but still no pork.

When July came around I decided on a week that I was going to try to go without meat just for a week. I successfully did that and tried to avoid anything with meat-based broths or other products. Also, by this time I fully understood what it meant to be vegetarian or vegan. After my week of being vegetarian, I decided to try another week and see what happens. Another successful week and no meat cravings! Since then I have been vegetarian.

My family, of course, didn't really understand, some did though. I would and still do get comments like, "You need protein! You cant get that without meat!" Or, "You're just going to hurt yourself." Blah blah blah. They just weren't aware of all of the plant-based sources of protein that there are.

I felt better after becoming vegetarian. I didn't notice too much of a change in my body but that I always crave veggies and fruits but that I LOVE sweets. Also, that I could eat more if there was not a lot of protein in my meals. Which, I still struggle with getting enough of protein like I know I need daily.

After being vegetarian for seven months and entering the second semester of my sophomore year at college I decided to be vegan or "try it out." There are things that have lead to this choice though. I have always been interested in trying it out since about the third month of being vegetarian but I wasn't fully committed. Then, I started taking this citizenship and environment course this semester. It really has helped pushed me to want to do better and help the environment. In this course, we are to do an environmental challenge. Where for about four weeks we either change our diet, use less transportation, recycle, garden, and a bunch of other choices. Since I was already vegetarian this was the last push that I needed to go ahead and try it. Honestly, I am glad I did.

I have been vegan for a little over three weeks now and I am loving it. I feel better usually, I have more energy, I get to try new versions of food that you could never imagine it being vegan, and I get to help the earth environmentally.

I have less than a week left on my challenge but I think I want to continue to be mostly vegan after my "challenge" is over. I may have something with dairy in it every now and then but I will probably never eat meat again in my life.

So, for all of the people that say it is too hard to be vegetarian or vegan, it really isn't. It may take a little more thinking and planning than for people that eat meat but it is worth it. It may not be as convenient for people who always rely on drive-thru places or restaurants but you can always find something. Just try it. You may end up like me and continue doing it and just turn it into your lifestyle.

Also, if you would like to get involved or donate to help the animals that are treated so badly in factory farms here is a link The Humane League website for more info.

https://thehumaneleague.org/