I'm a carnivore who ate vegan for a week, and it changed the way I think about my normal diet

What I expected

I’m an earth and animal lover and see all the compelling ethical and environmental reasons why one may consider a vegan diet. However, it’s never been enough to sway me to the non-meat side. I like meat and have never been able to wrap my mind around meat substitutes.

I thought for sure I’d break down at some point during the week and have a cheeseburger emergency. I was also convinced that I’d be in a constant state of hunger. There’s no way tofu and veggies could be filling, right?

I assumed I’d feel better health-wise, but wasn’t sure how that would manifest itself.

I tried to keep an open mind and be OK with whatever happened. And if I did have a bacon breakdown, I decided that I wouldn’t beat myself up. Baby steps!

Here’s how the great meat-free experiment went:

I slept better than ever

Sleep isn’t always my friend (although the snooze button sure is). I was able to fall asleep more easily than usual and log eight solid hours of z’s every night.

I had more energy

I tend to have a lot of energy but noticed a definite uptick during my workouts this week. I felt like I got more out my classes and was able to go harder. There were even a few days where I worked out and went for a run. That’s borderline athletic!

My GI system improved

I’ve had a finicky stomach for years, and let’s just say things were more normal this week than they’ve been in a very long time. Never underestimate the power of regularity.

My skin was glowing

My friends could not stop commenting on how good my skin looked. I admit, it’s been pretty flawless since I started this experiment. I even managed to bypass my monthly hormonal breakout.

I lost three pounds

I stuck to my normal exercise regimen and lost three pounds while eating vegan. I’m not one to diet — if I lose weight, it happens — so this was an unexpected result.

I actually enjoyed eating vegan

The biggest surprise was that I enjoyed the dietary experiment. I didn’t crave meat, nor did I feel like my food choices were “limited.”

If anything, I was trying a variety of ingredients in new ways, and that appealed to the part of me that loves to cook. Who knew there are some pretty convincing versions of vegan cheese?

In the end …

It’s unlikely that I’m going to adopt a total vegan lifestyle, although I’m now eating at least 50% plant-based meals.

Physically, I feel amazing. I’m making more conscious food choices. There were zero negatives to going vegan for a week. And looking at the bigger picture, scaling back on meat consumption can only do good things for our planet. It’s a win-win situation.