Standing in line at Fresh Kitchen on South Howard I could smell the aroma of sweet almond chicken, juicy grilled beef and drenched barbecue pork lingering in the air. I shift my eyes to the vegetarian options and sigh as I move up to order.

“What do you have for vegan options,” I asked the man working behind the counter. My boyfriend, standing next to me, looked at me twice and chuckled before responding to my alarming inquiry. “You know you’re going to end up getting the almond chicken like you always do. You’re the last person I know who would ever go vegan.”

I disregarded his playful wit and ordered a tofu bowl with veggies. I asked for a side of kale sauce and continued towards checkout. My first time eating out as a vegan and my order was $3 less than it usually was at my favorite restaurant. If only my appetite was as satisfied after eating as my wallet was after paying.

Growing up in a Greek-Italian household with a hunter as a father, I consider myself the epitome of a carnivore. From chowing down on kangaroo and cow hearts to frog legs and venison, it’s safe to say I’ve tried it all. Walking into the garage to face my dad hand gutting a deer by his red pick-up truck as a kid was completely normal for me. I even had my own bow when I was younger and would practice flinging arrows with my dad at the fake deer he set up in our backyard.

Family parties on my Greek side consisted of roasting a lamb in the yard and indulging in my Yiayia’s homemade meatballs until our stomachs hurt. My Italian side wasn’t much different. Before dinner we’d feast on large platters of peppers stuffed with provolone and prosciutto, or a spread of fresh capicola and dried sausage that my dad and grandfather made from scratch the winter before. This is how I’ve been eating since I was old enough to kiss my baby formula goodbye.

I decided to test my will power and go vegan for five days. The only thing harder than getting through my first lunch as a vegan at Fresh Kitchen that day was getting through my first breakfast. No bacon. No eggs. No cheese. My everyday go-to breakfast was quickly shunned from my morning routine, and it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

Day 1

I opened my fridge searching for something to eat for breakfast. Eggs – no. Cereal with milk – no. Fruit – “OK, I can work with this,” I thought. I opened up the pantry and scanned each shelf. I grabbed a box of oatmeal and set a pot of water on the stove to boil. I made a cup of tea in replacement of my morning cup of Joe, because tea I could drink black, whereas coffee I can’t drink unless lightly infused with milk. Meal one complete and I could already see my entire lifestyle changing.

My lunch at Fresh Kitchen was good until I came to the realization that tofu just isn’t for me. I picked around it and tried to fill up on veggies and green kale sauce as much as I could. It only took 30 minutes after eating before my body stubbornly reminded me how hungry it was. I knew this was going to be a long week.

I munched on chips and bean dip to reimburse my body with protein and made zucchini squash spaghetti with fresh kale pesto sauce I made from scratch for dinner. I couldn’t help but imagine how good it would have gone with lightly seasoned chicken or baby shrimps, but I thought to myself, “only four more days.”

I went to bed a little hungry that night, but woke up the next morning feeling lighter and refreshed. Usually I get up, wash my face, check my social medias, and maybe watch a little TV before I cook breakfast. When I woke up on day two, however, I was starving and ready to start my day from the moment my alarm went off.

Day 2

Feeling as good as I did, I woke up and made a shake with one cup of ice, one cup of water that I replaced my usual cup of almond milk for, one banana and one scoop of chocolate protein powder. I knew that wouldn’t keep me full for long, so a couple of hours later I made a piece of toast smeared with mashed avocado lightly garnished with salt and pepper.

I treated myself to lunch that day at a Mediterranean restaurant where I ordered warm pita bread with a side of hummus, and deep fried zucchini balls. I asked the waiter before ordering if this dish was vegan-friendly and he assured me it was, but gave me a silly look in return as if to mock the vegan trend I was conforming to. I chuckled while thinking to myself, “so this is how it feels to be a proud vegan.”

For dinner I made rigatoni over homemade marinara sauce I cooked over a five-hour period. It was delicious and reminded of Sunday night dinners at my grandparents house, but didn’t taste right without my grandma’s side dish of assorted meats. Next to the enormous bowl of pasta she made would be a pot of homemade meatballs, pork belly, sausage and pulled beef over sauce. I tried my best to ignore the thought, but couldn’t help sighing at my bowl of pasta bare of meat chunks and above all, Parmesan cheese. I knew my Italian ancestors would be disappointed.

Day 3

I woke up still a little full from all the pasta I consumed the night before, so I took it easy with breakfast and enjoyed a slice of toast layered with peanut butter and banana slices. I set water on the stove to boil my every-so-often detox water made with hot with two lemon slices, cinnamon and honey. It wasn’t until after I drizzled the honey that I remembered honey comes from bee’s, which would make the product vegan-unfriendly. I sadly poured my concoction down the sink and started over, this time leaving out the honey.

The same mistake occurred again that afternoon when I was making a salad for lunch. I started with a kale base before adding generous portions of chopped onion, tomato, celery, cucumber and almond slices over olive oil and red wine vinegar. I caught myself early enough to prevent the crumbles of goat cheese I had prepared from getting added to my dish and carefully poured each crumb back in the bag I took them from.

It wasn’t until day three that I realized how much I had to stop and think about what I was actually eating. From day one I would tell myself, “no meat, no eggs, no dairy.” Being vegan came with restrictions that seemed simple enough to follow without hesitation, but the process got more and more difficult for me. My body on the other hand never felt better.

To call it safe, I decided to order out for dinner with my roommates that night. I got the falafel pita from Pita Pit after verifying with the woman on the other end of the phone that it was completely vegan-friendly, minus the feta. Out of nowhere I was completely envious of my two roommates, both of whom ordered a meat lover’s special. I only made it through nearly half of my pita before calling it a night. I was surprised I couldn’t finish the whole thing seeing as how I usually finish a whole to myself, with meat and cheese. I began to notice that by changing my diet, I got fuller faster from small portions of food, but ate more frequently than three times a day. I had no problem keeping up with that part of my lifestyle change; in fact, my body preferred it.

Day 4

For a girl who usually can’t function without her daily cup of coffee, I was surprisingly waking up each day with a decent amount of energy. I had a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast with a side of cantaloupe. After class I got a little hungry, but it was only 11:30 a.m. so I had an apple with peanut butter for a snack. Again I noticed I wasn’t getting as hungry as much, which I found peculiar compared to how my body would typically react.

I made a trip to the grocery store before lunch, keeping in mind that anything I bought must obey the strict laws of veganism. I loaded up on vegetables, leafy greens and starches. My total for a week’s worth of groceries came out to less than $20 whereas I usually spend around $40.

I made a veggie flat bread with a balsamic glaze for lunch. After hours of homework and managing to squeeze in a short nap, I was hungry again. For dinner I grilled a veggie burger with a sweet potato on the side. I don’t know what it was about my diet, but by day four I realized I had been drinking way more water than I typically do throughout the week, and noticed how much it helped my digestive system. I went to bed that night feeling light, healthy and ready for a good night’s rest.

Day 5

I woke up on the last day of my journey not as eager as I thought I would be back on day one that it was nearly over. I had a bagel with strawberry jelly for breakfast and another chocolate protein shake after my morning class. I cracked and had lunch a little earlier that day, but it somehow held me over nearly the rest of the day. I went to Fruit Wood on South Howard and had the Stoke’s salad: romaine lettuce, baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries, pears, candid nuts and strawberry vinaigrette dressing. I swallowed my pride asking for my house favorite made without chicken or the 18 month reserved sharp cheddar that it’s usually made with. I was happy how great my body felt from just five mere days of going vegan, but I was getting a little more annoyed everyday that I had to avoid eating some of my favorite foods.

I woke up the first morning after completing my vegan challenge to a breakfast date at Daily Eats on South Howard with my boyfriend. We splurged on eggs cooked over easy, sunny side up and scrambled with goat cheese, long strips of bacon, and warm grits with butter. I definitely didn’t feel as good as I had all week after that feast, but it was certainly worth the reward.

Aside from getting better sleep, waking up more energized, having better digestion, feeling lighter and healthier, and drinking more water I also learned that my cravings for junk foods vanished. No more late night ice-cream binges, or random chocolate splurges between lunch and dinner. I was completely content munching on five to six different foods throughout the day as opposed to three solid meals. In addition I shed two pounds throughout the week.

I learned that it’s not easy as it looks to avoid meat, eggs and dairy for five days, but also that it feels great to detox your body every once in a while. Since my challenge, I’ve cut back on cheese and eggs, and every once in a while will make a regular salad without chicken or shrimp, which is so not me. I don’t think I could ever be a true vegan, but some changes will definitely last longer than others.