New Year’s Eve Resolution I Didn’t Fail At But Failed Me
With every new year comes the reminder of baggage—of our own unrequited resolutions from last New Year’s Eve and the decisions you made to be a better version of yourself. For some reason, I kept dodging the idea of NOT having a resolution for a change. Last year I made up my mind to do something that would forever change the way I see new year resolutions. I decided to become a vegan. Ugh! I know…such a feisty decision for a gluttonous foodie like me.So let me tell you what pushed the ‘vegan’ button in me, and what pressed it right back.
Another year, another resolution
Till the last day of the previous year, I had remained spiritless about choosing a resolution…until I met someone aboard one of the NYE cruises on Sydney Harbour. This dear acquaintance of mine named Matt was a vegan to start with; he certainly made a great impression(although I still wonder how I allowed myself to be influenced by a herbivore).
He’d come aboard the cruise with his friend Christine, who was as passionate about veganism as he was. We were on board a glass boat cruise on Sydney Harbour that served a delectable multi-course dinner. I was seated at a table next to Matt & Christine and curiosity got the better of me when I saw them having a vegetarian dinner. Just before dessert was served, I snatched a good moment to chat up Matt and I asked him if he was allergic to meat. Without much thought he told me he was a vegan by choice. I could tell by the twinkle in his eyes that he had already pounced on the opportunity to educate me on veganism. My New Year’s Eve dinner in Sydney thus became a turning point in my life.
To be or not to be a Vegan
Veganism to me seemed like a lopsided way of life hitherto, thriving on the eccentricities of the privileged and, mostly the rich. And when I met the duo, I had so many questions for them such as, “Isn’t veganism an unsustainable way of life?”, “Won’t our bodies become nutrient-deficient when we stop consuming animal products all of a sudden?”, and the like. They introduced me to Veganuary, a 1-month challenge to go plant-based for aspiring vegans. This seemed like an interesting NYE resolution to me; all I had to do was follow a plant-based diet during the month of January. There wasn’t much pressure…or so I thought! Matt gave out celebrity names like Beyoncé, Chris Hemsworth, Bill Clinton, Joaquin Phoenix etc. who have all meat and animal by-products in order to become advocates of Veganism. I eventually caved!
Powering through the month of Veganuary
January or ‘Veganuary’ as they call it, went by fine for me, although I struggled a bit on finding the best alternatives for a balanced diet. I must add, plant-based alternatives can burn a hole through your wallet! Being a foodie had taken a toll on my body and I had nearly hit 200 pounds. I believed adopting veganism would give me a chance to turn my life around from becoming obese. But turns out I was wrong.
After I accomplished the Veganuary challenge, I tried sticking on to the lifestyle for a while. But eventually, I started seeing through the flaws of veganism. It wasn’t a lifestyle that everyone and anyone could blindly adopt.
Good sense prevails — not my cup of tea(with soy milk)
Becoming a vegan also meant filling up on dietary supplements and extra doses of vitamins. I bet not everyone could afford to find quick fixes to the undeniable cons of following a vegan diet. When you have given up on all your prominent sources of vitamins, there is a serious threat to your overall health. I could also tell I had failed myself when I started feeling guilty of lavishly bingeing on food items that are inaccessible to the less privileged. I instantly put an end to my part-time veganism and rang up Matt to give him my two cents on following a plant-based diet. It certainly was not my cup of tea. But of course, no offence to the vegan community.
Today, I’m back to being the good ol’ foodie I’m destined to be. I love being an omnivore and I appreciate vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes equally. Are you a vegan, an ex-vegan or an aspiring vegan? I look forward to hearing your thoughts on veganism too.
