More than a year and a half ago, when I took up the plant-based diet, it was on a trial basis. For four weeks I went strictly by the book, cooking (yes, cooking!) three meals a day from mostly fresh ingredients. The theory was that after four weeks I would either miss being a carnivore and immediately revert, or feel so much better that I'd never go back.

As it happened, the latter course was the one I chose. I was happy with how I felt over all, and really happy with how my body (and its various functions) responded to the diet. I didn't miss meat or eggs or cheese or milk. I missed ice cream a little, but there are substitutes that serve that purpose. I found I even liked shopping for the kinds of things I knew were better for me.

For awhile I kept cooking every day, but soon enough I was doing it twice a day, then once a day. Eventually I was cooking twice a week and eating leftovers the rest of the time. Then I found prepared vegan meals in the frozen food section, and I was going there more often than I was eating my own cooking. I got lazy. I had my blood tested. My glucose level was up.

Now I'm back to trying to do better again. The doctor wants my glucose tested in February to see how I'm coming along, but I think I'm doing all right. I'm still lazy, but I'm also a bit more vigilant. I've stuck faithfully to avoiding those things that the book suggests I avoid. Mostly. Always at home, but once in awhile when I'm out I'll ease up for the sake of blending in. It's not a religion after all. Not with me, anyway.

In fact, I don't call myself a vegan, because that implies an entire philosophy that I can't quite embrace whole-heartedly. Others can satisfy their own appetites however they choose; I refuse to judge. I do eat a pretty strictly vegan diet, but I do it for my own health, period. Yes, I had some turkey (and one barbecued oyster) on Thanksgiving, and I'll eat turkey again on Christmas. But, believe it or not, those will be the only two times since April of last year that I've let myself stray from the commitment. And I'm perfectly comfortable with every decision I've made with regard to the diet during that whole time.