so, i eat meat again...

why (and how) i knew it was time to quit a plant-based diet

the *mostly* in mostly plant-based

if you know me in real life, you’ve definitely mocked me (lovingly, of course) (i hope) about being *mostly* plant-based. for the longest time, this phrase was a running joke, a jab at my instagram bio (screenshot for reference).

for the past seven years, i’ve followed a plant-based diet about 90% of the time. here’s how i saw it: the 90% covered the foods i was buying, preparing, and eating at home on a daily basis. these meals were dairy-free and didn’t contain meat. in my fridge, in my pantry, on my plate— think *technically* vegan eats. however, the remaining 10% accounted for times i would go out to eat with friends and family and order a meal that didn’t fit in these categories, simply because my body was craving it. this percentage also considers situations i couldn’t control, such as events with set menus or trips/excursions planned by someone else. this 10% was the room i left for myself to intuitively live and flexibility exist in the world. it was my way of honoring my body, allowing it to feel safe in asking for whatever it needed with no judgement.

when it all started

*mostly* plant-based. but why? the summer following my freshman year of college, i was dealing acne for the first time in my life. self-conscious about being seen without makeup. constantly wearing hats, sunglasses, hoods. head always bowed, face always coated with makeup. trying every skincare product and regimen to no avail.

when the surface level, quick fixes weren’t working, i knew i had to look internally for solutions. i began to analyze my diet and decided to remove dairy products in an effort to reduce inflammation and irritation. when this was all happening back in 2017, vegan and non-dairy product demands felt virtually non-existent. there were a handful of non-dairy product swaps available at the grocery store. i made due with these for a bit before deciding i could just make much of it on my own (and better, i might add… lol). think homemade almond milk and cashew cream cheese, that sort of thing. i was having fun being creative in the kitchen and not even missing dairy. and yes, i noticed a huge improvement in my skin.

after being dairy-free for a bit, i contemplated removing meat as well. i was enjoying myself and this first dietary change, and that energy fueled my next decision. my entire life i had eaten meat (mostly chicken), to the point where i was beginning to get quite sick of it. think chicken for lunch and dinner, every day on repeat. i always joke that i overdosed on chicken at this point in my life. i just needed something new. so i dipped my toes into a dairy and meat free diet. for fun, because i was curious.

so what changed?