It all started on a simple day when I was an apathetic and self-righteous eighth-grader. I had no idea that that very day would be the start of a two-year struggle that resulted in an unexpected lifestyle.

"Hey, I heard Ms. Whatsherface isn't here!" a classmate of mine declared. Everyone rejoiced and soon after the celebration ended, we continued chatting about the trivial things that average eight-grade conversations usually revolve around. The minutes passed, and soon we all realized that we were sans substitute. Before we had a chance to celebrate again, in walks a student teacher. He announced that he would be the substitute for the substitute. He made small talk, and our classroom discussion soon turned to lunch and food. Before I knew it, he began informing us about the horrors of meat. The sub told us he was a vegetarian because of religious and health reasons. Everything he said got through to me. Keep in mind that this was a public middle school in which every student there were just as angry, apathetic, insensitive, and self-centered as I was. To be cool was to be cruel. Despite my stubborn classmates' decisions to continue consuming meat, I had made a vow to myself to be a vegetarian.

I knew the change was going to be a huge and difficult one. My parents weren't very fond of vegetarianism. When I made the announcement of my decision to my family, no one listened because they assumed I'd give up. My parents thought my decision was an asinine form of rebellion. I realized how difficult it was to be vegetarian when you're dependent on your parents' cooking. I was discouraged. Despite being a staple in my family kitchen, vegetables and tofu were introduced to me as tasteless scraps that were mandatory to consume. However, I soon discovered the versatility of soy, and now I eat it on a daily basis.

A year after I made my decision to rid my life of meat, I read about the major fat content in dairy products. Being a teenage girl, my weight was a huge issue. I decided to stop consuming dairy products. It wasn't a big step for me since I was lactose-intolerant and my family rarely consumed dairy. In the past, I struggled with days of starvation and days of binging on food to maintain my weight. Before long, this dangerous cycle diet took a toll on my body, and I grew lifeless and lethargic. After I turned vegan, I had no problem staying at a comfortable weight and eating all the foods I crave.

Many people have noticed my refusal to eat certain foods and questioned me. I would respond with, "Oh, it has meat in it," or "Oh, it has dairy in it." Their response would be, "Are you a vegan?" That word was foreign to me. I never heard of such a thing. I did research, and the definition I saw was "a plant-based diet." That sounded so extreme to me. It seemed impossible and crazy.

I made my decision to cut meat and dairy for health reasons. I was never aware of the agony animals went through. I grew up naive and believed that certain animals were put on earth to be eaten. After hearing about the cruelty of factory farms, I decided that I would become vegan. I didn't know any other vegetarians or vegans, and the only resources I had were a handful of websites. It was a major challenge in the beginning, but I managed to memorize the animal ingredients to avoid. Checking ingredient lists on packages soon became as natural as breathing. Luckily, there's an organic and vegetarian grocery store in my city. Seeing all the different foods was amazing. I never knew there was such a thing as soy ice cream!

A common query I receive is, "Don't you get bored of eating the same thing?" This surprises me since these are people who eat the same monotonous meal daily. If anything, veganism liberated me! Since I couldn't eat fast food, I was forced to find something I could eat. Thus, my journey of experimenting with different culinary delights began. I can now happily add Thai, Indian, and more to my list of favorite foods. Had I not turned vegan, I would probably be stuck in a fast food rut. I still miss donuts, chocolate bars, pizza, and cake. I have yet to find a vegan alternative that tastes better. However, the petty sacrifices I chose to make are nothing compared to the images of the torture that animals endure every minute of their shortened lives.

--Brenda and her twin sister, Angie, are both vegans. Read Brenda's food diary to see what she eats on an average day.