Let's Begin Again, Begin the Begin

A few weeks ago I was watching Oprah and her 25th Season hoopla. The episode featured food revolutionary Michael Pollan, plus a vegan lady who convinced Oprah to get her entire staff to go vegan for a week.

It was interesting to imagine a whole office of maybe 500 people going vegan at once. Did they really want to go vegan, or were they bowing to the whims and pressures of their powerful boss? Plus, how easy is it for Oprah to be vegan, given that I'm sure she has someone shopping for her and cooking for her. Along the same vein, how easy was it for her staff to be vegan, given that the Harpo cafeteria was serving delicious vegan meals, too.

Still, despite my doubts about how voluntary the experiment was -- and whether it was a good idea to spend a week as a vegan eating fake chicken nuggets -- I was intrigued by the notion of going vegan for a week.

First, I have had Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, on my bookshelf, waiting to be read, for at least six months. And, though I've passed on it numerous times in favor of Star magazine or some pulpy mystery novel, I like the general idea of his mantra: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. One of my unspoken New Year's resolutions this year -- in addition the annual resolution to moisturize more -- was to try to cook more, possibly with lentils. Becoming vegan for a week would force me to cook more.

Second, I like a challenge. I recently completed my Sarah Palin Workout Challenge 2010, wherein I agreed to work out a certain number of times per week. If I missed a workout, a friend of mine would donate $10 for every missed workout to Sarah Palin's PAC, or some other politician (I use that term loosely) that I would find equally loathable. I did this for about six months, and didn't miss a workout or donate a single dollar to SarahPAC. That ended a few weeks ago, and I could use a new challenge. What could be more challenging than being a vegan.

Third, I like challenges that only last one week. I may be type A, but I really enjoy quitting things. It's liberating. And highly underrated. One week is just long enough to feel like you accomplished something, and then you get to quit.

Finally, amidst the multitude of comments about bathroom habits and Oprah's declaration that Harpo went through a record number of toilet paper rolls, one male producer mentioned that he lost 11 pounds in one week as a vegan. Okay -- you got me. 11 pounds? Results may be atypical, and maybe this guy snacked on sticks of butter before his week as a vegan. But, 11 pounds is compelling stuff.

So, here I am, approximately one hour into my decision to spend a week as a vegan. I've got a file folder full of recipes, and almond milk in the fridge. I've recruited my friend Elin to join me, because she's the most disciplined person I know. (Or is it just that misery loves company.) I have a shopping list that involves chickpeas, squash, and two different kinds of lentils. And most importantly, I have a blog where I can share my travels through a cheese-less world -- and answer the question whether a cheese-less world is a world worth living in.