As much as Dante seems to dislike this month-long challenge, I am glad he is taking part in it.

Unlike me, Dante jumped into this thing cold turkey, and went from eating chicken one day to completely cutting out all animal products the next. I started out as a pescitarian – which means the only meat I ate was fish – then I moved up to being a vegetarian with no meat at all and, after plenty of research, tryouts and slip-ups, I finally decided to commit to veganism.

As a vegan, I have developed a passion (and skills) for vegan cooking and baking, and I feel as if I can make almost anything, which I suppose is a big reason why I don’t feel deprived of anything. For Dante it’s a different story because he has no desire for doing those things – which is fine – because he does not plan on ever being a lifelong vegan.  It certainly does make the challenge a bit harder though, and I can understand why Dante sees it as a lifestyle that lacks variety.

Dante is your average, healthy omnivore and since he has never considered (and still doesn’t consider) being a lifelong vegan or vegetarian – and has complained about this challenge every day since it started – it makes perfect sense this challenge would feel like a tormenting task rather than something beneficial to him.

As a vegan I have learned that mindset is everything. If you don’t have an interest in learning about it, and have no set goals on what you want with it, then it’s likely you’re not going to put much effort into it. Dante is a tough man for going through with this challenge but it has become apparent perhaps someone else, with established goals and more of an interest in veganism, would have been better suited for this challenge. One more week, Dante – you can do it!

Dante’s Food Photo of the Week 

 Vegetable tempura with rice and edamame 

 Dante’s Statement 

The honeymoon is over. The excitement that was “hummus week” has started to wear off. I don’t want to be vegan anymore.

Not that I don’t think hummus is still amazing. It’s just that I can’t live with there being only a handful of edible joys (hummus included) in which I can indulge.

Sorry Janice, but I can see the finish line (just one week away) and I can’t wait to cross it.

There are just too many limits when it comes to veganism and I don’t know that the benefits are worth it. At least not for me.

Before the challenge I wasn’t a guy who’d eat red meat morning, noon and night. I wasn’t unhealthy, and I don’t know that I had much to gain from veganism.

Three weeks in, I’m not sure that I’ve experienced any benefits. Truthfully, I think I’ve actually had less energy the past few weeks despite my all-veggie diet. Also, after getting flattering, if not misguided compliments about my arms I am feeling the lack of animal protein.

To be fair, I know I am a vegan much in the same way Taylor Lautner is an actor. We both get the general sense of what we’re supposed to do but we’re clearly doing something wrong. Also we both have pretty much the same body. (Don’t fact-check me on that one.)

Maybe with more time I could figure it out and really hit my vegan stride. But I’ve already decided that I’m not continuing what has largely been an exercise in willpower and withholding.

Veganism has been nothing more than a strict, boring routine. Rice, beans, hummus, cereal, fruit and veggies. That’s all. I mean, I like that stuff, but not every day.

Giving up chicken wings, pizza, turkey sandwiches, sour cream & onion chips, barbecue chips, those cool new tomato and herb chips, most other chips, ribs, milk chocolate, tri-trip and what used to be my go-to animal flesh, salmon, has been too much pleasure to live without.

Oh how I miss you, salmon. They say absence makes the heart grow stronger. And I say your delicious fishy protein makes my arms grow stronger. And then girls who haven’t seen guys who actually work out will think I’m sexy. And then I’ll have more relationships to sabotage.

Win-win!

I sincerely applaud those who remain committed to this diet. But I’m heading into this final week excited to rejoin the ranks of Neanderthals and mouth-breathers that get to enjoy sensible diets who include the goods from animals – both alive and dead.

Except for hummus, which I am eating as I type this, and which I will be wiping off my keyboard after I type this. Aqwyosdfxcbmnxcghjknlm

Janice Daniels and Dante Geoffrey can be reached at [email protected]