Lactose Intolerant, Day 366.

Lactose Intolerant, Day 366.

Remember that little experiment I took on for only 30 days? It stuck. Surprisingly, veganism is totally easy. You heard it here first.

After a year, I feel great. I instantly noticed that I had more energy, not to mention more poop. (Of course I'll mention it, though. Who am I kidding?) I feel in touch with what goes into my body (with the exception of vegan ice cream which has an ingredient list a mile long), and dude, I'm running a freaking marathon in three weeks. I'd like to think I'm doing well with it. I feel like a spokesperson or something, like I have a lot of responsibility riding on this marathon. If I can do this, maybe people will stop thinking vegans are scrawny and grey and weak.

Body-wise, I've lost weight, I think. I haven't weighed myself at all, and I don't know what is attributed to the advent of the Fall '04 Weekly Night Hikes, or to the Winter '05 Marathon Training, or what is attributed to Not Eating Cheese. But I feel skinnier, and I had to go clothes shopping so that pants wouldn't drag on the ground if I didn't pull the waist band up constantly. These things, however, are minor little consolation prizes in comparison to the greatest veganism-inspired discovery EVER: dark chocolate.

I really can't wrap my brain around the fact that there was once a time documented in diaries and notes to friends and what have you that I hated dark chocolate. I may even have used the trying-too-hard-to-be-Californian words "gag," or "ick," or "ew." I honestly don't think I gave it a chance. Or maybe I considered Hershey's Special Dark to be real dark chocolate. It's not! For one thing, it has dairy products in it.

There's nothing greater than letting a piece of pure dark chocolate melt on your tongue. Or, preferably, delicious dark chocolate flavored with a little vanilla bean and orange extract. I could list countless amazing cookbooks, my understanding husband, my supportive coworkers and friends, and my first ever vegan mentor, Rebecca, but really what has gotten me through this year with flying colors has been my dear friend dark chocolate.

How quickly one month turned into one year. The best part? I don't plan on stopping any time soon. That is, as long as Newman's Own yummy orange dark chocolate bars stay as cheap as they are.