Veganism, which involves cutting out both meat AND meat by-products, such as dairy (eggs, milk, cheese) and gelatin, has always appealed to the animal lover in me.

The only thing that didn’t appeal to me was the supposed rigidness of the diet.

So, when I agreed to bite the bullet and take part in a vegan challenge for January (aka #Veganuary), I was daunted by how challenging it would be. As a self-confessed chocoholic and lover of pizza the thought of giving up my favourite foods filled me with dread.

The first thing I did was turn to my vegan friends. I asked them why being vegan was such a positive lifestyle choice.

The stories about improved health and improved energy encouraged me to be more positive about the challenge (not to mention the whole animal-friendly side of things).

I then started researching Veganism - and I was quite shocked by what I found out.

Though I knew the way in which the meat and dairy industries worked I wasn't TRULY aware about the extent of the suffering of animals slaughtered for animal products.

Besides meat, the making of dairy products also involve profiting from the suffering of animals by forcing them to produce large quantities of eggs and milk in unnatural surroundings.

Once they have been of use they are then usually slaughtered for meat.

What also disturbed me was reading about chemicals that are supposedly added to animal products. Not to mention the fact that 70% of people are reportedly lactose intolerant - and many of them don't even know it yet.

It just seemed that there were more arguments FOR Veganism than against.

When I first told my meat-loving foodie family that I was going Vegan for January, they laughed in my face.

Remember that scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Tula’s aunt, flabbergasted by her fiancé Ian’s vegetarianism, proclaims: “That's okay, I make lamb”?

That's basically my mum, who (bless her heart) asked on Day Two of the Vegan challenge whether I could eat salmon.

Answer: Sorry, no.

My family and friends were concerned for my nutrition and health. The best thing I could do was ask them to look at what I was eating before the challenge: a diet of chocolate, ready meals, pizza and booze.

Going vegan, on the other hand, means every meal contains plenty of rich veg and snacking on lovely, juicy fruit. It also means cutting out sugar and sweets from my diet, with the exception of Green & Blacks dark chocolate and Oreos (both of which are vegan-friendly, yay!).

My main concern when going vegan was not getting enough protein, but now I’m eating plenty of spinach and beans. In fact, I’m probably eating more protein now than before #Veganuary!

Do I miss cheese or chocolate? Surprisingly, no; in fact, as a vegan, my sugar levels remain pretty stable throughout the day, so I don't crave the sweet stuff. And that also means I’m less moody too.

What I’m mainly starting to discover is that Veganism is more than a diet or a lifestyle; it’s a community. I’ve started following Vegan bloggers and chefs on Instagram and they’re more than willing to help out with kind words of advice and clever cooking tips.

I know that Veganism is not for everyone, but I feel you shouldn’t knock something until you try it. Over the next month or so I hope to find out why Veganism is taking off and how the body (and the planet!) can benefit from it.

Below are my favourite vegan Instagram accounts that have helped me with week 1 of transitioning to Veganism.