So, I gave up animal products for lent. I've never been a HUGE meat eater (and was a vegetarian for a year about 15 years ago), but I have had daily animal products - I'm a huge cheese fan. But, I gave it all up for lent. It's now day 9 and I feel like crap. It could be that my dd has had a cold and I'm now coming down with it, but I almost puked this morning and all evening I have felt spinny and light headed. Could this be withdrawal?

I know, probably a dumb question. It won't make me go back, but at least I'll know why I'm feeling this way.

It is my experience two things hapen when you give up all animal products at once. 1st your body starts detoxing and it makes some people pretty sick. 2nd veggies are easier to digest and don't stay in your tummy as long so you need to eat more often. Add to that the fact that most amercians eat large heavy meals so we are used to feeling FULL. well you get to feeling pretty spinny and light headed for alittle while. if it's any comfort you should be at the end of the cycle. I was constantly famished for the first week and a half after i went "all the way";) but then it started to get better. By two or three weeks into it I only needed to eat one extra meal a day and one extra snack. Though until i really got used to my new eating schedule i carried nuts or something around with me all the time just in case i got hungry all of a sudden. These days *i think* I eat on a pretty normal schedule. 3-4 meals a day and a couple of snacks.
hth