Is it hard to become a VEGAN?!
Is it hard to become a VEGAN?
I'm a vegetarian (pescatarian actually, I eat seafood) but I don't think I could ever go all the way with it. How difficult is the lifestyle change?
Answers:
It will be the most wonderful lifestyle change you will EVER make in your whole life. Congratulations in your consideration of this move. I am a vegan for many years. The way I accomplished the "all the way" final move was to very slowly and gradually eliminate the animal foods from my diet and slowly and gradually replace them with nutritious and very delicious vegan foods. From eating fish many years ago to total veganism took me 18 months. Here are some examples of how I eliminated foods and replaced them with vegan delights:
For all of the fish dishes, I would slowly replace them with any of the delicious vegan meat substitutes you can find in your supermarket. Boco and Morningstar Farm have great vegan "pseudo-meats". You could replace one of the fish dishes, for example with the riblets or faux chicken patties (those are both vegan). Do this slowly. You will eventually never miss the fish. Another thing that helped me gain compassion for fish is that I would visit the aquarium in Berlin, Germany where these beautiful creatures showed their true lifeforce. You could visit any aquarium in your community or visit the pet store and look at the fish guys and ladies swimming and being beautiful creatures.
Another step to making your conversion easier and complete is to be sure you vary your vegetable, legume, fruit and grain choices widely. Try to eat 60 or more different foods in an entire week. This will ensure you will be well-nourished.
I don't use the faux meats anymore now for 3 years. I make my own riblets from seitan and I make chick-fake with fried tofu. Experimentation in the kitchen is the key to a successful vegan life. You will discover the great cook within you!
Good luck, dear. Let me know how it's going!
Source(s):
50 years of life experience...many as a vegan and a Zen Buddhist.
I'm a pescatarian vagetarian myself and it's usually hard.
Really hard
but I couldn't imagine giving it up
I'm a Presbyterian Vegetarian myself.
I think that once you get into a routine it is not that difficult. You need to read a lot and educate yourself about how you can still get all of the nutrients that you need. I have been a vegan for many years, however in the past six months, I have found that I really crave fish, so I eat it because I know that my body needs the nutrients. Seafood is really good for you, but most of the time, I can't stomach it.
I have a friend who is a full out vegan. She has told me it isn't hard you just have to know your resources. Like where to buy stuff that is animal free, where to eat that doesn't use animal products. I guess if you are used to that type of life you become accustomed to what it involves.
sometimes its hard, im a vegan and i started out eating meat then i went to being a vegetarian, and now im a vegan
mostly u just need to be determined to change ur diet and never give up on trying to become a vegan or a vegetarian or whatever, u also need to know good resources like where to get the veggie foods, the lifestyle change can be hard, but it'll all be worth it at the end =)
Strict vegans have a restricted diet I couldnt do myself.
No mushrooms, yeast, red dyes, chocolate in addition to no dairy eggs, fish, etc. etc.
That means a whole new way of cooking and thinking of food.
However, no one says you have to be strict vegan ALL THE TIME. If you have a real craving, and you wont feel guilty about it, eat what your body says.
I agree with Muppet. But strict vegans might cringe at the thought.
Pescatarian and vegetarian are not the same thing, but I'm not going to go into that. Becoming a vegan is a very big lifestyle change. You must feel very passionately and believe in what you are doing. If your still eating fish your not ready to even become a vegetarian, I would start there first. Good luck!
I think it really depends on where you live. Many areas have a large vegan population and thus have grocery stores, restaurants, etc. that cater to vegans. In my area, there are very few options for vegans or even for vegetarians. We have one deli that is vegan-friendly, though some of their dishes contain meat, they label everything quite well. Other than that, if I eat out, I have to improvise and be creative when I order as there are not vegetarian options on the menu at most places. Being vegan would be even harder because I doubt these places have much, if anything, that is vegan other than plain veggies - and even then you'd have to specify they hold the butter. While my local Safeway & Haggens stores sell a few vegan items, it's just the basics... tofu, a few butters & yogurts, cheese. The co-op has more of your "dinner" items... tempeh, seitan, various prepackaged items specifically labeled as vegan, etc.
I don't find being vegetarian all that difficult (except when eating out), but in my area, it would definitely be harder to be vegan. It could certainly be done... but it would take a lot of committment.
at first it can be difficult, especially if you live with another person who keps dairy/eggs ect. around in the house. but after a bit of sticking to it, it gets easier. you lose the appetite for cheese or eggs. so basically, once you get over the first week or so, being a vegan is easy.