Becoming vegan.... where to begin?!?

Question

Within the past year I've made a lot of lifestyle changes but I'm ready for a new level. A year ago, I stopped eating red meat (I never ate that much anyway), and eventually I stopped eating ALL meat all together. I'm interested in veganism. It seems pretty hardcore to me and reading through some websites on it, it scared me off a bit. {I'm not sure if I have the top-of-my-head knowledge to dissect labels looking for possible animal by-product derivatives!} How does one begin??

Answer 1

One must begin by going to China and living on nothing but rice for 17 years. Then, you can come back to the states where you will need to eat nothing but raw barley and sunflower seeds for another 6 years. After that, you may have a carrot and some pine nuts. THEN you can really splurge and eat nothing at all for 2 years! THEN you may eat all the grass and weeds you can find and be glad. No more cute little fuzzy hogs and slobbering cattle will be afraid anymore because they know you will not eat them. This ought to put the 'meaties' out of business. I hope this helps!

Answer 2

If you enjoy cooking, you're halfway there! Using whole foods (not processed, instant or pre-made) can really help. This way you know exactly what went into what you're eating and the need to read labels is less of a concern.

Eating out can be a real challenge. I don't know what the restaurants by you are like, but the ones in my area (SE Wisconsin) put cheese, butter or milk in just about everything. If you can avoid eating out as much as possible, at least until you are comfortable with your new diet, you will have a lot better luck in the beginning.

Make it easy on yourself. I buy lots of fresh veggies, cut them up and put them in containers for the rest of the week. That way, when you want salad, tempeh or bean "tacos", wraps with hummus and veggies etc. it's all there ready for you. All you need to do is break out the containers. It saves time and makes cooking less of a chore.

Dairy substitutes vary a lot in their tastiness in my opinion. Maybe it's because I grew up in the Dairy State, but I really can't stand cheese substitutes. Earth Balance buttery spread is quite tasty, though. They also make things like soy yogurt, soy "ice cream", soy sour cream, etc. They are worth a try (even if I'm not a big fan, lol). The good news is that you have lots of substitution options if you want them.

Soy, rice and/or almond milk are a must. I prefer kinds like "Silk Enhanced" with extra vitamins. If you drink enough of it, you should get a bunch of the vitamin D, vitamin B12, and calcium you need. Drinking calcium-enriched orange juice is a great option, too.

I take a vegan multi-vitamin, too...just to be sure I'm getting enough B12 especially.

Answer 3

A vegan would not use any products in any respect, even the footwear you position on would were a by skill of product from animals. case in factor the glue! There are particular shops for this. An social gathering will be Tom Delong (blink 182 guitarist) his shoe line has a vegan branch, also outfits! have a glance! And maximum ingredients for vegetarians is likewise fantastic for a vegan. in spite of the indisputable fact that, on ingesting meat, the animal has already been killed, packaged, we as human beings are omnivores, so we would besides eat meat why enable the animal bypass to waste?

Answer 4

Congratulations on a history of healthy lifestyle choices! It's not easy to change the way you live your life, and it sounds like you've really made some improvements. Keep in mind those changes have not all happened overnight--it took you a little while to reach where you are now. So, changing to a vegan diet does not have to happen immediately either. Start with little changes, like trying soy-based cheese and dairy products. Go shopping at places like Whole Foods and Central Market, which carry green-friendly products. You also might try going to Half-Price books and finding a user-friendly vegan cookbook. I have two dear friends who are completely vegan, and when they have dinner parties I eat like a pig!! So, it's totally possible. You can do it--just be patient! Good luck. :)

Answer 5

Try Alex Jamieson's "Great American Detox Diet" - she managed to get me to go from vegetarian to vegan for six whole weeks, and I felt pretty healthy while I was doing it. However I found in the end I personally couldn't live without cheese and butter, although I've cut down a lot on milk since reading her on the topic. (She's the woman who devised Morgan Spurlock's diet to detox him from the McDonalds diet in "Supersize me". I think she has a website.)

Answer 6

It's fairly easy to discern what products contain animal bits and pieces. Stay away from honey, too, that's a vegan no-no. Pick up some vegan cookbooks from the library, that will teach you a lot!

Answer 7

I just stopped eating processed foods.Then after a while I starting reading labels and memorized whats vegan friendly and whats not.Like wheat thins,oreos and nutter butters,etc

Answer 8

Well.. it's never easy to stop doing something that you use to it. Also if you decide to go Vegan, consider this:
is not only eating- but remember to get your nutritions, belive me it's possible
it's an everyday choice- cruelty free shopping, living, entertaining, clothing....
check www.vegansociety.com they've go the answers
If you gotta go.... GO VEGAN!!!!!

Answer 9

Why would you do that?
Veganism is more like a religion than an eating style.
You're going to die of something anyway.
Enjoy life, eat a dead animal today!

Answer 10

you begin by going back to not being vegan, then you don't have to dissect the labels