should i become a vegan?

Question

it sounds very strict, i am still in school and live with my mom....... i am already a veggie, what is a basic list of things that i would have to cut out of my life (i am already lactose intolerant) thanks
~cam xo

by the way I AM ALREADY A VEGETARIAN!!! i.e. i dont eat any meat or seafood, i am lactose intolerant so i dont eat dairy products, what i am wondering is, what products should i use, and what foods besides honey, white sugar should i eat?
thanks to all the people that are taking my question seriously
love,
cam xo

Answer 1

My first instinct is to tell you "eat meat, stupid". That notion still stands. But you're probably not going to listen to me if I tell you that. So read on: if you are still young and want to be a vegan, see your doctor (dietitian if you have one) before doing so. Without meat and other animal-related products you WILL be depriving yourself of nutrients you need to grow normally, no matter how much the hippies try to tell you otherwise. Eating rabbit food and downing a mutli-vitamin once in a while is NOT a healthy lifestyle. Likewise, health is not a valid reason to become a vegetarian/vegan, one can be quite fit and healthy being an omnivore. Depriving oneself of real food so they don't have to exercise/portion control as much is also not healthy.

One other thing: you need to decide how vegan you want to become. All foods include animals as part of their production chain. For example, more animals are killed by combine harvesters for crops, than are slaughtered for meat-eaters. Insects like bees pollinate plants. Animal manure is used for growing all sorts of foods. Obviously you only want to be as vegan as you feel you need to be, since that decision is entirely based on one making themselves feel good using any means possible.

Answer 2

My two youngest sons went from vegetarian to vegan about 60 days ago. They love it! They are 10 yrs old and they made this decision on their own. So it can be done, easily, at that.
Great on on being vegetarian, that alone is such a great, healthy decision!
As a vegan someone would not eat any animal products, including honey, eggs, gelatin, rennet, whey, etc. Even being lactose intolerant you probably consume things like whey without even realizing it, like in margarine, some bread products, etc.
My biggest advice would be >>>read labels! Most products list things such as milk and eggs due to allergies, but things like whey, gelatin, rennet, honey are often overlooked.
I would also highly recommend researching it. Read everything you can about it. There are many great websites.
My sons are noticing that they do encounter a few problems when we go out to eat, but they are very quickly learning to ask me or the waitress about items. Yesterday, to my surprise one of my sons asked the waitress if their Boca Burger was vegan or vegetarian.
Also, www.goveg.com offers a free vegetarian started kit that is based on a vegan diet, I believe.
Good luck!
~btw... you do not have to avoid silk, leather, and fur to be vegan. Most people that become vegan do later make those choices, but it isn't what makes someone vegan.

Answer 3

I did, but I was counting calories and TRYING to lose wieght....Whenever I stop dieting I stay the same weight so Im pretty sure you wont lose any as long you get proper calories and nutrition. If you want to really make sure you dont lose weight fry veggies in olive oil! makes me gain weight! I lost weight because I was I was 60 pounds overwieght...around 200 pounds and im 5"5'! I lost 30 pounds from dieting. also I was a vegetarian before for 8 years...I decided to be a vegan after finding out the vegetarians dont help with animals suffering as much as vegans, so i went all the way and found out that its easier to diet when your not eating a lot of staurated fats and processed food! I would not have lost any weight at all if I wasnt trying to, so your mom should just make sure you get proper nutrition and as long as your eating enough calories you will be fine =D

Answer 4

Cut out gelatin (though this isn't even vegetarian.)

Since you avoid dairy, the main thing would be to avoid eggs.

Rather than worry about purity, just focus for now on dropping eggs from your diet. You'll do the most good and you'll learn what else to avoid as go go along.

Veganism is a lifestyle, while vegetarianism is a diet. You'll want to refrain from buying products containing leather, fur, silk, and wool and also strive to avoid products that are tested on animals.


As for a reason to drop eggs, consider the breeding process. The females become future egg laying hens, but what happens to the males? A few become sperm donors, but the rest are considered garbage and treated accordingly, (ground up live into fertilizer, or stuffed into garbage bags or dumpsters to suffocate.)

Answer 5

hey, im still in school too, im a junior. i dont count honey as a non vegan food (personally). this lifestyle is not that difficult, especially since you already dont have dairy. obviously you would need to cut eggs out of your diet. hmm. i''ll give you an example of what i eat on an average day.

breakfast- oatmeal (the liquid part being (vanilla) almond, (vanilla) rice or plain oat milk. i usually mix half oat and half of another type of milk. a piece of fruit

for during school ill bring a peanut butter sandwich.

after i get home i'll usually have either a fruit smoothie made of a banana, two types of frozen fruit and bubbly water or i'll have a cup of (vegan of course) soup.

dinner is always different. a good dinner is vegan tacos. i make spanish rice, home made tortillas, beans and average taco toppings.

a vegan diet is totally doable even when still in school and living with your parents. i know i may not have answered your question 100% but i hope i helped a bit :)

Answer 6

I wish I was lactose intolerant! That would make it so easy!
Of course you should become a vegan. You just have to decide to make the commitment. I wasn't aware white sugar is off limits, but as you know, you should avoid any animal products, in food or any other products, and avoid products that are tested on animals. Here is a good source for info on companies who don't test on animals: http://www.navs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Shop
Best wishes

Answer 7

Given that you already don't eat cheese, milk, cream, yoghurt and so on, it sounds like the main thing to do if you want to go vegan is to cut out eggs. Some vegans also cut out honey and white sugar (due to bone char).

Veganism may or may not involve stopping wearing leather shoes etc.

My advice? Do it in stages. Drop eggs first, then honey, then white sugar. You can go as fast or as slow as you want, no one is pressuring you.

If veganism sounds to strict for you, then you can make a difference by sourcing eggs from a city farm or someone who keeps their own chickens / ducks, and honey from a local producer (hey, it cuts down on food miles too). If you're concerned about bee welfare, then always make sure that the honey specifies a particular type of flower, e.g. acacia or lavendar. Otherwise, they can be kept in a shed and just fed sugar syrup.

I get eggs from my chickens, or when they're not laying I get them from my neighbours ducks. Both of us keep them as productive pets. My honey comes from my neighbour across the road. The only thing I haven't been able to source like that is milk! BTW I live in suburbia, so you can source food like I have.

Answer 8

Either way you seem to be a very healthy person. Being vegetarian isn't that hard to become because all you have to cut out of that diet is meat. But being vegan is an even bigger step. You can't eat meat for one. You can't use products derived from animals. It also makes you not able to wear leather or furs. But if you think becoming vegan won't be a problem or you think it's worth it, go and do it. I've heard of some people that are vegan and they are happy and very healthy people.

Answer 9

if you already are not eating dairy its a good step. I too am milk allergic, but I do just fine on raw milk-it contains all of the enzymes necessary to digest itself, and I have no issues with it. (google rawmilk.com) To be vegan, you would eliminate eggs, gelatine (jello) honey, white sugar, table salt, and would quit using any clothes made from animals, such as leather, silk, wool, fur, etc. Also avoid household products, cosmetics, shampoos, etc that are tested on animals. Good luck

Answer 10

If you are going to do it make sure you do it properly. Including when and when not to drink your beverages and how close to your meals to do it. Being vegan can be very easy if you have a clear understanding of it. Best of luck. Vegans are some of the healthiest people in the world for a reason. Look at the foods you eat now. Remember that eating vegan means all organic all the time. To many preservatives go into all other foods. Good luck with your choice.