I've tried to go vegan many times before, always failing at the last minute. I'm trying out new ways to STAY vegan, which hasn't worked so far. Advice? Thanks!
2007-10-27 14:07:06 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
First, ask yourself why you want to be vegan. For me, it was because I found out how horribly animals are treated in factory farms. I've been vegan for 15 years. I went straight from being omnivore to vegan, then relapsed once a couple of weeks later. But since then, I haven't had a problem staying vegan, because I care about and always have in mind those animals that are being tortured ad killed for food. I also get newsletters from Farm Sanctuary, Animal Place and other animal welfare groups, so the thought of what those animals go through is never far from me.
If you want to be vegan for your health, read more about the health benefits of a vegan diet. Try PCRM's website below.
My other suggestion is to make sure you always have a good breakfast, never let yourself go hungry, carry snacks with you when you're away from home (trail mix is a satisfying snack)...that way you won't be tempted to get something non-vegan when you're away from home. Make sure you're always eating balanced meals. Check out books at your local library on vegan nutrition and vegan cookbooks to help you.
Also, try to substitute your favorite foods with vegan versions. For example, if you love spaghetti with meatballs, try the vegan meatballs. If you can't live without cheese, try the Tofutti brand vegan cheese. There's also Amy's brand cheese-free pizza - it's awesome! If you love chocolate chip cookies, try Uncle Eddie's brand or the Alternative Baking Company brand cookies (they're both delicious!).
Take some time to plan your meals. Find a few recipes, frozen dinners, sandwiches, etc. that you are sure you like, stick with those for a while, then experiment with new ones.
Overall, don't rush yourself. If you can only substitute a few meals a week, that's okay. It's up to you to personnally find your reason(s) for becoming a vegan and to have the determination to continue. I wish you the best in health and good luck!
2007-10-27 15:48:07 · answer #1 · answered by Bluebird 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you don't have a reason to STAY vegan already, go find at least one reason. It will help for a few months.
Vegan food takes around 22 or 23 hours to digest and give out all the energy while meat takes over 40 hours to release the same energy. That was discovered by the doctors on the Discovery Channel show 'Truth about Food'. How is that for a reason to begin with?
2007-10-27 21:37:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Is there a vegetarian society in your area? A vegan/vegetarian Meetup? Sometimes it helps to have other veg*ans around you to reinforce your decision and act as a support group.
But as another person suggested, think of what causes you to fail and see if you can't find a way to avoid that trigger. There are vegan options for most foods out there, and you should find great substitutes for the animal foods you like right now.
2007-10-27 22:01:05 · answer #3 · answered by VeggieTart -- Let's Go Caps! 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Read the book Skinny B i t c h (without spaces) by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. I'm currently transitioning vegetarian to vegan and it made things alot easier. Also watch the movie "Earthlings." It's kind of hard to find. You can watch it on youtube in three parts. here are the link
part 1 http://youtube.com/watch?v=GhxKnys7Ryw
part 2 http://youtube.com/watch?v=7sRiH_Owq9U
part 3 http://youtube.com/watch?v=N8U9dw-9U4E
2007-10-27 21:43:43 · answer #4 · answered by Jake B 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Learn how to cook and make sure that your skills in the kitchen are sufficient before you even start to think about calling yourself vegan again.
2007-10-27 21:22:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Think about the food you consume, what effects will it have on your body in the future, think about the animals who died for your enjoyment of their flesh, think about what type of flesh you could be eating. For example: Its called bologna but it can also be called cow ear, turkey toe, chicken brain.
2007-10-27 21:16:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Maybe vegan isnt for you, try just vegetarian and slowly "weed" stuff out
2007-10-27 21:16:59 · answer #7 · answered by Risa 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Find a replacement for whatever it is that makes you fail.
2007-10-27 21:08:56 · answer #8 · answered by Jessica 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I can't do that either. I decided I'll stay vegetarian. I do what I can.
2007-10-28 10:29:05 · answer #9 · answered by Analyst 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's so hard and expensive to be strictly vegan, it eliminates eating at most resteraunts, it means tirelessly reading labels, for hidden chicken broth and eggs and whey, being very specific when ordering and still scraping bacon bits out of your salad, and I don't know how anybody could live without cheese, meat is murder, true, but cows LIKE to be milked, it's a fact.
2007-10-27 21:19:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 9⤋