So I've been a vegetarian for about a year, and have never thought twice about it. I do it mostly as a health issue, as opposed to an animal rights issue (although I do consider that into it too.) But I still eat seafood- because it does contain healthy nutrients, and it's easier for me, because when people are preparing food for me, they actually have something to prepare. Anyway...but I've always wanted to be vegan, I just have never had the willpower to give up dairy products completely. I don't really like cheese or anything, so that's not a problem, but it's the fatfree milk, yogurt, etc. And it's hard for me to know what kind of food has egg or butter in it. Meaning I'd pretty much have to prepare all my own food, unless of course something is stated to be vegan. I live in a pretty conservative area sadly, and there is not a lot of vegan support, so it's hard for me to explain this to people.

BUT I'm going to try my hardest. Because I dont need it. People do it all the time. I look at it as a challenge too, can I do it? Am I strong enough? OF COURSE I AM :yes:

So if anyone has any suggestions of how to make the "big switch" and how to confirm that a food contains no animal.

Also, suggestions of how to decline something nonvegan that someone fixes for me, and how to explain to people what being vegan means.

It's going to be real hard.
And if I slip, I'll write, and then someone should yell at me and remind me of all the reasons to be vegan. ^_^

<3
amber

All successful vegans that I've come across (including myself) stayed animal-product free for ethical reasons. Health reasons really aren't that compelling to most people since a healthy meat-inclusive diet is entirely possible.

First of all, try this: Meet Your Meat. (http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=meet_your_meat) The classic veganizer.

If you're serious about becoming a vegan, start by finding replacements for dairy and seafood. Once you've found them, phase out the old stuff. I'd also recommend finding a vegetarian vitamin supplement, as it really helps to fill in any holes while you're still learning to take care of yourself on your new diet.

As for other people, decide why specifically you're doing this. When people offer you food made with meat/dairy/eggs/honey thank them for the offer, but explain that you don't use or consume animal products. (This saves you the trouble of explaining what a vegan is, unless you want to spread the word, which is always cool. :rockon: ) If they press the issue, explain your reasons. If they decide to make snide remarks or challenge your decision, either ask them to respect your decision and drop it, or argue your case, if you feel so inclined. If they ask questions, it's usually best to simply answer them, and it can help put veganism in a good light.

I'll answer any other questions, if you have any.

:)

I went omni to vegan. I was getting into moral philosophy at the time. I saw meet your meat and read Peter Singer's "Animal Liberation". After those two experiences I knew that I would never be happy with myself if I continued with this cruelty to animals.

Just nit picking but if you are going to eat fish please don't call yourself a vegetarian. I am not trying to discourage you, in fact I think it is great you cut land animals out of your diet, but it really confuses people when they think vegetarians eat fish, which by definition is not true.

Advice on telling if something has animal products...

This is where it gets interesting. One of the most interesting things about vegans is that most of them are remarkably aware of what is in their food. This is something you'll develop out of necessity. Learn to recognize what types of additives and ingredients are animal derived and you'll be able to scan ingredient lists quickly to see whether it's vegan or not.

Here's something helpful for the favourites list: Animal Additives. (http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=72)

When you're eating something home- or restaurant-made, it's best to ask the person that made it or the server if it has something in it that you won't eat. Over time, you'll get a feeling for what types of things generally contain butter, milk, eggs, etc. and you'll just inadvertantly avoid them.

And just as a side-note: when you're explaining that you don't eat something, please say that you don't or won't eat animal products, not that you can't eat them. Physically, you are capable, but morally, you choose not to. It's a choice, therefore does not qualify it as a necessity, which is the way many people present it. That makes us seem dumb.

;)

Why not be a vegan who eats seafood?

Just nit picking but if you are going to eat fish please don't call yourself a vegetarian. I am not trying to discourage you, in fact I think it is great you cut land animals out of your diet, but it really confuses people when they think vegetarians eat fish, which by definition is not true.

Heh, yeah...

:shy:

Heh, yeah, I guess I really shouldn't call myself a vegetarian, usually when I explain it to people I just say "a vegetarian who eats fish" because it doesn't confuse the minds of meat eaters as much ^_^ maybe it's actually called a pescatarian? anyway.

So I was making breakfast this morning, and I realized how many products contains unneccessary dairy. Like packets of oatmeal [I'm sure all don't] But the quaker oatmeal "weight control" kind, and kashi brand does. hmph. So I went with the good old fashioned plain quaker oats. ^_^

If you are really serious about the health implications of a meat/fish/egg/dairy containing diet - and you want support from that aspect and encouragement to go vegan for health then I strongly suggest reading The China Study.

It is possible to be a very motivated vegan for health reasons. It doesn't have to be for environmental or animal rights/welfare reasons to "stick". But if you're going to look for health reasons to become and stay vegan then you need to really do some research on why animal foods are not what you should be eating.

In addition to The China Study I also suggest books by Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. John McDougall.

Hi Amber-

Making the switch can be a bit of a challege. I transitioned off of dairy for about a year and a half. I found that the less of it I was eating, the less appealing it was when I actually ate it. So perhaps the first thing is to take your time with transitioning as you read more about animal ingredients in foods and work to incorporate more vegan items into your diet. There are lots of websites that talk about vegan cooking, I would look at those. My personal fav is vegweb.

As for "unvegan" baked goods, you can just simply say you're not hungry. While most of the people have me "pegged" as "the vegan" I don't think I've ever come out as one. A couple weeks ago at a picnic someone asked me if I had tried the icecream pie they brought and I just told them that I don't eat dairy. For some reason I find my diet is easier if I don't say "vegan"--I just say nondairy vegitarian. It's strange, though, I don't like fighting about it with people and if I say nondairy they are like "okay" and if I say vegan they freak out and start questioning me. But if you personally want to tell people why you're vegan, that's great.

Even though you are in a small town, look to see if you have any whole/health food stores in the area. Trader Joes, Whole Foods, local co-ops. While it is pretty easy for me to get all the veggie foods at my local market, these places often have a nice selection of stuff and it's pretty cheap at times.

My final advice is not to beat yourself up for making mistakes. We all do! No one is perfectly vegan, as much as any of us try. In the end, the few mistakes we do make really aren't that big in comparison to the good we are doing in the end by the majority of the choices we make. :sunny:

Michael.... Grr.

Amber, in addition to the books above, I highly recommend you read Becoming Vegan (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1570671036/qid=1130695713/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-5137123-6500902?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) and buy How It All Vegan (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1551520672/qid=1130695687/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-5137123-6500902?v=glance&s=books&n=507846), one of the easiest and best vegan cookbooks out there.

I find that steeping yourself in the information accelerates your mastery of the "learning curve."

'a vegetarian who eats fish' is just as confusing as 'a vegetarian' as you are eating fish. it still tells people "vegetarians eat fish" which of course explains why everyone who first learns that i'm vegetarian assumes that i will just love this shrimp and spinach recipe that they have. . .

i do recommend that you first decide to go vegetarian. this will help you a lot because becoming vegetarian is it's own process. Once that's down, it's actually quite easy to become vegan--for me it took less time to become vegan than it did to become vegetarian.

that being said, becoming vegan is a relatively simple process and you learn how to spot things as they come before you. when you get really into it, you can 'feel' when something has meat it it without even looking. today, for example, i went to a special organic restaurant near me. they get their dairy and eggs from the same farm that i do (as you can see, i'm no longer vegan), and i ordered an omelette. my husband also ordered one, with a 'side of bacon.' i specifically asked for no bacon.

when the food arrived, i wouldn't touch the omelette. i simply 'felt' that there was smoething wrong with it. my husband picked it open with his fork and low and behold--bacon! so, of course we sent it back. i had planned to send it back 'unopened' because i just 'knew' that meat was in there. So, you get adept over time.

...The correct term is Vegaquarian.

How to become Vegan? ...Don't suffer for it. Find some recipes that you enjoy that are vegan. Build up a list of them. Then it won't be a painful transition. It will be one with foods you enjoy.

I'm reading Becoming Vegan right now. It's full of information about vegan nutrition, and nutrition in general. It's too bad that people are generally unaware of the foods they put into their bodies.

vegaquarian doesn't exist. omnivore works fine. pescitarian is used somewhat.

Hi Amaranth,

If you want to get off eating fish first, then I really suggest reading The Perfect Storm by Sebastion Junger. A friend let me borrow it to read because I love armchair adventure books, and although I didn't care for the movie when it came out a few years ago, I did think the premise was interesting (and it is a true story after all)!

It is written from the totally "neutral" viewpoint of a person documenting this swordfish/tuna vessel and its crew, who get caught up in the convergence of 3 major storms (creating "the perfect storm" in meteorogical terms). After reading the first several chapters detailing the totally "normal" practices of the fishing industry (including details of beating the swordfish and mako sharks to death, sawing off the beautiful swords and tossing them back into the ocean like garbage, and trawling miles and miles and miles of fishing line into already overfished breeding grounds for more, more, more, more, more catch :sweat: ) I was just about sick to my stomach. I have never thought about it before, but factory fishing is a horrid industry and this book brings it all to light within the documentary of the biggest storm to hit the Atlantic Ocean in decades.

Good luck with the switch!

Jen

vegaquarian doesn't exist. omnivore works fine. pescitarian is used somewhat.

...It does exist. You just have to close your eyes, and think happy thoughts.

no, actually, it doesn't exist in any dictonary that i could find. nor does it make any sense.

pescitarian makes sense because it's refering to fish. and omnivore makes sense because it's refering to a mixed diet that would include fish.

'vegequarian' is some weird word that doesn't make sense.

Why not be a vegan who eats seafood?

I just met one of those on another board. I'm not quite sure how to respond to her....:flush: ?