I'd like to start a thread about the big transition(s) to veg*anism. I'm sure many of you seasoned veggies have explained how you went from omni to lacto-ovo veg, and from vegetarian to vegan in other threads, but could you explain the process you went through for the benefit of us newbies? :)

In particular,

1 - How much time did the transition take?

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it?

Thanks for your insight, I'm asking because I'm finding it (omni -> lact-ovo) pretty hard, especially as far as giving up seafood is concerned... Also, social occasions can be rough (I live in a very meat-addicted community it seems).

OMNI > VEGETARIAN

1 - How much time did the transition take?
- about a year

2 - What was the toughest part for you?
- giving up chicken wings :(
- not having enough "texture"

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?
- as for giving up chicken wings, i didn't have trouble because i like chicken. rather, i had trouble because of the flavor of chicken wing sauce. dipping other things into chicken wing sauce usually helps me out. say we ordered pizza and wings, i would order "extra" sauce on the side and dip some celery in it. mmm.
-as for the texture thing, i've found vegan riblets to be my best friend when i need to get a good "meaty" texture in my system.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?
-i slipped up once when there was a piece of chicken parm in my refridgerator... i took a bite... then i realized that i was doing the wrong thing, and i haven't had a bight of meat since.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?
-i physically feel healthier. i don't feel so weighted all the time.
-i developed an e.d. I won't say that it was caused by vegetarianism, but i was trying to become "healthier" in a completely unhealthy way.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?
-still do. my family doesn't really understand it at all... and since i've had my e.d. they just tell me to "eat a cheeseburger."

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?
-yes, still do.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? How did you achieve it?
nope

I love this thread, great reading for a newbie.

1 - How much time did the transition take? All together I would say anywhere between 2 weeks and a month.

2 - What was the toughest part for you? Eating out, when I first gave up eating meat I had a really hard time finding something to eat that was vegetarian at fast food places.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ? At first whenever I would go out to eat (all of my friends and family are omni) I would want to order chicken, so I would remind myself that the patty covered in onions that I wanted was actually once a live chicken who once had feelings and had to suffer...that pretty much got rid of the craving.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them? No major slip ups that I can recall, but I did have a couple failed transitions, probably about two. My third attempt was when I joined Veggieboards, and I've been veggie since! The support here is great.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition? Yes and no. I think my sense of smell has dramatically improved and I have much more energy. I did notice when I gave up dairy for awhile that when I returned to it my stomach was upset the first couple of days.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition? My family still gives me a rough time! but I know I am doing the right thing, and that's what matters.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?Some, but mostly during..I learn as I go.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it? I tried and failed, and have tons of respect for all vegans.

Good thread! :rockon:

1 - How much time did the transition take? I went from omni to vegan in about 2 months...cold tofurkey on the meat, and pretty quick on the dairy, eggs after. finally I phased out the hidden ingredients, learning what to look for.

2 - What was the toughest part for you? My family bonds over food, and the idea that I wouldn't be eating the same food as they were seemed to put distance between us at family gatherings. once everyone got used to it, though, that changed, and we even have fun making veggie food together.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ? I avoided eating meat analogs that were very similar to meat in texture, as that seemed to make me crave meat. I also made sure that I had tons of variety in my diet, and bought veggies/nuts/seasonings I had never tried before, to keep it fun.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them? I had strong ethical objections to dairy, but LOVED eating it, so I messed up on the dairy thing a few times despite myself. and once I bought bread I thought was vegan but actually had skim milk powder as a minor ingredient. :dunce:

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition? I noticed I had WAY more energy, and felt...I dunno, lighter. my skin cleared up (I never had bad acne, but a few blemishes). my metabolism went from 0 to 60, and I found I could eat 5 meals a day and still lose weight. I'm still losing! I also noticed that I no longer craved soda, and drank a lot more water without thinking about it.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition? some. but despite the teasing, they have all come to realize that being vegan is very healthy, and started to support me more. in fact yesterday my mom told my brother (who always teases me), "Rob, guess what? Amanda's a vegan. you just have to get used to it! I don't know what you're trying to acheive by treating her this way, but you have to admire how much strength this has taken and how determined she has been. and it's got to be so much better for her! so shut up!" :p

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started? definitely. I read everything I could find and took it all into consideration. I have learned so much about nutrition! if you guys could have seen how I ate before...:no:

1 - How much time did the transition take?

years- I went back and forth, and for a long time I still ate fish but not dairy.:-/

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

learning to ignore criticisim and giving up comfort and traditional "food"

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?

not initially, so I screwed up a lot, but now I make sure I call ahead when I am invited to things. I have like 8 baby showers to attend and I just call the place early and I haven't had an issue yet. the fancier the place the easier it is, usually.

plus, don't get too hungry. i would "crave" when I was hungry.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?

yeah, and the best thing to do is not beat yourself up over it. quite frankly, I think everyone slips once in a while. I can say today that I won't slip but tomorrow I may, because I am human. one day at a time.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?

I am fully convinced that giving up dairy is the reason I never get sick.
plus, I have hereditary high cholesterol and would be on medication if I wasn't vegan. incidentally, I didn't know about my cholesterol until after i went veg.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

my family is terrible about it, and I have one friend whois convinced I am doing it to annoy her and feel special.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

I started in high school so I ate french fries and ketchup every day for lunch.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? How did you achieve it?

no, mine's been quite the messy journey!

1 - How much time did the transition take?

About a week. I'd been toying with the idea of going veggie for a while. I'd half-heartedly decided to, and then the very next day I had a club sandwich. After I ate it, I remember staring at my plate and thinking, "What an incredibly shallow person I am." I resolved to go vegetarian then. Two days later we went to my husband's coworker's house for Thanksgiving. His wife had cooked a turkey for the first time in ages, just for us, and said kind of nervously as she served it, "I hope you're not vegetarians or anything!" So I ate the turkey. That was the last bit of meat I ate.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

Watching my husband eat Chicken McNuggets, which I love.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?

Not really. My only "secret weapon" is, during a tempting event, I tell myself, "Tomorrow I will eat all that yummy meat everyone else is eating. I'll just be a vegetarian for today." Of course, by the next day my resolve has strengthened once again. I also try to never go anywhere hungry.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?

I don't consider them slip-ups, but the occasional bending. I've never deliberately eaten meat or stopped being a vegetarian, but occasionally I ate non-veggie things because I felt obligated to, or because I didn't want to make a fuss. But it was my choice, and I went back to only veggie foods right afterwards.

I think about 10 years ago I had the idea to be a vegetarian, but I didn't know much about it and it didn't last long. So I suppose that counts as a failed transition.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?

Nope, I feel the same as always.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

Not a lot. A little bit, but mostly mild ribbing. My family is pretty awesome.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

No, but I interviewed a vegetarian and a pescatarian friend for information and nutrition tips.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it?

Not I. I believe Romac on these boards did, though.

:)

You do not say how long you have been trying. It would also depend on what sort of psychology you have. If in other projects you have just jumped in headfirst and not looked back, then you can probably cut it off drastically and just go cold turkey. Most people do the gradual approach because there are some physical changes to changing any eating pattern (your gut flora gets used to certain germs/amoebas, and then you change the germs, now new gut flora needs to take over/ it causes the water balance in your intestines to go off and usually you get bloating and diahreaha which usually clears up in a few days).

It also depends on how much of a carnivore you were before. I took about 2 years to go from nearly a total carnivore to an Ovo-Lacto which is what I am now. Year one, I did not have the goal of going Vegitarian. I simply wanted to cut down on meat and get more vegetables. First I added a lot of salads, then I cut down on red meat and went to white (chicken, fish). Later in the year I went from poultry to just fish (in the meantime also eating dairy/eggs too). During the fish period I also began to consume and experiment with Tofu, Tempeh, soy milk and other non-dairy foods. Then I broke my leg and was forced to eat nothing but dairy and what ever dried food I had in the house because I could not go and shop, and found a dairy delivery service-- I also wasn't getting a lot of fresh vegitables either. When the leg was finally well enough to allow myself to shop, I stood looking at the meat counter and telling myself that I wasnt really interested in it. I bought a few packets of something like boca burger or something similar and decided to see what they tasted like. I liked them enough to tell myself that I was okay with cutting meat out of my diet alltogether. (obviously they are not totally like meat, but they are good enough to take care of any cravings). By that time I had read a few books about Vegitarian diets. I knew I was not ready, nor didnt want to become totally strict or Vegan. As far as eggs or milk. I did find a health market that sold organic low vat pasturised milk and instead of drinking it-- since it is so expensive, I make yoghurt and kefir from it for smoothies. I drink soy-milk for my "milk." I also found a farmer who sells home-produced eggs from chickens who wander around his house and eat bugs.

to sum up-- make small leaps not large ones. Also give yourself time to adjust. It is good that you are on the seafood-- ovo-lacto stage. give it a few months. Then if you want to move more towards Veganism, simply start replaceing your milk w/ Soy and so on. But give that some time too. I think the people who fail are those who jump off the cliff and have nothing to hold on to.

Well, I'm a relative newbie (almost 5 months vegetarian, working on vegan) but it's an interesting thing to think about so I hope you don't mind if I reply!

1 - How much time did the transition take?

I started cutting out meat in September, I wouldn't eat it in my school dining hall (the way they cook it, all greasy and stuff, is gross) but I would when I went out to restaurants. I knew I was heading towards being fully vegetarian, so I decided that when I went home for Thanksgiving that would be my symbolic "last meal" and I haven't eaten meat since then. I ate a lot of yogurt for about a month, then started reading up more on the philosophy behing veganism, and started cutting out dairy and eggs. I'm at the point where I won't eat them if they're obvious or if I can check the ingredients but I also don't ask at restaurants if their bread is vegan or whatever. (whew sorry that was long-winded)

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

My school dining hall - dinner after practice is a big part of the social life of my track team, but pasta with questionable sauce isn't really enough after a hard workout.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?

Not initially - I would just order the thing most likely to be veg - but now I try and do some research ahead. Many chain restaurants list ingredients and nutrition info online so you can check and see if there's something you can eat before you go out.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?

Nothing major I guess, other than still caving into a brownie or cookie now and then. I'm just telling myself it's a process and that I'll get used to it - which is true, now when I cave whatever I eat is never as good as I expect it to be.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?

I've felt pretty tired for a while but I think that was because I wasn't eating right - no breakfast, bagel and yogurt for lunch, and maybe dry pasta with some gross steamed veggies at the dining hall for dinner. In the past week or so I noticed that my resting heart rate is down! Which is awesome - most other serious runners that I know have like high 40-low 50, and I was always at 70 or so. Now I'm down to 55-58.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

My family has been great for the most part, although my sis doesn't really get the vegan thing, and keeps telling me I'll waste away. My peers - I haven't really told most of them actually, but when it has come up people have generally been quite understanding.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

Not as much as I should have - like I said I didn't really do it right at first. I've found www.fitday.com to be a great help, and I also take a vegan supplement.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it?

Not me - that would be hard!

Awesome idea for a thread - looking forward to reading about everyone else's journeys!

~Hannah

I'm not sure I'm "seasoned" after only two years but why not, I'll answer.
I'm currently,I guess, a strict vegetarian?

1 - How much time did the transition take? Omni--->L/O overnight. I just decided I was going veg and did it. L/O--->Mostly dietary vegan has really just started. I've gotten jammed up on hidden ingredients a few times (english muffins, who knew?) and I ate a whole plate of "pesto" pasta at Easter lunch yesterday to find out there was cottage cheese in the mix (couldn't taste it at all, I wonder why it was there lol) but I think I've done pretty well all things considered. I did try to make the vegan jump overnight also, it's just a little more difficult to do than L/O.

2 - What was the toughest part for you? Giving up cheese. I still love cheese. And milkshakes. soy milk/cheese is horrible. I don't miss meat.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ? I wasn't really tempted with meat, with dairy, well I just sort of try to remember why I'm doing it. I hope after a while it'll just become common place and I won't miss it so much.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them? I mentioned the hidden ingredients those are my only real slip ups. I just take it in stride. I tell myself if I get really desperate for cheese I'll have some. lol I haven't yet but telling myself that seems to ease the cravings. If I eat something to find whey in the ingredients, I make a mental note about it and move on. I'm human, I err.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition? I felt a lot better after going veg. Probably because of the increase of fiber in my diet and I really didn't eat healthy before that. I have noticed a difference in my allergies after giving up dairy. I used to take 2 different allergy medications 3 times a day and I'm down to taking one of them about 3 times a week, sometimes less. It's remarkable really.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition? My mom and sister mocked me but I was lucky that my friends and husband were all really supportive.My ILs have gone above and beyond trying to be respectful of my choices.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started? No and I'm not great about it now. I shop with 3 kids under the age of 6 so I don't always get to check labels in the store. Once the item is bought, it's going to be made, but I try to check new products in the store.

Mary

Great thread!

1 - How much time did the transition take? I went vegetarian immediately after learning about factory farms at age 12. I pretty much quit cold turkey. Then, at age 15 I became vegan, also immediately. So, there was a 3 year gap between vegetarianism/veganism.

2 - What was the toughest part for you? The toughest part was not realizing how many veg*n foods there are. Now, I have a wider range of foods than anyone I know, but back then all I ate was pb & j sandwiches every single day. I would definitely not recommend doing that! The recipes section on here is AWESOME - wish I'd had it back then!

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ? For me, I just categorize things in my head. "This is what I saw in that slaughterhouse video, this is not food. This is dead." Of course, now that's second nature.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them? The day after I decided to go vegan I slipped up and ate dairy queen - UGH! I felt so guilty, and decided to give it another shot, and haven't gone back since. :)

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition? Only good changes! Lost weight, skin cleared up, feel energized and healthy!

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition? Hmm, yes and no. I never took any of it seriously though, and always looked at it like, "gee, these poor uneducated/immoral people..."

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started? Nope! I sure should have though. Now I take a multivitamin and always make sure I'm eating balanced foods.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? How did you achieve it? Nope, but I had a friend that did. She only lasted about a year and a half and is now a vegetarian.

:)

1 - How much time did the transition take?
Years *blush* I wish I'd done it sooner, but I had a hard time finding nutritional information, and dealing with omnis.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?
Dealing with omnis.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?
Basically, planning ahead. On my way there, I tell myself, "Oooh, a veggie challenge. Let's see how well I deal with it." Afterwards I congratulate myself: "I'm such a good person!" :D I also remember that I'm not there for the food itself, I'm there for the company (or, in some cases, the booze ;) )

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?
No, but there are times when temptation was strong: At a sushi bar, I thought the rolls looked very pretty. But I realized I didn't want to eat little fishies, I was just impressed by the artwork and the combinations of colors. One time I had a craving for fried chicken, but I realized that what I was craving wasn't chicken, but rather the fried; the greasy, salty, junk-food breading. I ate fried zuchini, and later fried tofu, and that went away. I've found if I think about what exactly I'm craving, stare the craving right in the eye, the craving goes away.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?
About 2 weeks or so after becoming vegetarian, I noticed I felt physically and mentally better. Lighter, more energetic, and happier.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

I had more criticism before becoming veg*n than after. I kinda saw it coming - I would be eating something and thinking, this is wrong. So I told a few people that I saw it coming, and got resistance from family members. Friends were supportive and inquisitive. My husband, who pressured me the most pre-transition, is now totally supportive.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started? No. Well, maybe. By coincidence I found a book about vegetarianism, and the info I read there probably made me a veg sooner than if I hadn't found the book, but I was already on my way at that time. Serendipity, I guess.

>Thanks for your insight, I'm asking because I'm finding it (omni -> lact-ovo)
> pretty hard, especially as far as giving up seafood is concerned... Also,
>social occasions can be rough (I live in a very meat-addicted community it
>seems

Thanks for starting the thread :) It'll be interesting to see how others deal with slip-ups. I agree that social occasions can be rough - to me that was the hardest part, still is.

Omni->vegetarian
1 - How much time did the transition take?Overnight omni to veg.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?figuring out what to eat, at 11I had lots of kitchen experience (thanks mom!) but no meal planning experience. I ate lots of canned corn at first. I started going to the grocery store every time my mom did.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?I tied a pretty ribbon around my finger so every time I went to reach for food I would see it and think about what I was eating.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?there were some trace ingredients I didn't know about initally, but other than that no intentional slip ups.
5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?
nope
6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?
My extended family wasn't very happy, but my parents had been expecting it for "years" so it was pretty easy at home.
7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?Nope


6 years later...

Vegetainan->vegan

1 - How much time did the transition take?

There were some failed transitions starting from about 2 or 3 years after I initially went vegetarian. Something kind of clicked for me senior year of highschool and it was suddenly so easy for me. I had already started doing the soymilk thing, reducing cheese, etc. with the intent of being a low dairy/egg vegetarian but veganism was really simple that final time.


2 - What was the toughest part for you?
Telling my parents, and my culinary arts teacher (she loved fussing over me, which typically meant cheese, she did pretty well with the vegan thing though)
3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?

I was already pretty used to being a vegetarian, so veganism became an extension of that very quickly. I already had the "I don't eat that" mind set, so I just kind of added a few extra foods to it.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?

The failed transitions mentioned above, they made me feel like it was too hard, but I think I was sort of pressing the issue with myself at the time. As I said, vegansim was incredibly easy once I was ready for it.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?

I lost a bit of weight (a good thing) and my diet improved quite a bit. I also quit getting constant sinus infections/headaches

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

My extended family had no idea what to do with me, my parents weren't terribly happy, and my boyfriend was pretty upset as well (we were supposed to get old and fat on cheese together). They all got over it. My culinary arts teacher was delightfully supportive and always made sure I was eating something pretty damn tasty when the rest of the class was eating. I ate lunch in her room every other day (gotta love having a real kitchen to cook school lunch in :D )so she typically sampled my lunch and stole some recipes.

Every generation in my mothers side of the family has one person who gets all the good recipes by virtue of being the best cook and that was supposed to be me (and my mother was the recipe getter in her generation) so it upsets her a lot that pretty much all of my grandmothers recipes are going to waste. My cousin is showing a lot of promise in the kitchen, so I'm trying to pawn the position off on her.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

Lots, I had quite a bit more explaining to do, as well as much more intrest in nutrition by that time.

1 - How much time did the transition take?
I went lacto-ovo overnight about 2 and a half years ago. Then After about 9 months of gradually eliminating all animal products I went vegan for about 6 months, but... for many reasons I started including small amounts of organic dairy into my diet again, which is where I stand today.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?
Relations with my BF (now my ex) became strained, as food had been such a large part of our life and he worried for my health and felt like I was judging him.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?

I have never had a meat temptation, but when avoiding dairy, I would choose creamy, fatty things, like avacado or hummus with lots of oil and tahini. Tofuti cuties helped too.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?

I don't consider my transition back to ovo-lacto vegetariansm a failure. Being vegan is not right for me at this time, but it taught me so much!

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?
I have lost weight and feel more at peace.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

My sister and my ex bf were the only ones who were critical. My sister came around, but my BF is now my ex, so we all know how that went. Everyone else was really supportive!

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

yes and I still do!

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it?
Not me! I thought I would never be vegan when I first started!

Omni to Vegan overnight

1 - How much time did the transition take?instant (of course we're still using non-vegan stuff that we had like cleaners, and leather shoes, but the dietary change was instant

2 - What was the toughest part for you?it was so easy it was ridiculous - we ate cheese by the ton, but it was not hard to give up...strong convictions made it effortless

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?nope...strong convictions made it effortless

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?nope...strong convictions made it effortless
5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?positives: lost a few pounds in the first weeks...lots of farting...negatives: poo was soft for the first few weeks (but it's all hard again now)

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?nope...one omni friend gave me a bit of a hard time but i brushed him off pretty effortlessly, and my sickly, obese, lard-eating inlaws asked a few questions at a family gathering regarding nutrition insinuating our children would suffer - i told them i'd be happy to get naked and stand in front of a mirror with them and discuss fitness and nutrition with them, but for some reason they didn't take me up on my offer, then a couple days later i rustled up their email adresses and sent them all a page long email with tons of links to pages and pages of nutrition information, and a few photos of vegan bodybuilders.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started? nope...but i had a good starting knowledge of nutrition from all the bodybuilding reading i've done over the years

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it? yep...not sure about the second part of your question, but strong convictions made it effortless - fed everything that had animal products in it to my dog...we still have a bit o' frozen chicken she's yet to finish off...otherwise she eats vegan dogfood, and our cats eat 50% vegan catfood mixed with regular catfood. We had to make a trip to the grocery store the morning after we decided to go vegan because we hardly had any veggies at all in the house. All the other stuff like leather, wool, and stuff will be replaced with vegan items as they wear out.

1 - How much time did the transition take? Not very long. I was cheap enough that I finished up the little bit of meat I had on hand, but that was it.

2 - What was the toughest part for you? Learning how to cook all over again. My mom had taught me basic meat and potatoes cooking, and it took a long time to get a good variety of basic recipes that I could throw together.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ? Pure stubborness. My decision to go veg was quick and immediate and ethical, so I wasn't really tempted.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them? No major slip-ups or failed transitions. Minor slip-ups, yes.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition? No negative health issues, but my digestive system was happier with the new diet.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition? I was in graduate school and living on my own, so I didn't have a lot of people criticizing me. Also, one of my sisters was vegan already (she's since gone back to meat), so I wasn't considered that odd as a vegetarian.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started? Not before I started. I sort of learned as I went along.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? How did you achieve it? Just omni to vegetarian.

OMNI > NEAR-VEGETARIAN

I should explain that my own diet is not 100% vegetarian. I was not motivated to change my diet because of an animal rights perspective. Rather, I just wanted to eat more consciously, with more respect for the earth and her creatures, and reduce the careless waste of life and resources that goes along with the standard American diet. Right now, I would say my diet probably has about the same impact on animal life and environment over the course of a year that a typical omni diet has in a couple days, and I'm satisfied with that.

1 - How much time did the transition take?

A couple months. I began just thinking I wanted less fat and less meat in my diet (and they often go together), so started using meat and cheese in smaller quantities, as "flavorings" for some meals, rather than as staples. After doing that for awhile, I discovered I like the meals without meat just as much, or more, than those with meat, so it was easy to just not prepare meat anymore.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

There's always a few favorite dishes: chicken enciladas, chicken curry, etc. But in general, I did not find it difficult, because I do not crave meat in and of itself.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?

This may not be for you, but I don't beat myself up for having a non-vegetarian meal on occasion. I try to look at the big picture, and appreciate the impact of my diet taken as a whole. A good strategy, though, if you know you'll be going someplace where the vegetarian options are poor or non-existent, is to eat something ahead of time, maybe not a whole meal, but enough to not be hungry at the event.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?

See above. I don't consider myself a "failure" if I occasionally eat something non-veg. Even if you are striving for 100% veg, you might find it helpful to begin with a slightly less difficult target, like one non-veg meal a week or a month. That way if you get in one of those difficult situations at a restaurant or as someone's guest, you can let that be your one non-veg meal, and not feel like a failure. After you do that for awhile, it will probably become clearer to you about how to make the final transition to 100% veg.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?

I got much healthier!

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

No; I mostly associate with well-informed, tolerant people.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

Some, but I did not dwell on it.

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? :bobo: How did you achieve it?

Not applicable, although I don't think it would be very hard for me. I preferential shop for vegan products, and I'm sure I've gone weeks without consuming any animal products.

1 - How much time did the transition take?
I've done it in steps. First I dropped all meat except for fish, which was overnight and easy- but that's not vegetarian. 4 years later I went fully vegetarian. 10-15 years ago I started cutting way back on milk and eggs, but I'm still not sure I should call myself "vegan" yet. (My reason for doing this is for animals' sake.)

2 - What was the toughest part for you?
Going vegan has been tough, but dropping meat and then fish was easy. I still have cravings for meat and fish. Although I don't give in to them, I think they've become stronger now that I've dropped eggs and dairy too. However, I don't have any other food issues to deal with.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?
Not really- except that resisting temtation is easier when you're not hungry.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?
Mostly when I went from ovo-lacto-vegetarian to vegan. I just get back on the vegan wagon. I don't make excuses for eating animal food- the only reason I have done it is because I was hungry and I enjoyed it- but I do take pride in not giving up.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?
My blood cholesterol is excellent compared to most of my relatives', and I seem to have a good, stable body weight (5'10", 165-170 lbs.) So although I didn't become vegetarian for health reasons, it seems to be doing me good.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?
No. They've taken it in stride, and I've been laid-back in my attitude about it.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?
Yes- and it seems there's ALWAYS more to learn!!!!

8 - Did anyone go straight from omni to vegan? How did you achieve it?
I'm in awe of those who pull that off.

Good questions!

1 - How much time did the transition take?

I went vegetarian overnight. My transition to veganism has taken almost 9 years and may take 9 more. :p

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

At first I felt really alone. It frustrated me that no one else understood how I felt. There was no one to relate to. It'd be a lot easier now with the internet.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) :drool: ?

Not really. And it's really not that hard anymore. Especially if you're going vegetarian. There are almost always options. And if there aren't you can plan to eat ahead of time.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? :down: How did you react to them?

Not really. I didn't find going veg that challenging. The important thing is to remember that you can still have just about everything you had before - there are veg alternatives for just about everything.

And if you slip up don't beat yourself up over it. Same with a diet. Though that's always easier said than done. For me every meal someone eats without meat is an accomplishment so you should be proud of what you've done.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?

Not really. Just be sure to take a multi-vitamin. And you should try to eat a balanced diet, which is true no matter what you're eating.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

Yeah, the most important thing I've learned is that unless you're a child you don't owe anyone an explaination. If you don't feel comfortable talking about it then don't. Or just say "I have my reasons. I won't push my views on you and I'd appreciate it if you'd do the same with me."

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

Not really. And I still don't. Sometimes I get cravings for things and I take it that's my body's way of telling me I need something.


Thanks for your insight, I'm asking because I'm finding it (omni -> lact-ovo) pretty hard, especially as far as giving up seafood is concerned... Also, social occasions can be rough (I live in a very meat-addicted community it seems).

Yeah, it's tough. Especially if you feel alone. And it is hard to find veg alternatives for seafood. If you think it'll help you in the long run you may want to give up all meat except seafood for a while and see how that works out for you. Then maybe phase out certain types of seafood until you've totally removed them from your diet.

Good luck! Sounds like you're on the right track.

Wow! Thanks everyone, I didn't expect so many comprehensive replies!

Romac, that's very impressive (you too lightrailcoyote), you make it sound so easy - to think that I'm having trouble just quitting seafood.

thebelovedtree, I like your little ribbon on the finger thing, I might try something similar!

About seafood, what's odd is that I didn't consume overly large amounts of seafood before now, but the fact that I can't eat it anymore has sparked a craving and I can't seem to get rid of it. I remember having such a craving when I was younger for sweets and generally sugary stuff. But since I had no reason to stop eating them I ate lots of artificially-flavored sweets and in the end I got disgusted and nowadays I'm not nearly as much into sugar. But I don't think I could eat enough fish (and shrimp... and mussels...) to make me disgusted. I know that there are vegetarian substitutes for seafood, but as Michael said they're tough to find... Do any of you have experience with that kind of food? Does it taste anything like real seafood?

I haven't tried seafood eqivalents -- I don't like real seafood. But I sympathize with your feelings. Once I decided to give up dairy, I found myself with these insane cravings for mac 'n cheese. I didn't eat mac 'n cheese even when I ate dairy! I never liked it! So strange.

Omni to L/O:

1 - How much time did the transition take?

A few months. I started giving up hamburger and pork, then chicken and fish.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

At that time, finding foods that didn't have meat in them. I went L/O at 15, and I was depending a bit too much on processed foods. At the time, there were no veggie burgers, etc available in the grocery stores here, so it was a bit tough.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?

I gave it up from disgust, so there were no temptations.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?

Nope

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?

It helped me to control (ie stabilize) my weight.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

Not really. My mom was very supportive. Dad didn't really get it but didn't really care :) My friends didn't really seem to care either.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

None. My mom did though :)


L/O to mostly vegan diet:

1 - How much time did the transition take?

I started last March (2005) and I'm still "transitioning". My margarine has vitamin D3, which is animal derived, simply because it is 1/4 the price of the vegan margarine. I buy the "lactose free" kind as it has no whey in it. I don't buy honey any more but if it is in a granola bar, etc I will eat it. I will very rarely eat something with some egg in it as a minor ingredient.

2 - What was the toughest part for you?

At first, giving up cheese.

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?

I make sure to bring a vegan dish with me to all pot luck type of gatherings. It sometimes even surprises people that "that stuff I eat" is actually good!

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?

Nothing major. I would say that my transition has been pretty steady.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?

Yes! For two-three years prior, I had been having severe sinus problems (I had taken two rounds of antibiotics, steroids, had allergy tests and x-rays, had seen two ear nose and throat specialists, etc, to no avail). As I gave up dairy, I realized that it was causing my problems! My sinuses slowly cleared up, and any time I had something with milk in it, I would pay for it later. It made it very easy to give up.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?

My mom (again) has been very supportive, and she has even been giving up meat, and cutting back on dairy and eggs. One of my friends went vegan cold turkey when I explained to him why I was doing it. I've had snide comments from one person in particular but choose to ignore them.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?

Yes. But I contribute that to being a Nutrition major in university. I'm very interested in veganism and nutrition, so the two go hand in hand.


Good luck with giving up seafood, and other animal products should you choose to do so :)

If you simmer Kombu (a seaweed) in water, it makes a broth that tastes like fish broth.

1 - How much time did the transition take?
Overnight

2 - What was the toughest part for you?
Learning to love vegetables

3 - Did you have specific strategies to make sure you didn't give in to some initial temptations (including at social events, restaurants,...) ?
I never had temptations, thinking about animals was enough motivation to keep me going.

4 - Did you have major slip-ups or even failed transitions? How did you react to them?
One time there was meat on a nacho i ate. I immediatly felt horrible and learned a great lesson, always ask what comes on your food.

5 - Did you notice changes in your body and did you have health issues during the transition?
I lost a lot of weight with combined exercise and my skin cleared up.

6 - Did you have to face a lot of criticism from your family/peers during the transition?
I faced some criticism from no one other than my best friend. It shocked me that of all the people she was the one who thought i was stupid.

7 - Did you read a lot of nutritional information before you started?
No, now i read every single label... i think i have OCD

5 - Did you notice changes in your body :spew: and did you have health issues during the transition?positives: lost a few pounds in the first weeks...lots of farting...negatives: poo was soft for the first few weeks (but it's all hard again now)



"Lots of farting" is a positive? :lol:

I LOVE it!!!!! :beatnik:

"Lots of farting" is a positive? :lol:

I LOVE it!!!!! :beatnik:

indeed! which makes me so sad that it's all gone now :cry: we were making really beautiful music together :cry: