Vegan Forum

What is the easiest way to become vegan? Please share your experiences.

Becoming a vegan is easy if you have good motivation, just watch the movie Earthlings.
I know many people that became vegans after watching it.

or watch this speech till the end:

Practical Transition Tips on Becoming Vegan
Every change in life is somewhat traumatic even if it is for the better. Becoming vegan is about modifying your entire way of life and you have to provide for it as well as you can. The first thing is to be certain about your pick – you might wish to out more about the basis of veganism and its entire philosophy as well as about the general features of this way of life. Once you are ready prepared to be a vegan you can start changing your life slowly. Nutrition is one major aspects of veganism that is not to be misjudged. It is a fine idea to have a medical check before becoming vegan in order to make sure that your health will not be affected negatively in any way due to the absence of dairy products, meat and eggs. The next step is to plan your healthy diet – attempt to add as many vegan products as possible in your diet. The fruit, vegetables and nuts are a must. You should also include tofu and wheat gluten (seitan) in your nutritional plan, if you do not have allergies of course. To make the most of these you need to supply yourself with a number of vegan recipes and probably even an entire vegan cook book. By becoming vegan you do not need to place any constraints on yourself. You can still go out with your friends and have vegan meals. You can make sweets and other food treats and their taste will not be much varying from the one of typical ones. It is a good idea to get in contact with fellow vegans – there are many local groups and online forums like this one from which you can get counsel and support if you need it. Nutrition, however, is not the sole factor of becoming vegan – you can stop using other animal goods in your life such as leather clothing and accessories.

Thanks, Beautifulvegan!
I agree, that starting slowly is key. I first became an ovo-lacto vegetarian, and then I experimented with becoming vegan (in terms of food), finally I started to think about other things, like whether food is organic or healthy (some vegan products contain hydrogenated fats, etc.)

I also had to accept that some products (medicine, toothpaste) are not vegan, and had to rethink my skincare regime...

I still haven't finished the process of being happy with what I eat and use.

For me and my wife, we went "cold tofurky." And looking back, it was a great idea. Of course, we had to be quick about researching proper diet so that we did not hurt ourselves. But my wife switched primarily for the sake of the animals, and I switched primarily for health reasons (now we both sustain it for the animals first, and then health and environment). Basically, we both agree that making the instant change was the best route for us. It would have been too hard to convert slowly, as it would have given us license to "cheat" every now and then, making it harder to switch. That being said, it was also easy to switch quickly because we both immediately identified dead animal flesh with all the horrific pictures and videos we had seen of the abuse that goes on in the meat industry.

One of the hardest things to do is to figure out where you can eat...until you realize some easy tricks. For example, Papa Johns without meat or cheese is vegan. Asian can easily be vegan (see this article my wife wrote on the Examiner about Asian restaurants: http://www.examiner.com/x-52338-Charlot ... gan-dining

Basically, we have found it is actually pretty simple to be vegan, even in Charlotte, NC, where restaurants do not typically cater very well to vegan and vegetarian lifestyles.

I agree with taking it slowly. The first time I tried didn't know enough about it and I swear I lived off of popcorn before giving up! Educate yourself with forums like this, and take it at a pace you don't feel overwhelmed.

I first became vegetarian giving up all meat, chicken, fish etc. Then I slowly transitioned into the vegan world. It helped that my husband was already vegan so he educated me. Giving up dairy came easily cause I'm lactose intolerant but I was reluctant to give up eggs, I just kept reminding myself what they really are.

yeah... I'm not vegan yet. As far as food changes go, I've set a date and am going to switch that immediately. Other things like makeup, clothing, etc. will be changed when I run out of the other stuff and have more money to buy better stuff...

mahnah wrote:yeah... I'm not vegan yet. As far as food changes go, I've set a date and am going to switch that immediately. Other things like makeup, clothing, etc. will be changed when I run out of the other stuff and have more money to buy better stuff...

This is a long shot, but my wife found a Target that sells ELF makeup (aparently not all Targets carry it right now). It's good quality, very inexpensive, and cruelty free.

Also, healthy foods can be more expensive since they are not subsidized by the government (the way sugar is, for example). But in reality, removing animal products cuts back a lot of your costs, and if you can find locally grown produce, then you can find great prices while also helping the environment even more.

Of course, not everyone is in a position to find or even cook fresh vegetables for various reasons, but often people just don't realize how much is actually available to them right around the corner or how easy it can be!

When I first open this site, I thought being a vegan is merely in terms of what we eat. Now, I slowly understand that being a vegan is not only by food but also clothing, make ups and etc..Being a vegan can affect our whole being. I am being educated slowly by just reading your posts. Thanks everyone!

I have to admit that I never considered non-food products as part of my new vegan lifestyle. As far as the diet is concerned, that part is easy as pie.

Speaking of pie, I had the most amazing vegan coconut cream pie at the Watercourse Restaurant in Denver, CO just last week. Now, if only I could find a vegan cheese pizza that delivers the same satisfaction as that cream pie did.

That's the one thing I miss most about my previous carnivorous lifestyle - pizza. Dang, I used to eat lotsa pizza.

I have become vegan because I have finally found out that eating animal products is what was causing my migraines, and my body aches.
I had to switch overnight. I have had to make a conscience effort to eat more veggies, and a wide variety of them. I didn't want to switch using meat substitutes as that can get exspensive. I have been making meals that require no meat at all. So many dishes can easily be adjusted to remove meat. Also, at restaurants, simply ask your server for meat free options. I was recently as a restaurant that catered to cajun fare. There was ONE item on the menu I could eat, ONE. It was fried green beans. Even there salads were full of meat. All I did was tell the server my predicament, and he cheerfully suggested options the kitchen staff could accomedate. He had to go talk to the manager, but he came back with an option that worked: they made me a special pasta that was not on the menu.
One thing that has helped is the beginning of every week I sit down and decide what meal i want to make. I then make a grocery list. This simple step provides me the opportunity to research ways to cange recipes so I can eat the food, and to try out new recipes. This also helps me save money as well.
Some simple staples I have leaned on have been oatmeal and other whole grains, brown rice, various beans, and my favorite fruits. I also love peanut butter. I hope this helps....I am figuring this out day by day, and have recently started a blog at blogspot.

I am trying the vegan thing this week!

it wasn't really a conscious decision for me. when i went to college, i was a meat lover. they made us have a meal plan and of-course the cafeteria was full of all the meat, cheese, and simple carbs you could eat. i gained the freshmen 15 plus another 20 real fast. i began to feel sluggish and tired all of the time. i would sleep through classes and i didnt have a motivated bone in my body. at the start of junior year, i had had enough. i continued to eat meat, but i incorporated more fruits and vegetables into my diet. i switched to only whole grains and started jogging every day. i lost 10lbs like lightning. i had so much energy and my grades skyrocketed. throughout the year i ate meat less and less without even noticing. at first i cut out red meats. then i would only eat fish. i just did what my body felt was right. i continued to loose weight and do well in school.
this past summer, i went to girl scout camp like i always do. the food there is just the same as in school cafeterias. processed, yucky meals centered around meat and cheese. it never bothered me before now. this time around my body hated me for eating it. even though i was active all day long i gained weight. i felt sluggish and queasy after meals. only people whose health forms stated they were vegetarians could eat the vegetarian option. the kitchen just functions better that way. so i suffered through it. when i got home after two months i had no desire to eat animal products whatsoever. i started researching the benefits of a vegan diet and was astounded. i also researched the negative impacts of the livestock industry on society and the environment. im quite certain i never want to eat animal products again. it has been about a month now and i am loving it. i have so much energy that i pretty much have to go to the gym to work it off. and i enjoy doing it too. i have lost 30 of 35 lbs that i gained since the start of college. i feel so great that i know i will never turn back. now if i could only get my family on board....