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Kimbou
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:11 pm
Stars: 250
Course: Forks Over Knives

Hey! I'm new to the community and begin my transition to a vegan diet today!
I've been thinking about making changes to be an overall healthier human over the past several months, not due to the New Year (I've never been one for resolutions), but because I have educated myself on the foods I'm consuming and the effects they have on my health. I just planned on educating myself on what to eat, NOT becoming vegan. 😩 HOWEVER, after night binging several documentaries, there is no way I can look at certain foods again. (What The Health, Netflix; Forks Over Knives, TubiTv). The next day, I went to the kitchen and was not interested in consuming anything I had been just a few hours ago. Compared to others that live a vegan lifestyle and members of this community, I don't know the first thing about being vegan, but I'm hoping I can come here for support, recommendations, and ideas. I know this is a lifestyle change that will take time, but I'm looking forward to a doctor visit 6 months from now to see how the changes I'm making are impacting my health.
Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post! What was the moment you decided to change your diet to a vegan one? If you have a spouse/family, how did you approach veganism with them? Any advice on how to help implement changes in someone who is a Hard core meat lover and vegetable hater?
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tofu
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:12 pm
Stars: 480
Course: Dairy Milk
Courses Completed: 4/31

Hi Kimberly!
Kudos to you! This is a big decision and it's great that you're approaching it so systematically. Being vegan at the beginning does require some preparation, so you already have a head-start. :)

What was the moment you decided to change your diet to a vegan one?

I had acne and I've read that dairy makes your skin worse. So three years ago I started searching for dairy-free recipes, and I sometimes ended up at vegan recipe sites. I didn't know much about veganism, I only *knew* that all vegans were stupid and malnourished. Yup. But then vegan pages kept popping up, and I learned the truth about what happens in the dairy industry. I then decided to not only give up dairy because of my skin but because of ethics as well. I also ditched meat and all other animal products. I cringe so hard when I remember my hatred for veganism haha. Now I'm vegan for life, and I'm way healthier than I used to be.

If you have a spouse/family, how did you approach veganism with them?

I lived with my SO, and he was rather surprised I went vegan because both of us were meat lovers. Before I went vegan, we adopted a cat from a shelter. When I finally became vegan and when he ate animal products, I used to tease him about eating our cat's cousins. Not necessarily an approach I would use now (sounds a bit aggressive I think), but it somehow worked, because went vegan a few months after me, and he still is. However, nobody else in my family is vegan and will probably never be. I used to feel so lonely at family dinners, but then I realized that I am only responsible for my actions and that I can't force anyone to do anything. Talking to other vegans online helped me feel less isolated.

Any advice on how to help implement changes in someone who is a Hard core meat lover and vegetable hater?

This used to be me. Unfortunately, there were/are not many good mock-meats in my country, so I had to bite the bullet and eat whole foods. With time, I improved my cooking skills and learned to appreciate vegetables. But if you have affordable vegan cheese, yogurts, ice-cream, meats, etc. near you, that could greatly ease your transition. It seems that you are focused on your health, so don't fall into a trap that everything vegan=healthy. Eat a lot of whole foods, and eat vegan sweets in moderation. Also, an important thing for new vegans is to start supplementing B12. That is something your doctor will probably ask you about. There are a lot brands which sell fortified vegan milk and cereal, so you can combine that with actual B12 supplementation.

Sorry for the long answer, but your post reminded me of my past self so much. I was a hardcore omnivore who hated vegetables and knew nothing about veganism, and now I'm a happy and healthy vegan. I wish you the best of luck. I hope you'll find the courses and the community here useful. :)
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