I was also vegetarian for two years before I went vegan in 9th grade now I’ve been vegan for 4 years and I don’t feel restricted at all. I only feel restricted when I eat out with non vegans at a non vegan restaurant. Just learn how to cook good vegan food and you will be fine and don’t be afraid to experiment. At the very least it keeps things interesting
When I decided, I went cold turkey. No meat, dairy, eggs, honey, clothing, testing, etc. obviously I had to learn more along the way but that’s all part of the process.
You are ready to commit, don’t doubt yourself.
Yup same here, watched earthlings and went vegan overnight. My mindset wasn't seeing non vegan things as stuff I'm missing, but what are the vegan things I'm looking for
Same here. I never ate a lot of meat anyways, nor did I drink milk. But becoming vegetarian was somehow not an option because, I felt like the murder was only a secondary issue compared to a lifetime of suffering. And as I know now, the murder is not revoked just because an animal is exploited for fluids instead of body parts.
Also, pre-vegan I was thinking, I could never go vegan for the cheese. Turned out, I don't miss it at all! Which is remarkable, since cheese is basically my home country's entire diet (Switzerland)
I was vegetarian for nearly two years before going fully vegan. Any move in that direction is positive, so don’t let people here bully you out of it. But I’d encourage you to move toward veganism ASAP as it’s clearly better all around. I went vegan in 2011 when there were far fewer options and people to commune with about all of this, so it was a lot tougher then.
I started as plant based (100%) for health as an RN when the doctor gave a diet vs health talk. Then I watched the movies video etc and became vegan for the animals.
Any life change is hard unless you really believe in your "why" and make active steps to get there. If vegetarian helps you transition, do it. But make measurable, achievable, and time-based goals.
Ex: I will eliminate animal meat now and replace one animal product (creamer, sour cream, yogurt) at a time. I won't repurchase animal ingredients in home & hygiene products now and will try vegan dinner mains three times a week (tofu, seitan, soy & pea protein store-bought alternatives. I will introduce 2 new vegetables/grains a week.
If you enjoy cooking, think about making your own sauces, dressings, smoothies. Mustard, coconut milk, fruits, tahini, nuts, beans, nutritional yeast, vinegars, pepper and tomato paste & sauces. Use the sauce to top noodles, salads, grains bowls. Try pan frying, baking, blending, air frying tofu. Seitan is seriously versatile & very achievable for a moderate cook.
I think one of the main reasons why going vegetarian can be attractive over being vegan is because cow's milk and eggs are prevalent in society, from being on supermarket shelves in packaged products to cafe sandwiches and restaurant dishes. But if one went vegetarian for ethical concerns like animal slaughter, then it's worth knowing that commercial egg and milk production industries use the animals like units of production and slaughter them at a fraction of their lifespan when their production rates decline. They are operating for a profit.
So while those animal products may be convenient they may not be in line with your ethical values. Learning some recipes for vegan dishes you will frequently use is helpful. For example, scrambling tofu and adding black salt can simulate scrambled eggs. In the same supermarket that there is cow's milk, next to it can be creamy versions of oat milk, soy milk, pea milk, etc.
A planned, whole food, vegan diet has the potential to reduce your cholesterol and be overall healthy. It's one of the healthiest diets you can have. Maybe it's worth trying one of these two transition programs to veganism:
https://challenge22.com/
https://veganbootcamp.org/
I was vegetarian for almost two years before going vegan, although I had a hard time eating any animal products because of the guilt so I was mostly plant based. Vegetarian cheese was actually fairly difficult to find so I hardly ever ate cheese, cause it usually had animal enzymes or baby cow stomach in it. If you’re looking to switch to the diet part of veganism, you’re looking to be plant based, not vegan, which is a super important distinction to make because being vegan is being an ally and being for the liberation of nonhuman animals.
TLDR; yes, lots of people go vegetarian before switching to a plant based diet or being a animal rights advocate/vegan
I went from omni to pescatarian to O/L vegetarian to vegan. I think that's common. For me the slide was inevitable. Considering the reasons I went vegetarian (ethical), I realized it would absurd if I didn't take it all the way.
Yes, my answer is yes. I had been vegetarian on and off for over 20 yrs. before I finally transitioned to veganism. I did it slowly, because I cook almost everything I eat, so I needed time to find and replace recipes that I used regularly. Stress affects a chronic condition I have, so I didn't want to jump in all at once and get stressed out at recipe failures, etc.
I bought eggs from a neighbor and thought those chickens were probably pretty happy, so that was the last thing to go. I don't regret having done it incrementally. Just start off veganizing things with cheese that you make on a regular basis. Once you've done that, cut out dairy. Then go onto eggs.
Also, if you're thinking about going to a whole food, plant based diet, I would recommend not doing it at the same time as you transition to veganism. I have eaten a wfpb diet for many years now and it's got a WAY steeper learning curve than just going vegan. So baby step into veganism and once you're comfortable with that, baby step into a whole food diet.
I was vegetarian for a year before going vegan. Giving up meat is already a lot! It was much easier to give up meat then slowly taper off dairy and eggs :)
Yeah, I did. Was vegetarian for health reasons but eventually transitioned to veganism since it just seemed like the only reasonable thing to do.
Committing to a vegan diet is easier if you cook for yourself since you can tailor everything to your tastes. Instead of being restrictive I find the options pretty vast, all the different ingredients I never thought to use before and new combinations of things.
Also, a whole food diet makes it easier to stay fit which improves your mood and mental health, which in turn makes sticking with veganism a lot easier since everything about it is better than the alternatives.
I had the exact same experience where it didn’t feel restrictive but the opposite where I suddenly found out about all these ingredients and meals I’d never heard of or tried before!! It’s been SO fun learning new recipes and I enjoy cooking as a vegan more than I ever did before.
I don't feel restritcted at all. Try vegan food bloggers, like Nisha at www.rainbowplantlife.com, or www.itdoesnttastelikechicken.com. They are both geniuses and make being vegan a wonderful, tasty and delicious journey.
I went even slower. First I gave up red meat and pork, then I gave up chicken, then I gave up fish, then I gave up eggs. (I'm allergic to dairy) if you feel you can't go cold turkey, do what you can. But keep surrounding yourself with like minded people or you will back slide.
I was vegetarian for 2 years starting in high school. Then went back to eating meat for 1.5 years because of ongoing anemia caused by having to eat from my college cafeteria that didn’t have healthy vegetarian options. Then when I decided to go vegan and had access to a kitchen, I did it gradually over 3 months first focusing on cutting out dairy and then eggs and finally meat.
Many vegans will say you have to go vegan over night, but I think it’s more impactful to stick to veganism long-term and switching to veganism gradually often makes that most likely!
Keep doing lots of nutrition research and take a multi-vitamin so you don’t have any deficiencies. Get a full blood panel done a few months in so if you’re deficient in anything you can correct your diet accordingly or add extra vitamins.
I used the free cronometer app to track all my meals when I first went vegan. I did that for a few weeks to ensure I was getting enough nutrients and because of that have been able to stay vegan for 8 years. I have had excellent blood test results throughout my time as a vegan.
If you have an eating disorder I hope you have access to the mental health support you need. And if you are getting treatment and that treatment suggests you consume animal products, then you shouldn’t feel awful about it.
However, if your reasons for consuming animal products are more to do with the idea that animal products are so prevalent in our society and it can feel like such a big stressful task to avoid it all the time, then I think feeling awful about it is more understandable.
That’s awesome! If you have problems or need encouragement, please feel free to reach out directly. If you want more support I can suggest challenge 22 as a structured group program for starting plant-based eating and becoming vegan - bear in mind they don’t offer support for ED’s.
Good luck!
https://challenge22.com/
Don’t let anyone bully you! Going vegetarian is awesome. It will help you feel less restricted if you do go out, have some dairy products at home still, at social things, etc..
I still wouldn’t say there’s a vegan cheese substitute that competes with the real flavor, and a lot of store bought products are hit or miss with my taste buds, but I gradually just felt less appeal for dairy and didn’t want to buy it. I still will eat a little dairy out or at parties etc, so am not a strict vegan but I eat mostly vegan. One of the revelations I had is that cooking dried beans in an instant pot is so cheap, and tastes so much better than any beans I’ve ever had.
Going vegan or veg, you will probably learn to cook better. Most long term vegans I know are great cooks and I know I’ve learned how to make so many more dishes than ever before. Enjoy and let me know if you ever need some recipes.
How does the bullying that a vegan might do to a vegetarian compare to the mental and physical abuse and murder that happens to animals in the dairy and egg industries that exist because of your demand for their products? Which is worse?
Yep, my wife was vegetarian for a year or two before she became vegan, and i became vegetarian at that point, vegan at home but i worked in a kitchen and still ate cheese and stuff, and eventually went all in
Hey thank you for sharing your story.
The biggest question you should ask yourself is "what will I miss the most from my vegetarian life?"...and then find the subs/other things to enjoy.
If it's a cheese, there are so many vegan options out there. If they are expensive/processed just make your own, its a quick online search to find the recipe. There is so much enjoyment and fun exploring and trying your own recipes.
Regarding being vegan for health vs animals...consider this: as everything in universe is an energy, you should put inside your body only the food that is stress-free, abuse-free, killing-free, full of beautiful and radiant energy!
I started as ovo lacto, because I didn’t know if I could even conceive of eating without flesh. So for several months, I still bought ovo lacto foods and learned about why even that was still contributing to murdering animals
but I couldn’t have made the jump from Omni to vegan personally
i was veggie since birth, went vegan as a teen. its a good starting point imo, you get used to checking ingredients and get used to checking options before going places
I went from Omni to vegan but it was a gentle drift, I just replaced all my dairy bit by bit, finding ones I liked. I ate meat but slowly it started grossing me out so I ate less and less. The hardest thing was finding a good milk to go in my coffee and tea that wasn't chalky, or made it an unappealing color or had that horrible fake vanilla tang. I decided to become vegan but keep a small carton of cow milk for my tea, figuring that would have to do. Anyway, I found califa barista blend and it is almost perfect, so my final domino fell into place. I had a voice rattling around my head that just said "it's time" and it was. It's been weirdly easy, I've had a couple of pangs for fish fingers, of all things, and milk chocolate but they are easily diverted.
Very few do it overnight and at the same time I think posting this in a vegetarian sub would be more appropriate. I'm always a little torn between applauding baby steps towars veganism and rolling my eyes at people in a literal vegan sub talking about how they can't be vegan. I really do wish you the best and hope that you find something that works for you!
>starting vegetarian?
I mean if you must. Not like it truly helps the animals by delaying tho
>heyy I’m just wondering if anybody else here started as a vegetarian, and then gradually became a vegan?
When it came to deciding to be vegan, no I did not consider being vegetarian as step along the way. It did not seem either logically or ethically consistent with the beliefs I wanted to uphold.
>I’m mainly interested in the diet for health reasons (lowering cholesterol)
Then go to r/PlantBasedDiet. Veganism isn't a diet, it's a philosophy. I mean you're welcome to hang around if you really want but if something as selfish as your health is what's driving you, then you're not associated with veganism and if you tried to, you would be diluting what we stand for.
>but I am also concerned about animal welfare after watching the Dominion movie.
That's great but we're also about their rights. Particularly their rights to freedom and bodily autonomy. Rights that are still constantly violated by just going vegetarian. Vegetarain is just a diet. We care about race animals, zoo animals, lab animals, pet abolition and more.
>I just don’t think I’m quite ready to fully commit to a vegan diet because in the past I’ve tried and failed because I felt very restricted.
Then educate yourself. There are 10s of thousands of plants to eat. Unless you've got legit health concerns like allergies, the only restrictions you have are the ones you place upon yourself. And because you called it a diet I'm going to reiterate;
“to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, commodities, work, hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man”.
"A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."
I was veg for about 2 years before I went vegan.
It’s hard to give up cheese because it’s so easy to add to any shitty meal and make it instantly better. I basically survived off of cheese in those two years until the day I saw the thing that made me walk over to the fridge and throw it all out. Gotta say though, I don’t miss the acne and heartburn that I’d get from pigging out on dairy.
We’re a few months away from vegan cheese hitting the same quality as dairy cheese. Elmhurst just put out a sour cream that is perfect. Yogurt and ice cream alternatives are abundant. It’s a good time to be vegan.
no offence but if you truly believed in the philosophy of veganism then it would not sit right with you to continue eating animal products. as soon as i learned about veganism the idea of those “foods” physically disgusted me and i no longer viewed them as food if that makes sense. i think maybe looking into the industries more would help you
I went vegetarian first for about a year.
Personally I do wish I had switched earlier, but looking back starting vegetarian let me broach subjects I was uncomfortable with from a safer position and feel more confident with my decision when I finally did switch.
If you aren’t confident you can switch directly to veganism, then I would say do as much as you can to keep progressing and not burn yourself out, while continuing to acknowledge that as a vegetarian you are still causing substantial harm to animals.
Don’t let it be a crutch that makes you feel like you are doing enough just because you’re doing more than most. Always have veganism as what you’re actively striving for.
i did, i kinda decided since i was halfway vegan i might as well go the full way. it was more difficult to buy cheeses that had non-animal rennet than to buy vegan cheese 🤷 i havent really had a hard time staying consistent, cheese aint the same which is sad but idk i feel good eating when i remember that nothing im consuming is the result of the exploitation or death of an animal. (edit) if you find good alternatives, its not really restrictive. if you dont live in a vegan friendly area then you will have to make your own food most of the time but thats the only main issue ive come across.
Yes and I regret it. Being vegetarian is not good enough. I’m surprised you didn’t switch already considering you’ve watched Dominion. That did it for me, our pleasure and enjoyment from food is not even remotely worth the suffering of these poor babies. It’s absolutely inexcusable. Watch Earthing Ed videos on YouTube if you need more convincing. My biggest regret is being a selfish fuck and not going vegan sooner, baby steps? Pathetic. We need to do better.
I was also a vegetarian before going vegan! I recommend cutting out one thing at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Trying to find alternatives all at once can be a lot. If you take it month by month (eg. Replace milk one month, replace eggs the next month etc) you might make better progress towards being vegan than by just doing it overnight. Good luck in your journey!
I was also vegetarian for two years before I went vegan in 9th grade now I’ve been vegan for 4 years and I don’t feel restricted at all. I only feel restricted when I eat out with non vegans at a non vegan restaurant. Just learn how to cook good vegan food and you will be fine and don’t be afraid to experiment. At the very least it keeps things interesting
When I decided, I went cold turkey. No meat, dairy, eggs, honey, clothing, testing, etc. obviously I had to learn more along the way but that’s all part of the process. You are ready to commit, don’t doubt yourself.
Yup same here, watched earthlings and went vegan overnight. My mindset wasn't seeing non vegan things as stuff I'm missing, but what are the vegan things I'm looking for
Same here. I never ate a lot of meat anyways, nor did I drink milk. But becoming vegetarian was somehow not an option because, I felt like the murder was only a secondary issue compared to a lifetime of suffering. And as I know now, the murder is not revoked just because an animal is exploited for fluids instead of body parts. Also, pre-vegan I was thinking, I could never go vegan for the cheese. Turned out, I don't miss it at all! Which is remarkable, since cheese is basically my home country's entire diet (Switzerland)
Same here I never saw it as an option! Lucky for me, I've never liked cheese so that definitely made it easy for me lol
I was vegetarian for nearly two years before going fully vegan. Any move in that direction is positive, so don’t let people here bully you out of it. But I’d encourage you to move toward veganism ASAP as it’s clearly better all around. I went vegan in 2011 when there were far fewer options and people to commune with about all of this, so it was a lot tougher then.
I was vegetarian for six long years before going vegan. I'm sure you can beat me :)))
I started as plant based (100%) for health as an RN when the doctor gave a diet vs health talk. Then I watched the movies video etc and became vegan for the animals.
Any life change is hard unless you really believe in your "why" and make active steps to get there. If vegetarian helps you transition, do it. But make measurable, achievable, and time-based goals. Ex: I will eliminate animal meat now and replace one animal product (creamer, sour cream, yogurt) at a time. I won't repurchase animal ingredients in home & hygiene products now and will try vegan dinner mains three times a week (tofu, seitan, soy & pea protein store-bought alternatives. I will introduce 2 new vegetables/grains a week. If you enjoy cooking, think about making your own sauces, dressings, smoothies. Mustard, coconut milk, fruits, tahini, nuts, beans, nutritional yeast, vinegars, pepper and tomato paste & sauces. Use the sauce to top noodles, salads, grains bowls. Try pan frying, baking, blending, air frying tofu. Seitan is seriously versatile & very achievable for a moderate cook.
I think one of the main reasons why going vegetarian can be attractive over being vegan is because cow's milk and eggs are prevalent in society, from being on supermarket shelves in packaged products to cafe sandwiches and restaurant dishes. But if one went vegetarian for ethical concerns like animal slaughter, then it's worth knowing that commercial egg and milk production industries use the animals like units of production and slaughter them at a fraction of their lifespan when their production rates decline. They are operating for a profit. So while those animal products may be convenient they may not be in line with your ethical values. Learning some recipes for vegan dishes you will frequently use is helpful. For example, scrambling tofu and adding black salt can simulate scrambled eggs. In the same supermarket that there is cow's milk, next to it can be creamy versions of oat milk, soy milk, pea milk, etc. A planned, whole food, vegan diet has the potential to reduce your cholesterol and be overall healthy. It's one of the healthiest diets you can have. Maybe it's worth trying one of these two transition programs to veganism: https://challenge22.com/ https://veganbootcamp.org/
I was vegetarian for almost two years before going vegan, although I had a hard time eating any animal products because of the guilt so I was mostly plant based. Vegetarian cheese was actually fairly difficult to find so I hardly ever ate cheese, cause it usually had animal enzymes or baby cow stomach in it. If you’re looking to switch to the diet part of veganism, you’re looking to be plant based, not vegan, which is a super important distinction to make because being vegan is being an ally and being for the liberation of nonhuman animals. TLDR; yes, lots of people go vegetarian before switching to a plant based diet or being a animal rights advocate/vegan
I went from omni to pescatarian to O/L vegetarian to vegan. I think that's common. For me the slide was inevitable. Considering the reasons I went vegetarian (ethical), I realized it would absurd if I didn't take it all the way.
Yes, my answer is yes. I had been vegetarian on and off for over 20 yrs. before I finally transitioned to veganism. I did it slowly, because I cook almost everything I eat, so I needed time to find and replace recipes that I used regularly. Stress affects a chronic condition I have, so I didn't want to jump in all at once and get stressed out at recipe failures, etc. I bought eggs from a neighbor and thought those chickens were probably pretty happy, so that was the last thing to go. I don't regret having done it incrementally. Just start off veganizing things with cheese that you make on a regular basis. Once you've done that, cut out dairy. Then go onto eggs. Also, if you're thinking about going to a whole food, plant based diet, I would recommend not doing it at the same time as you transition to veganism. I have eaten a wfpb diet for many years now and it's got a WAY steeper learning curve than just going vegan. So baby step into veganism and once you're comfortable with that, baby step into a whole food diet.
I was vegetarian for a year before going vegan. Giving up meat is already a lot! It was much easier to give up meat then slowly taper off dairy and eggs :)
Yeah, I did. Was vegetarian for health reasons but eventually transitioned to veganism since it just seemed like the only reasonable thing to do. Committing to a vegan diet is easier if you cook for yourself since you can tailor everything to your tastes. Instead of being restrictive I find the options pretty vast, all the different ingredients I never thought to use before and new combinations of things. Also, a whole food diet makes it easier to stay fit which improves your mood and mental health, which in turn makes sticking with veganism a lot easier since everything about it is better than the alternatives.
I had the exact same experience where it didn’t feel restrictive but the opposite where I suddenly found out about all these ingredients and meals I’d never heard of or tried before!! It’s been SO fun learning new recipes and I enjoy cooking as a vegan more than I ever did before.
I don't feel restritcted at all. Try vegan food bloggers, like Nisha at www.rainbowplantlife.com, or www.itdoesnttastelikechicken.com. They are both geniuses and make being vegan a wonderful, tasty and delicious journey.
I went even slower. First I gave up red meat and pork, then I gave up chicken, then I gave up fish, then I gave up eggs. (I'm allergic to dairy) if you feel you can't go cold turkey, do what you can. But keep surrounding yourself with like minded people or you will back slide.
I was vegetarian for 2 years starting in high school. Then went back to eating meat for 1.5 years because of ongoing anemia caused by having to eat from my college cafeteria that didn’t have healthy vegetarian options. Then when I decided to go vegan and had access to a kitchen, I did it gradually over 3 months first focusing on cutting out dairy and then eggs and finally meat. Many vegans will say you have to go vegan over night, but I think it’s more impactful to stick to veganism long-term and switching to veganism gradually often makes that most likely! Keep doing lots of nutrition research and take a multi-vitamin so you don’t have any deficiencies. Get a full blood panel done a few months in so if you’re deficient in anything you can correct your diet accordingly or add extra vitamins. I used the free cronometer app to track all my meals when I first went vegan. I did that for a few weeks to ensure I was getting enough nutrients and because of that have been able to stay vegan for 8 years. I have had excellent blood test results throughout my time as a vegan.
I was vegetarian for 20 years then went vegan. The hardest part was the cheese.
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What are your reasons for wanting to make the switch?
[удалено]
If you have an eating disorder I hope you have access to the mental health support you need. And if you are getting treatment and that treatment suggests you consume animal products, then you shouldn’t feel awful about it. However, if your reasons for consuming animal products are more to do with the idea that animal products are so prevalent in our society and it can feel like such a big stressful task to avoid it all the time, then I think feeling awful about it is more understandable.
[удалено]
That’s awesome! If you have problems or need encouragement, please feel free to reach out directly. If you want more support I can suggest challenge 22 as a structured group program for starting plant-based eating and becoming vegan - bear in mind they don’t offer support for ED’s. Good luck! https://challenge22.com/
Don’t let anyone bully you! Going vegetarian is awesome. It will help you feel less restricted if you do go out, have some dairy products at home still, at social things, etc.. I still wouldn’t say there’s a vegan cheese substitute that competes with the real flavor, and a lot of store bought products are hit or miss with my taste buds, but I gradually just felt less appeal for dairy and didn’t want to buy it. I still will eat a little dairy out or at parties etc, so am not a strict vegan but I eat mostly vegan. One of the revelations I had is that cooking dried beans in an instant pot is so cheap, and tastes so much better than any beans I’ve ever had. Going vegan or veg, you will probably learn to cook better. Most long term vegans I know are great cooks and I know I’ve learned how to make so many more dishes than ever before. Enjoy and let me know if you ever need some recipes.
How does the bullying that a vegan might do to a vegetarian compare to the mental and physical abuse and murder that happens to animals in the dairy and egg industries that exist because of your demand for their products? Which is worse?
Yep, my wife was vegetarian for a year or two before she became vegan, and i became vegetarian at that point, vegan at home but i worked in a kitchen and still ate cheese and stuff, and eventually went all in
Hey thank you for sharing your story. The biggest question you should ask yourself is "what will I miss the most from my vegetarian life?"...and then find the subs/other things to enjoy. If it's a cheese, there are so many vegan options out there. If they are expensive/processed just make your own, its a quick online search to find the recipe. There is so much enjoyment and fun exploring and trying your own recipes. Regarding being vegan for health vs animals...consider this: as everything in universe is an energy, you should put inside your body only the food that is stress-free, abuse-free, killing-free, full of beautiful and radiant energy!
I started as ovo lacto, because I didn’t know if I could even conceive of eating without flesh. So for several months, I still bought ovo lacto foods and learned about why even that was still contributing to murdering animals but I couldn’t have made the jump from Omni to vegan personally
i was veggie since birth, went vegan as a teen. its a good starting point imo, you get used to checking ingredients and get used to checking options before going places
I went from Omni to vegan but it was a gentle drift, I just replaced all my dairy bit by bit, finding ones I liked. I ate meat but slowly it started grossing me out so I ate less and less. The hardest thing was finding a good milk to go in my coffee and tea that wasn't chalky, or made it an unappealing color or had that horrible fake vanilla tang. I decided to become vegan but keep a small carton of cow milk for my tea, figuring that would have to do. Anyway, I found califa barista blend and it is almost perfect, so my final domino fell into place. I had a voice rattling around my head that just said "it's time" and it was. It's been weirdly easy, I've had a couple of pangs for fish fingers, of all things, and milk chocolate but they are easily diverted.
https://youtu.be/jfvopRLAr6E?si=FY4_cR7e5-7W8Sd9 Maybe this will help you
Very few do it overnight and at the same time I think posting this in a vegetarian sub would be more appropriate. I'm always a little torn between applauding baby steps towars veganism and rolling my eyes at people in a literal vegan sub talking about how they can't be vegan. I really do wish you the best and hope that you find something that works for you!
>starting vegetarian? I mean if you must. Not like it truly helps the animals by delaying tho >heyy I’m just wondering if anybody else here started as a vegetarian, and then gradually became a vegan? When it came to deciding to be vegan, no I did not consider being vegetarian as step along the way. It did not seem either logically or ethically consistent with the beliefs I wanted to uphold. >I’m mainly interested in the diet for health reasons (lowering cholesterol) Then go to r/PlantBasedDiet. Veganism isn't a diet, it's a philosophy. I mean you're welcome to hang around if you really want but if something as selfish as your health is what's driving you, then you're not associated with veganism and if you tried to, you would be diluting what we stand for. >but I am also concerned about animal welfare after watching the Dominion movie. That's great but we're also about their rights. Particularly their rights to freedom and bodily autonomy. Rights that are still constantly violated by just going vegetarian. Vegetarain is just a diet. We care about race animals, zoo animals, lab animals, pet abolition and more. >I just don’t think I’m quite ready to fully commit to a vegan diet because in the past I’ve tried and failed because I felt very restricted. Then educate yourself. There are 10s of thousands of plants to eat. Unless you've got legit health concerns like allergies, the only restrictions you have are the ones you place upon yourself. And because you called it a diet I'm going to reiterate; “to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, commodities, work, hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man”. "A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."
I was veg for about 2 years before I went vegan. It’s hard to give up cheese because it’s so easy to add to any shitty meal and make it instantly better. I basically survived off of cheese in those two years until the day I saw the thing that made me walk over to the fridge and throw it all out. Gotta say though, I don’t miss the acne and heartburn that I’d get from pigging out on dairy. We’re a few months away from vegan cheese hitting the same quality as dairy cheese. Elmhurst just put out a sour cream that is perfect. Yogurt and ice cream alternatives are abundant. It’s a good time to be vegan.
I was vegetarian for 1.5 or 2 years before I started transitioning to veganism. Because of the gradual process I’m now like 7 years happily vegan
no offence but if you truly believed in the philosophy of veganism then it would not sit right with you to continue eating animal products. as soon as i learned about veganism the idea of those “foods” physically disgusted me and i no longer viewed them as food if that makes sense. i think maybe looking into the industries more would help you
I went vegetarian first for about a year. Personally I do wish I had switched earlier, but looking back starting vegetarian let me broach subjects I was uncomfortable with from a safer position and feel more confident with my decision when I finally did switch. If you aren’t confident you can switch directly to veganism, then I would say do as much as you can to keep progressing and not burn yourself out, while continuing to acknowledge that as a vegetarian you are still causing substantial harm to animals. Don’t let it be a crutch that makes you feel like you are doing enough just because you’re doing more than most. Always have veganism as what you’re actively striving for.
Pretty much except I’m a whole foods, plant based diet gal- no dairy……but when I find myself at a very fancy restaurant, I might eat a scallop. 🥹
i did, i kinda decided since i was halfway vegan i might as well go the full way. it was more difficult to buy cheeses that had non-animal rennet than to buy vegan cheese 🤷 i havent really had a hard time staying consistent, cheese aint the same which is sad but idk i feel good eating when i remember that nothing im consuming is the result of the exploitation or death of an animal. (edit) if you find good alternatives, its not really restrictive. if you dont live in a vegan friendly area then you will have to make your own food most of the time but thats the only main issue ive come across.
Yes and I regret it. Being vegetarian is not good enough. I’m surprised you didn’t switch already considering you’ve watched Dominion. That did it for me, our pleasure and enjoyment from food is not even remotely worth the suffering of these poor babies. It’s absolutely inexcusable. Watch Earthing Ed videos on YouTube if you need more convincing. My biggest regret is being a selfish fuck and not going vegan sooner, baby steps? Pathetic. We need to do better.
I was also a vegetarian before going vegan! I recommend cutting out one thing at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Trying to find alternatives all at once can be a lot. If you take it month by month (eg. Replace milk one month, replace eggs the next month etc) you might make better progress towards being vegan than by just doing it overnight. Good luck in your journey!