How Old Were You....

[veganpixie]

I was going to vote in the poll, but I have more than 1 answer so I'll just reply here. My husband and I have been complete strict vegetarians for 15 years - husband went vegetarian at age of 28 - I went vegetarian at age of 23. We've been complete strict vegans for 11+ years. My husband went vegan when he was age 32 and I went vegan when I was age 27. Yikes, geez, it's difficult to do simple math when I'm feeling so tired, ugh. Going vegan was 1 of the best most important wisest, healthiest decisions we've ever made and we made the wise conscious decision together! We are primarily vegan for health reasons, but we are 2 of the biggest animal lovers on Mother Earth and we do everything in our power to show and demonstrate compassion and ahimsa for all living creatures. Thank you for posting this poll. My husband and I are always happy and grateful to be reminded of how long we've been vegan and vegetarian! :-):)

[bradders]

went vegan at 21 but was nearly 22 and did it all in one go

[Quantum Mechanic]

For me, when I was young (about 4), I remember having a lot of compassion for insects and other creatures. I don't think I understood fully that the meat on the plate came from animals - they would say it comes from cows, and sure you would see cartoon cows or blurry images on TV, but I don't think I understood that I was eating something that was once a living creature, like an insect would've been. I realized that within about a year I think, and then went into a bit of a denial about it because I didn't want to think that that's what I had been eating.

When I was about 6, my dad told me about Jainism, and how they will sweep the ground in front of them to not step on insects. I then immediately imposed that we must do this, as there were lots of ants near our apartment I didn't want to step on.

When I was 8 I announced that I would not eat meat anymore (I still didn't know anything about the dairy industry other than the "happy cows" propaganda, and in fact didn't know much about it until a few weeks ago). Unfortunately, my parents and I were quite ill-equipped to make the transition, and due to my intransigence and to our thoughts that non-animal protein somehow is only in tofu and mock meats, I was frustrated that I couldn't make an immediate transition, there wasn't the time to research, and I slipped into meat-eating again.

Then I go to college at 18, when I don't have to plan my meals and neither do my parents (I am on a meal plan at the cafeteria). They have healthy vegetarian and vegan options available, usually tasty and with variety. With the help of my parents and the Internet (something I didn't have when I was 8), I look up stuff on nutrition data, and find out about protein and vitamin c and iron and calcium and all sorts of stuff.

But instead of going from lacto-ovo-vegetarian to vegan, I started off this year with a dairy-free meat-eating diet (because I have physical sensitivity to dairy in addition to ethical reasons), and then dropped the meat, even though I was hardly eating any anyway and just when it was socially convenient (though no more, as that's a poor excuse to the animal that suffered).

I think for me the main barrier was that I have a major difficulty planning life activities in general, so I felt like it would be too complicated to adopt a vegan lifestyle. But starting with a diet that is provided by meals I don't have to plan or prepare, now that I've been able to learn about nutrition and settle into that, has really simplified the process.

BTW, my parents haven't disapproved of me being veggie/vegan - they've just encountered practical difficulties due to not knowing enough, and since I didn't know enough either, I couldn't inform them then. They don't know now that I'm vegan, only that I avoid dairy, though I've been using the word vegan a lot and discussing the plight of the honeybee...that's another topic though.

[LuVegan15]

Way hey! Glad things are going good LuVegan15. Haven't seen you around in a while. You ok?

Haha, I just read your reply now... 6 months later :p.

Everything was/is fine, I just had/have loadss of homework and coursework for school atm, so have been on and off the internet.
Thanksyou for asking :heart:

[ms.vegan]

I was a teenager the first time round, at boarding school, but my mother wouldn't support me, so I hadta stop. I was 38 when I took it all up again, going from omni-veg-vegan within the space of 6 weeks! never looked back, but OMG how I wish I'd stuck to my guns in my teens? Biggest regret of my life. Still, onwards and upwards, as they say! GO VEGANS! xx

[bradders]

I did have certain family members try to ridicule me for it and my mum seemed to think that "i was going against her" thankfully I stuck to it and now all seems to be well

[bradders]

I was a teenager the first time round, at boarding school, but my mother wouldn't support me, so I hadta stop. I was 38 when I took it all up again, going from omni-veg-vegan within the space of 6 weeks! never looked back, but OMG how I wish I'd stuck to my guns in my teens? Biggest regret of my life. Still, onwards and upwards, as they say! GO VEGANS! xx

good for you for sticking to it now though

[ms.vegan]

Thankyou Bradders! I feel so much better, physically, psychologically, emotionally, less lethargic, more aware of so many things...it goes so much deeper than what we do/don't eat/drink doesn't it? People say I look better, even though I've got a lotta weight to lose...best thing I ever did! Has really opened my eyes, if you can do that to a blind person, and in doing so, has opened the minds of those around me also, and that can only be a good thing! xx
good for you for sticking to it now though

[bradders]

indeed the more of us there are the more of us can set the example to others

[African_Prince]

I was a vegan from 14-17 for health reasons and switched back to it at 22 for ethical reasons.

[baby_vicuña]

Became vegan at 15. Stopped a few months later due to a severe depressive episode. Stayed omni due to social pressure. Got over it and went vegan again a month before I turned 17.

:)

[colleengirl95]

I became vegan when i was 13, i was exploring PETA's site.

[rxseeeyse]

I made this decision when I turned 18, right after the piece of meat I ate for that birthday dinner, I turned vegetarain cold turkey the next day :D Then I become vegan 3 months after.

[Annie M. Green]

I was about 14 when I went veggie, causing a scene in school (I was the only vegetarian there), at home (mom just wouldn't believe it was healthy, and now she is one, too :) ) and among people I knew. Where I come from (Russia), vegetarianism is very unpopular, so I was very frustrated for a while. I wanted to go vegan then, but there was just no opportunity due to dairy/eggs being put in EVERYTHING (at home, at school, at friends' houses, in cafes and in shops) and not much cheap fresh fruit & veg (as well as soya products) being available, esp. during long winter months. When I moved to London (and away from my family) at the age of 16 (or almost 2 years ago), I became vegan straight away. It was so easy and natural and I'm never going back. Although when I go home for holidays I still find it very hard to find what to eat, but now that I've learned more about food and nutrition it seems a lot easier. Or is it the whole culture that starts to acknowledge veg*nism? :)

[rxseeeyse]

Cool. Russia :) I wish I would be vegan earlier too, instead of doing stupid things in my teen years :)

[starlight]

intrigued as to why the results are so strongly weighted to the 14 to 23 age group. any ideas?

starlight

aged 40+

[Phoenix]

I was 16 when I became Vegan. :)
I think that alot of people become Vegetarian/Vegan in their teens/twenties because it's usually when you're getting to know yourself, your opinions, your beliefs, etc. ;)

[megrainbows]

Stopped eating meat at 8
Entertained the idea of being a vegan age 13, but didn't fully become vegan untill 14. Now I'm 15 :)

[Keyja]

I became a vegetarian at age 15, upon learning about what really goes on in the meat industry, despite my parents disapproval.

I'm 19 now, live on my own since I moved for college, and became a vegan about a month ago.

[psychocandy]

I may have already commented this... i was 17 when i went vegan and i'm 28 next month eek! I went veggie when i was 9 along with my sis and mummy :) wish they'd join me in veganism tho grrh

[Charley333]

Its great reading all of your stories, esp those who have had children and brought them up vegan, I think it's great that we can have a generation of children who've never consumed an animal product!!!

I decided to go vegan this year, and I am 23. While I'd entertained the idea before it had never really clicked. This time I know there's no going back, it feels natural to me and I'm so happy in my veganism, just wish I'd made the change earlier... :)

[DiaShel]

I'm shocked by how many people went vegan in their teens! It would have never even occured to me. Wish it did. I was 24.

[hiroki]

13. Went vegetarian.

Vegan at 16.

[adl]

25, but I wish I did it it a long, long time ago. I'm thinking of raising my future kids vegan.

[VT Winter Veggie]

Vegetarian at 17 (watched a video about how the animals are treated), literally dropped meat entirely over the next day.

Became vegan a year and a half later (almost 7 months ago) took a bit longer, but pretty painless, haha.