When did you switch to a vegan diet?

[VeganAthlete]

@ Leedsveg: I like your with ;-) Hehe.
@ LG: Congrats! Yay...keep up the awesomeness :)
@kokopelli: That is pretty amazing. I think what you mentioned about the Christian rationale for animal consumption is most interesting. I've took a couple of bible classes at my university and learned so many things about the consumption of meat, dairy and eggs. The kosher and halal laws are also really intriguing. I'm not sure if you are familiar with what the interpretations many scholars have on the topic, but my understanding is that slaughtering animals took place in the temples and unless it was "purified" then God would hate the temple and stop caring for the people. I was required to take these classes in order to meet graduation requirements and I am REALLY open minded so I had so many theories and interpretations for the food-related "laws" within the bible and the Qur'an. One of my interpretations is that the Bible/Qur'an was a sort of book of life with guidelines and "rules" of what to do and what not to do. The whole not eating hoofed animals and shellfish makes sense because these animals are not considered as safe to eat and may cause harm to the human. Idk if that makes sense. I'm not arguing or anything, just sharing this thought with you :)

[kokopelli]

I was just going by what my grandmother used to say...she never really understood vegetarianism, let alone veganism, and always argued that God put the animals there for humans to use. Watching my grandmother turn a pig's head into brawn (kind of home-made spam) on the kitchen table when I was a young child, was one of the major incentives to me to stop eating meat. In fact, she provided me with the graphic realisation that meat comes from dead animals because she frequently prepared items such as sheep's heads, pig's heads, trotters etc, which I refused to eat. That was the first stage in gradually cutting all animal produce out of my diet.

I read a brilliant quote yesterday, from the Inuit: 'The great peril of our existence lies in the fact that our diet consists entirely of souls'.

[leedsveg]

Hi kokopelli. I've missed your postings, so welcome back.

Leedsveg

[kokopelli]

Thank you leedsveg!

[Crusty Rat]

I don't know my veganniversary, though I know everything I ate and used on my body was vegan by September 2007. This xmas will mark four years of no cows on my feet! :D

[Susieannah]

I'm a little newbie! This is my first month...and I'm LOVING it!

[Gwydion]

http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Lovin-ItMcDs_Print.jpg

:p

[Petipas]

Hello I'm just new here!
I went from omni to vegan in November 2011 and haven't thought twice. Didn't know it could be this easy and I'm feeling so much happier and energetic :)

[BilTan]

Congratulations Petipas, and welcome to the vegan forum:-).

That is quite an achievement going straight from omni to vegan!

I was vegetarian for 21 years before I finally took the next step last October.

One suggestion - more people will read your message if you post a new thread in the "Hello" sub forum:
http://www.veganforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?19-Hello!

[Petipas]

ok thanks for that!!

[Xb25]

I became a vegan over 2 years ago on my birthday because there is no better time to start a new life than on your own personal new years. =)

[TheHRchannel]

Became vegan August 2011 and by vegan I mean I avoid everything that involved the suffering of animals as much as I can. Vegan is not a diet, it's a lifestyle to avoid exploitation of all animals.

[Robinwomb]

I became vegan on February 27th, 2011. 3 more weeks will be one full year. There was no period of being a vegetarian. I went from omnivore to vegan literally overnight, with just a few days to prepare for the transition I just knew I was going to make. Just a few months before that, had you told me I would live as a vegan I would have looked at you as if you were from another planet. And yet veganism feels like the most natural lifestyle and ethical philosophy I was and am meant to live. It was not a hard transition at all. I only wish I had done this years ago instead of discovering it at the age of 38 (now 39). But it's never too late!

[begreendee]

My veggie transition was gradual. It started around 1998 by which time I had already cut out red and white meat. I found it hard to give up seafood. When I finally made up my mind to do it there was no looking back. Around 2001 I read an article in Viva's magazine about how the calves were taken away from their mothers after only a few weeks and how much pus there are in cows' milk. That was it. I stopped all dairy and became vegan. I had already stopped eating eggs when I was a vegetarian. I really enjoy all the creative vegan foods and I am also lucky that we have tons of vegan restaurants around when I am out and about.

[citameht]

I also chose a vegan diet in 2001, but I had been nearly vegan for perhaps a year or more before that.

[EpicLibrarian]

I was a vegetarian off and on throughout my teens and early 20s. My parents were always of the attitude that I needed meat and that I couldn't maintain the lifestyle. I was so discouraged and so I always went back to eating meat. When I was older, and I cut out meat, it always seemed so tempting when others were eating it around me. In retrospect, I think eating cheese and eggs was still triggering those cravings.

Anyway, I went overnight vegan about three weeks ago, and couldn't imagine going back! I have lost weight, I feel great, and I sleep so much better. Besides, I never realized what a heavy energy meat had. I feel much lighter now, and my hormones seem to be trying to rebalance.

[Purepsycho]

5 months for me now :) Was veggie for 7 years and always mused about the vegan 'thing' but felt it was good enough being veggie. Got enlightened looking into it a bit more last year after talking to some new vegan friends and took the plunge - never going back :D

[Chelbo]

Actually, it's only been five days for me. :)

[The_Westons]

My wife and I have been Vegan for 10 months and can't believe how much how life has changed because of this change. Couldn't imaging our lives without it.

[EpicLibrarian]

Actually, it's only been five days for me.


Congratulations! I have been vegan for almost a month, and I love it! It was not nearly as difficult as I had imagined it to be, and my world has just opened up to so many new and delicious foods! It also feels great when I am eating something and thinking about how there is minimal suffering associated with my choices. That helps me get through those difficult moments (which actually haven't been that often!). I also noticed that my budget is a beautiful thing now. I didn't really how much my husband and I were spending on eating out and on-the-go meals!

I hope you are having fun and enjoying your new compassionate lifestyle!

[Johnstuff]

Must have been Jan 2002. Never looked back.

[Chelbo]

Congratulations! I have been vegan for almost a month, and I love it! It was not nearly as difficult as I had imagined it to be, and my world has just opened up to so many new and delicious foods! It also feels great when I am eating something and thinking about how there is minimal suffering associated with my choices. That helps me get through those difficult moments (which actually haven't been that often!). I also noticed that my budget is a beautiful thing now. I didn't really how much my husband and I were spending on eating out and on-the-go meals!

I hope you are having fun and enjoying your new compassionate lifestyle!


Thanks :) It's funny how much healthier you can feel in less than a week :)

[The_Westons]

Congratulations! I have been vegan for almost a month, and I love it! It was not nearly as difficult as I had imagined it to be, and my world has just opened up to so many new and delicious foods! It also feels great when I am eating something and thinking about how there is minimal suffering associated with my choices. That helps me get through those difficult moments (which actually haven't been that often!). I also noticed that my budget is a beautiful thing now. I didn't really how much my husband and I were spending on eating out and on-the-go meals!

I hope you are having fun and enjoying your new compassionate lifestyle!

That's great news guys! When I step into this vegan world I was shocked of how much new food there is out there that I've never tried. And how simple cashews and make sour cream, and cheese! My wife and I couldnt believe how basically everything in the world has a vegan alternative... Why not choose the painless path for animals and humans

[Ouzel]

I switched to vegetarian in 1978, aged 19. My favorite next door neighbors were natural foods vegetarian and they introduced me to a friend of theirs that had just moved to the neighborhood and within just a few hours she and I were falling in love. She was the beautiful girl next door. She was 4'10" and I was 6' 2 1/2" I became a devoted helper in her kitchen. I did all the cleaning and dishwashing and grain grinding. In turn, she taught me to make sour rice bread, multi grain cereal, lentils, sushi roll, baked fruit desserts, millet, organic rice. I had the most wonderful time at that pivotal point in my life. It was just a short summer but it stays clear in my mind. I am grateful for my teacher. Two years later, while in college, I became a vegan. But I don't think we used the word vegan. More often than not we would say 'total vegetarian'.

[Blueberries]

I switched to vegetarian in 1978, aged 19. My favorite next door neighbors were natural foods vegetarian and they introduced me to a friend of theirs that had just moved to the neighborhood and within just a few hours she and I were falling in love. She was the beautiful girl next door. She was 4'10" and I was 6' 2 1/2" I became a devoted helper in her kitchen. I did all the cleaning and dishwashing and grain grinding. In turn, she taught me to make sour rice bread, multi grain cereal, lentils, sushi roll, baked fruit desserts, millet, organic rice. I had the most wonderful time at that pivotal point in my life. It was just a short summer but it stays clear in my mind. I am grateful for my teacher. Two years later, while in college, I became a vegan. But I don't think we used the word vegan. More often than not we would say 'total vegetarian'.

Hi Ouzel, welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing such a beautiful story! :)