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Tricks to stay vegan?
What are some "tricks" or advice you have used to stay vegan when you felt like slipping?
My piece of advice is get enough protein so you don't slip.
I just realized soy milk has a lot of protein, and it is fast to drink.
It has 7 grams of protein per cup and cow's milk has 8 grams per cup.
7 grams of protein is 14% of your daily nutritional needs
So, one 32 ounce bottle of soymilk can give you almost 60% (56%) of your daily protein needs.
add one can of beans or one or 2 soyburgers and you're satisfied.
what are some of your "tricks to the trade"?
I'll try to add more advice later.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
My advice would be to remind yourself of your original reasons for going vegan, e.g. (in my case) the way animals involved in food production are treated.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
^ agreed. Remind yourself why your doing this.
I occasionally think "I would love to eat that cheesecake/chocolate bar/cheesy bake" etc but I know I won't, because even just looking at non-vegan things makes me feel sad. I think about it all too much I do get quite upset. So I find that's the easiet way to stick with it lol. I don't want anything to suffer for me, their lives are worth more than my indulgences.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Watching a few moments of Earthlings does the trick for me.
Having plenty of tasty food on hand is always good too, unless you're trying to eat less like me!
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Johnstuff, I too think of Earthlings. I can't watch it sometimes though. I will usually watch PETA commercials on youtube, that is enough to remind me why I chose this lifestyle.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I can honestly say I've NEVER been tempted to eat anything non vegan................maybe I'm just lucky but knowing where non vegan food comes from is enough to put me off. I don't want to consume anything from another living being. The vegan alternatives are just as good if not better and far more healthy! :)
For anyone who needs encouragement to stay vegan though, I would say just remind yourself of what animal ingredient you are craving and where it originated and the suffering that the animal has had to endure in it's short life.............hopefully that is all you'd need to put you off wanting to eat that item. :)
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Quote:
mmmorgans
Johnstuff, I too think of Earthlings. I can't watch it sometimes though. I will usually watch PETA commercials on youtube, that is enough to remind me why I chose this lifestyle.
Yeah, I never really need to remind myself. It's stuck in my mind from watching it a year or so ago. I find these things hard to watch but also quite 'sobering' somehow...
I'm watching The Cove again with my dad :( ...I do also find it uplifting that there are amazing people out there making films like this and trying to change things.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I agree with all the above. While i have never been tempted to slip from my vegan path, if anybody was struggling i would suggest watching Earthlings again, or a few youtube videos. The longer i am vegan the more wonderful and yummy food i discover, that far outweighs any of my old none vegan favourites. So maybe treating yourself to a really nice vegan meal out, if that is possible, or indulging in one of the yummy recipes on here, that you haven't tried before, that may be all it takes to get you excited about vegan food again. xx
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I pull up a mental image of the animal that was exploited to make that product. Example: I picture a caged, diseased chicken with it's beak partially cut off when my dad offers me a piece of apple pie made with egg. Then I have to picture a happy, healthy chicken (who wasn't exploited) so I don't get too sad.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Go to google and type in the words "Meet your meat"
Personally after a long enough time I just forgot what meat/dairy tasted like, so I didn't really miss it.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I have never been tempted to go back to eating meat or dairy.
I think if you are tempted you should make a vegan alternative of the dairy or meat that you are craving and wanting to have. You can easily make a vegan pizza with vegan cheese or make spaghetti bolognese with vegan veggiemince etc.
However I think that if you do end up slipping you should learn from the experience. My friend used to eat pizza on a very regular basis and when he went vegan struggled with this aspect...so once he caved and ate a pizza and he said he felt DISGUSTING..physically - oily, greasy, bloated and just terrible. Compare to this how vegan alternatives make you feel and you can learn a valuable lesson that will keep you on track. I know vegan alternatives do not make you feel as grotty and bloated as meat and dairy does. They aren't fantastic for digestion etc but are much better than animal products.
I just remember that there was one thing that was hard for me when going vegan. I have always had tea several times a day with milk. I really missed this but decided to go with herbal teas instead to help me over as black tea just tastes awful. Anyway several months down the line I decided to have a sip of a friend's tea....the taste of milk actually made my tummy turn upside down - even that small amount...that experience really helped me completely let go of my attachment to the tea.
Anyway that is my experience and I hope it helps :)
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I've never felt any desire to slip; fortunately I've found it easy ... maybe because I still feel the powerful effects of what I learned that lead me to veganism in the first place. What I learned still hurts and so I keep up on animal rights news online, forums, blogs, email, and am always reading books related to same philosophy, so it really has become second nature for me. When I'm hungry I just stuff myself silly with something vegan and yummy.
Also ... I have a poster that says "I shall not be a fair weather friend to trusting hearts. It is my solemn vow to protect them and keep them safe.....always." I look at this poster and the words never fail to touch me. :sad:
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Has anybody else come to the point where the idea of eating non vegan food is more gross than tempting?
I remember years ago smelling bacon and thinking mmmmm, now I smell it and think yuk. I think taste buds just change over time, I currently have zero non vegan temptations, I just miss stir fry since I'm trying out a raw vegan diet. mmmm stir fry. yummy red pepper and tofu and squash sizzling with ....dammit.... I'm gonna stuff my face with fruit until I'm not hungry anymore, be right back
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Watch a few minutes of 'Earthlings' or 'Meet Your Meat'.
Have some yummy vegan junk food to remind myself there's plenty of nice things I can eat that don't contain any animal products ^_^
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Quote:
veggievore
Has anybody else come to the point where the idea of eating non vegan food is more gross than tempting?
I don't always find it gross, but I just don't think of it as food, so it's not a temptation.
Haven't tried a completely raw diet and don't really understand the objection to stir fries etc which are lightly cooked anyway - but I'm probably not helping :o
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I just remind myself what exactly such stuff is. I have been tempted a few times by taste, of things that I can't buy or make vegan for example cottage cheese. I have even convinced myself that my spending of 40p and eating it isn't going to cause harm. Then I think about what the stuff actually is, that is cow breast milk that's gone off , and I feel ...hang on brb ...
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Alt- F4 closes all the tabs!!!
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
[QUOTE=AlexK;660177]I've never felt any desire to slip; fortunately I've found it easy ... maybe because I still feel the powerful effects of what I learned that lead me to veganism in the first place. What I learned still hurts and so I keep up on animal rights news online, forums, blogs, email, and am always reading books related to same philosophy, so it really has become second nature for me. QUOTE]
I feel the same way... I haven't been tempted to eat meat or dairy products since becoming vegan, but I think this is because what I read before becoming vegan including Vegan Freak, Fast Food Nation, Introduction to Animal Rights etc really made it impossible for me to go back - the arguments behind veganism are so impenetrable to me and I totally agree with this quote from Jon Stewart - If you don't stick to your values when they're tested, they're not values. They're hobbies" - To me, veganism is more than just about food, it's an ethics system and through veganism you live life representing to non vegans the animal at the table. Plus, vegan food is so yummy, and there are so many delish vegan substititutes i.e. Swedish Glace ice cream and Cheezly mozzarella that I just haven't been tempted! ;)
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Yeah, I agree that watching a few minutes of Meet Your Meat or Earthlings does the trick. Not just if you're feeling tempted to slip, but also if you're feeling a bit blase about the whole thing. A while ago I was feeling a bit blase about being vegan, and then all of a sudden I smelt a disgusting smell. I turned around, and a truck had just stopped at the lights next to where I was walking. It was packed with sheep or calves, and I could hear them clambering around inside in confusion, not knowing where they were going, even though I did. It made me very sad at first, but ultimately it rekindled my passion and enthusiasm for being vegan.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I think is very important to have a discipline besides remembering why we are vegan.
The every day ritual of eating in conciosnes is a must. When someone have tentations to go back to something is just because they did not learn from the experience in the past 100%.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I just wanted to add that I think it's really important to focus on the good stuff too, and not just the bad stuff. If you're being tempted to slip from veganism, you should spoil yourself a bit. Go to a good veg restaurant, buy a new cookbook. Go out of your way to find good vegan ice cream or chocolate. Break the budget and buy some nice new vegan shoes. Remind yourself of how fun and easy being a vegan can be.
I recommended watching PETA videos before. But if your soul is being weighed down by all the misery and cruelty of the world, then do the opposite and give yourself permission to forget about it all for a while; concentrate on just having fun, lest you burn out.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Totally agree with Stillwater
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Quote:
Stillwater
I just wanted to add that I think it's really important to focus on the good stuff too, and not just the bad stuff. If you're being tempted to slip from veganism, you should spoil yourself a bit. Go to a good veg restaurant, buy a new cookbook. Go out of your way to find good vegan ice cream or chocolate. Break the budget and buy some nice new vegan shoes. Remind yourself of how fun and easy being a vegan can be.
I recommended watching PETA videos before. But if your soul is being weighed down by all the misery and cruelty of the world, then do the opposite and give yourself permission to forget about it all for a while; concentrate on just having fun, lest you burn out.
Well, beeing new to veganism I've foud the most difficult part to be not the vegan food, but other vegan products as cosmetic, clothes, shoes, etc...
For me it was not a problem at all to give up every non vegan food, but finding vegan shoes was mission imposible where I live and...I ended up buying non vegan shoes:(( I guess this makes me a fake vegan, thought I still repeat to myslef - what did you do, what did you do...I felt so much guilty about, but still. There are not any vegan shoes here, except some cheep and crapy sintetic one, not made for vegans expecially, and this only when you are lucky and labels are corect (in any!)...but this is another story. I don't want to give up veganisim, really enjoying beeing into.
You have to be very lucky to have all that vegan staff like shoes, cosmetics, clothes, on a reasonable price...heh...
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Quote:
nadejda
Well, beeing new to veganism I've foud the most difficult part to be not the vegan food, but other vegan products as cosmetic, clothes, shoes, etc...
For me it was not a problem at all to give up every non vegan food, but finding vegan shoes was mission imposible where I live and...I ended up buying non vegan shoes:(( I guess this makes me a fake vegan, thought I still repeat to myslef - what did you do, what did you do...I felt so much guilty about, but still. There are not any vegan shoes here, except some cheep and crapy sintetic one, not made for vegans expecially, and this only when you are lucky and labels are corect (in any!)...but this is another story. I don't want to give up veganisim, really enjoying beeing into.
You have to be very lucky to have all that vegan staff like shoes, cosmetics, clothes, on a reasonable price...heh...
I have the same problem nadejda. I've been vegan a long time but still wear mostly leather shoes as I have had problems getting ones which are both smart for my work and fit me. It is easier to get sandals and trainers than smart ones. There are a number of companies in the uk who supply shoes mail order so if you have a "standard" size and shape of feet, I'm sure some of them will ship to Bulgaria. I have bought lots of vegan shoes though and had to ship most of them back.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
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nadejda
Well, beeing new to veganism I've foud the most difficult part to be not the vegan food, but other vegan products as cosmetic, clothes, shoes, etc...
For me it was not a problem at all to give up every non vegan food, but finding vegan shoes was mission imposible where I live and...I ended up buying non vegan shoes:(( I guess this makes me a fake vegan, thought I still repeat to myslef - what did you do, what did you do...I felt so much guilty about, but still. There are not any vegan shoes here, except some cheep and crapy sintetic one, not made for vegans expecially, and this only when you are lucky and labels are corect (in any!)...but this is another story. I don't want to give up veganisim, really enjoying beeing into.
You have to be very lucky to have all that vegan staff like shoes, cosmetics, clothes, on a reasonable price...heh...
I live in a big city so I do have some access to vegan shoes, but I remember the first time I looked for them it was a nightmare. I looked in shop after shop, and as you say, the only ones available were the most absolutely crap, bad quality and ugly ones. Although eventually I found a decent shoe shop that made nice-looking shoes that were made from synthetics. I've since discovered that there's actually a vegan shoe shop near me that does hand-made shoes with high quality microfibre, though I'm sure that's a rarity around the world.
My advice is don't beat yourself up about it - what's done is done, and in the past. But don't forget that there are some shoes like Converse-style ones that are made of cloth, and I'm guesing here but aren't many sneakers (nike, addidas, etc.) made from synthetics? And like lastx says, try the mail order ones. Also, don't forget about second-hand shoes.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Meat, dairy (bottled milk, cheese etc) and eggs all revolt me just looking at them in the store. But chocolate biscuits etc don't because it doesn't look like the thing in it. Plus not all have dairy etc in them anyway, so I look at them think "omg that looks yummy", check the label, see it has milk in it and then think "Ewww, no fair T_T" . So the things themselves revolt me, but not neccisarily all items containing them because you can't tell a lot of the time until you check. I hope that makes sense. It's like...malteasers don't revolt me, the ingredients do. But I still want malteasers, I just need to find vegan ones.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
MCMLXXXVI, I used to be the same, eating some chips with milk powder here and there, especially as my favrouite flavour - salt and vineger - often have milk powder in them. But I've sinced found brands that are vegan, like Woolworths homebrand (which are actually the tastiest brand too, in my opinion). My pescatarian wife tries to always buy vegan chips now, even if she's buying for herself.
My other temptation sometimes is non-fairtrade chocolate. Even if it doesn't have dairy, I still don't consider chocolate vegan if it isn't fairtrade, since a lot of cacao is picked by child slaves in the Ivory Coast. I used to be adamant about only eating fairtrade chocolate, although since I went vegan I became a bit lax about that. I'm trying to get more disciplined about it now.
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Yeah, I know, the milk powder in chips is weird. I've noticed that plain chips never have it, so it must be something they use to help carry flavour, or perhaps to give the acidic ingredients like vinegar something to cling onto. But since some brands do perfectly well without it, it's kind of a mystery. Actually, I think salt and vinegar chips were the first thing I really missed when I went vegan, although I did eat a few non-vegan ones anyway, and eventually I found vegan brands. I've been especially tempted in the past by those brands that dont' have "milk powder" in the ingredients, but just "lactose". I figured that lactose is something of a by-product in things like low-lactose milk and that it wouldn't be very commerically significant, so I've justified eating them because of that. Silly reasoning though, really - I guess it's a bit like saying that leather is a by-product of meat. I think I've had those Red Rock Deli ones. I prefer my chips thinner though, which is why I like the Woolworths home brand one (I think Coles has a vegan no-name brand salt and vinegar one as well).
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
I don't feel I need reminding to be a vegan but I do find it helpful to have a vitamins/minerals chart in my kitchen. I work shift work and find myself eating for convenience (bad!) so looking at my chart I see fruits/veg etc that I haven't had for a while. When I see pepole eating meat/dairy foods I used to eat I think "I don't miss the food, I just miss the feeling that it gave me" and then I seek out vegan food I love instead. My relationship with food was psychological.
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I've been finding the snack table at work a trial recently, as people keep leaving tasty looking things that I can't eat on there :( So I started baking fruit and cinnamon cookies and bringing them in for the table, and also offering round vegan chocolates and sweets. That's helped me feel more cheerful :)
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
^I get that at work too. People will bring in brownies and things which I can't eat, and neither can a co-worker of mine because she's allergic to dairy. So we bake each other cakes.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Just keep making vegan sweets and tasty food
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
My trick is to remind me why I went vegan and listen to my conscience.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Quote:
Yuna
What are some "tricks" or advice you have used to stay vegan when you felt like slipping?
Bit weird but effective this one ...
Vow to slaughter and eat the family pet before ever allowing an animal you didn't know to pass your lips again.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
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sandra
I can honestly say I've NEVER been tempted to eat anything non vegan :)
That's because you're amazing Sandra!
In the beginning I did and I just kept watching the videos that other people have mentioned. I have never seen Earthlings and I don't want too. I believe it's the thing that turned my GF vegan, so I have no need to watch it. I know what goes on and that is what keeps me vegan, that and wanting to be fit and healthy. :p
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
Becoming Vegan was a pretty strong decision for me and I thought A LOT about it before I went vegan. I've had any desire to ever eat non vegan things. After a while you're tastes change and you find milk, meat, cheese etc... utterly revolting.
So if you're ever feeling temptation to eat something non-vegan remind yourself of the AR issue and healthy issues that come with eating animal foods.
For me it's the energy I have on a minimally processed plant based diet that keeps me pumped on being vegan.
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Re: Tricks To Staying Vegan?
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Jippia
My trick is to remind me why I went vegan and listen to my conscience.
Very true Jippia. Veganism is more than just about health, the environment, economics etc. It is also part of our moral code, part of our "rules" that link in to our conscience.
lv