Hi ~ I'm new & so glad I found vegweb!
I just joined today, but have been 'lurking' the past week or so. I'm a big newbie to all of this (veg lifestyle). I read the book Skinny B*tch a few weeks ago and it really opened my eyes to alot of things that had never even occurred to me before. I feel like I was *so* blind.
I've never been a big meat eater - I didn't care for it too much, but ate it because I didn't know of anything else to eat. All my family are big omni's - they love their meat, so I ate it too because it was easy. But, once I read the book I became more curious & started looking for more info.
I've made a few trips to my local health food store & am trying to get acquainted with vegetarian/vegan products, but honestly I felt really lost! Then I found this site with all it's great recipes & I finally have a glimmer of hope that maybe I can successfully make this life change. I've not really eaten much meat since finishing the book (on easter BF's family made burgers & I ate one because I was afraid of being rude :-\), so I guess I'm kind of on the right track to vegetarian, my problem is taking it all the way vegan. Milk is not a problem for me, I've never liked it & as a result soy milk has been one of my staples for years, but cheese & eggs are my real obstacle. I've definitely cut the consumption of these down drastically, but they are not gone completely.
So that's me, I'm trying to 'find myself' in this new veg life & where I fit in with it. I just feel so grateful to have stumbled upon this site because the recipes I've found literally are making me hungry, so I can't wait to try my 1st one & also because everyone here seems so helpful & informative that I know I will learn so much from being here.
Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book ~ I'm a rambler, hehe! If you made it this far, thanks! ;D
well, welcome!
that's great to hear/read about your decision! definitely take it at your own pace, "slow and steady wins the race"....don't force guidelines on yourself toi fast to comfortably adjust, you'll just become frustrated.
lots of us have families of omnis, and i swear my brother is a carnivore... ;)
welcome again!
--carmen
Welcome! VegWeb rocks in my book. Everyone here is so helpful.
What I did when I went vegetarian was take one thing out of my diet at a time. The last thing that went was cheese. That was hard for me. Now I'm vegan, but it wasn't easy. You just have to stick to you guns and go for it.
Hi! I think the most important thing is for you to be comfortable with where you're at and have it be the right place for you. I haven't read Skinny B*tch, what's it about?
Welcome! I'll bet just about any question you may have about veganism is buried somewhere in the Q&A pile. But we don't mind if you ask a question that's already been answered before. We like to help! Good luck on your journey!
Hi Cheyja! Welcome! Vegweb rocks!
There is a really good thread right now on "how far to take your veganism" it'll give you a good idea of the diversity here as well.
Humboldt Honey,
Skinny Bitch is great! The book is vulgar (but I think in a great way!) so it's not for everyone. But it's touted as tough-love veganism. It's a perfect eye-opener for those who just want to "diet" full of great info and an easy, quick read too.
I'll sum the book up here: :)
"...Don't be a dumb bitch, milk will make you fat! It's made to grow a 90 pound baby calf into a 2000 pound cow! And it's full of chemicals, hormones and anti-biotics!
...Don't be a cheap ass buy orgainc, yes, it's more expensive but if you're going to spend money on clothes, magazines, jewelry, your health is far more important than those things!!" That's the jist... :) but much better!
So that's me, I'm trying to 'find myself' in this new veg life & where I fit in with it.
You will, and it may change. There are many of us (including myself) that started out as veggies and slowly "evolved" to become vegan. Many of us for different reasons or beliefs. Good luck, and we're always glad to have more on "our team"!
Hello Cheyja - welcome to the veggie party! hope you find us an interesting bunch of folks from all over the world. Great for you and the planet that you're in the midst of changing your diet, it's all good and the food ideas on here are lipsmackingly gorgeous ... so welcome once again and hope to "see" you on here joining in with the threads etc., go for it! - Kiki :-*
Hi, Cheyaj. Not only will you find us an interesting bunch of folks from all over the world but we are also all ages from teenagers to seniors (alas, that would be me). It doesn't matter how young or old you are, there is always something to learn and someone to teach you. I have been a veggie for almost 30 years, and as I said on some other thread a while back, I think I have learned more in the months I've been on VegWeb than I ever have before.
So, welcome aboard. It's a crazy ride! :D
Thanks so much for all of your warm welcomes!!! :)
HumboltHoney-
JenniferHughes explained Skinny B*tch perfectly. It is vulgar (but for me that was a good eye opener), the chapter about the way aminals are treated in the factory farms literally had me in tears! I bought the book because I thought by reading the cover that it would be an interesting 'diet' book (I had no plans of going veg at the time), but by the time I finished the book I was totally moved & in a completely different frame of mind than when I had picked it up.
JenniferHughes-
Thanks! I did read that thread & it was VERY helpful - it made me feel much better about making my changes in 'stages' that are right for me. The most important thing is that I AM making these changes!
Cheyaj Welcome!!!!!!!! This place is awsome! Everyone her is great and I hope you have a great time searching and experimenting with the great recipes! :D
P.S. I think I'll read the Skinny B*tch book now. Sounds good. Thanks Cheyaj and Jenniferhughes
Welcome! Taking it slow is a good way to go. It is hard to overwhelm yourself with tons of new "rules" and foods all at once. I found that as a lacto-ovo vegetarian I began to eat quinoa, dulse, almond milk, and all these new foods and by the time I decided to go vegan it was a very easy transition because I had already been eating those things, and slowly weaning myself off dairy and eggs. Each time you discover a new alternative (eg. vegan cheesecake, icecream, milk, meat crumbles) you realize you can certainly live without the other form and not miss a thing. There really is a wide range of how people personally define vegan, so don't be too hard on yourself as you learn to navigate through the wonderful world of veganism. Most of us are still learning, even those who have been at this for many years. Good luck and congratulations on this fabulous choice!
Welcome!! :) I agree with everyone - take things slowly and at your own pace. I was vegetarian for 8 years before deciding to become vegan (almost a year now). As far as eating at other people's homes... don't be afraid or ashamed of your dietary choices. It might give you an opportunity to educate! :)
I saw something great on the PPK forum archive the other day...
Grandma: What, you can't eat chicken now either???
Veg*n Grandaughter: No, I choose not to eat chicken.
It really was a powerful statement to me that these are OUR choices, and that we're not just "veg*ns" but every day we actively choose a veg*n diet, every time we put something in our mouths.... I dunno, it just made me go "hmm"
Great Choice cheyaj, welcome home! :)
Grandma: What, you can't eat chicken now either???
Veg*n Grandaughter: No, I choose not to eat chicken.
I was thinking something along those lines earlier this week. Some co-workers were discussing their various diets and one made the comment that she didn't think it was a good idea to "deprive yourself of any food." I just kept my mouth shut (I'm not on a diet) since she was not speaking directly to me but wondered if they thought I was "depriving" myself. Then I thought, no I'm not depriving myself, I'm choosing not to eat certain things. :)
Even as an omni I've only ever felt "deprived" when I didn't get enough vegetables and fruit! Especially at Christmas, here in Spain all they provide is meat, seafood, rich almond-based sweets, and alcohol!! I would always feel I hadn't really "eaten" if I didn't get some fruit and veg! I once mentioned this---so the next time they provided mushrooms!! (I guess to some people a mushroom is a vegetable???)
Welcome to VegWeb, Cheyja! We are a friendly bunch here, all at different places on our "journeys" in food and lifestyle. Hope you like it here! :)
The switch from omni to vegan is different for everyone (I personally thought it was easy, except with dealing with other people ::)) I think it helps to know that you don't have to leave behind your favorite foods, just veganize them! They are usually way healthier and fresher the vegan way anyway. Vegweb is a great place to ask questions and get opinions on recipes and the veg*n lifestyle.