Every time I try & go vegan I fail. | Animals Australia Unleashed

JKM TAS • Posts: 58

1 26 Dec 2011

It took me a while to fully become a vegetarian. I LOVE animals, & always have, but I continued to eat them, just because that's what you do, you know?

The first time it really hit me that I should become vegetarian was when I was 16. A friend took us to a vegetarian resturant for her birthday, & I seen a poster on the wall saying "If you lov animals, you wouldn't eat them."

That stayed with me for a while. It kind of made me angry. "But I DO love animals..." I told myself.

I continued eating meat... & then I was watching a show on TV &about a family doing an eco challenge. There was talk about buying local. They seen a pig be slaughted, then ate that pig. I was crying my eyes out, (& this was a pig killed "Humanely" I can't imagine what my reaction would have been if it was slaughtered in a different way...)

That was when I decided to stop eating meat. It was early 2009. But you'll notice in my profile I have the date I went vegetarian as 2010... Well I was weak, & kept going back to eating meat. My family weren't supportive, my then fianc� (he's not mu husband) wasn't supportive. I didn't know anyone who was a vegetarian.

But I kept doing it, & now I AM a vegetarian! Also, 3 of my sisters are also vegetarian! So it is a lot easier for me now!

But Every time I try going vegan... It lasts for like, a day? I still live with my Dad, who didn't even like the fact I went vegetarian. One of the reasons I fail at it, is because I'm lazy. Like, really lazy.

Most of the food I eat is processed, or frozen. Just quick & easy food.

I've tried buying my own food, buying lots of fresh food. Fruits & vegetables, & stuff like that. A lot of it just ends up rotting. I have no idea what to do with it.

I feel like such a failure, & such a hypocrite!

One of my sisters wants to go vegan with me, we try & do it together, but we both fail.

& what's bad, is when I do fail, one vegan person I had on facebook made me feel HORRIBLE. So when I do fail at it, I just pull back from the online vegan community, because I don't feel good enough.

I'm lactose intolerant, so I avoid dairy most of the time anyway, I have soy milk & nuttelex in the cupboard. & I avoid eggs. My main problem is food that contains egg & cows milk products.

Sorry for such a long post.

0

Infinite-Sadness United Kingdom • Posts: 23

2 26 Dec 2011

I have exactly the same problem with the food containing eggs & milk! So your not alone!

+ 1

Aimee VIC • Posts: 957

3 26 Dec 2011

Hey it's really great that you care so much and that you are trying. I would have been like you once- I rarely ate 'real food' if I had to fend for myself (just processed junk) and I couldn't cook anything past 2 minute noodles. When I went vegan I taught myself how to cook and googled alternatives to everything.

I took to it really well eating simple meals like I ate as a meat eater but I just replaced everything. So I would have the steamed vegetables (okay, they were canned...but I advise steaming tongue

), mashed potato (replace dairy) and then lentil burgers or vegan sausages instead of meat. I just worked in alternate variations from that point so it didn't feel like I was completely lost..change one vegetable for another, change one protein source for another and I googled HEAPS of recipes as well as buying cookbooks like "vegan cooking for one". This worked really well.
It's also great to cook extra so you have leftovers for lunch the next day.

What kind of foods do you end up eating instead of vegan foods? Maybe we can start there...can you provide some examples?

+ 3

TheSixthStitch Aruba • Posts: 988

4 26 Dec 2011

This may or may not help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&v=q3hn6fFTxeo&gl=US

+ 2

JKM TAS • Posts: 58

5 26 Dec 2011

Rise_Against_4_Change said:

I have exactly the same problem with the food containing eggs & milk! So your not alone!

I'm glad I'm not alone!

Aimee said:

Hey it's really great that you care so much and that you are trying. I would have been like you once- I rarely ate 'real food' if I had to fend for myself (just processed junk) and I couldn't cook anything past 2 minute noodles. When I went vegan I taught myself how to cook and googled alternatives to everything.

I took to it really well eating simple meals like I ate as a meat eater but I just replaced everything. So I would have the steamed vegetables (okay, they were canned...but I advise steaming tongue

), mashed potato (replace dairy) and then lentil burgers or vegan sausages instead of meat. I just worked in alternate variations from that point so it didn't feel like I was completely lost..change one vegetable for another, change one protein source for another and I googled HEAPS of recipes as well as buying cookbooks like "vegan cooking for one". This worked really well.
It's also great to cook extra so you have leftovers for lunch the next day.

What kind of foods do you end up eating instead of vegan foods? Maybe we can start there...can you provide some examples?

Frozen pizza that has cheese on it (If I make my own pizza, I make it vegan.) mi goreng noodles, a lot of different microwaveable foods. when my Dad cooks, he makes me vegetarian versions, which he finds annoying enough. Recently I've been trying to increase my fruit intake, so I snack on fruit every now & then. I also have had a lot of custard recently because Dad has been buying it. It's just quick & easy. & as bad as it is, because of my lactose intolerance, it makes me feel 'full' (bloated) so I don't have to find other food. :/ I don't know, I think I'm just going to have to start cooking, & start out with a lot of the same simple recipes until I can start figuring out different things? Oh, I also eat a lot of junk food. Which for health reasons I want to stop eating anyway! But I just find it so hard! sad

TheSixthStitch said:

This may or may not help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&v=q3hn6fFTxeo&gl=US

Hahah that appeals to my nerdy side! That actually does encourage me. happy

I really feel like I could do it if I had support. Like I get so excited & determined to be vegan, then I go to get some food, & I see all the food in the house that isn't vegan, I get discouraged, my family tell me I'm a hassle. So I keep telling myself "I'll try again later."
-_-

0

VeganEra QLD • Posts: 202

6 26 Dec 2011

Hey. We totally understand. It can be a hard road, especially living in this world where we can get bombarded with negativity.
The CREW have set up an interactive guide that is tailored made for you - feel free to check it out and bring in the new year with a Vegan BANG!

http://www.veganera.com/Program.htm

+ 1

Spacepeanut QLD • Posts: 120

7 26 Dec 2011

Hi Jessica,

Making dramatic changes to any aspect of a person's life can be a major challenge, that's just how it works; and in my opinion, taking the vegan plunge can be as daunting as giving up smoking, etc.

The problem with so many people is that they'll praise you for your victories, yet so willingly condemn you for your 'so-called' failures. I emphasize 'so-called' because that's exacty what they are. If you're making a concerted effort, then you're never failing, as such. 'Falling off the wagon'? - yes, but 'failing'? - not at all.

First and foremost, if you really want to go Vegan, then it has to be of your own accord, not because others think you should. As per the comments above, knowledge is the key, and knowledge is power. Google until you can Google no more; seek out one or two simple recipes at a time, things you know won't require a ton of prep or expensive ingredients, and take your time mastering them. Then, once you have a small arsenal of them under your belt, start freezing a few portions so you don't have to cook every night if you don't want to.

Lastly, check the ingredients on everything you intend to buy, and try not to get disheartened if your favourite things happen to be on the no-no list. Chances are there'll be something else available that will tantalize your tastebuds, even if its something you wouldn't normally look twice at.

Good luck happy

+ 1

Casper.s2 SA • Posts: 1640

8 26 Dec 2011

i'm not going to seem rude, so instead of that I will pr�cis to:

you should believe in your self more

+ 3

JKM TAS • Posts: 58

9 27 Dec 2011

Spacepeanut said:

Hi Jessica,

Making dramatic changes to any aspect of a person's life can be a major challenge, that's just how it works; and in my opinion, taking the vegan plunge can be as daunting as giving up smoking, etc.

The problem with so many people is that they'll praise you for your victories, yet so willingly condemn you for your 'so-called' failures. I emphasize 'so-called' because that's exacty what they are. If you're making a concerted effort, then you're never failing, as such. 'Falling off the wagon'? - yes, but 'failing'? - not at all.

First and foremost, if you really want to go Vegan, then it has to be of your own accord, not because others think you should. As per the comments above, knowledge is the key, and knowledge is power. Google until you can Google no more; seek out one or two simple recipes at a time, things you know won't require a ton of prep or expensive ingredients, and take your time mastering them. Then, once you have a small arsenal of them under your belt, start freezing a few portions so you don't have to cook every night if you don't want to.

Lastly, check the ingredients on everything you intend to buy, and try not to get disheartened if your favourite things happen to be on the no-no list. Chances are there'll be something else available that will tantalize your tastebuds, even if its something you wouldn't normally look twice at.

Good luck happy

Thank you for your response. Since the new year is so close I'm highly considering my new years resoloutions to go vegan, & be more healthier. It probably sounds silly, but I feel like I need a support buddy. Just for encouragement when I feel like I can't do it, for recipe ideas, just for help in general, ect. Um, is there any one here willing to do that?

+ 1

xAshlee TAS • Posts: 722

10 27 Dec 2011

i love cooking ...and making fancy things but i know some poeople dont. Sometimes im a lazy vegan.

You can have your vegie sausages or burgers (frozen etc) and use frozen vegies! just heat. )then they will never go rotten.) And open a can of mixed beans! You can even get instant mash potato - i prefr to make my own but.....

EDIT: we are all willing to help with anything......recipes, or ideas or if you want to know of any substitus etc

+ 1