'cold turkey' vegan or slow transition??
deticxe
Posts: 17
I'm currently a vegetarian working my way to vegan with a few slip ups. Just wondering, did most of you just switch to vegan cold turkey or did you slowly transition?? Also, any raw vegans out there? Just looking for more information about raw veganism!
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My hubby and I went from eating horribly (processed foods, white sugars and flours, meat, dairy, fast food, etc) to eating clean, vegan, and even eat raw/vegan a lot. We wanted to take the plunge and decided to go "all in or go home." Ha! But I do have lots of friends who have done it the other way. I say do what fits your personality...we're kind of hard core ppl so that's what worked for us.
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I just joined this group. Yay! I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years, but for various reasons, I think I am ready to move into veganism. I will probably be like 90% vegan for a bit because I have half a bag of non-vegan protein powder to finish, but I already tried a few vegan protein powders, so I'll be all set after that. I have been transitioning out cheese for a bit now, so I think I'm 'done' with that... I really also need to work on figuring out what is vegan and what is not, but that won't be too hard because I intend on focusing on whole, non-processed foods. Should be fairly obvious. I'm also wanting to work on finding recipes that would be palatable for my family so they can benefit from vegan food (although I don't think any of them -2 kids and a husband- really want to be full time vegans). That's one reason that I'm excited for the vegan groups, to find resources and ideas. I've already learned some! So thanks and thanks in advance for future info! 0
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I went cold turkey (bad pun). I am still learning as I have found so many products contain animal products. I learn a lot from my vegan friends. They are super supportive and I learn tons from them.0
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I made the switch overnight (from vegetarian) and never looked back. It's been about 7 years now. I think if I'd allowed myself a "transition" period, I never would have really committed.0
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It depends on how you define transition period, but my diet did change gradually over time... I went from being a flexitarian with veggie leanings to pescetarian to lacto-ovo vegetarian to vegan. This was over the course of 10 years so it was not an overnight thing. I've been a strict vegan now for three years because I'm committed to sticking with it. I suppose it was easier for me personally to change my lifestyle gradually, because at the beginning of all that I didn't really know how to cook anything, and being vegan is a lot easier if you know how to cook. But I did have sort of an "A-ha!" moment at some point when I was a vegetarian when I thought "Why aren't I vegan? I should be" and went from there.0
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A read that a vegan is a grown up vegetarian 0
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from vegetarian to vegan, cold turkey. for me, the horror of the cruelties of milk, meat, eggs, etc did it for me. like suddenly, nothing but veganism was even an option any more. i am grateful for the suddeness of the conviction. been 2-3 years now, no looking back!!!0
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I just stopped buying anything none Vegan, but still ate anything I had in the cupboards.0
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my hubby and i went cold turkey-literally overnight, steak for dinner woke up veg-head:) its just what was right for us, it was an epiphany thang. the first couple of days were very difficult so the advice i always give is to people going vegan is what i wish someone wouldve said to me- plan for it. buy some books, print out some recipes,go shopping give yourself a plan so youre not running around =starving, trying to figure out what to eat! its coming up on 5 years for us and our 3 daughters and it really was the best decision ever! good luck, let me know if there is anything i can do:)0
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I like that! That's a good one!0
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I am currently eating some of the non-vegan food in my house now, but not buying any more non-vegan food (for myself, my family is not vegan, yet!). I can't afford to throw food away... There aren't too many things that are solely eaten by me, mainly just some whey protein powder and some English muffins that I might try to give away instead of eating up. I found some good bread from Costco (organic and vegan), so I'm anxious to just eat that. 0
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You guys have awesome ideas, thanks! I have been doing basically every other day vegan, vegetarian, not on purpose though, it's just what has been happening. But I think I am going to go get some recipes and what not to be able to expand what I am currently eating. I know that I am right now a lot more conscious about what has dairy in it and that is helping me learn a lot. I'm pretty soon, I will be all the way there, 21 days to form a habit right??
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I too went from vegetarian to vegan and for me I asked some friends to buy me vegan cook books then just became vegan overnight. I do still slip up occasionally when I ask one too few questions when eating out or eat something that I wouldn't have thought for a second would contain dairy until I read the ingredients.
I say plan make a date and go for it. If it doesn't work or you slip up that's ok just try again. Hopefully you will be like many of us here that will tell you its one of the best life decisions you can make.0 -
I am still "mostly vegan". Not because I crave meat - I never do, but restaurant choices in my area don't have much in the way of vegan selections. It's hard to even get a salad without meat and cheese! So, I try to stick to fish if I am going to eat meat, but as my spouse is a hunter, we do have a freezer full of venison. If he cooks dinner on the weekends, I might eat some of that, though I prefer not to. I wish I lived in an area that is more vegan-friendly. I'm smack dab in the middle of Beef Country, so asking for a vegan entree can be a little scary!0
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I went cold turkey... I did a juice fast for 28 days first- then Being vegan was easy after that:)0
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I went cold turkey the day I decided that's what I wanted to do. I made that decision Jan 16th if I remember right, and I haven't looked back! I feel so much healthier, I have more energy, I'm saving lives & I lost 11 pounds in a little over a month. I knew I had a cheese and butter problem, but didn't realize how bad it was until I cut those out of my life, lol (hence the weight loss).. I have never felt better! Good luck with your transition!0
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I went to lacto-ovo and was there for a few years, then started to move to vegan.
It took me about 2-3 years of attempts to get to vegan. Cheese addiction lol.
But yeah, over time (and still) I cut out more and more non-vegan substances as I was transitioning and as I find them now.0 -
I went cold turkey (lol) vegetarian from a super unhealthy meat-filled diet, lost ~10 lbs, and a year later went vegan over the span of about a week (the only thing hindering me was a box of cheese crackers my mom bought me - I was a student, okay?)
8 years later and I'm now a raw vegan (well, 75% raw) and THAT definitely took a period of transition. In fact, I sometimes still think of myself as "in transition" and it's been more than 3 months. Once I get my food dehydrator I'll consider myself a true raw foodist
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I went cold Tofurkey ... I'm an all or nothing type of girl0
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i was vegetarian, until my mom said you do know what they do with the animals once they dont produce anything anymore, right then and there i went vegan, january, 28th, 2005. i went natural/organic in 2005 as well. not a big raw person though. feel free to add me.0
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I went cold turkey, had a few slip ups along the way purely by not knowing some hidden non vegan ingredients but nothing on purpose0
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I went vegetarian first for close to 20 years, then went vegan. Even that transition was tough, so I can't imagine going from one extreme to another (meat-eater to vegan) in one moment. I think you just have to do whatever works best for you in regards to being successful & with cravings etc.0
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A read that a vegan is a grown up vegetarian
Love that!!0 -
I was vegetarian, decided I needed to be vegan (same as most people, I discovered the horrors of the dairy industry) and switched the next day.
I'm sure it's different for everyone, but for me it was super easy, only cutting out a few more things. I was already only drinking soy milk and eating soy cheese! It may also depend on your reasons... for me it was a moral decision so going back and cheating with dairy has never been an option.0 -
It depends on you, really. When I went vegetarian 30+ years ago it was like flipping light switch. I went veg instantly, once I'd made the decision. The transition to vegan has taken longer with fits and starts along the way, and I'm still not 100% there. I don't eat milk or egg directly, but I know a little dairy slips in around the edges.0
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I went cold turkey- my entire family did! Dumped out the fridge, freezer and pantry in the morning - took a trip to the grocery to resupply and was vegan by lunch Sept 1st. But I have a bad habit of being an all or nothing girl.0
