Is it possible to go vegan if you love meat?

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Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    Vegans tend to shun processed foods, white flour and sugar as well as meat and I think that's what makes the difference.

    Uh, not any vegan I've met. They frickin' love processed wheat and sugar and crap. I guess we know different folks.

    That depends how strict they are with their veganism - refined sugar is not technically vegan as stated elsewhere in the thread.


    To the OP, it's been said already but to be healthier is not a reason for following a vegan lifestyle. It is restrictive, takes a lot of forward meal planning, makes it very important to keep tabs on micronutrients intake, can make eating out socially a 'chore' (depending where you live I guess) and expands beyond food choices - are you going to give up wearing / buying any leather products? And will you buy only vegan shoes and accessories (glues used in the manufacturing of these products can contain animal products)? Veganism is the decision to remove the use of animal products entirely, for ethical reasons. To do it purely for 'health' reasons alone, especially if you 'love meat' seems unnecessary. Indeed a vegan diet can be pretty unhealthy. There is no reason to cut out meat, fish and dairy entirely to be healthy.
    It sounds daunting. From what I've read only 1 proclaimed vegan out of 1000 are actually vegan, so I would imagine it's a tough go. As far as health is concerned I would imagine if we could hold controls equal over a long duration that the pescetarian lifestyle would probably be near the top, with vegetarian and animal intake a close second with vegan the least healthy, just my gut feeling based on all the poorly controlled studies I read over the years.
  • sozisraw
    sozisraw Posts: 418 Member
    IDK ..is it possible to be a Virgin if you love sex? you gotta love lifes little mysteries....

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • SonicaBE
    SonicaBE Posts: 151 Member
    Yes. I love meat and seafood. I grew up on it. I was a 'push all the veggies' to the side kid. And... I was vegan for well over a decade, and still am relatively close to vegan with a couple exceptions.

    People ask 'why'... if I loved meat? Because if something is easy to give up, then it's not a sacrifice. My wife hates meat... she went vegan easy. I struggled. I like to examine my life, and make sure all of my actions are in line with my belief system, and a very long time ago I realized that if I could eat healthy without having animals (which I love) killed every day for me, then to not stop eating them was a critical blow to my own ethical system.

    I eat eggs now. But only from our lovely, lovely chickens that are treated like pets (they sit on our laps, and all have distinct personalities like cats and dogs do). And they'll never be slaughtered for food, even after they stop laying. I'm okay with that. Heck, if someone goes out and hunts and eats/uses everything, I'm okay with that. But I can not, and will not, be okay with what factory farms do to animals (debeaking chickens, for example). Or the way most animals are treated in the average slaughterhouse. I don't want to support that, even if I 'like' the taste of meat.

    Right now there's also some whey in one of the supplements I use, and as soon as that runs out I won't be using that.

    Life is making decisions. That's one I made. And if I didn't like meat in the first place, it wouldn't even matter. But I gave up something I do love, and in the process have dropped support from a large number of industries I simply can't abide by. That's a trade I'm willing to make.

    I also visit lots of farms. Many of them very well maintained, safe, and caring. Some have to send some of their animals to slaughter. I get that. It's not my thing, but I get it. But most meat comes from factory farms, and the practices they use are... vile. Absolutely vile. Hormones, chemicals, and mutilation (such as, but not limited to debeaking chickens).

    If people want to eat meat, go for it. You're not me. You're you. But don't act like it's a simple matter of taste. There is decision in everything we do, even if we don't think about it.
  • katiej23
    katiej23 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm plant based. I don't say vegan because I don't do it for the ethical reasons. You can start a meal at a time, make your breakfasts without animal products, which is easy if you find a good milk substitute. Then work a meal at a time. If you do go plant based, stick with vegetables and grains with no added oil, leave out the processed mock meat (though you can make seitan on your own), if you load it with oil and processed food, your better sticking with meat. :) I recommend getting a bunch of low fat vegan cookbooks: The Happy Herbivore, Engine 2.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    If there isn't a demand for a product, then a product isn't made.

    Works with cars...works with animal slaughter.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    :happy: If there isn't a demand for a product, then a product isn't made.

    Works with cars...works with animal slaughter.
  • LadyZephyr
    LadyZephyr Posts: 286 Member
    I'm not vegan, but I do sometimes have vegan days. I was a vegetarian for a year or so, too. It's not hard, if you really want to do it. I stopped being veggie because my doctor told me it was bad for me, with my anaemia, and at the time it wasn't fitting in with my life.
  • padackllins
    padackllins Posts: 36
    i'm just gunna say that i used to love the taste of meat & i've been vegetarian for about 5 years now. it's majorly improved my overall health & my eating habits.
    just because you like something doesn't mean you shouldn't cut it out. i love cake, doesn't meat i should eat it all the time..

    i'd love to go vegan but i've tried it multiple times and it does not work for me at all. i pretty much end up starving due to my already restricted diet.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Why in the world would you even consider it if you love meat? Makes no sense to me.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    :happy: If there isn't a demand for a product, then a product isn't made.

    Works with cars...works with animal slaughter.
    Gotta love supply and demand. The veggie meat substitutes are in big demand and on the rise........and of course all the additives like hydrogenated oils and GMO's, carcinogens for caramel coloring etc ......yummy.:tongue:
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member

    Thanks, for answering my question. I am simply considering it because of the health benefits involved but some people on here seem to be getting on me about making the statement that I love meat, so I should not give it up. I also love to have good health because I need to be able to continue to care for my severely autistic son who is my only child, as I am his only parent, and the only person in the world who cares about his well-being, so that is why I would consider going vegan. Thanks for being patient with me and explaining the lifestyle for me.

    You can be healthy while still eating meat. Just make good choices when you do. I know fat unhealthy vegans, because they eat alot and they don't eat very healthy and they eat a lot of processed unnatural chemical filled foods.. There are unhealthy vegan foods, just as there are unhealthy foods in any diet choice. the reason people are "on you" about your "i love meat" statement is because if you cut something you love out of your diet you are most likely setting yourself up for failure. It's very hard to not eat cake if you love cake..(i had cake for lunch yesterday cause I love cake LOL), same goes for meat.

    I have vegetarian days (like yesterday) I will eat vegan foods (I do it often actually), but i'm not going to cut something out of my diet especially if i "love" it. So much of health and weight loss is mental. Deny yourself something you love and you risk undoing any progress you've made.
  • MOODYPD
    MOODYPD Posts: 10
    It's very possible, but if you love meat it will also be very challenging! I recently tried the vegan diet for ten days and was completely amazed that I could do it. Since I'm not a meat lover like that it wasn't all that bad. In fact giving up those things that I loved and caused a great deal of my wieght gain helped put me on a path to finally start a weight loss regimen. The cost to be vegan I learned was in deed costly. Making sure fresh fruits and veggies where in the house all the time kept me in the grocery store. The benefits however were great and life changing. I was full of energy, my skin looked great, my mood was better, and so was my bowels. Not to mention weight loss. My advise is simple...... it's okay to implement the vegan diet once or twice a week. In during this you'll still benefit a lot without having to completely give up meat. Good Luck!!!
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    I do not necessarily hate vegetables, but I do love meat and I cannot imagine life without dairy or eggs. I was just thinking about a butternut squash soup I like to make and I thought, I could go vegan perhaps. But, then I thought about the chicken broth I use in it and the cream to make it rich and I wondered how would I replace those if I were vegan. So, then I thought it would be torture to try and be vegan. Anyone a meat lover who is now vegan and what are you thoughts about the vegan lifestyle? Is it hard to find substitutes for dairy and such? Do you have to go and purchase a gazillion supplements for all the things you do not eat? Does that cost more than just being a typical eater?

    Why would you want to go vegan if you love meat? Go vegan because you want to for ethical purposes and if you are going vegan for ethical reasons you won't have much of an issue making the switch. Being vegan doesn't equal being healthy. There are a lot of unhealthy vegans out there. You can have a healthy diet being vegan, vegetarian or eating meat.

    I am vegetarian... close to vegan. I rarely eat eggs, don't drink milk, sometimes use cream in my coffee. I loved meat like chicken and turkey. I choose to stop eating it because I didn't feel right eating an animal. My view was if I wouldn't eat a dog or a cat why is a pig, fish, chicken, etc any different. I still do cook meat though as my husband still eats it. I cook him chicken, pork, etc because I'm not going to tell him he can't eat it because I choose not to.

    Some vegans will buy supplements for vitamins/minerals and some will eat a decent amount of the meat subs. I don't eat meat subs and I don't take supplements since not eating meat. You can get what you need from food sources alone (yes, even proper amounts of B12).

    Being a full vegan can be difficult at first. A lot of things you would think are vegan aren't. Most jello is not vegan, marshmallows are not vegan, most sugar isn't vegan (processed using animal bone). Having a vegan diet takes some research and work. You need to find ways to get in protein (green leafy veggies, peas, soy, legumes, nuts, beans, etc).. you need to ensure you are eating things to ensure you get your B12 vitamins (either fortified foods or nutritional yeast), etc.

    Ultimately, don't go vegan because you think it will make you healthier. It for sure can be a very healthy diet but it doesn't always mean a healthy diet. If you love meat, eggs, dairy... keep eating it.
  • spiritcentral
    spiritcentral Posts: 14 Member
    For the last 10 years I've been a vegetarian...dairy in the form of low fat yogurt, skim milk, cheeses. I'm in my 40s and I've noticed that as I've gotten older animal foods tend to 'sit" in my stomach and not in a comfortable way...so I'm working on cutting back on dairy.

    You don't have to go vegan overnight. It took me 10 years to become a vegetarian and it will probably take be another 3 to be pure vegan.

    The same thing has happened to me. When I became a vegetarian it didn't happen overnight, I went 7 years without beef or pork (because I didn't like it) , then I cut out chicken/fish etc, and have been a vegetarian for 9 years.
    The older I get, the more dairy bugs me. It never bothered me before. But now if I have any food prepared with milk it just sits in my stomach, and does not feel good. Same for yogurt. Your body can change over time.
    If mine was telling me to eat meat, I would eat meat, albeit it would likely be grass fed, free range, if affordable.
    Right now, mine is telling me to eat plants. Just plant based food.

    I have found that I need to listen to what my body tells me to eat. After you eat, see how you feel. You will know if it is right for you or not.
  • affacat
    affacat Posts: 216 Member
    I was vegan for a month last year. I could live without meat by eating vegan substitues like Tofurky. Same with milk swapped with almond milk. But I'm a huge cheese lover and I found vegan cheese just didn't measure up. I'm sure if you are able to find the right substitutes (to satisfy the taste and texture of meat) and get your daily protein from beans for example, you will be okay.

    The best fake cheese is Daiya, imo. There are a couple others that some people like (Teese) as well.
    But vegan cheese isn't going to satisfy a cheese lover that just quit cheese, and I think that's the mistake some non-vegans make when first trying it. No, it doesn't taste like cheese.
    But if you haven't had cheese for a couple months (or better yet, years)? Daiya is awesome. Melts well, makes a great pizza, and tastes good.

    Certain subs will always be difficult. Fake meats have come a long, long, long way. They've even got tasty vegan marshmellows now (though it took a long time for that one). I love veganaise. But cheese is definitely the farthest behind, though like I said, Daiya is quite good (not for on crackers, but on a melt or pizza).
    It sounds daunting. From what I've read only 1 proclaimed vegan out of 1000 are actually vegan, so I would imagine it's a tough go.

    That number sounds a little off, from the vegans I know. Most are very, very good about it. Obviously, sometimes mistakes are made (heck, every once in awhile it's discovered an official vegan product isn't actually vegan... happened once with a brand of fake marshmellows - a big deal twice over, because if i remember correctly it was also labeled kosher and was not.)

    And some vegans are willing to make a rare exception here or there under certain circumstances, because life is like that. Some don't.

    I certainly kept to being vegan (as far as i know) for many, many years. But ultimately, that's the goal. It won't break my heart if I accidentally had whey or something once during that period... it's about removing my money from those industries as best I can.

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