I became vegetarian over 25 years ago. I grew up on a farm and loved the animals. I had a pet chicken as well as a horse, of course dogs and cats. I fell in love with a young calf and was heartbroken when my Dad sold him. All those animals had personalities and showed me love. My family was a typical southern meat eating family.

I added fish back to my diet for a few years and now I’m transitioning to a vegan diet because it’s healthy and I love animals.

After years of battling health issues and finally trusting my body and not the doctors. I have felt strong enough to go vegan. I've known the benefits of natural and plant based products to heal my body but I, think I needed my doctor to be wowed by my health or by my improvement.
She has been, and I'm transitioning right from keto to vegan. Which is interesting. My body typically loves to eat less meat during the spring and summer months anyway I naturally seem to go pescatarian during these months so I think that, if anything would be my struggle.
I know that my body and the earth will LOVE me so much more for eating vegan. I've already started feeling better and I've only been eating this way for 2 weeks.

My decision was based on a desire for optimum health. I went vegan based on coaching from my martial arts master instructor. I have especially paid attention to the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman (Eat to Live), and his coaching on focusing on foods dense in micronutrients. It has made a huge difference in my health and athletic performance.

Vegan 🌱 FTA! 🐑🐮🐷🐔🐥🐰🐹🐭🐝🦆🐠🦐🦞🦀🐳🐋🐄🐓🦌🐇🐁🦡 Don’t want to be complicit in any animal cruelty.

qweck3 wrote: »

I finally took the leap over the past week. What sent me over the top was a random video I saw on how chickens were being treated and injected with all kind of chemicals. I already hadn't eaten red meat or pork in over 13 years with fish around 3 to 4 times yearly for some of the same reasons. Outside of cheese, dairy was removed from my diet last year as well.

When I started doing research on what way of eating I closest aligned with I realized I was so close to being vegan that it wouldn't take much to make it official. The video I saw made it happen. The final step was as easy as buying tofu instead of chicken and plant based cheese substitute instead of regular cheese on my last shopping trip to complete the change I was that close for a while now.

Happy for any new friends that can help me along as most of the folks I have are from my keto/low carb days.

This is so great! Well done for making the switch for your health, the animals and the planet! There are some inspiring vegan fitness guys on YouTube / insta that are worth a follow e.g Nimai Delgado (vegan bodybuilder whose never eaten meat), Derek Simnett (@simnettnutrition), hench herbivore (and many more). @healthylivingjames does loads of quick vegan nutritious recipes plus there’s mainstreamers like the guys from ‘Bosh’! If you’re interested in finding out more about the ethical side of veganism, Ed Winters (@earthlinged) and James Aspey are great activists 🌱🐷🐓🐮🐥🐟🦀🐝

Yes there are some great documentaries out there (www.landofhopeandglory.com is a really good one for U.K. standard farming practice and was produced by @earthlinged and his partner who both studied film. Footage from 110 U.K. farms and abbatoirs. Use this film a lot in street activism (anonymous for the voiceless ‘cube of truth’ etc)as it’s split into sections - pigs/chicks/cows/eggs/dairy and only 45 mins long.

I sat through the 2.5+hrs of the U.K. premier of Dominion (Focuses on Australian farming and lots of HD and drone footage) and that was a gruelling but informative watch. I’ve not been able to watch Earthlings (ten years old now and focused on USA) but all my vegan friends say not to put yourself through it if already vegan - so many people turned vegan overnight watching it but I know many people who couldnt watch past the first ten mins.

So sad all the brainwashing and media falsehoods we’re fed everyday. The truth is shocking but thanks to social media and Netflix is getting a good and much needed platform for change 💚🌱✊ Well Done for becoming a free thinker!

@deClaire Want to say thank you for the reference to Dominion and Earthlings. I watched both today and wow. Never touching meat again. Wrong in so many ways. Even downloaded the Is it Vegan App to verify everything after watching those documentaries. Eyes WIDE open now.

My journey started back in 2009 when I read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. I come from a family with a history of cardiovascular disease and diabetes on both sides of my family, and when I read that book it immediately resonated. However, my transition was very gradual and I didn't become fully WFPB until July 2014. Hey, I just realized that I passed my 5-year vegan-versary a few days ago! Yay me! Anyhow, along the way I've been inspired by many books and podcasts. Some of my all-time favorites are Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (and his other books), How Not To Die by Dr. Michael Greger, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, and the Engine 2 books by Rip Esselstyn. Some of my favorite podcasts are The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee, The Ian Cramer Podcast, Jami Delaney MD Plant Based Wellness podcast, Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger, Nutrition Rounds Podcast, Plant Yourself - Embracing a Plant-Based Lifestyle, Plant-Strong (by Rip Esselstyn), and The Rich Roll Podcast.

After maintaining a steady weight for the past couple years, in the last few months I've noticed that my weight has started to rise very gradually. I get plenty of exercise. My problem is a tendency to snack, even when I'm not hungry. I've been away from MyFitnessPal for several years, but recently started logging my food intake again to help keep myself accountable. This has helped a lot, and I already feel like I'm getting back on track.

Happy for any new friends to help us both stay accountable and inspired!

BuddhaBunnyFTW wrote: »

Hello I'm trying to go vegan because I'm reading How Not to Die by Dr. Greger. My wife isn't on board but she's a pretty stubborn person but very supportive so I know she will come around eventually. My cholesterol has skyrocketed and my Doctor hasn't seemed that concerned. I'm looking for the best tips on how to eat and get all the vitamins and stuff I need. I don't eat junk food as is, I have started to cut out pretty much everything other than chicken and fish, but I'm looking for easy vegan breakfast options. I'm just excited to be healthier.

The best tip I can give is to try to complete Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Challenge that he describes in How Not To Die, every day if possible. There is an app for both the IPhone and Android, that will help you track your Daily Dozen. It’s a lot to eat in a day, and it will help you to crowd out some of the things you’re trying to eliminate, like the chicken and fish. It also pretty much guarantees that you are meeting your daily nutritional needs.

For super easy breakfast options, look on the web for overnight oatmeal recipes. They are really easy to throw together the night before, and they “cook” in the fridge! Use the recipes just for ideas, and use your imagination when you put your overnight oats together. Use old fashioned oats, not quick oats, and a plant-based milk of your choice for the best and healthiest results. Throw in whatever other healthy things sound good and it will be ready in the morning! And if you pick the right set of ingredients, you’ll also be off to a really good start on your Daily Dozen for the day!

Hope this helps!