Did you have trouble making the transition from vegetarian to vegan?

Question

was it easy for you? how long did it take for you to get used to it?

Answer 1

well i'm making the switch between fully meat-eater to vegetarian. its actually not that hard.

Answer 2

I'm making the transition right now. I'm starting with dairy since that's the biggest, and I'm trying to cut out drinking milk as a beverage right now. So far it has been about 3 weeks I suppose, so I've no idea how long it will take me. But it's okay, because it's definetly worth it :D

Answer 3

I became a vegan 2 months ago so I'm still in the learning stage. It hasn't been difficult so far. I live in a small Canadian city though and we don't have a lot of vegan products like they do in the US. But we have soy milk and soy cheese, soy mayonnaise and tofu. I can't get silken tofu though.  I have always loved to cook so I enjoy experimenting. I went straight from eating a meat/fish based diet to veganism. I never ate a lot of meat but I miss fish like salmon sometimes.

I'm a diabetic and I'm hoping this diet will improve my health with some weight loss and even blood sugar readings. Oh, I'm a low fat vegan as well so I don't eat nut butters or use oils etc.

Answer 4

soy cheese

soy milk

tofu

nuts

boca burgers

beans.

it works well for me.

Answer 5

I went straight from eating tons of animal products to being completely vegan, and I have had absolutely no problems with it at all. It surprisingly did not take very long to get used to, only about 3 or 4 days, I think. Trust me, if I can do that, it might not be as hard as you think. ;)

Answer 6

I went from part-time vegetarian to full-time vegan without any health problems. The hardest thing was finding out what to eat after a life time of meals focused around meat. Eventually I got used to focusing around the grains and beans, including salads, and making whole, satisfying meals.

Answer 7

I didn't have trouble but I found it much harder to go vegan than I did vegetarian.  It took me about a couple of months to go from vegetarian to vegan, mainly because the shops that were local at the time never stocked any soya spread, and rarely soya milk.  Once I found somewhere I could buy my alternatives it was much easier.  And because I was always a big cheese lover, it took a long time to get used to my diet without cheese, although there are more and more vegan substitutes on the market now!

Answer 8

No, I didn't have any trouble at all.  I had made it out to be such a monumental choice and thought it would be difficult and restrictive, so I put it off for years.  At some point it was just time.  It helped that I stumbled across a cookbook that made it seem mouthwateringly easy.  So I did it.  Other than finishing up the food that was already in my kitchen, I really didn't take any time to make the transition.  I set myself a "drop dead" date, but I ended up eating 100% vegan well ahead of that date.

My advice is to read up on nutrition.  "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina is an indispensable resource.  Be prepared to cook; it's healthier and more varied and there just aren't enough vegan convenience foods available to get by that way.  A couple of awesome cookbooks are "Vegan with a Vengeance" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (the book that made me realize it could actually be done,) and "Veganomicon" by Isa and Terry Hope Romero.  Lastly, seek out support.  It's only difficult if you're trying to figure it all out for yourself; there are people who have already sourced the best dairy substitutes and called makeup manufacturers to find out if they use animal ingredients and you can benefit from their experience.  I joined the forums at http://www.theppk.com and have learned SO much there.

I have been vegan for 8 months now and can't imagine going back.  I'm eating better than I ever have in my life and am completely satisfied with my decision.

Answer 9

I am a vegetarian, but not a vegan. I would highly suggest to not become a vegan, I've heard people's horror stories about that. It's very difficult. If you've got a weak stomach, like me... it would not be a good idea. Stick with vegetarian. It still helps the animals and environment, but it's easier on your body.

Answer 10

Well I went from an omnivore straight to vegan with no vegetarian middle man...

Its not that difficult if you are committed.

Answer 11

Im in the process right now, it is a little hard.. But I'll definitely get used to it. Just try cooking some vegan meals more often.

Answer 12

Very easy for me, it was direct cut over.  

I do have some meat dishes that I loves, but I didn't touch them.  Some of them, there is still veggie version which I will eat once in a while. I used to love chilli crab, but once i become vegetarian, i noticed that I like the sauce instead of the crab, but I didn't eat it anymore for 15 yrs already ( oh, i became vegetarian 15yrs ago).

: )

Answer 13

It took some time to adjust in the beginning, but it wasn't too hard. There are so many delicious vegan products available these days -- everything from vegan cream cheese to vegan whipped cream. In the beginning you're still figuring out what products you like and which restaurants have good options... after awhile, it become more routine.

I think it took me about 3 or 4 months to make the transition.

Answer 14

No, I had no trouble, I was vegetarian one day and vegan the next.

Many people find it easier to make a rather more gradual transition - sometimes there's that last thing it's hard to give up, like milk in your tea or coffee.

Either way is fine