Why Being Vegan ROCKS - my two-year veganniversary

Ok, so you may have noticed in my previous post that I am in fact vegan. As a matter of fact, this weekend marks my two-year veganniversary. A friend of mine thinks it's rude to ask why people become animal-product free - she feels it's too invasive, like asking someone why they would choose to practice certain religious beliefs. To some extent I agree.



Nonetheless, I'll tell you anyway. I read Skinny Bitch and decided I was DONE. No more animal products for me.


That said, I stopped eating red meat when I was 20. I still consumed chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy. While saying I was a "lacto-ovo-aves-pescaterian" was a mouthful, I felt that eating mammals was in poor taste, as we're also mammals.


Ok, I know what you're thinking - you're ready to gag on my ingestion metaphors. Nonetheless, I decided after reading the book that if I could become a vegan, I could accomplish anything. No task would ever be too difficult (that's not to say they're not strenuous) again.




It wasn't easy. There are poultry, beef, and pork substitutes (well, some of the latter) on the market. There is a veritable cornucopia of dairy substitutes (soy, rice, almond, hazelnut, to name a few) on the market, some of which actually taste better than the real thing. A lot of cheeses (vegan brie? When's that happening?) However, there are none for eggs or fish, two things I'd enjoyed for close to twenty years. And try being at a party with dairy-and-eggs cake! Not fun.

Also, I'm a rocker - um, no leather? If I wear used leather, I'm not contributing to killing animals, but unless someone bought it before I went vegan, am I then contributing to it by waiting? Fake leather looks real. Stuff I had before becoming vegan is leather...

Then I remembered: I'm not doing this because I care what people think - I'm doing it because it's what feels right to me. Does buying new leather feel right? No. Wearing used leather? Well, with the bedbug burdens of late, not sure about anything used. Fake leather? Wore it before; will wear it again. Feathers? I try not to.

Basically, it's all about self-control. You wouldn't eat rocks, right? BECAUSE AT A YOUNG AGE YOU WERE TOLD NOT TO. Well, you might not be as young, but you can still consider meat as something you just don't eat - if you feel inclined to do so, as I did.






THE GOOD NEWS


Over time, I disabused myself (ie, get un-used to) some of these things and stopped craving them a few months later. I ate hummus instead of tuna salad (and still do anytime I crave it). I make scrambled tofu with casein-free cheese and a variety of vegetables. And with all the fake-meat products available, I was able to eat "steak" again without hurting anything. I hadn't eaten any red-meat products in 17 years, and now I got to!



THE TRUTH IS...



There are thin vegans and meat-eaters. Conversely, there are also overweight vegans and meat-eaters. I've been all four. Being vegan isn't for everyone (as I like to joke, we can't all be perfect). If you want to make the conscious decision to change your lifestyle, kudos. If you want to lose weight through portion control and exercise, that's great too. If you choose to do neither and are still happy, well, that's great too. Of course, I'm not here to preach - this is my choice and what works for me.

♥♪