|
Post by Tiggerwoos on Jun 26, 2006 14:19:01 GMT
What did you think of vegans or veggies before going vegan?
Did you admire them, think it wasn't for you, wonder why, think it was a good idea, bad idea etc and what converted you at last?
Answers on a postcard to the usual place! ;D
|
|
|
Post by fezzarooooo on Jun 26, 2006 14:55:18 GMT
I was veggie since about 12 and it was a couple of years before I heard of vegan I think. I always thought that I wouldn't have the stamina to be vegan and thought it would be really difficult but it's not. I dunno, I don't think I thought about it too much. I decided to try going vegan for 1 mth to see if it helped my health, but when I read up a bit more on the dairy industry etc I knew I'd have to do it for good. So the initial thoughts of going vegan were prompted by health concerns but were concluded by animal welfare.
|
|
|
Post by tabitha on Jun 26, 2006 15:38:58 GMT
I always wanted to be vegetarian, but I dont recall realising there was anything further - i.e. veganism. A few years ago when I went vegetarian, I remember thinking that I couldnt possibly be vegan because I would miss cheese too much and I dont miss it at all.
|
|
|
Post by tigress on Jun 26, 2006 17:02:05 GMT
I was raised vegetarian so for me it was just our way of life. I ask myself now why I didn't change to vegan sooner, but I think a lot of it was to do with laziness ! It has been a real easy transformation over though and now I wish I had done it years ago, teach me to be lazy I guess
|
|
|
Post by alisont on Jun 26, 2006 19:08:40 GMT
I was veggie from 6 to 32 - i admired veganism/vegans but didnt know any and never imagined i could go vegan as it would be too tricky eating out and shopping and id miss choc and my fave cheese too much. I ignored any material on the dairy industry - i also realised egg made me ill and dairy cream, i hated the taste of cows milk and only had soya - i wanted to go vegan in my late 20s but didnt think id manage as when i tried i only lasted a few days! After having IBS for ages i had food allergy tests done that said i was allergic to egg white and intollerant to dairy - i started cutting down and just had the odd bit of cheese. After going to a vegan fair I realised going vegan was the best thing i could do and i met lots of great vegans there and tried lots of yummy vegan food. A week later i went vegan and have never looked back (ibs has gone 95% too So i went vegan for health reasons then after reading up on the dairy industry i realised just how cruel the dairy industry is so now im vegan for ethical reasons and animal welfare reasons. Alison
|
|
|
Post by veggiesosage on Jun 26, 2006 22:06:30 GMT
I only ever knew one vegetarian before I went to Uni and generally saw it as a bit of a waste of time. To be honest, at my house, vegetarianism was never really an option and I might as well have decided to join the circus. I'd only vaguely heard of veganism by this point. My attitude wasn't helped by the fact that I couldn't cook to save my life.
At uni I became more aware of veggie issues and became aware of vegans a bit more. However, this made me think being vegetarian was even more pointless as I saw the hypocrisy in eating dairy and eggs, although I have to say I didn't think about it too deeply.
Over time, I gradually became virtually vegetarian without really trying for it and as I was finishing Uni sort of began describing myself as such. The result of this was that I did really try and read up on the issues and of course came face to face with dairy and eggs issues big time. It was the dairy thing that really got to me though, especially as I was really into cheese.
So a bit after my 21st birthday I decided to become vegan. It was strange how many of my vegetarian friends all seemed to think I was mad.
And I'm still there, bar the occasional wobble over alcohol and honey over the years.
|
|
|
Post by maisiepaisie on Jun 26, 2006 22:08:12 GMT
I admired vegetarians and wanted to be one from the age of 4 when I learned that meat came from animals that were killed. I clearly remember when my mother told me that and it shocked and upset me. I went veggie at 13 and refused to eat the chicken on my plate after I'd been saying for 3 days I would no longer eat meat.
I became vegan at 26 after reading a leaflet about the cruelty of dairy but unfortunately I lapsed back to veggie after 2 years. I'm ashamed to say I was a weak person and because I knew no other vegans and didn't even have the internet I found veganism too hard. I went vegan again for good at the beginning of 2005 and have absolutely zero temptation to eat animal products again.
|
|
|
Post by squirrel on Jun 28, 2006 15:54:08 GMT
I was raised vegetarian so for me it was just our way of life. I ask myself now why I didn't change to vegan sooner, but I think a lot of it was to do with laziness ! It has been a real easy transformation over though and now I wish I had done it years ago, teach me to be lazy I guess This is me exactly, raised veggie, several attempts at veganism from age 16, lack of support always jinxed me. Veganism was something I aspired to and with the big four o looming decided it was time to make my mind up. The rest was easy, thanks to the forums.
|
|
Purity
Vegan Munchkin
Posts: 60
|
Post by Purity on Aug 18, 2006 19:23:43 GMT
I just thought veganism was too hard. I met a couple of vegans when I was about 10 and thought they lived on nothing but fruit and veg, a bizarre thought that stayed with me for the next 17 years. I went vegetarian at 13, then finally started investigating veganism late last year. After a couple of weeks I realised it wasn't that difficult, that there were hundreds of fantasic foods, cleared out my cupboards and haven't touched an animal product since.
I only wish I'd done it years ago.
|
|
|
Post by lavender on Aug 18, 2006 19:33:56 GMT
I wish I had too - it took me far too long to find out about veganism. I feel a right dope for not knowing all the facts before when I was vegetarian. What really got me into finding out more was getting involved in a particular rescue mission of ex-battery hens, I then found out more about them and then about the dairy industry and that was it for me.
|
|
Purity
Vegan Munchkin
Posts: 60
|
Post by Purity on Aug 18, 2006 19:42:48 GMT
For me it was just a comment from another poster on another forum. They mentioned their wife was vegan, and it interested me enough to ask a few questions. He was friendly and sent me in the direction of the Animal Free Shopper, and I went on my way to find out more about it from then. If only I'd met a vegan when I was 16, I'm sure I would have realised sooner.
At least it makes me think that me being vegan may be enough to get others thinking about their choices.
|
|
|
Post by Limey on Aug 19, 2006 22:17:28 GMT
I think we've progressed into the "how did you become vegan" type of thread... Well I don't remember when I knew what vegetarianism was, but I know distinctly that I learned about veganism when I was in high school. There were several people in my school (small school) who were vegetarian or vegan. One was a neighbor of mine and I would give him rides home every once in awhile. He was scarily skinny to begin with, but being vegan did not help him. So I had that misconception that all vegans must be skeletal. I knew what veganism entailed and I didn't think anything other than "no way am I giving up steak and cheese". I had no problems with veggies/vegans - didn't think negatively of it or them. As I say, to each his own. I never, in a million years, think I would become vegan (and straight from omni no less). But, here I am. Incidentally, that guy from my neighborhood is on myspace and he's gone back to being just vegetarian now. Not sure why, though.
|
|
|
Post by paul on Aug 20, 2006 20:59:47 GMT
didn't know any veggies when i went veggie. turned veggie when i was about 12/13, the only veggie i had heard of was spike milligan, and that was when i was turning veggie, turned vegan at 21,when i met my first vegan. (i led a sheltered life )
|
|
|
Post by lilachamster on Aug 20, 2006 21:18:10 GMT
I didn't hear about veganism until a little while after I was vegetarian, so I never had any negative ideas about it. I knew soon after hearing about it that it was how I wanted to be even though it took me about three years to get there. When I went veggie I didn't know any real veggies only a couple of demi-veggies who ate fish but called themselves veggie, which I found pretty hypocritical and misrepresenting, and not much different from being omnis really, but by the time I went vegan I knew lots of vegans and quite strict vegetarians, because I'd got involved in going to animal rights things and sought out like-minded ppl.
Lesley
|
|
|
Post by xxsarahxx on Jan 19, 2008 19:19:45 GMT
I can remember exactly when i became vegetarian. I was 12 and on holiday and I was looking around a market with my parents. I passed the butchers stall and stood and stared and at that point in my life i knew what i had to do. Immediately after coming home i became vegetarian despite it causing many arguments with my mum who disapproved.
All the time i was vegetarian I did know about vegans but due to the lack of understanding I could never understand why.
I then became vegan when i was 16 due to finding out how dairy and eggs are produced.
I find it really sad that I've never met another vegan before. I would really like to as I think it would be a magical moment!
|
|
|
Post by sluggie on Jan 20, 2008 1:59:32 GMT
I used to think that vegans were all bonkers. Now I've met a few, I know they're all bonkers.
|
|
|
Post by wobblymoo on Jan 22, 2008 13:30:07 GMT
I admired them I once had a discussion with a Veggie that he was no better than me as he claimed not to eat meat because of animal welfare issues and yet ate cheese. I think someone who believes so much in something as to change their whole lifestyle and go against the norm always has to be admired Denise
|
|
|
Post by darkgreen on Feb 6, 2008 14:26:13 GMT
i thought they must be crazy and were probably very scrawny and ill lol that was before i was even a vegetarian when i turned vegetarian i instantly knew i wanted to be vegan but wanted to research it and plan it right rather than live on toast lol what really helped change my opinion of vegans is realising how many sexy vegans there are out there! my favourtie band, sohodolls are pretty much all vegan, the main members are anyway
|
|
sal
Vegan Munchkin
Posts: 95
|
Post by sal on Feb 12, 2008 11:14:07 GMT
I thought it was unhealthy and taking things too far, the same way that most of my friends still think about me. I didn't want to know the truth and avoided reading / watching stuff about the meat and dairy industries.
I admire veggies but always thought I could never give up my meat and dairy. But once I saw that kfc video and then went on to watch more and read up on it, something snapped in my brain and that's it. I realised I never wanted to be part of something again that caused another living thing so much suffering.
Once I researched more I realised the truth about the misery of dairy cows ... etc too and it was the same, I don't want anything to suffer or die to feed or clothe me.
|
|