any vegans on here?

I just read a book called "Skinny b*tch" and it touts a vegan lifestyle for health, reduciing animal cruelty, helping to end world hunger and improve the environment. That's quite a lot to claim, but if you look at info for it, I can see how it would reduce all of those things. It has had a huge effect on me and I really want to give this lifestyle a go, however, Thanksgiving is coming up, my parents will be here to visit and I don't think these next 2 weeks will be the best time to start. I don't mind giving up meat, eggs and dairy outwardly, it's that it seems to be in so many products!!! That's where it gets so darn difficult.

I am not looking for an argument about veganism, I am looking for anyone else that might be vegan or would consider going vegan or have read the book mentioned or the other book I have heard that's good, "Eat to Live".

There is a lot to this, I have to admit.  However, you can consume eggs and dairy without causing cruelty to animals. 

I follow this site

http://www.pathtofreedom.com/

It's the chronicle of a family in Pasedena who are trying to live a self-sustaining lifestyle on a 10th of an acre.  They call it the urban homestead.  They harvest about 7000 pounds of produce per year.  They have small goats for milk and cheese and ducks and chickens for eggs. 

Gives a different perspective on the whole food miles issue. 

Two of my close friends are vegan and they haven't had much trouble with the lifestyle.  I think they began it around 20 years ago.  They have lovely curries, ice cream, breads, pizzas, and the best parties.  I am aware of quite a few sections in the shops that have vegan foods.  It is simply a matter of taking the time to sort out what you can and cannot buy, but if you are serious about the change, well worth it.  If you have any questions feel free to ask or pm and I will help all I can.

I was vegan for many, many years and was very, very thin.

But in the end I realised that I was doing it 25% for health or animal welfare and 75% for controling my weight. For me it was just another way that my food issues were coming up - yet another super restrictive diet.

I do think some people can be vegan for animal welfare reasons - everyone is different..... One of my manager's is a truly commited animal rights person and she's vegan. But I think you can spot the truly sincere people in that they also quit wearing leather shoes and clothes and belts, etc.

I agree with Mrs Pink - there are ways of eating eggs and dairy without being irresponsible.

I have heard the book was good.  In fact, I was supposed to ask my old boss to order it for the store, but in the hub-bub of moving over to the UK I forgot.  

I was vegan for a while, but decided I couldn't give up my leather hiking boots (there are good hemp and man-made materials out there, though).  I did buy products that I knew were not tested on animals and had no animal products in them--like carmine (from beetles) in lipstick, etc.

After my summer in Ireland I decided it was just too difficult for me to give up dairy entirely so now I'm just a vegetarian (no eggs) who eats dairy occasionally.  I do wear wool, also.

I do certainly admire anyone who even attempts a vegan lifestyle.  In the end I feel anything we can do to lessen cruelty and help the environment--makes the world a better place.

I was vegan for many, many years and was very, very thin.

But in the end I realised that I was doing it 25% for health or animal welfare and 75% for controling my weight. For me it was just another way that my food issues were coming up - yet another super restrictive diet.

I agree--women especially have to be careful of that issue.  I was borderline anorexic as a teen and then gained a fair amount of weight in college.  In the beginning my becoming vegetarian was based on weight issues alone. 

But over the years I learned a lot and also became more aware of environmental and animal rights issues.  But not enough, honestly to make me stick to a strict vegan regimen.

I'm a long-time vegetarian, and although a lot of meals I eat are semi-vegan, I don't think I could go all the way. From a cooking perspective, eggs and dairy play a huge functional role in so many familiar dishes. So going vegan requires either radically rethinking the way you cook or doing an awful lot of substitution, much of which tends to be based on highly processed foods. I'd far rather eat a traditionally-made cheese than an over-processed and possibly chemical-laden soy substitute. These days I'm a lot more concerned about concentrating on "real food" rather than animal welfare or any of the other typical issues surrounding vegetarianism.

I'd far rather eat a traditionally-made cheese than an over-processed and possibly chemical-laden soy substitute. These days I'm a lot more concerned about concentrating on "real food" rather than animal welfare or any of the other typical issues surrounding vegetarianism.

That is SUCH a good point, Elynor (btw, I couldn't find the gravy recipe. I have the cookbook it's originally out of at my mom's house though and will post it when we get back from our next trip so that it's out there for next year at least  )

The other thing that's worth remembering is that if you're going to be a serious vegan you have to be willing to spend an inordinant amount of time reading labels. And you will be SHOCKED at how many things (even as simple as crackers) have things like whey in them. And eating out with other people can be a challenge because even pasta often has eggs in it - so eating in most restaurants becomes very difficult.

I'm not trying to be a nay sayer - I do think it's a fantastic thing to do for the environment and for animal welfare, but it's a very big commitment to do it properly and to do it for reasons other than weight loss/maintainance....

Yes, if you enjoy eating out, or your partner does, being vegan can be a nightmare.

IMO, if you care about the environment and animal issues, there are ways to start addressing it that aren't so radical. If you get on with those and really want to go all the way, then you can ease into being vegan.

Another biggie to watch for for vegetarians/vegans is gelatin which comes from animal bones. It's in a lot of stuff you aren't aware of like yogurt and marshmallows.

My cousin was vegan for years.  It really helped him lose weight and he felt healthier.  The problem was for him making sure he still got enough protein in himself to keep his energy up.  But both he and his girlfriend found vegan places to eat at (in Minneapolis), and found a great grocery store that had many vegan items.  And even now that he isn't, he's carried on with many of habits that being a vegan started for him.  He still goes to the grocery store because they carry many healthier items than some of the grocery chains near him. 

I'm a vegan...been vegetarian since I was nine, and went vegan 4-ish years ago.  I haven't read Skinny b*tch because...I don't really like the way it puts emphasis on being skinny.  I am a lazy lazy person, so if it were extremely difficult, I couldn't keep it up.  I recommend www.govegan.net and check out Sarah Kramer's books--I would never have been able to go vegan without easy and tasty recipes.

Also, I'm not skinny.  I'm not fat, or even overweight-- but I'm just never gonna be skinny.     I'm just not built that way.

Edit to add:  Even making a try to give up the obvious vegan no-no's would be a good try for you.  I am not sure I know of a vegan who is 100% perfect 100% of the time.

I've been a fish-OK 'vegetarian' for 20 years.  Even that can be tough when eating out.  Anyhow, I have somehow developed a meat intolerance, especially to chicken.  I get some chicken broth in a meal, and yay, hives and headaches.  It was never a problem growing up, and I can't help but wonder if it's related to cutting out meat entirely.  It's a major pain when travelling in the far East!

So, before starting a very strict diet like that, have a chat with your doctor or a dietician.  Or somebody... Heck, we're not supposed to suddenly change the cat's food.  

Oooooh!  And, as far as nutrition goes--here is the Vegan Bible.

I have to admit, I am doing it for a weight control point of view as well (and if I had to really truly admit, it would be the main reason). So - with that in mind, I think I am going to adopt an obvious vegan lifestyle (or at least vegetarian with minimal dairy), in other words, stick to eating without cheese/dairy or some eggs (my neighbors have free range chickens and give me the eggs for free) and of course, meat. I don't know if I can go as far as reading every single label and not eat crackers b/c they have whey or other things b/c they have gelatin. I know they have some animal products in them, but it can go a bit too far.

I might read the book, Eat to Live, since that focuses on eating for the best nutrients and make the decision based on that. I appreciate everyone's insights, the book had a big impact on me and I couldn't ignore some of the info in there.

I say this with only the nicest of intentions - just be careful if you're doing it mostly for weight control.... It's very, very easy (if you have the right sort of personality) to just keep telling yourself "I can't eat this, I can't eat that" and to keep restricting yourself a little more all of the time. For me, I justified a very restrictive diet in the name of animal rights, etc. while in reality it essentially was an eating disorder that cost me a lot of cash spent on therapy to get over. I'm in no way suggesting that this is what you'll do - just be aware that it's VERY easy to do....