Is anyone on these boards a vegan?

[undercovergeek]

And that's why I respect JDs decision

I grind my teeth at those guys on the net or on tv deliberately using the words corpse and flesh in a piss poor attempt to intimidate meat eaters

A silent affirmation of your choices is the best in my opinion

I'm only asking because JD specifically said he was appalled at the meat industry - but is that at purely meat production or all it's biproducts

Actually I've never had the chance to ask an intelligent vegetarian mirth - let's say the veggies 'win' - meat eating becomes the poor choice and is eventually outlawed - what do you think will happen to the national herd, farmers won't tend to them for free, I doubt they'll be released into the wild, surely they'll all be culled - is that a win for the veggies?

[Greybriar]

I thought the following video might help explain the differences between the different types of vegetarians:

[mirth]

Actually I've never had the chance to ask an intelligent vegetarian mirth - let's say the veggies 'win' - meat eating becomes the poor choice and is eventually outlawed - what do you think will happen to the national herd, farmers won't tend to them for free, I doubt they'll be released into the wild, surely they'll all be culled - is that a win for the veggies?

It's such an unlikely hypothetical that it isn't something I would give much thought. It's certainly not something that would happen overnight where we'd have herds roaming free. If people started eating less meat, overtime less meat would be produced. Fewer animals would be raised for their meat.

I don't look at it as winning or losing. I do find industrial meat production practices abhorrent and I support organizations like Farm Sanctuary, but I am not a PETA zealot and I'm not interested in forcing people to accept a vegetarian diet. People need to make the choices that work for them.

[mirth]

I thought the following video might help explain the differences between the different types of vegetarians:

Good video. Covers it very well.

[JudgeDredd]

Big respect and admiration for the decision JD, but........

Does this mean all the clothes, shoes, car accessories, bike equipment, modelling gear that have touched the animal industry are all going out of the window too?

I'm not turning into an activist. I'm sure purist vegan's will laugh at me. I've honestly not thought that far ahead.

Currently, I'm specifically pissed at the way animals are treated. What I can do (with relative ease - and I say that with a huge pinch of salt) is stay away from meat and dairy products. I haven't thought about bi-products at the moment. I think the first part is to take my money out the animal food chain - you know - stops piglets being killed because they aren't financially viable. Stop sows being forced - by artificial insemination - into constantly giving birth. Stop calves being taken from their mothers because I want the milk. That kind of thing.

If I keep it up, at least antibiotics might work for me as around half of the antibiotics used in the UK are on animals (something like that anyway).

I'm not here to promote veganism. I'm not here to judge people. I'm not here to stand up for eating plants. I'm not here to even debate it. I've seen what I've seen and if that's even slightly representative of the things that go on, I want no part in it.

My daughter is a vegan and she'll help. How I move forward will very much depend on the next month, 3 months, 6 months and year and so on.

[JudgeDredd]

There are different ways to approach veganism. Some people choose to simply follow a vegan diet. I suppose they wouldn't be considered "true" vegans, but I don't nit-pick over nonsense like that.

Mainly, it's about finding what works for you. I didn't become a vegetarian until I was twenty three. Before that, I had eaten every time of fish or game that could be found in Maine. When I became a vegetarian, it was one of the easiest things I've ever done. I never had a craving. I never missed bacon or chicken.

I don't proselytize to my family and friends. I don't mock their own decisions. If I'm asked about it, I provide honest answers. If people want to be critical or present me with bullshit "what about this" scenarios, I'm willing and able to stand up for myself. Being a vegetarian works for me and that's all I need to know. Most people around me don't even know I'm a vegetarian.

Thanks mirth. I think that covered it far better than I did.

[undercovergeek]

Good luck buddy

Genuine - not a piss take

[Toonces]

If your conviction is based more on morals than on some nutritional choice, I would think you have a better chance of successfully embracing the lifestyle.  I always thought vegetarianism was more nutrition-driven than a stance on animal cruelty.  (I'm sure there are folks that do it for either reason, or both).

So, I applaud you for your decision and wish you success. 

Meanwhile, I'll stop eating meat when they can pry Airboy's gun out of his cold, dead fingers.   

[JudgeDredd]

Thanks very much everyone.

It'll be tough but I'm going to give it a bloody good go.

The guy who runs the cycle shop I get my bikes from and repaired etc...he's vegan. Been vegan since 1999. I never knew it and I've been cycling with him for 6 years or more. So I want to be that kind of vegan.

I used to be a smoker. I don't condemn people for smoking. I don't judge them. I don't tut or shake my head. If I'm asked or if someone mentions they want to give up, I'll explain how I did it, how hard it was, what was hard about it, what the pitfalls are. The reason I'm like that is because I know how much I enjoyed it and I know how difficult it was to give up. I want to be that kind of vegan.

Lets see how the next few weeks go...then months hopefully...then whatever  O0

[bayonetbrant]

[yt]https://youtu.be/vXIdcA6mlV4[/yt]

[airboy]

JD - A couple of health observations about a big proposed diet change.

1] be sure you are getting enough calories.  Vegans, especially those who exercise a lot, can have problems getting enough calories.
2] If you are diabetic be very, very careful about going vegan.  Vegetarian/vegan diets tend to go into huge carb loads to get sufficient calories.  If you are diabetic or hypoglycemic it can cause some big problems.

My wife and I ate vegetarian about 3 meals a week until I became diabetic.  That had to go away because even beans and whole grain pastas/breads did a number on my diabetes that made me very sick.  I've eaten a lot more meat and a lot fewer carbs after the diabetes hit.

And in a health change that Mirth would approve of, I've substituted a lot more scotch and whiskey for beer since the diabetes debacle.

[jamus34]

I'm in the meat production business too but on the ABF / Organic side of things.

Having been to slaughter houses it has given me a newfound respect for what the animal goes through and a willingness to try to avoid wasting as much meat product as possible.

I personally doubt I will ever go vegan or even vegetarian however i do try to eat less meat and savor it more when I do.

[Staggerwing]

I was an ovo-lacto-pesco-vegetarian for most of my twenties and first few years of my 30's, but I wasn't aware that there was a hyphenated term for it. I just skipped meat and poultry but ate everything else. During that time my weight was consistently between 160 and 180.

Once I started eating meat again I also started gaining weight at an unhealthy clip. I've been considering eliminating both meat and a lot of prepared carbs from my diet but it's hard to organize a proper meal with so little available time. Ready made and semi-ready foods are just way too convenient.

[JudgeDredd]

First day over as a vegan.

So what was different?

Breakfast
I had fruit
Normally I would probably have Toast, butter and possibly beans

Lunch
I had a tin of vegetable soup and some bread
Normally I would've had that but with butter on my bread, or I would've had some sort of sandwich, pasta dish or perhaps cheese and rolls and butter

Tea
My wife made Vegetable Cobbler
Evening meals are not normally too bad as my wife cooks nice meals.


The biggest difference though is snacking. Normally I'd have had perhaps 2 or 3 chocolate bars - probably more if I'm honest. I actually bought a bar of Bournville which is vegan...something I loved as a kid...and had a single strip from it.

Overall, it was very positive. I feel pretty good too. Normally I feel quite lethargic and with all the sugar I have in my snacking, I'm kind of up and down during the whole day.

It's a loooooooooooooooooooong road - but one I definitely want to travel. I hope it sticks.

[mirth]

JD, your daughter probably has already told you, but there are plenty of vegan substitutes for butter and other dairy products. It might make the change easier for you to not have to eat dry toast ;)

There are also a variety of vegan meat substitutes available. Many of them are very tasty and are flavored/textured to approximate meat products.

As far as the variety and quality of vegetarian/vegan products available, it's much improved over 15-20 years ago.