new to veg

[fsan]

Hi there!

My name is Farah and I'm a 29-year old female. I had an epiphany a week ago and I've decided to stop eating meat. I had decided on a whim to research foie gras production. What I found was truly horrifying. I know I don't need to go into the details. This led me to the PETA website, and I watched other videos that were equally disturbing. Suddenly the turkey slices in my refridgerator no longer seemed appetizing. At first I decided to simply give up meat and eggs, because I was afraid I'd set myself up to fail if I tried to give up cheese. But as I've done more and more research this week, I'm willing to give it a try.

Having made the decision to go veg, I immediately started looking for support groups, and I posted something on craigslist asking for help. I received an email from Tammy who directed me to this website. This was exactly what I was looking for, thank you Tammy!

Luckily so far I've had a lot of support from my husband, who interestingly was considering giving up meat a few months ago (after watching some hunting shows), but kept it to himself until I told him that I wanted to change my lifestyle. He is a better cook than I, so he's already made some really tasty and filling vegan meals!

I have not made any meat, cheese, egg, or dairy purchases since my awakening last week. I know this isn't a very long time, but I see myself doing this for the long haul. I look forward to continuing on this journey, and I really appreciate that this forum is here for support.

Farah

[caity]

Farah,
Congratulations on going veg! It's amazing how the truth about animal welfare (lack thereof) can be so powerful and inspirational. I can really relate to the experience of wondering "how can I possibly contribute to this???" Seeing the horrors that animals go through can be really overwhelming, so I'm glad you have the support of your husband and that you're reaching out for support from the larger veg communities.

It sounds like your husband already is a great cook, but I will mention that my family has been successful at getting some standard vegan meals that we eat all the time (rely on), while we experiment once in a while on other fun dishes. Also, finding easy to prepare food that really satisfies has been essential for us.

If you want some junk food, I highly recommend the new cookbook Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World."

One thing I've experienced as a vegan is that I'm so much more in touch with the yummy-factor of vegetables, beans, grains, fruits, nuts and seeds. In other words, you might experience a whole new level of appreciating food - healthy, whole food that serves your body so well. (Perhaps you already have that appreciation of healthy food, but now that you don't eat meat, your colon is going to appreciate *you* more.)

Best wishes to you!
~Caity

[Storm]

I also went through the same thing last week. I had been on the border for quite a while thinking that I could not go without meat. What pushed me over the edge was a PETA booklet that mentioned recipies. I thought it was just recipies to give me more ideas for meals with my vegan and vegetarian friends. After thinking about if for a bit though, the stomach does roll thinking about what your eating. You are lucky that your husband supports you. Mine is constantly questioning me and lets me know he does not agree with my life choice. Luckly I do have a bunch of friends who since they have already made the choice long ago, really support me. One of them refered me to this mentoring program. I know it will not be easy but this is a decision I can live with. I am glad that there are so many resources to help me along.

Storm

[fsan]

Caity, thanks so much for your support! I'm still going strong and I haven't had any cheese, eggs, or meat for two weeks. I have already looked at some vegan recipes online and even tried a few. It is amazing (and depressing) that I have missed out on so many wonderful foods because cheese and meat were taking up so much space. I made a spectacular soup from a recipe I found on www.theppk.com (The Post Punk Kitchen). This website is awesome, and the cooking show is seriously the best one I've ever seen . I mean, I actually wanted to make the food they were making! The show's hosts Isa and Terry co-wrote Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I'm definitely getting that cookbook as well as Vegan with a Vengeance because I can tell the recipes are amazing. I've never wanted to learn to cook before, but now with animal products out of the picture, suddenly it seems like so much fun.

I feel very lucky for the support from my husband, but I have been either cooking for myself or only going to vegan restaurants so far. It will be interesting to see how my family reacts to this (I haven't told anyone yet outside of a couple of friends). If anyone has any helpful strategies for handling the family gatherings and eating at restaurants, please share!

[tammy]

Farah & Storm, congratulations to both of you!

Finding support for new lifestyle changes (such as veg*nism) is so important to be successful. (Look at all the programs out there for people who are alcoholics or smokers.)

And it can be tricky when your spouse isn't quite yet at the same point you are.

There are lots of veg events and activities throughout the Bay Area. And it's common to meet people who are new to the Bay Area, or, like yourself, new to vegetarianism. Chris and I host a monthly vegan dinner and quite often new people show up looking to meet new friends who are like-minded.

Once I "opened" my eyes and decided to go vegan, my viewpoint on life suddenly expanded to see more than just one side of an issue. For example, there's a news story that recently came out linking pregnant women eating beef to lower fertility rate in their sons. Clearly this was written as a health warning for pregnant women. I blogged this with a one-liner with the first thought that came into my head ( http://www.generationv.org/2007/03/31/eating_beef_linked_to_male_infertility ) - yet someone who isn't veg wouldn't see it the same way.

So that's the beauty of hanging out (online and in person) with others. Solidarity

If any of y'all are in SF, we're doing a dinner on Friday the 13th, April. Details are on the event calendar at http://bayareaveg.org/events

[sue]

To Farah and Storm and Others,
Hello and congratulations on going veg! So great to hear!

I just wanted to chime in and offer my 2 cents. If you are listening to podcasts and have not heard hers yet, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks does a fantastic one. Very positive and informative. Here is the link to the site: http://www.compassionatecooks.com/ Here is the link to the podcast page: feed://feeds.feedburner.com/VegetarianFoodForThought

Good Job and Best Wishes!!
Sue Rattenbury