"Choosing trust over doubt gets me burned once in a while, but I'd rather be singed than hardened." -Victoria Monfort










Monday, April 29, 2013

A Vegan...Challenge...?

The interaction most people have with vegans, is bad. People telling you "what you are eating, and how you are the demise of the animal population".

And then I decided I want to try to be vegan. Gasp!!

I love animals more than people, yet I still eat some of them. But I don't like to be judge-y!

I was raised by a vegetarian,  my Momma grew up on a farm. Her stories were sad, but it never occurred to me, until me and my cousin were playing with two giant turkeys in our playhouse, and then...they were gone, and there were two huge turkey's on the dinner table for Thanksgiving. I was about 8, and that was the first time I refused to eat anything that I can remember.  I didn't eat meat for many years, but around adolescence, I started to eat it again.

The past 15 years or so, I've only eaten dairy, chicken, and turkey. With a once in a blue moon craving of a hamburger, or a Momma's meatloaf tossed in.

I've seen a billion sad documentaries about factory farming and I fast forwarded thru the horrible parts, even though, I knew deep down what really happens

This past weekend, I watched a lovely little documentary called "Vegucated". Which, by the name I thought would only be about the healthy side of being vegan.

Well, it still had the sad side of factory farming, and while I skipped most of the horrible parts,  I never in my 37 years thought about cows being forced to be pregnant constantly to produce milk, and having their babies taken away after birth, and the horrible lives they must live. I thought they just produced milk. Seeing their babies taken away from them was heartbreaking!

 I am so against puppy mills, having adopted a puppy mill stud, and seeing how traumatized he is..I can't imagine the fate of the Mother's. For me... factory farming is the same thing with farm animals. And if I don't support it with domestic pets I shouldn't support it any way.

It broke my heart to see those babies torn from their mothers, and I wanted to make a small change, if only with myself!

I don't expect to change anyone's point of view. That's not me.  I am one person, making one decision, and if statistics serve right, I alone can save 95 animals a year by being vegan. So why not try?

For 6 weeks, I am going to try to be strictly vegan. I am hoping that I can keep it up, or at least replace 50% of my chicken/turkey/dairy intake with vegan options , even if I decide being strict 100% of the time, isn't for me. I want to make at least a small change.

My biggest fear, is that most "vegan protein" options are processed. And I do not want to fall back into eating processed foods, so my challenge is even harder. Oh, and the fact that I am 100% in love with cheese. I am really going to miss....cheese more than I miss pizza. And sour cream. And cream cheese. And eggs. But I know, there are great alternatives, that I am going to try.

On a lighter note, my Mr. Magoo is loving my "vegan purge" as he is getting to partake in all the meats I still have in my house.


I smell chicken!!!


9 comments:

OBM.cle said...

You are going to love it!!! I've never gone strict vegan, but I am a vegetarian & you will feel & look a ton better at the same time as you "protest" crappy factory farming too : ) win...win!

Teena in Toronto said...

My sister gave up eating meat three years ago.

I love animals and would love to be able to not eat meat ... but I like meat.

Miss Anita said...

wow, good luck!
I understand what you're saying re: factory farming. Do you guys get "River Cottage" over there? It's this famous chef who started growing all his own food and his show is about how you can do the same, or if you're in a big city, how to eat better and not factory farmed. It's probably my favourite cooking show

Fizzgig said...

obm.cle:
day 2, I'm so hungry. I am going to try to stick to the 6 weeks, but I may find I land on vegetarian instead...milk is in so many things you would never think of!

OBM.cle said...

I just could never give up cheese! A tip though...drink & cook with Almond Breeze milk (original flavor), it tastes just as good if not better than cow milk. Also, beans...beans...beans! I add black beans to everything as a meat substitute & they are so good. Morning Star spicy black bean burgers are sooooo good & a great alternative to hamburgers in the summer.

Urban Cynic said...

I have a vegan friend who said the hardest part was finding all the hidden animal products in food with the additives etc. A lot of food you think looks innocent actually has animal products in it. On a different note, I'm allergic to Aspartame & Sucralose (I get a rash on the inside of my arms that takes up to 2 months to fade) and I recently discovered Aspartame was even in the vitamin C tablets Barocca (not sure if you have it in the US) they hide all sorts of rubbish in our food but once you educate yourself through Vegan forums, then you'll be much better armed.

Well done.

Fizzgig said...

obm:
cheese is hard. i already had to limit it for my diet, but knowing i cant have it is hard. plus cheese or milk/milk byproducts seem to be in everything!

cynic:
I know, it is hard because there are hidden additives in everything! even tootsie rolls have milk!

Urban Cynic said...

I have never heard of Tootsie rolls but they sound interesting!

Unknown said...

I have been down that road before.. I was not able to control it so I went back to my normal eating habit which is not good...

This time I am trying to stick with vegies but at my place meat are cheaper than the vegetables.. I still hope to start my diet though again.. I hope this time I will have the courage to really stick with it...

nice post :)
fina