So I was a vegetarian for many years. But the last few years I ave been eating fish. I want to go all Vegan, and while initially giving up meay 6 years ago was so easy, it has been difficult to give up fish this time around, let alone cheese and all its greasy goodness. I believe that this is the way to optimal health, and I want to do it right. HELP!

well, once i really decided to go vegan I barely wanted any meat. seafood was my favorite food, but now when i think about it i try to really concentrate on the texture and gross myself out with the thought of the texture with it being flesh. i psyche myself out pretty much

I was a die-hard diary lover for basically my entire life, I'm telling you if it was smothered in cheese, I'd eat it. However about 2 months ago I tried cutting out dairy to see if it would help with tummy problems I'd been having. Low and behold, it did. At the same time I also nixed red meat, simply because unless it was a steak I really didn't like it. As I've never been a fan of seafood (and I'm from New Orleans, so this is considered a crime, haha), the only animal products left in my diet were white meat chicken and turkey. A week ago, I realized that I could get a completely healthy diet without those two, and would be living a vegan lifestyle.

For me, going cold turkey was the best way to do it. I cut out dairy without a slow and sad goodbye, and maybe if you do the same with cheese and fish it will be easier to move on and start trying delicious vegan recipes and foods. There really are so many options!

I was also a die hard cheese fan. One thing I've read is that dairy has 'feel good' hormones in it because it helps infants bond with their mothers. Which is one reason dairy can be so addictive. I really don't want dairy any more although I'll have occasional dairy free ice cream or yogurt.

I have been practicing vegan habits for about 6 months now - and sometimes I occasionally eat dairy and fish (if someone else makes the food and I am a guest). But, I must say, I will no longer eat dairy at all for health reasons. With the vegan diet, I always have very normal bowel movements. The other day, I ate a vegetable casserole that the mother of my boyfriend made. It was smothered with cheese. The next day, to my surprise, I had to take an enema - as I could not *go* and the pain was so terrible.

This event really turned me off from cheese. period.

As far as fish - fishing is bad for the environment.... if you wanted to cut this out, I would suggest reading about over-fishing the oceans. That being said, I will cook *mostly vegan* for my boyfriend (who loves meat), adding in some fish. While I absolutely despise buying fish - for all that it stands for - I must do it for now .... as I feel eating fish is more humane than eating pigs or cows, including also eating dairy products. This is a personal decision of mine. I feel I have to ease my boyfriend into full-blown vegan cooking.

I don't really have a point - but, just try your hardest to do what you can, for your own health and for the environment. There will always be some small pitfalls along the way - just take it meal by meal. And really, think about the bigger picture. That is what I try to do.

Thank you for the feedback. It is difficult when the person you love and live with doesn't understand your desire and reasons to want to eat Vegan. The worst part I think is the friends of the husband/boyfriend and in laws. I have considered going totally Vegan excpet when someone else has cooked meals. Honestly I am afraid of making exceptions like that, but at the same time HATE feeling like a pain in the ***, which most omivores seem to think you are if your Vegan. Hearing you all talk about not eating any animal products inspires me though. I want to go Vegan all the time. How do you circumvent these kind of situations?

"How do you circumvent these situations?" - Namely, situations that involve other people that do the cooking. I love my life right now, but my wonderful german mother-in-law frustrates me to no end. She is retired and constantly wants to have us over for dinner or sends specially prepared food to our apartment.... as we both lead busy full-time lives.

Communicating with her about my needs is difficult. In Germany, a lot of the older people here really and truly don't know what the word "vegan" or "vegetarian" is. It is an entirely new concept! It is much more popular in America.

So, I've given myself the identity of LOVING fruits and vegetables. I am the healthy fruits and vegetables girl, that doesn't really like the taste of meat that much. Now, every time I go to her house, or she sends food over, the main ingredient of the dish IS vegetables, there is usually also a bit of dairy. This is a drastic change in comparison to the beginning - where the main ingredient was always large portions of meat! The other day, after my illness from cheese, she sent over homemade pumpkin soup (with trace amounts of cream, maybe a tablespoon) and a wild rice salad with mushrooms. Even better! So, sometimes the process is slow, but again, its working - and it has happened through me giving her praise for her veggie dishes. Because of me, she is experimenting more in her cooking, focusing on vegetables and grains more - not making meat the focus.

That would be the gradual process. I'm not promoting it per se - just sharing a frustrating experience that is slowly getting better. If she cooks a dish and sends it to our house - and it is filled with dairy, I obviously ignore it and serve it to my boyfriend two nights in a row. He doesn't mind!

I just put in my two cents on the "gradual process".

That led me to think about the more diligent vegans that I have known. A long time ago, I had an ex-boyfriend that was a hardcore vegan. I think he viewed honey as disgusting. One time his mother-in-law planned a big family dinner. She was well aware of his hardcore veganism. She made a yummy pasta sauce/dish for him.

Halfway through the meal, he learned of the fact that she cooked the sauce with scallops and then removed the scallops from his serving. He was SO upset with her and her not respecting his values. Her loving dinner quickly turned to hurt feelings and probably a general dislike for vegans!

A lot of the really 'intelligent' vegans I know take a different route. A softer route. They let the host know that they don't eat meat (not so odd, could also be a religious practice). However, if they are invited over and things have possibly some dairy,etc., they will still eat it. Many vegans feel that displaying the hardcore behavior when in the presence of someone else's cooking results in people being turned off by the vegan lifestyle.

Also, according to vegans who live under a 'consequentialist ethics', if the food has already been made - it would be better for the environment to eat it, than to let it go to waste. Of course, they would let the host know of their normal 'vegan ways'.

I don't know. I feel awesome when I have complete control over my kitchen.... but sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we have no control. I feel like there is SO much to be said about this topic!

i haven't had to deal with other people too much because i'm off at college, but you should check out compassionate cooks podcasts. i know they have quite a few on how to deal with other people or events etc...

http://feeds.feedburner.com/VegetarianFoodForThought

I think I will definately inplement these ideas. I definately don't want to be the person who throws good intent in someones face. But I do owe myself being brave enough to say how I feel and plan to eat. But I wont cry over a splash of milk . Restaurants and home on the other hand....