“I could never be a vegan because I can’t imagine living without (insert favorite animal based food here.)” I hear that a lot from people commenting on my diet.
People have their favorite foods. No surprise broccoli or tofu are not at the top of people’s Most Loved Food list. Even when I was vegetarian, people said they would miss (insert favorite meat item here) too much to ever make that lifestyle choice.
I’ve been giving up food since my earliest memories of childhood. I was an allergic kid and went on plenty of elimination diets. I still remember being forced to drink this nasty faux milk in a can. It had two smiley-happy-faced kids on it, licking their chops. Happy my ass. Drinking that thick yellowish liquid made me gag.
Later I had to give up eggs and didn’t reintroduce them for years. At 16, I gave up meat because it seemed cruel to eat animals. As an adult, suffering from sinus issues, I again gave up milk products for a while. And of course going gluten-free was a decision my body made for me.
Every time I had to give up a food group, I really didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would. I didn’t always like the faux alternatives, but found there were plenty of real foods I could eat. I got creative. Veggie pizza with extra sauce and no cheese was pretty good. En-R-G egg replacer allowed me to bake. Gluten-free foods were popping up everywhere. Life was OK and I wasn’t deprived.
When hubby decided to try a vegan diet, I was excited to join him but wondered if I’d miss cheese. Surprisingly, I have not craved cheese in four months. Now I find myself craving leafy greens or fruit or nuts. Guiltless cravings too! So as far as food goes, no I really don’t miss eating anything animal.
Are there are times when it’s difficult to be vegan? You bet. I miss the convenience of having more choices on the go and not having to plan and cook all the time. I feel odd at social events watching other people eat when there’s nothing there for me. But if I gave up being a vegan, I’d miss the energy this diet gives me even more; not to mention how good I feel inside and out with my healthier, kinder, greener choice.
If you’re a vegan, what do you miss? If you’re considering this lifestyle what are you worried you’ll miss? Try it for a couple weeks and see if your worries are true. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I’m always surprised when someone says they’ll miss eggs too much. That one really throws me. Cheese I expect to hear, but eggs seems kind of an odd choice.
I craved cheese for a long time after going vegan. The cravings are gone now. But recently I saw a big gooey pile of melted cheese and I caught myself STARING at it. I had to walk away.
According to the book Skinny Bitch, cheese is truly addictive. The authors do a good job telling what happens on commercial dairy farms and thinking about that helps me. Also, an occasional Daiya fix helps too. 🙂
Yes, it is cheese for me. Always been my favorite food and I am sure the one responsible for any extra poundage on me.