So you are ready to stop eating meat and animal by-products? I am glad that you've made a conscious decision that will benefit yourself, the earth and our animal friends. This guide will serve as a stepping stone to reach your ultimate goal of becoming a full-fledged vegan. The journey may be rocky at times but the destination will be well worth it. If you haven't already, read
Why I Choose to Live a Vegan Lifestyle.
In this guide, I will cover what it takes to transition to a vegan lifestyle and how to apply what you learn. Many will resonate towards my way and some will not. The key is to find what works best for you. There is no right or wrong path but if you do not map out a route, then you ARE wrong.
Set It, Plan It & Do It ....
No excuses!
Doing something that is out of the "norm" or unconventional can be difficult. We live in a fast-food nation. Are you ready to mentally turn off all the advertisements and reasons why you should eat like most Americans? Are you prepared to go to your family cookout and not consume animal flesh? What about the jokes and ridicule that you will be subjected to?
This lifestyle is more mental than it is physical, at first. The people that you call family & friends will be the ones to give you the most grief. In a small moment of weakness, you can fall victim to their endless reasons of why what you are doing is crazy. Even though they may have weight issues or worse, a "disease", they just think they have all the answers.
I do not believe that a person has to go to school for umpteen years to declare himself or herself a doctor. Or that it takes a college education for you to become a teacher. But, I do find it troublesome when individuals let unqualified people influence major life choices.
It does NOT take a dietitian, nutritionist, counselor, doctor or any other made up profession to tell you how to EAT TO LIVE. By you reading this guide this far proves that you have taken an initiative for your own
holistic well-being. If you want to fall victim to all the "diseases" that your family, friends and acquaintances have, then by all means, eat what they eat and live how they live. Otherwise, continue on.
1. Mental Preparation
Why are you making this diet change? Are you just following fads? What will it mean to you to live a vegan lifestyle? How will you benefit from this? Is this a temporary or permanent decision?
These questions and many others need to be answered
prior to converting to a vegetarian / vegan diet. As mentioned before, this is a mental challenge and the physical is just one component of your
holistic make-up.
If your mind is not right, you will fail miserably. But, if your mind is right, all the external factors that you will face will not phase you one bit. How do you get your mind right? How do you know when you are ready to begin this journey?
Read, research and read some more - You spend time reading newspapers, magazines, comics, sports news and all kinds of other trivial writings. Why would you not read about something that is pertinent and part of your life? I am aware that people have different opinions and no two sources are alike but I believe that it serves the mind and soul well when you give it good "food for thought". The key is really not the information, but the programming that your subconscious mind goes under when you introduce new concepts to your psyche.
GoVegPETAVegan Action 
Read the book, The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II. I can not say enough about this book. Dr. Campbell's research was extensive and thorough. He tells the real tale of protein, calcium & B12 deficiencies among non-meat eaters, exposing the motives behind such propaganda. The book also confirms the direct relation between proper nutrition and disease. This is a must read for everyone, not just people that want to become vegetarian or vegan.
Purchase The China Study here
Join a group or online forum - Support, support, support! Unless you grew up in a pro-vegetarian household, chances are you will not find too much support from family and friends. Some people need more support than others. A lot of you may be able to start this journey solo but chances are your trip will be easier with partners.
When changing anything "drastic" like dietary choices, you want to stay motivated. The people you will meet on forums, boards or groups, were once starting out too. No one is certain on how their mind, body and soul will react and adjust. Some days you may just need that little extra push. On those days, why not read some posts or better yet, join a discussion. Stay focused!
SoulVegFolkVegan ForumVeggieBoardsVegan FitnessKnow some stats - I'm not too big on knowing every stat about vegetarian / vegan vs meat-eaters. To be truthful, I do not trust either side. Anytime you have agendas, you will find manipulation and biases. Look into some statistical benefits of being vegan but take it with a grain of salt.
- Risk of death from heart attack by average American man: 50%
- Risk of death from heart attack by average American vegetarian man: 15%
- Risk of death from heart attack by average American pure vegetarian man: 4%
Source and more statistics
2. Tell a Few People About Your New Lifestyle
Hold yourself accountable. I am big on telling someone close to me about what I have going on and when to expect it. Most true-to-their-word people are. When you tell somebody about what you are going to do, it serves two main purposes:
1. It holds you accountable, unless you are or want to be considered a liar or under-achiever.
2. Gets you use to telling others about what you are doing or about to do.
Would you lie to your mother? Then tell her.
Would you lie to your significant other? Then tell him/her about your change.
You have consciously made a decision to change your diet so you know that it is what you want to do and you know it will benefit you and everyone that is close to you. The difficult part, if any, is starting and sticking with it. Telling someone about your
intention will help you start your journey.
3. Do a Juice Fast (optional)
4. Set It, Plan It, Do It
There are two ways you can transition to a vegan lifestyle:
1. Slowly incorporating veggie dishes into your regular diet.
2. Day one. 100% vegan.
I'm not going to tell you what to do but I would recommend that a majority of people start out gradually. There is a science with gradualness that almost guarantees that you meet your target or goal. Ever wonder how people could lose massive pounds quickly, only to gain it all back plus some? Or the smoker that quits cold-turkey then goes back to the pack.
I am a full gusto, from the jump kind of dude. I have the tendency to commit and stick with what I find worthwhile. If you fall into this category, then you probably will be able to start this lifestyle immediately. Otherwise, you need to plan on doing replacement meals to gradually convert.
This plan is by no means a "one size fits all". But, it can serve as a template of what you can do. Find out what works best for yourself, family and/or lifestyle. Just have a plan. Action without a plan can be chaotic.
For this plan, I will presume that you eat three meals per day (breakfast, lunch & dinner). I, personally, do not agree with the three square meals per day philosophy. Everyone is different therefore everyone has different needs. But, for simplistic purposes let's take it one week at a time.
Week One
Have no meat or dairy products for 1 full day.
Week Two
Have no meat or dairy products for 2 full days.
Week Three
Have no meat or dairy products for 4 full days.
Week Four
Have no meat or dairy products for 6 full days.
Week Five
You have arrived! No meat or dairy products for 7 full days.
Make sure to write down your concentration each week. Prepare for the upcoming week. Be proactive. With a plan and drive, you can accomplish ANYTHING. This is a jewel for life but it can easily be used to convert to a vegetarian / vegan diet.
Meat & Dairy Replacements
So, you are mentally ready & you have a plan of action. Now, what do vegans eat? Anything that is not a derivative of an animal. Fruits, vegetables, grains, pasta, nuts, beans, seeds, breads and herbs & spices. But there are transition foods that you can eat to assist in losing the "want meat" taste.
Do not beat yourself up over small trace amounts of milk products in some foods. With this new diet, your body will be able to tolerate trace amounts of anything. You do not want to go overboard and super analyze everything. The ultimate goal is a clear and free mind, body and soul.
In fact, a true vegan or vegetarian or raw foodist is what YOU MAKE IT OUT TO BE. You hold the answer to every question that you have. You are endowed with freewill to do whatever YOU want to do. Me or no one else can empower YOU.
The following list will give you some replacement ideas for foods most Americans are accustom to eating. This is not a definitive, no exception list. There are other options.
Each link will take you to the specific product. There are more products available but the ones on here are recommended because of my personal experience.BBQ Riblets -
MorningstarButter -
Earth BalanceBreakfast Meats (Sausage & Bacon) -
Lightlife,
Morningstar,
BocaCheese (shredded) -
Galaxy FoodsCheese (sliced) -
Galaxy FoodsChicken Patties & Nuggets -
Morningstar,
BocaHamburger Crumbles (Ground Beef) -
Boca,
LightlifeHamburger Patties -
Morningstar,
Boca,
Amy's,
LightlifeIce Cream -
So & Soy Delicious,
Tofutti, Rice DreamHot Dogs -
LightlifeLunch Meat -
Lightlife (Bologna, Turkey, Ham, Pepperoni)Milk -
Silk (including chocolate & vanilla),
Almond Breeze
Recipes
Vegetarian Quotes
"My best performances were when I was 30 years old and I was a vegan...vegetarian" - Carl Lewis
"It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind." - Albert Einstein
"I am not systematic at all when it comes to religion. I just love life. And I'm not judgmental. And I'm a vegetarian." - Erykah Badu
"I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became a vegetarian about 25 years ago, and I did it out of concern for animals. But I immediately began having more energy and feeling better." - Bob Barker
"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian." - Paul McCartney
"Nothing's changed my life more. I feel better about myself as a person, being conscious and responsible for my actions and I lost weight and my skin cleared up and I got bright eyes and I just became stronger and healthier and happier. Can't think of anything better in the world to be but be vegan."
- Alicia Silverstone
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat"
- The Bible (Genesis 1:29)
Need Some Motivation?
Although this guide is intended to be strictly informative and not a guide of ethics, this video provided by
PETA clearly illustrates how the animals, that provide the country's meat supply, are treated. Whatever the animal endures, you assume that if you consume the meat. Besides the obvious impact the meat has on your holistic being, the cruel and inhumane treatment of our animal friends is simply unacceptable.
WARNING - GRAPHIC MATERIAL
Need Some Inspiration?
Inspiration can motivate you. With the change to veganism, you need to stay motivated. I have repeated this because it is critical.
We live in a celebrity-praising society. Our "stars" are placed on pedestals. At least use these so-called celebrities to inspire you. Here are a few interviews from well-known people saying not so well known things.
Russell Simmons - Hip-Hop Mogul
Alicia Silverstone - Actress
Carl Lewis - Gold Medal Olympic Athlete
Woody Harrelson - Comedian/Actor
Dead Prez - Be Healthy
Hip-Hop Song talking about veganism
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