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| Forums: January 2010 Kickstart Forum Archive: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? | |||
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| Bluerabbit
Joined: 12/31/09 Location: Wash. Posts: 5 |
Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 7:36 PM So, here it goes...another new year and how will we do in this world of carnivores. I'm the lone one...among friends who think vegetarians are crazy. Thus I feel different (thus the BlueRabbit name) but enlightened. Even my family members don't agree with me. Even my husband is not favorable. So I've been trying to do my own thing quietly. |
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Wild4Stars
 Location: Florida Posts: 832 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 7:46 PM Of course you're crazy. Anybody who doesn't do what "everybody" does is crazy! Plenty of people think I'm crazy. But I sit here healthy and happy, while they are on drugs to lower their blood pressure, their cholesteral, and sugar. Drugs that overall are NOT good for them. So, they eat their dead animals, take their drugs and call me weird!! OH WELL !!! Vikki ~ Wild4Stars@gmail.com |
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| serenevannoy
Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 294 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 7:46 PM No one has to be crazy. People just make their own decisions. If we want them to respect our right to decide for ourselves, we have to respect that right in them, too. Congrats on having the courage of your own convictions! Serene Vannoy, Oakland, CA |
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| mommyof2nc
Joined: 12/31/09 Location: North Carolina Posts: 172 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 7:59 PM I agree with the others - stick to your beliefs and don't listen to people who tell you you're crazy. For what it's worth, I'm doing this and am also surrounded by meat eaters (though my 3-year-old daughter is basically vegetarian since she will only eat maybe one bite of chicken every few weeks), but I guess I'm lucky because my husband is pretty supportive. I'm current an ovo-lacto vegetarian and I normally just make whatever I'm eating and then my husband eats it as a side to his meat that he cooks for himself and our son. It's worked pretty well for us so far. I hope you can work something out with your family and friends. Good luck! |
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| maryellenks
Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 8 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 8:57 PM serenevannoy makes a really good point. It's important, in trying to make your own decisions about what and how to eat, to remember that others have the right to make their own decisions as well, without getting grief from those around them. I have found, unfortunately, that a lot of the vegan people that I meet are very... let's say strident... about their beliefs. It makes it hard for non-vegans to be supportive when they feel that their choices are being criticized or belittled. I'm a biologist, and as such I know that a lot of information out there about veganism is simply wrong, and I know that turns people off, too. (There are also a lot of really valid science-based reasons for making the choice to be vegan, but most of the stuff quoted as 'science' is just propaganda misinformation.) I guess what I am saying is that living in a world of carnivores (most people are not carnivores, by the way, they are omnivores) doesn't give us the right to feel superior or enlightened or 'better'. I'll get off my soapbox now!! |
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| veggiebeth
Joined: 01/01/10 Location: Tucson Posts: 7 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 11:33 AM I too am surrounded by meat eaters. I have been a vegan for almost three years and although I don't feel we are better than meat eaters, I do feel we are move evolved. But I don't tell them that, well I do my husband but he agrees with me even though he will not give up meat, his reason is purely selfishness. Stick to you beliefs and passions, trust me you will be miserable if you give in to them. Me and my family have had a terrible 2009 year, I will not go into details but it was awful. I found myself craving sweets, and since I live in the country I can't just go to Whole Foods at the drop of a hat, but my husband had sweets all over the place and I caved and started eating them, gained weight and also ended up eating dairy and eggs off and on, and of course knowing that the dairy in chocolate bars is not organic same with the eggs in some things. So now I am going back to a Vegan diet, I feel better emotionally eating that way. I have found some really good soy free plant protein powders too. So can get my 30% protein when I need too. I am a weight lifter so I believe I need more protein than just 15%. Okay enough rammbling about me here. What I have to do is cook two separate meals here in the house. But since my husband is not working do to cancer he can help from time to time. I found the crock-pot to be a life saver for the meat eaters, fast simple and you don't have to be looking at it all the time. Good Luck and trust me you are not crazy, you are just more evolved, which will look crazy to others. |
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| jmyers1050
Joined: 12/31/09 Location: Arizona Posts: 43 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 11:45 AM Doing your own thing quietly can pay off big time in the long run. When I became lacto-ovo veg 25 years ago, my husband thought I was crazy. I just didi my thing and learned how to be creative about fixing meals that worked for both my famiy and me as a lone vegetarian. For example, I made spaghetti sauce and took my portion out before adding the meat. A few years later my seven year old daughter announced she was vegetarian because she no longer wanted to eat animals. A few more years passed, and my oldest son became vegetarian after writing a school paper on Gandhi. My husband became vegetarian 8 years after I did in order to lower his cholesterol. Finally my middle son became vegetarian after riding past the California stockyards on a family vacation. Today 4 of us are vegan with one lacto-ovo - all of us are healthy and we all made our own choices at our own pace. I'm participating in this Kickstart becasue there is always more to learn. Good luck, stay true to your convictions, and lead by your joyful example |
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| christy82
Joined: 12/29/09 Posts: 6 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 1:06 PM I feel your pain! I too feel like people think I am wierd or strange when they find out I am a vegetarian. Now I am tryin the vegan way and they are even worse. I must also add that it is hard when the other people have gatherings, they are sooo confused as to what to make us I always feel guilty to put them through it. I've been a veggie for 4 years and cook for my husband and 3 kids, none of them veggies. It is hard cooking dinner everynight - so many pots and pans going with so many different foods. My 5 year old daughter keeps telling me she is going to be a vegetarian and refuses to eat a lot of meat already (still haven't broken her of chicken nuggets and ff from Wendys!) but she is doing really good and I am proud of her for trying. I don't try to convert anyone but I do talk about it if asked. I know now that I am a positive influence on my kids, not only for giving up meat/dairy but they also eat healthier and try strange-looking food. I will continue my ways even through all the "wierdness" haha. |
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| veggiemom
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 1 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 4:30 PM I can totally feel your pain. I have been a vegetarian for 1 year now and have felt GREAT!! Gotten alot of comments from my meat eating friends. But I have stuck to my guns and love it. I am trying to go vegan this year which is a little harder.I have a 7 yr old who is for the most part a vegetarian but wants some chicken once in a while. I found an awesome protien powder which is pea protein, chia seed, hemp powder and is vegan. It tastes really good mixed in smoothies so my son is toatally happy. Just remember that you need to make yourself happy and no one else. So let them say what they want but in the long run you will feel better and be healthier!!! |
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| clm1950
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 7 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 5:39 PM I went Vegan last November for health reasons. My daughter lives with me and is supportive. She has made a couple of meatless meals for us. So far I haven't encountered any criticism. Keeping my fingers crossed. |
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| TexasVegan
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 1 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 6:55 PM This is so cool to see how many people are having silimar challenges. Try living in Texas and being vegan! I'm a certified health counselor and even my mother is telling me she thinks I'm undernourished... Just getting started on the site so let me know what recipes are favorites. Healthy New Year! |
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| Kauai2010
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 15 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 7:03 PM I find it to be a challenge as many of my family and friends are carnivores, too. While my husband is willing to go to wild salmon much of the week, he had a turkey sandwich today. When I visit my parents and other family there, they are all serious carnivores. Vegetarians and vegans are something other to them. I took me a long time just to go vegetarian when I got home, but my asthma got serious on all the dairy. I do think over time, it gets easier. I certainly am looking forward to the better health results. I did the vegan challenge and went mostly vegan for months before this challenge. My medical results improved tremendously after going mostly vegan, especially my cholesterol. If everyone around me was vegan, I definitely would find it easier. As it is, some days I find myself going vegetarian but not scaring up enough food that is vegan. At home, I am now prepared. I'm really excited about learning more about being vegan. |
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| Bluerabbit
Joined: 12/31/09 Location: Wash. Posts: 5 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 7:37 PM Thanks everyone!! For all your replies. I don't feel so alone now....I just feel fortunate. Some of my friends actually make fun of vegetarians. But it finally dawned on me... They are on high blood pressure pills and I'm not. They are always getting sick and I'm not. |
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| mommyof2nc
Joined: 12/31/09 Location: North Carolina Posts: 172 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 7:47 PM Never mind...I tried to delete this post but it wouldn't let me. |
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| Wild4Stars
Location: Florida Posts: 832 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 8:08 PM BlueRabbit - Good call to look at where your critics are! Like, I should be paying attention to these people? My Mother was extremely morbidly obese, ate Krispy Kremes for breakfast, was diabetic, had heart problems, aching knees and ankles, drank a gallon of milk a day, and was on a rainbow of pills and drugs. She loved to lecture me that I was going to be sickly and die if I didn't eat meat to get the protein I need!! As much as I loved her I always wanted to ask her why I would consider taking my health advice from her. She was my most outspoken critic, insisting that I needed to eat meat and drink milk. I shouldn't speak ill of her. Sorry, Mom. Vikki ~ Wild4Stars@gmail.com |
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| slywlf
Joined: 01/05/10 Posts: 3 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 8:44 PM Stick to your guns, BlueRabbit! What matters most is how you feel about what you are doing and why. I joined this KickStart mostly to learn, as I have so few recipes or experience in vegetarian, much less vegan cooking. I won't be fully vegetarian for a while yet - but by this time next year I hope to have passed to OVO/vegetarian at least, and then vegan after that. Hubby needs to go vegetarian for health reasons, and he knows it will help, but is resistant. He grew up in an old-style meat & potatoes & gravy household - both parents obese, dad had diabetes. He knows the risks, and is cooperating with trying meals where there is either no meat or very little. We've been heavy on the chicken, mostly because it is so flexible, but we are already down to maybe 2 meals a month with red meat. I see this program as a kick start of sorts, even if I'm not ready to go all the way just yet. With only two to cook for it would be nuts to cook two of every meal, but if I find enough satisfying vegan meals to keep him going in the right direction it is a victory |
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| marigoldmind
Joined: 01/01/10 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 35 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:22 AM Bluerabbit, you are definitely not alone! I lived in Dallas when I went vegetarian a few years ago, and I often felt isolated at social gatherings because they were all about eating meat (BBQs and the like). Since I also have celiac, I could rarely eat anything at such events. I was fortunate that most people in my immediate sphere were supportive of my dietary choices (and in the case of gluten, necessities), but that didn't stop ignorant people from chiming in with rude remarks. Like a few others, I will happily talk about veg*nism if someone asks. I get a lot of people who spend any meal that they eat with me asking me questions about celiac which can get old but isn't rude. I try to just be patient, but if someone asks what I consider to be a rude question about my plant based diet, then I say that I will explain in detail my reasons for eating this way but that it might ruin their meal. I don't say it in a harsh way, and I think a lot of people appreciate it. I have had people come up to me later to ask more polite questions that come from a place of genuine curiosity. I also try to think back to when I did eat meat and how I would have felt if someone was confrontational with me about it. I had to find my own path to being vegan, and it took me many steps over many years. Also, right or wrong, many people have been told for years that a diet without meat will lead to all sorts of disastrous consequences. My mother was very concerned about me when I first stopped eating meat but has seen that I eat a better diet than almost anyone else that she knows. Her concern was out of love for me. Ok, this has gotten quite long so I won't even start in on how food is tied to culture and changing what you eat can be seen as a rejection of a person's whole identity. |
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Harmonicgogiberry
 Posts: 47 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:23 AM I think myers1050 summed it up perfectly when she said: "Good luck, stay true to your convictions, and lead by your joyful example." I'm going to remember that! |
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| npauthor
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 35 |
RE: Going it alone in the world of carnivores? Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 10:43 AM There is really nothing more I can add to what has already been written here in response to BlueRabbit's post. But isn't it great that all of us are together in helping to make the world a better place. I've been quite impressed with the intelligence, determination, and wisdom of the folks who have embarked on this path. For the record, I also feel somewhat isolated not only as an aspiring vegan but animal advocate and follower of a simple (i.e., non-consumerist) lifestyle. This becomes even more prevalent during the shopping mania of the holiday season. What a wonderful thing it would be to meet everyone participating in this program and sit down in real time to a vegan feast. Thanks to each and every one of you and of course to the staff at PCRM for offering this opportunity. Ron in Oakland |
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You're probably one of the healthieset people you know. 
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