Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Going vegan with vegetarians in the house

Cheese is my nemesis.
We all know that going vegan with omnivores in the house is rough. But what about vegetarians? That's just as tough. It might even be tougher. Here's why.

In a word, cheese. It's everywhere, you guys. And it's my nemesis. I have never had a hard time giving up meat. In fact, I haven't eaten it in well over 35 years. Not a problem. But those vegetarians with their cheese on everything diet, well, they're killing me here.

And I'm craving and caving big time. You see, I have to feed one of them. The cheese is in my hands daily. It doesn't have a great distance to travel to reach my mouth. So, occasionally, it does.

I don't feel good about that, you guys. In fact, I hate it. And I've tried it all. Not the cheese, but the ways to avoid temptation.

I'll keep on trying, of course, because I know that a vegan diet has health benefits, planetary benefits and it saves other animals from, well, a lot of things no one should experience.

Now, luckily, I don't have a problem with eggs. Except when one of my housemates makes conventional cookies or other baked goods with eggs in them. Why, oh why do they do that? I can make vegan baked goods that taste just as good as theirs. I even taught them how. They like them too.

What's the big deal about consuming unfertilized egg embryos anyway? Yuck! Is it really worth it? They're not even good for you. It's been proven. So, I can resist the cookies much more easily than the cheese. But every once in a while, I slip up there too.

So, there you go. It's every bit as hard going vegan in a house full of vegetarians as it is to do it in a house full of omnivores. And we have some of those here too. I'm not tempted by their meals at all. But the smell is atrocious. I detest the smell of death and it's everywhere.

Going vegan is a challenge, you guys, no matter who you live with, unless you're lucky enough to live in a house full of vegans. But I still maintain that it's worth it. A vegan diet and lifestyle is the only diet and lifestyle that could save the planet, single-handedly.

I also felt much better, health-wise, when I was vegan. I'm working on it, you guys. And I will get back there. So, wish me luck. I will need lots of it with all these vegetarians shoving cheese in my face all day. I love them, of course. I just don't love the temptations.

Friday, July 8, 2016

Am I still vegan if I fall off the wagon?


You might have noticed that my description says “going vegan” now, instead of “avid vegan.” It happens to the best of us, you guys. I try not to judge others for caving either, because it has and is happening to me right now. Now, I prefer to change my status to “going vegan” when things like this happen. That's because it indicates that I'm not quite there yet. Still, I think it's your business how you describe yourself in this situation.

I also have strong feelings against making people who are trying to change feel bad about themselves. It's true that when one falls off the vegan wagon, they can't technically call themselves vegan. But is it really that big of a deal? I don't think so. What's in a word? Roses smell the same no matter what they're called, etc.

So, if someone I know is trying to go vegan but slipping up here and there, even for extended time periods, I'm OK with them calling themselves vegan, especially if it helps them focus on getting back on track. It's about visualization, you guys. However you see yourself and whatever you describe yourself as will eventually come to be. It's inevitable.

Who knows? Maybe by saying that I'm going vegan, I'm giving myself a subliminal excuse to never get there. Still, I just don't feel right calling myself vegan when I'm not there yet. If you are, however, off the vegan wagon, please feel free to call yourself whatever you want. Especially if it helps you focus on your goal. And please refrain from giving people who aren't there yet such a hard time.

We're all in this together. Let's build each other up instead of passing judgment, shall we?