What's It Like Being a Vegan? (And a million other questions and the perfect replies...)

Question: What's it like being a vegan? 


My answer: Well, for starters, being vegan would be a lot easier if I wasn't the only one. In a family full of omnivores, it isn't easy to sit down at the dinner table with my plate stacked high with veggies while everyone else is enjoying a piece of meat. It's not easy when I can't stop thinking about the pain and suffering an animal went through just to become the food someone savors for about thirty seconds. A whole life full of torture and misery - all for someone's seconds of enjoyment. I find myself sometimes unable to look at the plates of others, just thinking about this.

But, also, being vegan is beyond incredible. I have tried hundreds of foods that I would have likely never tried. I have tried quinoa milk, coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, flax milk, and more. Rice milk will always be my favorite, as far as I'm concerned, but I never say no to trying a new vegan option. Another great part is the amazing community of vegans. It's such an incredible experience to not have to worry about what is on the menu and about the animals that are being served as meals.  I love nothing more than stepping inside a vegan restaurant and knowing that it is filled with like-minded people who will never judge my opinions and choices.  It's also incredible to be able to look every single animal in the eye and to know that you will never purposely hurt them or contribute to their suffering. You can live with a heart that loves to no bounds, you can breathe in an Earth with who you are an ally, you can enjoy nature without regrets about whom you are causing to suffer. You can be at peace with yourself and every other creature that inhabits this beautiful planet.

Tips for Your Answer: 

• Speak personally and from the heart about the true motives behind your veganism. 
• Don't be afraid to speak about the benefits that you have encountered. 
• Be truthful and honest and tell them your beliefs about animals and the environment. 
• If you haven't been vegan since birth, think about what words a vegan could have spoken to you that would have convinced you to make the lifestyle-switch sooner. 
• Avoid gruesome details about animal abuse and suffering.  Some omnivores could easily be turned off by when hearing about the tragic details of animal agriculture and wish to not listen any more. Instead, use positive language and inspiring anecdotes to spread the word about the goodness that comes with a vegan lifestyle.

Question: Why do you try to be such a picky eater? Don't you ever think about how much you inconvenience others? 

Picture credits to: eatgreencake.wordpress.com

My answer: I'm not vegan because I try to be picky. I tend to not really think about what I'm "missing out on" - there are too many exciting alternatives to explore! We are living in truly a golden age for vegans. There are hundreds of delicious and nutritious alternatives on the market and thousands of innovative recipes to try at home. I think of being vegan as expanding my diet - the opposite of limiting.

Whenever I get together with friends or go to dinner, I try to not create a hassle for my hostess. I am always thrilled to bring with my own dishes to share. I have a huge passion for cooking and baking and am always happy to share! I love introducing others to the huge, undiscovered world of plant-based lifestyles. Many of my friends are even excited to accompany me to new plant-based restaurants and to try new yummy recipes at home. Sharing veganism is one of the best parts about my lifestyle.

Tips for Your Answer: 

• Do you do your best to share the vegan lifestyle with others? If so, always make sure to bring vegan dishes to share with others when attending a public gathering or party. 
• Talk about your true reasons behind being vegan and tell them the importance of it. 

Question: Where do you get your protein? (Ugh, I cannot express how many times I hear this in a day...) 

My answer: In the most healthful ways possible! My plant-based sources of protein are rich in nutrients and commonly low in fat and calories - and, better yet, free of cruelty. I enjoy on a daily basis a mix of lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, nut butters, non-dairy milks. 

Tips for Your Answer: 

• Research the best plant-based proteins. Make sure that you are getting proper nutrients and consider a vegan vitamin if needed. Visit a doctor routinely for medical advice. 
• Tell them how common of a misconception it is to think that all vegans or vegetarians are protein-deficient. 

Picture credits to: foodsforlonglife.blogspot.com

Question: Why don't you eat dairy? 

My answer: I had been a vegetarian for three entire years before I ditched dairy and all remaining animal products. I never thought that dairy could harm an animal and found it to be an easy alternative to meat. Not until reading books like Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food and My Gentle Barn: Creating a Sanctuary Where Animals Heal and Children Learn to Hope, did I learn about the hidden horrors committed in the dairy industries. I learned about the connection between the dairy industry and meat industry and the torture that cows, goats, chickens, and more animals go through for us to enjoy seconds of foods that can potentially harm us. I learned about how baby calves are torn away from their mothers within hours of birth to only endure more pain and suffering. I learned how male chicks are brutally disposed of without every getting to see sunlight or spend time with their families. I learned how animals are affected on even supposed "humane" or "local" farms. No matter how well-treated an animal is, there is no humane way to kill someone who doesn't want to die. 

Tips for Your Answer: 

• Learn the facts so that you can educate others with solid evidence. Visit sites like Vegan.org and VeganSociety.org. 
• Be honest about the facts and the reasons you went vegan. Tell them how you too (most likely) thought that dairy didn't harm animals and educate them about how you learned about the tragedies committed in these industries. 

I really enjoyed writing an educational post like this and I hope you enjoyed reading it! I can't wait to keep blogging. Please share this post and spread the word! 

Wishing you a smile,

Lili