I became vegan and got so much "support"

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Cloppy
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I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Cloppy »

So I became vegan 2 weeks ago and today people know that I'm vegan but they have been pretty negative towards me... Did it happen to you? Also it's not like I insulted them or anything I totally respect them and I don't care if they eat meat I'm not the kind of person who will tell everyone to go vegan or tell them they are murderer or rapist like some vegans do and I'm also NOT an activist.. I went vegan mainly for my health, be less lazy, cook for myself, loose weight (I also started doing exercise like running and cycling) and to get rid of my bad habits of eating junk food. No one support me and they almost all have neutral or negative views towards me going vegan. :|
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PsYcHo
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by PsYcHo »

When a lot of people hear "Vegan", they tend to think of the militant ones. Since you are doing this for yourself, don't concern yourself with what others say. Choosing to be a more moral person is a positive thing, and anyone who has a problem with it probably has morality issues of their own. (Mostly denial, I think.)

Be you, and don't let the haters get you down! :D
Alcohol may have been a factor.

Taxation is theft.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Welcome Cloppy, I'm sorry to hear that. Some people are very quick to make negative assumptions. You have support here. Congrats on going vegan, by the way.

What have you been eating? If you need any diet suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Seachants
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Seachants »

Cloppy wrote: Did it happen to you?
Yes, and I was also taken aback by it, as I think you are. It continues to happen, but I also found many people who are supportive of it. Do you know meetup.com? It's where I found groups of vegans I could meet in person, all different types of vegans.
Cloppy wrote:Also it's not like I insulted them or anything I totally respect them and I don't care if they eat meat
I was exactly the same way. I thought that if I'm being polite to them, they should be polite to me, but reciprocity doesn't always happen. It doesn't matter to many of these people what your reasons are for veganism or your approach to it in the moment they first hear that you're vegan. People don't know your reasons when they just hear the word "vegan." It's like how some religionists respond just hearing that someone is "atheist." They don't know your reasons for it, so they're reacting to their preconceived notions. It's as if you are not even present when they're reacting that way. At least it's an opportunity to learn something about them. You might find that such reactions start becoming very predictable, like carnists you see in the Vegan Sidekick animations. I've found that after I've observed people for a while to gauge their open-mindedness, I might just say I've been doing a plant-based diet instead of say that I'm vegan, and that goes over very well. No one argues with me that I shouldn't want to not get cancer or heart disease.
Cloppy wrote: No one support me and they almost all have neutral or negative views towards me going vegan.
This was also true for me in the beginning, and there were times when I felt isolated, but meeting people who are supportive who are also vegan was essential to fixing that. In addition, when you say that no one supports you, have you let all of your friends and family know? Maybe there is at least one friend or family member who will be open to hearing you. It's not the same as supporting you, but that can come from the openness.
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Cloppy
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Cloppy »

Well thanks for the support even if it was expected here.
brimstoneSalad wrote:What have you been eating? If you need any diet suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

I got a few recipe I make from the internet:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/tofurecipes/r/tofuchili.htm
http://vegangela.com/2014/01/09/coconut-curry-lentil-soup/
http://natashaskitchen.com/2013/03/01/barley-and-mushroom-soup/
( ^ I use the vegan equivalent of non-vegan ingredients ^ )
http://natashaskitchen.com/2010/09/26/classic-russian-borscht-recipe/ (same here)

I also eat Tofurky vegan sausages with potatoes, vegetables and a vegan gravy I make.
I drink soy milk (fortified), tea, fruit smootie, water and make drink with vegan protein powder if I didn't get enough protein in my day and for omega-3 I got flax seeds oil and I also eat fruits and vegetables.

That's what I eat most of the time. Good enough? Is there any improvement I can make? Or anything good or better to add?
Last edited by Cloppy on Tue Aug 16, 2016 6:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by brimstoneSalad »

That sounds pretty good! You have some staple go-to meals with vegan protein, and you eat mock meats which give you extra protein and get your calcium and omega 3. Make sure to keep the Omega 3 in the refrigerator (you probably already do).
You might want to make sure you eat some Carrots for vitamin A, if you like them. Soy milk has a little added, but not a lot.

Do you take a B-12 supplement? It's not urgent, but in the next year you should consider getting one.
If you don't get a lot of sunlight, or you have darker skin, you should also take a Vitamin D2 supplement, particularly in the winter, but also in the summer if you stay in (which is good to do to avoid sun damage).

You could also get a vegan multivitamin, like DEVA, if you prefer that.
https://www.amazon.com/Deva-Vegan-Vitamins-Multivitamin-Supplement/dp/B001GAOHVG
That has B-12 in it, along with some Vitamin D, vitamin A and other vitamins and some minerals. It can help in case you don't get enough. It's not necessary, but it's cheap and it's like a safety net.
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Cloppy
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Cloppy »

Everything is good and I already take B12 supplement so I think I'm doing it right
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Sapphire Lightning
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Sapphire Lightning »

Hai Cloppy! Are the people who gave you flak still messing with you?

Also, you seem somewhat familiar... :)
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Cloppy
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Cloppy »

Sapphire Lightning wrote:Hai Cloppy! Are the people who gave you flak still messing with you?

Also, you seem somewhat familiar... :)
Hello Sapphire! :) Right now I think they stopped but can't be sure of it.

And yes I am the one you think I am. I didn't expect to see you here ^^
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Sapphire Lightning
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Re: I became vegan and got so much "support"

Post by Sapphire Lightning »

Cloppy wrote:
Hello Sapphire! :) Right now I think they stopped but can't be sure of it.

And yes I am the one you think I am. I didn't expect to see you here ^^

That's good to hear! I also did not expect to find you here too! :)
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