You are a what????

Recently I announced on facebook that I was becoming a vegan. Well... I said I was removing all meat products from my diet and a couple of friends just assumed I mean vegetarian. Then I had to explain that I am giving up eating ALL meat products which includes dairy products also. Several people were very supportive, others were like really??? Most people who know me know I love meat and even have joked in the past with my friends that are vegetarian or vegan about tricking them into eating meat.

I wrote a little about the change a couple of posts ago, but didn't go into detail.  Why did I become a vegan??? It started off as me doing the Daniel's fast for lent and I took it a step further and decided to make it a lifestyle.  I will not say it has been easy, but it is not as hard as I thought. I just have to be creative.  Some people assume that you can only eat salads and fruits, which is so not true. I have experimented with several different recipes and after Lent I am excited to try some of the dessert recipes I have found and friends have suggested (I do have a couple of friends that are vegan).  

Do I miss meat. YES!!!! But I don't think of it as depriving myself.  I am just making different choices in the foods that I eat.  As many of my close friends know I love seafood, crab legs are my weakness.  I was actually in Whole Foods one day and walked past the seafood section and that was so hard.  I just make a choice not to eat those things.  Nothing wrong with them, just for me trying something different.

Will this change be forever....I have no clue.  I hope it will be for a while. I even think in the long run I might add seafood back into my diet, but don't think I will do anytime soon. I mean they say have 21 days you make it a habit. The longer I go without eating those things I think the easier it will be for me not to crave or miss those things.

I hope my friends continue to be supportive and understanding.  It is easy when I cook for myself, but going out to eat or going over to a friend's house to eat can be hard. Most people are like more power to you and they feel they could never become a vegan....I use to say the same thing, but trust it is not that hard. If I can do it, I am pretty sure anyone can do it!!!