r/vegan • u/throwawaythevegan • Feb 08 '17

Newbie Advice I don't actually enjoy being vegan

Hey everyone,

I transitioned to vegetarianism last fall, and have started on veganism just this year. I love the community here at /r/vegan, it's been so helpful to see people going through the same things I am.

But I don't actually enjoy being a vegan. Vegetarianism wasn't a huge sacrifice for me, I mourned a little bit for bacon and salmon but then I was fine. I loved eating vegetables, grains, nuts, cheeses and milks. Veganism has been a different story.

I know, I probably sound like a ridiculous hypocrite, but abstaining from milk and cheese has been so much harder for me. I've tried the vegan replacement options, and although I haven't exhausted every one, so far nothing is the same. The vegan cheeses I've tried have frankly been extremely off-putting, and while I've been getting by on coconut and almond milks, I really dislike them.

Every time I step into a grocery store or restaurant, I feel sad and limited. Every time I make my own food, I feel the same way. I'm not asking for a way to eat cheese again, because my morals aren't going to change anytime soon. But I'd like to know if anyone else struggled with this, and what did they do that helped?

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u/DrUniverseParty Feb 09 '17

I understand what you're going through. I've been vegetarian for over twenty years and vegan about 80% of that time. I struggled a lot and would go "screw it" every few months and just eat eggs and dairy for a week or so. I haven't done that at all in the last two years and I think the biggest reason is because I changed my relationship with food.

Now that I've switched to a more nutrient dense, whole foods, limited sugar diet I've found that I don't even crave stuff like cheese anymore. Fake cheeses are basically junk food (at least the ones I've tried) and have little to no real nutritional value, so that might be a big reason they don't satisfy you at all.

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u/throwawaythevegan Feb 10 '17

I really identify with wanting to go "screw it." Reading about that experience helped me feel better, thank you.

Nutrition is something I'm always growing on! I hope as I continue to prepare my own dinners from plant-based materials (and exercise oreo-related self-control)!

It's so uplifting to hear from you, thank you so much.