When transitioning to a vegan diet I went through a lot of emotions and I now realize that it was kind of like a 7 step program. I was sitting at work one day thinking about veganie stuff and this sort of outline popped into my head, so I started to write it down. Not only did it all come together nicely, it all made sense and could apply to almost everyone in a lot of dietary situations (not just people turning vegan).
Not everyone will have all of these seven emotions or even in this order but as I was writing this I thought that some people might relate to this and find some answers about what it is like to turn vegan. If you are a strong minded person like me you may find that it can be easier to transition from a SAD (Standard American Diet) to a plant based diet like veganism. Once I made the decision it was like something clicked in me and I knew I would never look back. Others may find it harder and fall of the wagon a few times while they are getting used to saying 'no I don’t eat cheese anymore' to their family and friends. Especially the ones who say “its okay, just cheat today, it’s no big deal”. Just know that your decisions are your own and you don’t have to answer to anyone you don’t want too.
The Seven Stages of Veganism
1. Denial – when it comes to people who want to turn vegan I find that there is a lot of denial in the first stages. Denial that they either eat meat, dairy or eggs in their day to day life or they deny the feelings that they have towards eating animals. I know when I used to eat meat I would deny how I felt about eating chicken or red meat. I would get Devon to cut the meat off of the bone so I could remove myself from the feeling like it was an animal once. Its very common for us to disengage ourselves and our feelings when eating animal products because we might naturally be against or repulsed by the thought of eating them. So by disengaging ourselves we are denying our true feelings which then can lead to guilty and poor thoughts towards ourselves.
2. Guilt – after the denial some may start to become aware of their feelings and feel guilty that they were denying themselves of how they truly feel. Also they may start to feel guilty about eating animals in the first place. When I turned it was quite an emotional rollercoaster, I started to feel guilty that I even ate meat or dairy at all.
3. Anger – I would say that almost everyone feels some sort of anger when turning vegan. Its hard not to, especially if you have turned for ethical reasons, like myself. You see other people out there eating animal products and you just want to jam your beliefs down their throat. Because once you see that you can survive off of a plant based diet you don’t understand why everyone else doesn’t see the same way you do. Just remember that you were once a meat eater too and it wasn’t just an instant change for you, it took time and thought to make the lifestyle change.
4. Loneliness – if you are the only one vegan in your social group or family it can seem very lonely out there on your own. Bringing your own food to social events or family suppers can bring up judgment from others and cause criticism towards your new lifestyle. I don’t know how many times people have said to me that my life must suck because I don’t eat dairy or meat, or that they think that I am not getting enough vitamins, protein ect. because I am not eating animal products. Just know that you are not alone, there are so many people out there that are willing to support you and encourage you in your lifestyle change (people like food & fabric, Naturally Ashley and MJ Vegan Living!). You just need to believe in yourself and trust that what you are doing in right and for YOUR own health and the well being of animals!
5. Upward turn – as weeks and months go by things start to get less complicated and you start feeling better in both body and mind. Some of the guilt and denial you were feeling is going away and you are feeling better about your eating choices. You are more prepared for meals with the meat eaters in your family and when going out for meals with friends. You start finding good, dependable and delicious vegan recipes that not only you like but your family and friends like too.
6. Working through – though sometimes you still feel guilty, sad or angry, you are now getting a stronger grasp of what it truly means to be vegan in your eyes. Some people find that they turn vegan because they have poor digestion, bad ache, weight loss, ethical reasons, ect. And after time you become more and more involved in those reasons and almost become a public speaker about it. When people make a lifestyle change, their friends and family often have a lot of questions of why you decided to go against the norm. So you will find that you are constantly answering questions of how you get your protein, vitamins ect. You will most likely come to love the questions they ask, because you will want them to know how great you feel and that they can too!
7. Acceptance and hope – this is the best part of the journey, accepting that your new lifestyle is here to stay! It can take time to get to the last step, but know that you will get there eventually, just keep going on the path that makes the most sense to you. Once you get to this place you will feel such a relief in your day to day life. You will have come to the understanding that you are where you are meant to be in life and that you are not wanting to go back to your previous way of life. You will have let go of some of the anger, sadness and loneness that you might have felt before and now you only feel happiness because not only are you making your life better, but the animals life as well. All that’s left is hope for other people in that they might see this way of life for themselves too.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo -N
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