The pitfalls of Veganuary
It's 1st January and along with many other New Years Resolutions that seem hard or even impossible to achieve, I'm aware that lots of people - probably more than ever before are taking on the Veganuary Challenge.
Now you'd think that as a vegan I'd be all for this, and one the one hand I am. But I can also see how this challenge can bit a bit too...er challenging?
When I went 100% vegan in September 2012, I'd already switched to a vegetarian diet in the January before that and quit dairy shortly afterwards.
Going vegan for me took some time, and I didn't have the money or desire to throw out everything that would be considered "non-vegan" as that would have been more than I could cope with or afford.
So is it wise to ask people to go a full 30 days completely vegan?
Well I'd say if you've had time to prepare for it, then quite possibly, yes. All the better if your significant other is already vegan, or you have vegan friends and colleagues to support you. My partner was particularly lucky because he had somebody on hand to cook, provide tips and point him in the right direction, and even he struggled a bit!
But what if you don't have anyone to help?
Well chances are - and especially if you're relying on Facebook groups for help or support - you may actually find it overwhelming and not necessarily as enjoyable as you might have hoped.
The sad fact is that there are a lot of rather nasty characters (vegan and otherwise) in life and especially on social media, who love to tell new or budding vegans how they're "doing it all wrong" or call them names, belittle them, call them stupid or act holier than thou.
I can't stand these people myself, and you find them in all walks of life. Social media gives these nasty people a platform where they can say pretty much anything with very few ramifications, and so they become keyboard bullies who pick on anyone who doesn't meet their "high standards."
If Veganuary seems too daunting to you, then you might like to try something a bit simpler to have a go at the vegan lifestyle.
Maybe try Meatless Mondays and work that into your routine to start with. Or try some vegan food at a local restaurant.
One of the reasons for starting this blog was to help new & existing vegans to find some sanity & good recipes on the interwebs. There's no guilt or one upmanship allowed here!
Try to ignore the screeching of the toxic elements online and instead focus on taking it step by step, even if that means using up the non-vegan products and foods you have first and gradually making some changes.
I'm always happy when anyone makes changes towards a vegan lifestyle, not only for the animals but also for your health too.
Of course, if you're rearing to go and throw yourself wholeheartedly into Veganuary, be my guest! I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines and I'll try to post as many new recipes as I can this month.
If it goes wrong at some point, or you make a mistake, remind yourself that it's ok. You're human! Just pick yourself up and keep going.
Nobody is perfect, and that includes vegans (despite what some will tell you!)
Now you'd think that as a vegan I'd be all for this, and one the one hand I am. But I can also see how this challenge can bit a bit too...er challenging?
When I went 100% vegan in September 2012, I'd already switched to a vegetarian diet in the January before that and quit dairy shortly afterwards.
Going vegan for me took some time, and I didn't have the money or desire to throw out everything that would be considered "non-vegan" as that would have been more than I could cope with or afford.
So is it wise to ask people to go a full 30 days completely vegan?
Well I'd say if you've had time to prepare for it, then quite possibly, yes. All the better if your significant other is already vegan, or you have vegan friends and colleagues to support you. My partner was particularly lucky because he had somebody on hand to cook, provide tips and point him in the right direction, and even he struggled a bit!
But what if you don't have anyone to help?
Well chances are - and especially if you're relying on Facebook groups for help or support - you may actually find it overwhelming and not necessarily as enjoyable as you might have hoped.
The sad fact is that there are a lot of rather nasty characters (vegan and otherwise) in life and especially on social media, who love to tell new or budding vegans how they're "doing it all wrong" or call them names, belittle them, call them stupid or act holier than thou.
I can't stand these people myself, and you find them in all walks of life. Social media gives these nasty people a platform where they can say pretty much anything with very few ramifications, and so they become keyboard bullies who pick on anyone who doesn't meet their "high standards."
If Veganuary seems too daunting to you, then you might like to try something a bit simpler to have a go at the vegan lifestyle.
Maybe try Meatless Mondays and work that into your routine to start with. Or try some vegan food at a local restaurant.
One of the reasons for starting this blog was to help new & existing vegans to find some sanity & good recipes on the interwebs. There's no guilt or one upmanship allowed here!
Try to ignore the screeching of the toxic elements online and instead focus on taking it step by step, even if that means using up the non-vegan products and foods you have first and gradually making some changes.
I'm always happy when anyone makes changes towards a vegan lifestyle, not only for the animals but also for your health too.
Of course, if you're rearing to go and throw yourself wholeheartedly into Veganuary, be my guest! I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines and I'll try to post as many new recipes as I can this month.
If it goes wrong at some point, or you make a mistake, remind yourself that it's ok. You're human! Just pick yourself up and keep going.
Nobody is perfect, and that includes vegans (despite what some will tell you!)
