Why do some vegans succeed and others fail?

[VeganRachel]

Some parts of the country can be very rural. Just two years ago, I drove through central PA on my way to Pittsburgh, and I can say with a high degree of confidence that there wasn't a single block of tofu for 500 miles.

Actually there are many places that sell health food. I used to go to a 45 year old amish health food store in
Bird-in-hand PA, called, Millers. Highly recommended, lots of bulk items refrigerated. I miss it.

 

[VeganRachel]

I see that many people have answered this since yesterday so I will keep it short....

You only chose 2 things on that whole list to say aren't available to you and those two things are least important, IMO.

I eat tofu maybe once a month, if that and although I do always have plant milk in the fridge I rarely use it. My honey does put it on cereal every 2 weeks or so and occasionally for baking but I mostly drink coffee, green tea, water, wine/club soda.

So a whole grocery store full on options really.

I love rice and beans.........

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

Love quinoa, millet, amaranth and beans...and I really nejoy tempeh. Happy meals...

 

[VeganRachel]

I think eating 2/3 vegan meals is good it just isn’t vegan. It’s ok to aspire to veganism and come short just say what it is

We all start somewhere. I took 2 years to become vegan so we all make our own choices..

 

[VeganRachel]

Whilst I agree with the sentiment, I disagree strongly with the implication, or rather the use of the word "vegan"
If you are eating meat 1 meal in 3, sure, any reduction is positive, but being "vegan" is an philosophical decision based on morality. You don't get to be a "passable" husband only beating your wife 1 weekend in 3...

Agreed. When you make a commitment, a little bit pregnant does not work. Yet, we all start somewhere. Some are afraid of
jumping in with both feet and do the best they can at the time...

 

[VeganRachel]

I noticed that during the pandemic. (and it still continues today)

I don't know how they can justify those prices, but apparently enough people are buying them, otherwise the prices would decrease.

Animal ag gets taxpayer subsidies of about $40 BILLION every year, this lower the cost of all animal products.
Big vegetable and fruit while not subsidized, gets $17 MILLION every year. Big difference.
However, the least pricey way to eat is to buy bulk and make your own; veggie burgers, soup, salads, etcetera.
www.meatonomics.com

 

[VeganRachel]

Beans & lentils could save the world!

Aldi has great northern, pinto, black, green lentils, and split peas. Two pound bags under $3--and that's after they raised the price!
They also have Jasmine, long grain white and brown, and basmati rice. Quinoa, and other grains.
Canned tomatoes, cheap spices, all the veggies fresh and frozen. Bagged greens. Cheap spices. So many soups!
Corn and wheat tortillas, taco shells, fat free refried beans.. Enchiladas or tacos.
All kinds of pastas, including gluten free. Great pasta sauces.
Variety of veggie burgers under $4 a four pack
You can eat very very cheaply from Aldi

Yes you can. Trader Joe's also has many vegan options. However, I have bought bulk 25 pound bags of beans
and grains as well. Just store them in a 5 gallon bucket with lid.

 

[VeganRachel]

I couldn’t live on rice and beans myself. I hate beans

How about lentil soup, vegan chili with beans, split pea soup?. I love beans but some don't....

 

[VeganRachel]

I just read an article that it used to be that poor people hit the fast food places daily cause they were so cheap. but they aren't so cheap anymore. The poor are eating in more often. The same article said they were eating less meat, too.
Maybe the best thing inflation has brought us.

In inner cities they are called food deserts. And yet, fast food is subsidized by taxpayers...meatonomics says we
pay animal ag $38 BILLION to stay in business every year....beans and rice are healthy.

 

[Danielle]

How about lentil soup, vegan chili with beans, split pea soup?. I love beans but some don't....

I don’t like chili or lentil soup. split pea soup is alright.

 

[Lou]

I don’t like chili or lentil soup. split pea soup is alright.

living in the SEUSA, and not liking chili. What? Oh wait, you are from some other place.Illinois? So I guess it's just corn for you?

 

[Danielle]

living in the SEUSA, and not liking chili. What? Oh wait, you are from some other place.Illinois? So I guess it's just corn for you?

Haha yeah I’m from Chicago. I do love Elote- Mexican street corn.
Back when they had street vendors I used to get that a lot, I think they got robbed too much.
There was one for corn, one for snowcones, one for ice cream another for tacos and tamales.

 

[beancounter]

Vegan grains, beans, veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds are NOT expensive. Packaged and frozren foods tend to be pricey, but those
do not have to be when you make them yourself. Studies show that whole food vegans spend less than omnivore humans do
on food. ALSO, you have to figure in any "cost" as the health benefits which result in less heart disease, diabetes, arthritis,
and many cancers, among other issues. If you think its' pricey, you either pay now, or LATER. I prefer to have my health NOW.

Of course, the lives of the animals are another issue of moraility and ethics. Are you aware that US citizens subsidize the entire animal ag industry (factory farms actually) with $40 billion every year?. This is deliberately done to lower the cost of animal ag products and get humans to buy
\and eat MORE of them. Animal ag also gets much lower prices on the soy and corn they buy as well...
Look up www.meatonomics.com

When I was new to veganism, I used to toss all sorts of facts at people. That was back before the Internet, so I was doing it face to face.

I can tell you from experience that that approach isn't very effective.

More flies with maple syrup than vinegar....

 

[silva]

I dislike all the emphasis on being vegan because you love animals. I don't care if you hate animals, there are so many reasons not to eat or use them. Live and let live!
We need to come to terms with the reality that while we may have evolved eating meat, there are few other habits we've held to this day! We don't require the calories, the cholesterol, the fat. We've allowed our modes of transportation, clothing, temperature regulation, housing, self protection..... evolve to meet our changing times, it's time we change our diet to match!
Sadly, I'm seeing more and more people selfishly demanding laws to require other people conform to their ideals, and actually seeing a step back with veganism as well. The same trumpian folks are now believing lab meat is being pushed in schools and labeled as meat in stores

 

[Lou]

When I was new to veganism, I used to toss all sorts of facts at people. That was back before the Internet, so I was doing it face to face.

I can tell you from experience that that approach isn't very effective.

More fly with maple syrup than vinegar....

however, there are all kinds of people. Perhaps I am an outlier but I had heard about veganism from all kinds of vegans but the thing that stuck with me and got me to really considering it was facts.

 

[Lou]

I dislike all the emphasis on being vegan because you love animals. I don't care if you hate animals, there are so many reasons not to eat or use them. Live and let live!
We need to come to terms with the reality that while we may have evolved eating meat, there are few other habits we've held to this day! We don't require the calories, the cholesterol, the fat. We've allowed our modes of transportation, clothing, temperature regulation, housing, self protection..... evolve to meet our changing times, it's time we change our diet to match!
Sadly, I'm seeing more and more people selfishly demanding laws to require other people conform to their ideals, and actually seeing a step back with veganism as well. The same trumpian folks are now believing lab meat is being pushed in schools and labeled as meat in stores

Yep. I sort of like animals. but it's not a factor in my veganism. My guess is that it isn't a factor for a lot of people.

We hear a lot about people going vegan because of personal health or environmental reasons. Those may be factors for some to transition to vegan life style. They ARE factors to get on a plant based diet. but they aren't going to stop you from wearing leather or going to rodeos.

The justification for veganism is ethics, more specifically animal rights. As PETA puts it succinctly: animals are not ours to use.

Every other good thing that results is just icing on the cake.

Y'know we often lament how un-popular veganism is. Come to think of it - being that it's based on utilitarianism and some altruism - it's amazing that it's as popular as it is. Humans are pretty much hard wired to be selfish.

 

[silva]

Yep. I sort of like animals. but it's not a factor in my veganism. My guess is that it isn't a factor for a lot of people.

We hear a lot about people going vegan because of personal health or environmental reasons. Those may be factors for some to transition to vegan life style. They ARE factors to get on a plant based diet. but they aren't going to stop you from wearing leather or going to rodeos.

The justification for veganism is ethics, more specifically animal rights. As PETA puts it succinctly: animals are not ours to use.

Every other good thing that results is just icing on the cake.

Y'know we often lament how un-popular veganism is. Come to think of it - being that it's based on utilitarianism and some altruism - it's amazing that it's as popular as it is. Humans are pretty much hard wired to be selfish.

I think it's more that we reach for the low hanging fruit, so to speak. There is a sucker born every minute, and once you suck them in you get generations under your thumb. How money is made in America.
I think a big problem when people think about giving up animal products is they get this mindset that their daily diet not only has to dramatically change, but they have to give it far more scrutiny than any other diet change. This doesn't need to be true
It's a huge deal for most people to just eat healthy. Even those embracing Paleo, or keto, or even more so, the Whole 30 (which is the omni version of wfpb).

 

[LoreD]

I' m OK with people gradually reducing their animal product consumption. They start a couple of days per week, and after a while it is a couple times per month, and then they just don't need meat or dairy anymore.

I think sometimes people need a learning curve where they learn how to cook without meat and dairy.

 

[Brian W]

I' m OK with people gradually reducing their animal product consumption. They start a couple of days per week, and after a while it is a couple times per month, and then they just don't need meat or dairy anymore.

I think sometimes people need a learning curve where they learn how to cook without meat and dairy.

Absolutely. With any change of diet it takes time to find foods you can enjoy.

 

[Lou]

I' m OK with people gradually reducing their animal product consumption. They start a couple of days per week, and after a while it is a couple times per month, and then they just don't need meat or dairy anymore.

I think sometimes people need a learning curve where they learn how to cook without meat and dairy.

That is one of the most highly recommended strategies for transitioning.

Could not using that strategy may be a reason for "why some vegans fail"?

there are at least two components to that strategy.

One is as you mentioned, the learning to cook and shop. Learning about nutrition, too. Reshaping the way you interact with people around food. (Some people have suggested this is very important). Removing non vegan products from your home and removing "temptations".

Another component is biological as opposed to psychological. It's pretty well understood that your gut biota changes with a change of diet. Some of this is pretty obvious with the bloating some people get when switching to a high fiber diet. So a more gradual transition helps there.

Another biological factor is that there are food addictions that we have to get over. The fat/sugar/caffeine one may not have to be dealt with. There are always soy lattes. But the fat/salt one can be really tough (it was for me). Cravings for meat is ofter just a craving for fat and salt.

However the argument for a cold turkey strategy might be stronger in relation to food addictions.

We have also recently learned that some gut bacteria can replicate some of the chemical signals that our gut normally send to our brain. Although this may not have anything to do with "why vegans fail". I just think it's interesting.

When a person adopts the gradual strategy, there are lots of various tactics that can be employed. Also there are different levels of gradual. I think a month is the minimum but I have no problem stretching that month out longer. I think I was transitioning for 10 years. and some people think I still haven't Fully transitioned.

Collen Patrick-Goudreau recommends a 30-day approach where each week you convert a few meals to vegan. Starting with the easiest ones.

​

 

[Stardust1986]

I lasted for 6 or so months as a 100% plant based vegan, and am now a 85-95% plant based flexitarian. I think why some fail and some succeed really comes down to taste preferences, for me, I couldnt give up my favorite foods forever. If I really really crave something, I eat it and move forward. I dont think it has to be 100% or dont try at all, I do the best I can manage, and still feel happy and satisfied with my diet. That sense of freedom has helped me eat mostly plant based for the long term.