Hey All,
The first thing people always think is.. what a weirdo why do you care about the animals so much? Honestly I'm not doing it for the animals. That would be like me not using a piece of paper to save the trees. The tree are already cut down and dead people. I care about it for health purposes specifically, but when you bring that up. Then you get bombarded by a million other questions. Where do you get your protein, calcium, etc. etc.
We just had a breakfast at work today and all I ate were the potatoes and I got so many stares and "why don't you eat meat anymore??". Has anyone ever gone vegan and experienced this? If so how do you respond to it.
You're in the right place! I gave up wheat, grains and almost all sugar completely! I feel fantastic and have lost a considerable amount of weight! I hope your dietary change leads to the results you're looking for too!
I have experienced what you're talking about myself. Anyone who deviates gets the incredulity and questions. Wait.... you're not a megaconsumer anymore? What you want to retire early? What you're not going to eat what the federal government tells you? NO MORE PIZZA?!?!
This is less about vegans and more about going in a different direction in general.
When out at restaurants, I refuse to explain the difference between "gluten free" and "grain free" any more. It's a hopeless battle against the media and advertising. So instead, I pick menu items that need little if any alterations - and even apologize in advance if it's more than 2 changes. In rare instances of stupidity I just tell people i'm celiac, that usually fixes their wagon and stops the questions.
At work, i've inspired a few others to change and they've had some great results too. Overall these people you have to see every day so it requires a different tack. It's easier to answer questions without silliness to one or two people - groups aren't for serious discussions like this. You can always just get to work instead of sitting around explaining yourself. Hopefully, your results will speak for themselves! If someone starts ballbusting (all in fun), I return fire with looking down at someone's gut and saying, "I lost 35 lbs without any exercise, what's it like going to the gym all those years for nothing?"
Friends and family: This is the worst part. The people closest to you will try to derail you at every chance they get. "Oh so and so made your 'favorite' you have to just eat a little." Finding polite ways around those incidents are the most challenging. Holidays, parties, bbq's, really all events where there are people and food. My mother-in-law just yesterday told me to stop losing weight. I'm 190 lbs at 6'1" (have been steady at this weight for 8 months). That's perfect for me imo, but to the rest of the world, being fit and having a flat stomach causes you to be a giant target for opinions. TOO BAD IM NOT CHANGING, WHY WOULD I GO BACK TO BEING FAT, UNHAPPY, AND HAVE ENDLESS DOCTOR VISITS????
Just like MMM gets his share of complainy and whinypants comments - you too will be a beacon for success and that hurts other people's feelings. (provided you don't talk a bunch of shit and then fail or give up, at that point you just need some humility and a sense of humor)
This is the same with money, ability, talent, or anything else other people can be envious of or mock to make themselves feel better because you're different. If you've got a group of haters, you're either a giant douche or a huge success that they think they can't achieve (hopefully the latter!).
