the contented vegan

“I will never go vegan, I once said, “I can see myself being vegetarian, but never full-blown vegan.”  It’s too extreme, I would think. Only super intense people can eliminate all animal products from their diet. You can’t be a vegan and live a normal life. I saw going vegan as altering one's entire way of living just for a diet. Not worth it. Too hard. It could easily turn into disordered eating or a self-righteous lifestyle to make yourself feel like you’re better than everyone else. 

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However, I always wished that I didn’t have to eat animals. Even as a child, whenever I ate meat, I would have to shove thoughts away in my mind that told me the meat was the body of an animal who had been killed to appear on my plate. Doing so was the only way I could eat meat, and I thought people were supposed to eat it. Almost everyone I knew ate meat. 

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Most of us are brought up being taught that we need animal products to maintain a healthy diet and stay alive. We need protein from meat. We need minerals from dairy. We need omega 3’s from fish. We need whatever is in eggs for breakfast to have a good start to our day. Plus, animal products are tasty and inexpensive, so why would you even consider not eating them? 

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So, I would eat them. I would just try not to think about where they came from or the process that went on to bring the meat to my plate. As for dairy or eggs, I didn’t know anything about those industries. I figured that, since they did not produce the flesh of an animal, they were humane industries. 

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As I got older, it became more and more difficult for me to ignore the fact that I was going against my conscience by eating animal products. I have always had a huge heart for animals. My dog is basically my child. He is truly a person. He has such a big personality and is so affectionate. I love him so much. I'm sure many of you would say the same things about your own pets.

 

I remember very vividly one day, as I was cutting up some part of a chicken for dinner, reality finally broke through. I  made the connection that I was cutting into the muscle of what used to be a living animal, just like any animal I had ever loved. The chicken thigh I was handling looked very similar to my sweet little dog’s leg that I pet every day. Really, what is the difference between the animals we eat and the animals we love? It was a startling yet illuminating awareness that helped me really understand what I was consuming. That is when I stopped eating meat. 

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Since I decided to make such a big diet change on behalf of animals, I started to really observe animals. I began to see the same spirit that is in my little pup is also inside of cows, birds, pigs, and all other animals. They all have personalities and emotions, likes and dislikes. They are all capable of feeling happiness, love, connection, and also fear, dread, and panic. 

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Being vegetarian, I was still eating dairy and eggs, and veganism was only just an area of curiosity. One day, I stumbled upon a vegan YouTube channel, and I was able to get some insight into what the life of an ordinary college-age person looked like as a vegan. It did not look much different from any other college student’s lifestyle. In fact, the food she ate looked really beautiful and delicious! I started looking up more vegan YouTube channels to see what a healthy vegan diet looked like. These people were eating potatoes and pasta! Their plates were full of vibrant, filling, and delicious foods that I already loved. It didn’t look like diet extremism or malnutrition to me, it looked like abundance!

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Around the same time, one of my closest friends told me she had gone vegan. She is an awesome person who knows how to have a fun, adventurous, outgoing life, and she wasn’t bringing down the party by being vegan! She showed me how a real-life vegan person eats and prepares vegan meals for their family. The food she made was gorgeous, first of all, and it was all made using ingredients I already loved eating. The only difference was that no animal products were involved. I also felt so much more nourished and energized after eating her vegan meals. She made the idea of veganism personal, practical, and attainable for me. (Thanks, girl!!)

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Even after all these positive experiences, I was a little unsure about ridding my diet of all animal products forever.

 

Then I watched Forks Over Knives. 

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This movie is perfect if you are in any way doubtful that a vegan diet is the healthiest diet you can eat. It has so much scientific evidence to prove that a whole-foods, plant-based diet is indeed the healthiest diet on the planet. I found out that not only can you survive on a vegan diet but that it is actually healthier for you than an omnivorous or vegetarian diet. After watching the film, I thought, Well why haven’t I done this sooner? Not only do I not have to eat animals but I’m better off if I don’t? Sign me up!  What could be a better diet than one that is kind to all the animals, helps your body be the healthiest it can possibly be, and improves the state of the environment all at the same time? Win-win-win!

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I also found out that the dairy and egg industries are just as cruel, if not more cruel than the meat industry. I was shocked. It’s difficult to hide the fact that meat is a dead animal, but I was amazed at all that happens in the dairy and egg industries that most people don’t know about. You can learn more about that here.

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So, I  went vegan. And I never looked back. I did not have to watch the most graphic videos from PETA showing abused animals in factory farms to know that I did not want to use animals in this way anymore, treating them as commodities rather than living beings. I did not want to have a friendly relationship with animals in one context and a violent relationship in another. It did not make sense to me. 

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Let me tell you, one of the best feelings was sitting down to my first fully-balanced, delicious, satisfying vegan meal and having a completely clear conscience about what was on my plate. Experiencing that joy made me want other people to experience it too. That is the reason I created this website. I hope those who visit will no longer see veganism as a restrictive, high-maintenance diet but as a delicious way to eat, free from guilt and violence. 

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So, that is my vegan story. It started with my “why” and is sustained by my “why”.

My sweet little pup is my “why”. He and all the other creatures on this planet to whom God gave life and personality, for us to have a relationship of admiration, care, and companionship with. 

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Protecting animals is only one of the benefits of going vegan. There are other “why’s” for eating a vegan diet. If you are interested in learning more, click the link to Find Your Why.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Whether you are a new vegan, considering veganism, or simply curious about it, I wish you success in your journey!

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Sarah