Have you ever wondered if switching your diet could give you more energy? Clear up your skin? Help you sleep better? Resolve stomach issues? If so, what have you got to lose by joining a group of us for a Vegan Challenge in the month of March. Who knows what you might learn!
Hello everyrone! I'm super excited to be guest posting for Amanda about her vegan challenge this month! If you read my blog, Trying to Heal, you will see how I have been slowly transferring to a vegan diet, plus or minus some organic eggs because of some health issues.
Anyhow, today I am going to talk about talking to family and friends about being a vegan. I know I have certainly gotten the "what for?" from so many people and although each one entails a different answer, there are some basic explanations that I stick to. Most often the questions are things like,
"What do you eat? Aren't you always starving?"
"Where do you get your protein?"
"Don't you feel weak on a vegan diet?"
"What can you possibly eat out at a restaurant?"
"I don't understand what is so bad about eating an animal."
I can easily explain all the things a vegan can eat to be healthy, full and satisfied with their diet including things like tofu, tempeh, nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables...the list could go on forever, but I'm sure that has already been addressed. I always explain that as long as you balance everything accordingly, and make sure you're taking in enough calories with everything you do, you can live a very energy driven life without meat!
Often times I have friends and family feel like they can't take me out to eat because I won't have anything to eat or will have to have a sad house salad while they indulge on a burger and fries. I make sure to take the time to plan these events with friends and tell them not to worry; I will be able to figure something out for myself. Most often, I will check out the restaurants online menu because from there I can figure out what to choose and adapt it to my vegan lifestyle. It's as simple as asking for a small change with the waiter to the cook and everything is peachy-keen! Sometimes I have to suffice with a salad while out at dinner, but that just leaves more room for finding an awesome vegan dessert afterwards, right? hah!
The one statement though, that gets to me and people expect an angry answer out of, is why I can't just eat an animal. One of the main reasons that I'm vegan is because of ethical reasons, all on top of my environmental reasons for helping the earth. I always make sure to stay calm in answering these types of questions, because getting mad will only irk the person on to twist your frustration around some more.
Most often, I explain various reasons why I don't feel like I need to eat meat:
-I can maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle without the meat.
-I personally do not believe that another living creature with a conscious should have to die for me to eat to live, when I can do so with a vegan diet (ie the reason above)
-To me, dairy products produced by cows or any other mammal, are meant for their babies only. I don't believe that animals should be impregnated to simply produce milk for humans when we don't really need it and baby cows do.
The list could go on and on why I believe in being vegan, but I would never force another person to follow the diet. I 
believe it is the right thing for my morals and environmental concerns and leave it at that. I explain everything in a calm and collected manner in hopes that simply by explaining these reasons and planting these ideas in their heads, that maybe next time they might opt out of the meat, or extra cheese or milk and think about the animal that had to provide that for them.
There is always a way to deal with those that don't understand why we don't eat meat, but it's as simple as answer their questions with prepared answers and a level head! It never hurts to put your honest opinion out there!
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A million thanks to Melissa for sharing this information! I know these are questions we will all be asked in March and I think having answers or ideas will make that pressure point easier. Just remember this a trial to see how you feel and what you think.
Gratitude Journal
Feb 27 
I am grateful for being opened up to new ideas and great teachers!
