******This is not a vegan bashing thread. If you love meat fine - start a new thread. If you hate vegans fine - start a new thread******.

Happy new Year. This year, as I did last year, I will be participating in Veganuary. I wondered if any other Orgers did it, or if vegan Orgers can give advice with favourite recipes etc...

I have been veggie for a long long time, but increasing I hate my contribution to animal cruelty through dairy consumption. I already drink soya milk (although if a cafe doesn't have it I have regular), eat soya yoghurt, don't wear leather and other stuff so it's not a massive transition for me. I do love cheese though and find the vegan offerings not great (though getting better) and I love, love, love cake so that's a toughie (last year I lived off vegan chocolate brownies), any cake advice would be more than welcomed.

So, is anyone else doing it? Especially the meat eaters?

[Edited 12/31/19 23:43pm]

Meat eater here. My wife and I watched the documentary Game Changers on Netflix just before Xmas; I'm not normally one to be swayed by movie docs but this one advocating a plant based diet was pretty convincing.

Former UFC fighter James Wilkes who made the doc is a guy I've got a lot of time for and he puts forward a very simple and compelling argument.

So my wife and I are going plant based for the new year. I'll admit, its for health reasons rather than for animal welfare reasons. I've got the London Marathon coming up in April so I'm hoping it'll give me a boost for that.

Don't think I can say we'll never eat meat again. Much of it I won't really miss, but I love bacon and lamb, just for the flavour. But we're going to go plant based as much as we can. Wish us luck!

DaveT said:

Meat eater here. My wife and I watched the documentary Game Changers on Netflix just before Xmas; I'm not normally one to be swayed by movie docs but this one advocating a plant based diet was pretty convincing.

Former UFC fighter James Wilkes who made the doc is a guy I've got a lot of time for and he puts forward a very simple and compelling argument.

So my wife and I are going plant based for the new year. I'll admit, its for health reasons rather than for animal welfare reasons. I've got the London Marathon coming up in April so I'm hoping it'll give me a boost for that.

Don't think I can say we'll never eat meat again. Much of it I won't really miss, but I love bacon and lamb, just for the flavour. But we're going to go plant based as much as we can. Wish us luck!

Fantastic! Well done you & your wife. I've not seen Game Changers, I'll look it up.

I've run the London Marathon twice. I didn't get in this year. Maybe next year I'll see you there. Good luck

Truthfully, I don't think the reasons for giving up matter too much. You'll be doing good for the planet and be healthier to boot. Please keep posting to let me know how you're getting on.

I wish you loads of luck (Cheese is my bacon and lamb, but I'll live without)

EDIT TO ADD: If you're running the marathon for charity then I'll happily sponsor you - It's not easy. Either post (in which case you never know others may sponsor you too) or Orgnote me

[Edited 1/1/20 10:49am]

maplenpg said:

DaveT said:

Meat eater here. My wife and I watched the documentary Game Changers on Netflix just before Xmas; I'm not normally one to be swayed by movie docs but this one advocating a plant based diet was pretty convincing.

Former UFC fighter James Wilkes who made the doc is a guy I've got a lot of time for and he puts forward a very simple and compelling argument.

So my wife and I are going plant based for the new year. I'll admit, its for health reasons rather than for animal welfare reasons. I've got the London Marathon coming up in April so I'm hoping it'll give me a boost for that.

Don't think I can say we'll never eat meat again. Much of it I won't really miss, but I love bacon and lamb, just for the flavour. But we're going to go plant based as much as we can. Wish us luck!

Fantastic! Well done you & your wife. I've not seen Game Changers, I'll look it up.

I've run the London Marathon twice. I didn't get in this year. Maybe next year I'll see you there. Good luck

Truthfully, I don't think the reasons for giving up matter too much. You'll be doing good for the planet and be healthier to boot. Please keep posting to let me know how you're getting on.

I wish you loads of luck (Cheese is my bacon and lamb, but I'll live without)

EDIT TO ADD: If you're running the marathon for charity then I'll happily sponsor you - It's not easy. Either post (in which case you never know others may sponsor you too) or Orgnote me

[Edited 1/1/20 10:49am]

Thanks buddy, that's really kind of you! I applied through the ballot for six years and didn't get it. Dad passed away in 2019 from Parkinsons complications so I've gone for a charity place with them.

I've done plenty of running before, but only gone up to half marathon in the past and I remember thinking if that was halfway for the full mara, I'd be screwed! ... so any tips are greatly received!

Totally with you on the cheese thing. I've not got a sweet tooth, I sway towards savoury stuff, and cheese really is food of the gods. I've tried the dairy free stuff and its not great to say the least.

Good for you maplenpg. Never heard of this but it sounds like a good way to try, knowing other people are doing it too. Dry January is also a thing, no alcohol for the month. I eat very little meat anyway, but giving up cheese is hard.

Buy my leather goods (like a jacket or purse) second hand, so at least they are getting another use. Don't really buy leather footwear anymore, still have a few I wear. I'm older, so buying a lot less clothing these days. It cuts down on the whole laundry thing too, simpler. But "vegan leather" is fossil fuel (oil) based plastic mixed with deadly chemicals that create factory runoff etc, etc. There's no good answer. Agree we should treat all animals humanely, even if used for food or clothing, not just pets.

DaveT said:

maplenpg said:

Fantastic! Well done you & your wife. I've not seen Game Changers, I'll look it up.

I've run the London Marathon twice. I didn't get in this year. Maybe next year I'll see you there. Good luck

Truthfully, I don't think the reasons for giving up matter too much. You'll be doing good for the planet and be healthier to boot. Please keep posting to let me know how you're getting on.

I wish you loads of luck (Cheese is my bacon and lamb, but I'll live without)

EDIT TO ADD: If you're running the marathon for charity then I'll happily sponsor you - It's not easy. Either post (in which case you never know others may sponsor you too) or Orgnote me

[Edited 1/1/20 10:49am]

Thanks buddy, that's really kind of you! I applied through the ballot for six years and didn't get it. Dad passed away in 2019 from Parkinsons complications so I've gone for a charity place with them.

I've done plenty of running before, but only gone up to half marathon in the past and I remember thinking if that was halfway for the full mara, I'd be screwed! ... so any tips are greatly received!

Totally with you on the cheese thing. I've not got a sweet tooth, I sway towards savoury stuff, and cheese really is food of the gods. I've tried the dairy free stuff and its not great to say the least.

That's a great cause that I'm happy to help.

My biggest tip would be to make sure your name is on the front of your shirt. The crowd shout your name the whole way round and it's really motivating. My other tip would be to not wear headphones; a lot do, but I found it more interesting to talk to people at the same pace, to interact with the crowd, and just soak up the experience. Don't worry about time, it's the finishing that counts. And go to the loo before the start - you'll take in a lot of fluid. My final tip would be to train for the full distance. I trained for 23 miles the first time as I wanted London to be my first marathon. I thought the last three miles would be easy given that it is just a warm-up distance by that point. But no, that last three miles was really bloody difficult and I struggled terribly. Running three miles when you've already run 23 seems like a long way. The second time I trained for full distance. Lastly just enjoy it. It's a brilliant day. A great day for the spectators too, so take as many people as you can.

Dairy-free cheese is just not good. Though it's getting better.

onlyforaminute said:

I made this once. Used it on a few things, noodles and vegetables. It was ok, mine needed more salt. Never went vegan, pescatarian, so I used vegan recipes. The base of this alfredo is quick-soaked cashews in very hot water so they soften quickly. Then it’s a matter of flavor: nutritional yeast for cheesiness, garlic for kick and depth of flavor, salt for saltiness, and a bit of almond milk for texture. Arrowroot powder adds thickness and helps the sauce get a bit “stringy” like real cheese!

Thanks! I ended up googling as I'm a stickler for getting quantities right and I found this. I'm going to make it at the weekend. https://thevegan8.com/veg...edo-sauce/

poppys said:

Good for you maplenpg. Never heard of this but it sounds like a good way to try, knowing other people are doing it too. Dry January is also a thing, no alcohol for the month. I eat very little meat anyway, but giving up cheese is hard.

Buy my leather goods (like a jacket or purse) second hand, so at least they are getting another use. Don't really buy leather footwear anymore, still have a few I wear. I'm older, so buying a lot less clothing these days. It cuts down on the whole laundry thing too, simpler. But "vegan leather" is fossil fuel (oil) based plastic mixed with deadly chemicals that create factory runoff etc, etc. There's no good answer. Agree we should treat all animals humanely, even if used for food or clothing, not just pets.

Interesting that Veganuary isn't a thing across the pond. I didn't know that. Dry January is also a thing here.

Leather is interesting. There are a lot of vegans that will buy second hand leather. It's just a personal choice. I just don't want dead skin round my feet or under my bum! But that's me, and I totally agree that fake leather comes with its own issues. Your last sentence is spot on.

maplenpg said:

DaveT said:

Thanks buddy, that's really kind of you! I applied through the ballot for six years and didn't get it. Dad passed away in 2019 from Parkinsons complications so I've gone for a charity place with them.

I've done plenty of running before, but only gone up to half marathon in the past and I remember thinking if that was halfway for the full mara, I'd be screwed! ... so any tips are greatly received!

Totally with you on the cheese thing. I've not got a sweet tooth, I sway towards savoury stuff, and cheese really is food of the gods. I've tried the dairy free stuff and its not great to say the least.

That's a great cause that I'm happy to help.

My biggest tip would be to make sure your name is on the front of your shirt. The crowd shout your name the whole way round and it's really motivating. My other tip would be to not wear headphones; a lot do, but I found it more interesting to talk to people at the same pace, to interact with the crowd, and just soak up the experience. Don't worry about time, it's the finishing that counts. And go to the loo before the start - you'll take in a lot of fluid. My final tip would be to train for the full distance. I trained for 23 miles the first time as I wanted London to be my first marathon. I thought the last three miles would be easy given that it is just a warm-up distance by that point. But no, that last three miles was really bloody difficult and I struggled terribly. Running three miles when you've already run 23 seems like a long way. The second time I trained for full distance. Lastly just enjoy it. It's a brilliant day. A great day for the spectators too, so take as many people as you can.

Dairy-free cheese is just not good. Though it's getting better.

That's great advice, thank you! ... the distance thing is definitely handy as I was only going to go up to 22 as a max in my training, so I'll push that up, perhaps to 26, so that the 0.2 I can do on the day to do my first marathon at London.

In all the years I've been running I think I've done it without music/earphones twice or three times max ... running without music I find very tough. I'm trying to teach myself how in my training though and I'm going to start leaving the MP3 player at home.

maplenpg said:

poppys said:

Good for you maplenpg. Never heard of this but it sounds like a good way to try, knowing other people are doing it too. Dry January is also a thing, no alcohol for the month. I eat very little meat anyway, but giving up cheese is hard.

Buy my leather goods (like a jacket or purse) second hand, so at least they are getting another use. Don't really buy leather footwear anymore, still have a few I wear. I'm older, so buying a lot less clothing these days. It cuts down on the whole laundry thing too, simpler. But "vegan leather" is fossil fuel (oil) based plastic mixed with deadly chemicals that create factory runoff etc, etc. There's no good answer. Agree we should treat all animals humanely, even if used for food or clothing, not just pets.

Interesting that Veganuary isn't a thing across the pond. I didn't know that. Dry January is also a thing here.

Leather is interesting. There are a lot of vegans that will buy second hand leather. It's just a personal choice. I just don't want dead skin round my feet or under my bum! But that's me, and I totally agree that fake leather comes with its own issues. Your last sentence is spot on.

From what I'm reading Veganuary started in the UK - but is growing here now.

I feel the same way about oil and chemicals. I'm allergic to lots of plastics and can't even shop in some stores without reacting to what they are giving off and having to leave. Ditto all kinds of other products. There is no good answer yet on a mass level.

I suppot being a vegan...what is sad is when some of the want to force their choices on other... some want to price meat off the market.

poppys said:

maplenpg said:

Interesting that Veganuary isn't a thing across the pond. I didn't know that. Dry January is also a thing here.

Leather is interesting. There are a lot of vegans that will buy second hand leather. It's just a personal choice. I just don't want dead skin round my feet or under my bum! But that's me, and I totally agree that fake leather comes with its own issues. Your last sentence is spot on.

From what I'm reading Veganuary started in the UK - but is growing here now.

I feel the same way about oil and chemicals. I'm allergic to lots of plastics and can't even shop in some stores without reacting to what they are giving off and having to leave. Ditto all kinds of other products. There is no good answer yet on a mass level.

Interesting - the head office of Veganuary is not too far from me - I'd love to work there. I agree with the bold most of all, but I bet something is in the pipeline. I've never heard of allergies to plastic. Sounds awful. I can't bear shops where there are rows of fruit and veg wrapped in plastic, but that's not the same thing at all.

[Edited 1/2/20 9:12am]

ImperfectAngel said:

I start craving hamburgers as soon as I try to eat go vegan

There are some really good alternatives now. Don't give up if the first few aren't good. You have to kiss a few frogs to find the prince

DaveT said:

maplenpg said:

That's a great cause that I'm happy to help.

My biggest tip would be to make sure your name is on the front of your shirt. The crowd shout your name the whole way round and it's really motivating. My other tip would be to not wear headphones; a lot do, but I found it more interesting to talk to people at the same pace, to interact with the crowd, and just soak up the experience. Don't worry about time, it's the finishing that counts. And go to the loo before the start - you'll take in a lot of fluid. My final tip would be to train for the full distance. I trained for 23 miles the first time as I wanted London to be my first marathon. I thought the last three miles would be easy given that it is just a warm-up distance by that point. But no, that last three miles was really bloody difficult and I struggled terribly. Running three miles when you've already run 23 seems like a long way. The second time I trained for full distance. Lastly just enjoy it. It's a brilliant day. A great day for the spectators too, so take as many people as you can.

Dairy-free cheese is just not good. Though it's getting better.

That's great advice, thank you! ... the distance thing is definitely handy as I was only going to go up to 22 as a max in my training, so I'll push that up, perhaps to 26, so that the 0.2 I can do on the day to do my first marathon at London.

In all the years I've been running I think I've done it without music/earphones twice or three times max ... running without music I find very tough. I'm trying to teach myself how in my training though and I'm going to start leaving the MP3 player at home.

I never ever trained without music, ever. I found it quite meditative. But when you are training you don't have the crowds, the people, the sights and the adreneline pushing you through. Don't underestimate the difference (though if you have your music on your phone and your headphones are small then maybe take them just in case)

And at risk of taking the thread way off track with running talk There is good evidence that a plant-based diet is excellent for athletes .

[Edited 1/2/20 9:32am]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I suppot being a vegan...what is sad is when some of the want to force their choices on other... some want to price meat off the market.

I'm really not interested in getting my hands on your meat Only. Thank you for supporting being a vegan though, it's a healthy, ethical way to live, and cheaper too.

First slip up here. Cooked Quorn sausage for tea. Luckily remembered before I ate it. Hastily rushed to find a quick alternative - vegan meatballs. But the dog might have to eat the Quorn sausage now - seems a waste

EDIT: It was fine - one of the kids ate the Quorn sausage. It was not wasted

[Edited 1/2/20 10:41am]

maplenpg said:

poppys said:

From what I'm reading Veganuary started in the UK - but is growing here now.

I feel the same way about oil and chemicals. I'm allergic to lots of plastics and can't even shop in some stores without reacting to what they are giving off and having to leave. Ditto all kinds of other products. There is no good answer yet on a mass level.

Interesting - the head office of Veganuary is not too far from me - I'd love to work there. I agree with the bold most of all, but I bet something is in the pipeline. I've never heard of allergies to plastic. Sounds awful. I can't bear shops where there are rows of fruit and veg wrapped in plastic, but that's not the same thing at all.

It's the plethora of chemicals they use to make the fossil fuel (oil) into plastic. Hardeners, colors, stabilizers etc. Also the fumes released when it breaks down. The chemical industry is a very toxic thing for us and the enviornment, it's been heavily researched. Even before all the plastic goods took over everything. "Vegan leather" is a marketing tool, not healthy at all.

poppys said:

maplenpg said:

Interesting - the head office of Veganuary is not too far from me - I'd love to work there. I agree with the bold most of all, but I bet something is in the pipeline. I've never heard of allergies to plastic. Sounds awful. I can't bear shops where there are rows of fruit and veg wrapped in plastic, but that's not the same thing at all.

It's the plethora of chemicals they use to make the fossil fuel (oil) into plastic. Hardeners, colors, stabilizers etc. Also the fumes released when it breaks down. The chemical industry is a very toxic thing for us and the enviornment, it's been heavily researched. Even before all the plastic goods took over everything. "Vegan leather" is a marketing tool, not healthy at all.

I absolutely agree. Yet it isn't dead animal skin (which matters to me). Also some non-leather shoes are made with glue that comes from animal collagen. That's why I buy labelled vegan shoes, even if it is a marketing tool, I know the label shows that it doesn't contain animal product - doesn't mean it's good for the environment though sadly.

EmmaMcG said:

Never heard of veganuary but I wish everyone luck with it.

Thanks Emma, that's nice coming from someone who I know loves their meat. Congrats on your baby. The below is copied and pasted from the Veganuary website:

Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. During the 2019 campaign, more than a quarter of a million people took our pledge to try a vegan diet, while more than 500 brands, restaurants and supermarkets promoted the campaign, and launched more than 200 new vegan products and menus in the UK market alone.

Throughout the year, Veganuary encourages and supports people and businesses alike to move to a plant-based diet as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering and improving the health of millions of people.

mELdOURADOsELVAGEM said:

Is this only for the month of January

The idea is that people either do it for January, or carry on beyond. People might do it for health or ethical reasons.

maplenpg said:

maplenpg said:

mELdOURADOsELVAGEM said:

maplenpg said:

The idea is that people either do it for January, or carry on beyond. People might do it for health or ethical reasons.

😊 I see. I was vegan for a few years but don't know when I'll be able to do it again. I started with doing the alkaline diet, which is plant based. Meats are considered acidic so that had to be eliminated from the diet. I didn't even have cravings for meat. Stayed on that diet for years and kept off weight but once you get back to eating processed foods and meats, you go downhill from there. I liked when I was vegan though, I felt good. Maybe I'll do it again if not January, some other time.

Maybe just cut down on the amount of meat you have, say only eat it in 1 of your meals? Might be a way of feeling better, saving the planet, but not cutting everything out.

Into day 5 now and I'm feeling good. I'm noticing the Christmas bloat going down (I know a normal 'diet' would have done the same). Yesterday we had a family favourite Macaro-no-cheese (recipe)which is delicious and I tryed to bake a sticky toffee apple pudding for pud. Was wary as it had no eggs, but you really wouldn't have known the difference - delicious! (sorry no recipe for pud as it was in a magazine). Has inspired me to try more recipes now.

Still going strong. Not missing dairy or eggs at all at the minute. I have found honey in a few bars that I thought were going to be vegan so I'm label checking all the time which is a bit of a drag. The food has been lovely, and I've eaten more fruit and veg than I ever have in my life (and that's saying something given I've been veggie for years). My digestion is err...hrrm having a good detox and I have more energy than I've had for some time. All good. I think it's a good time to reflect on why I'm doing this:

For the animals: My main reason. I've felt like a hypocrite for years not eating meat or fish, yet consuming dairy. I've forced myself to watch some horrendous videos about the dairy and egg business, as well as slaughterhouse videos to reinforce my belief that I'm doing the right thing. There is no doubt that my moral conscience is better as a vegan.

For the environment: Whether we want to argue over the nuances of climate change or not, the fact is we have to look after our planet. This is something I am actively trying to do in many forms, by cutting my travel to essential travel where possible, by cutting my plastic use down, by buying local and seasonal fruit and veg, by avoiding palm oil where possible etc... Farming (especially large-scale) is hugely damaging to our planet, so for my childrens sake I want to try to help.

For my health: I'm not an unhealthy person. I eat well and work out. Yet there is so much evidence that a plant-based diet can reduce the risks of disease, as well as keeping weight off and giving me lots of energy. I will say I've never focused on getting a balanced diet so much as now as I make sure I'm eating enough protein, getting B12 and iodine etc... It's just not something I've paid much attention to before now.

I must thank Onlyforaminute for giving me the alfredo idea. I made it last night and the whole family loved it (which is unusual for something new). Thanks.