You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Signed up to start Veganuary tomorrow. Anyone else doing it?
If you want to be a vegan then be a vegan. Don't really get why you would do it in January, and presumably only January? What diet do you choose for February ?
Frazzlesuary for me. Technically vegan with the added benefit of bacon. What's not to love?
Edit- will OP change their name?
Sort of doing it. Basically using it as an opportunity to break bad dietary habits more than doing the vegan thing as such; it's just vegan cooking is so far outside my usual repertoire that I have to pay attention to what I'm eating. I've already decided that if I feel like a nice piece of meat or fish I'll give in, I just won't be doing epic game stews etc over January.
No.
I take it you’re throwing away all your leather goods for one month?
These portmanteaux get more shit every month.
What’s the damn point!?
Motivation for doing it comes from having a vegan 15 year old son who is passionate about animal rights. He's shown me so much footage of animal cruelty in the food industry that every time I cook or eat meat it makes me think twice. Also I'm curious to see how it makes me feel. I eat a lot of meat, BBQ is a big hobby for me. Veganists purport that they feel great after giving up animal products both mentally and physically. So I want to see for myself.
I won't be getting rid of my leather shoes, but it may make me think twice about buying any more leather goods in the future.
In all honesty I think come February unless I experience some sort of epiphany, I will probably start eating meat again. However I'll eat less of it and get it from a good butcher with provenance for their products. I will give up milk though as the milk industry is one of the worst culprits for animal cruelty. As for eggs, we're looking in to getting our own chickens.
No I won't change my user name. I've been using it on here for 12+ years I ain't changing it now.
Good luck seems you plan to make more of it than just the gimmick of a month.
Since October for me lambchop.I was vegetarian first for a year so fair play to you diving right in. Variety is the secret,if you eat the same few things then it is harder to sustain. Join the likes of what fat vegans eat on fb for support.
Why put yourself through such torture?
If you want to be a vegan then be a vegan. Don't really get why you would do it in January, and presumably only January? What diet do you choose for February ?
Vebruary.
I'm in for 2 months this time round. Last year I did it for Jan & Sept and good for it I did feel.
Good as in healthy, not about the baby sheeps faces. I came to the conclusion some years ago that if I *really* cared about animals I'd be a *real* vegan and not some part-time wannabe - turns out that I don't give a crap, and that deep down it's all about me, me, me.
Begin dietary vegan for a while really makes me think about what I'm putting inside my body, helps me keep at a good weight, helps regulate my eating disorder and has me feeling pretty good all-round.
Additionally, no sweets, booze, coffee, pron, weed, coke or hookers will be indulged in.
Good stuff OP, go for it. I hope that announcing it on here won't deter you.
Feel free to PM me if you get the wobbles, I have a few satisfying meat-free comfort-food recipes/fast-food options that always do the trick for me (other half is a veggan, I'm not (eat fish) but have quit meat and dairy recently)
I miss read this and thought it was about ladies not maintaining their gardens during the month of January.
If you want to be a vegan then be a vegan. Don't really get why you would do it in January, and presumably only January? What diet do you choose for February ?
Why so down on this? Probably quite a few out there who are vegan curious, it's a good opportunity to give it a go. Some might give it up at the end of the month, probably better informed and with a wider variety of diet to take forwards, others might just stick with it.
ah, yeah. why do some of you need to be arseholes about this? every single time, trying to pick holes. let people do what they want to do, eh? if the OP wants to take this on, then fine. if some of you others don't, that's fine too. no need to be dicks about it.
Forgot to say. Keep it to yourself. It's safer. (Apart from anonymous forums of course)
Anecdotal evidence: Mrs Rider was once publicly shamed/verbally abused when buying pork sausages!
Farmers market. In queue at sausage stall:
Mrs R: I want some sausages please, which are the best?
Vendor: What do you like?
MrsR: Oh, they're not for me, they're for my husband. Just plain, I guess?
Vendor: Try these ones (offers cooked sample)
Mrs R: That's OK thanks, I don't eat them, but maybe you could advis...
Vendor: (joking) 'What's wrong with my sausages love? Not good enough eh? (Laughs)'
Mrs R: (smiling) I'm sure they're great sausages, but I'm vegan. I'm buying them for my husband
(Posh middle aged couple scoffing behind): 'One of [i]those[/i] - (whispering loud enough be heard). I bet she's a [i]liberal[/i] (scoff, snorting like children, etc)
Mrs R: (turning around to meet their gaze full on, feeling by now archly facetious) 'Yes I am. And what's more, I bet you didnt know that I [i]burned my bra too[/i] (turns back to vendor)
(Other people in queue laugh, Mrs and Mrs Pinchface now begin the old 'go back to yr own (sic) Country' crock (she's dual-nationality, English mother)
I do greatly admire Mrs R for bringing home the [s]bacon[/s] sausage that day (it was imtended as a nice surprise for me as there was a big queue) - although she didn't look very happy to be fair. And, to be fair, I'd wager that the couple that gave her grief similarly told their friends that 'one of those loud-mouthd vegans just HAD to say she was a [b]v e g a n[/b], in public! At the sausage stall! (Laughter all around). 'Have you heard the joke, how do you know someone is a vegan? Don't worry, they'll tell you!! Hahahahah! Well today we PROVED it!'
Best to go with the 'lactose intolerant' excuse (or similar)
Not all vegans or meat-eaters are 'dicks'. But you have a higher chance (at least in the UK) of being branded a 'dick' for being a vegan, as you're essentially a cyclist in a motorist's world. And we all know what self-righteous, hypocritical and militant pricks cyclists are ... 😛
Brexit will fix all this nonsense. Stay safe until you get yr bluey.
you're essentially a cyclist in a motorist's world
🙂 like the analogy.
The vegan who always drops it into conversation is perplexing stereotype as most I know avoid mentioning it at all costs as it only leads to ridiculous exchanges like that above.
[quote=seosamh77 ]Why put yourself through such torture?
To be fair, the animal welfare thing is very important. Think of the torture the animals go through for your food.
I am considering going vegetarian - my girlfriend is veggie (though eats black pudding???) so I eat that way a fair bit anyway. I really like the taste of meat though....
Someone gave me this book a while ago, it's all vegan stuff and very tasty:
[img] 
[/img]
I do mix meat or dairy into the recipes sometimes, but only occasionally. Quite an eye-opening book.
Additionally, no sweets, booze, coffee, pron, weed, coke or hookers will be indulged in.
just heroin then?
2 posts to a bacon reference* - above average response time but could do better
* its still hilarious
For when you need a really good, really easy cake recipe ...
[url= https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/4614791/recipe/vegan-lemon-cake ]vegan lemon cake[/url]
[url= https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsTNEhZlO8lM4RUAqc4YkYg ]Matt Pritchard SWYD[/url] is a good YouTube channel with some vegan and sport stuff, done by Matt Pritchard (of Dirty Sanchez fame) who is now into endurance sport rather than wrecking himself in stupid stunts on TV and getting absolutely hammered.
@lambchop, good luck, I tried it for a month and am still going 5.5 years later. I was veggie for about 20 years before that though. The food is fine, dealing with other people gets tiresome though.
@malvernrider I'm such a vegan 'dick' I would have refused to buy you the sausage 😉
The thug kitchen book is good, for extra sport mention it on a vegan facebook group and watch someone get upset...actually don't it's best to stay off vegan facebook groups!
These portmanteaux get more shit every month.What’s the damn point!?
Sure you mean ‘what’s the Damnuary?’
Personally I’m giving veganuary a miss but I’m giving up fluids for Parch then eating unicorns for the whole of Gaypril
Amen to that Rnative; they can be "lively"
Why so down on this?
Not down on it at all, my first line was if you want to be a vegan then be a vegan.
Just don't get why you would be a vegan from 1st January for 31 days. All I know is that it is not easy as food can easily become a bit dull/samey without a lot of effort.
cooking varied meals is not difficult whether vegan or otherwise.
Just don't get why you would be a vegan from 1st January for 31 days.
Fortunately, the rest of the world doesn't require you to understand it, nor require your approval.
It is presumably the same reason that people give up alcohol for a month, or anything else for that matter. It could be a personal challenge; it could be a desire to eat healthier; it could be that they want to explore new meals and different ways of cooking; there could be any number of motivations.
Doing it for a month sets a minimal goal, come February many people will go "thank deity for that, pass me a bacon butty" but some may well go, "actually, I really enjoyed that, I'm going to carry on with it." Until you try you don't know, so what's the harm in trying?
Why [i]not[/i] do it?
I’m giving up fluids for Parch
😆 Well played.
cooking varied meals is not difficult whether vegan or otherwise.
Corollary: eating the same shit day in and day out is easy even if you're an omnivore.
*keeps eye out for OPs second log in for the next month*
I made it to the middle of the year before people at work realised that I'd gone veggie at New Year.
Going to see how long I can last as a secret vegan.
Day three. Had some interesting chats at work. 99.9% of folk are like "why?',"I couldn't give up cheese" or "Are you mad?"
No difference felt yet.
Fortunately, the rest of the world doesn't require you to understand it, nor require your approval.
What? That doesn't sound right. Anyway, you have my approval to play at being a vegan for a month.
Amazing the anger that talking about other people being vegan brings out.
You must justify every decision with references!!!!!!
Good luck OP, its a shame you have to justify your actions here. People should know better 🙄
I don't think I'd miss meat if we went veggie or vegan in our house. Enough people in the family are Vegan/Celiac/Milk Intolerant (myself) but my god do I miss Camembert and other cheeses 🙁 the vegan cheese just isn't the same.
no, I like meat, eggs and dairy. I have however decreased my beef intake and upped my vegi purely to loose weight.
No difference felt yet.
Unless you are eating varied and healthy food - you probably won't feel much different after a month. I once (for health reasons) completely nailed a militant 'elimination' diet for 6 weeks, eating only 5 largely fat-free food items, (no bread, dairy, meat etc) drinking only spring water, a protein shake and a raft of supplements.
There were some very noticeable changes by weeks 5 and 6 (improved complexion, improved energy levels, sharper thinking, not to mention a sharp weight loss. I felt a lot younger and continued to do so for some time. But bear in mind this was a diet that was so strict that I couldn't even use toothpaste (because of cornstarch). Of course, once I'd cured my ailment I inevitably crawled back to the sausage, chips and pies life rather than expanding my new healthy repertoire. I'm weak and stupid, this is evident.
But what I'm trying to say among the digression is that whether over the next month you mostly eat breadcrumbed Quorn products, bread (toast and sandwiches) and/or chips and vegeburgers with Pot Noodle starters - washed down with palm oil, booze and Coca Cola, then after four weeks you most likely won't feel very well.
Conversely, you may feel (and begin to look) [i]appreciably[/i] different if you cut out bread and instead eat healthy fruit and veg and pulses and grains [b]every meal[/b]. Four weeks is not a lot of time.
Two months of very healthy eating and hydration would of course show more solid results than four weeks of varied experimentation, which could well show no appreciable change in health, especially if you were already eating a fairly healthy diet before you switched to vegan..
Another good thing is to 'fast' for a day or two ie just have a 'soup day' here and there ie the 5:2 approach.
In a nutshell - 1 month of:
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
vs 2 months of:
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
May notice changes.
On the other hand, if you eat and drink some from example 1 and some from example 2, a month will most likely just feel like any other month*
*unless you were previously a porker living on chips, sausage rolls, pies and freshly oiled lamb-cordial (doner-drink). in which case it may take six months to feel any big benefits!
I wasn't really expecting to feel different. In the past few years I did the iDave (lost about 3 stone and felt great) No sugar in January (lost 8lbs, felt no different)
With the iDave I kept that up for quiet a while and kept the weight off for a 2-3 years. I went from 15.5 stone to around 12. I felt 13 stone was my weight. However in the past year or so BBQ and booze has meant I've crept back up to 15.5 again.
BTW Quorn isn't Vegan, it contains egg and milk.
I've crept back up to 15.5 again.
I'm exactly the same weight, recently up from 15. Ideally 12-13. I hate the yo-yo thing, but most of all detest my own weak will - and it always corresponds with a surly, childish, 'why don't I deserve a treat?' addiction to chips, cheese/pork-products etc. A cycle of depression. One thing that I found/find about trying to eat healthily/ethically is the discovery of cooking. In order to make a good (and affordable) go of it I really had to become a better chef. This helped massively, ie to take a joy (and pride) in sourcing and preparing good food, along with an active interest in nutrition and the way it affects my riding.
Some people just find it's easy to change overnight. I don't. Was raised on the Black Country diet (narrow repertoire version) and it became de-facto lazy-comfort-food. ie. Chips, paes, every pork-product, cheese, meat-paste sandwiches, crisps, biscuits, milky tea and beer. If we had a fruit it was usually by accident or via a Xmas stocking in Chocolate Orange flavour. Addiction to these foodstuffs feels 'hard-wired' into me. I reach for them when feeling pressure, and pressures arrive very often of late. Excuses are easy.
OP, you've inspired me to get back on the wagon as of today (Xmas was a dietary disaster, people literally threw meat, booze and chocolate at me and I'm too polite to refuse ;). Onwards and upwards...
BTW Quorn started doing Vegan stuff.
https://www.quorn.co.uk/products/vegan
I don't tend to bother with it*. Linda Macs 1/4 lb burgers are pretty good, with a shake of smoked paprika on during cooking for that BBQ hit.
*Mrs Rider's vegan Italian meatballs are better. With that shell pasta. Is it dinner-time yet? 😛
**edit** ffs I should stop being so obsessed with food. Even eating healthily is just another obsession with food with me. Will make the effort to treat it merely as fuel this year, see how that goes. Run her 'lean and clean' see what happens.
I did the iDave
Quite few people lost a few pound to that.
Had some interesting chats at work. 99.9% of folk are like "why?',"I couldn't give up cheese"
Amazing the anger that talking about other people being vegan brings out.
Heh. There's a compelling argument for everyone going vegan for a month just to find out first-hand what defensive, patronising shits everyone else can be when they find out.
Something something bacon hilarity.
Has anyone mentioned bacon yet?
You must justify every decision with references!!!!!!
Yes, it is absolute hell. So I don't get the do everything in January thing, big deal.
Anyway, I wish the OP well and hopes they keep it up. I went from vegetarian (35 years) to vegan last year but only lasted a few months as I found it pretty restrictive compared to vegetarian diet.
Something something bacon hilarity.
I mentioned a veggie/vegan/whatever January to a colleague and he took about 15 seconds to say "I've got bacon sandwiches for lunch". That said, he's German so pork for lunch is pretty much compulsory.
Any recipe ideas? My OH has gone vegan for Jan also. Ideally meals that are easy and my kids (5&7) will like.
Also MalvernRider what were the 5 items in that diet? I'm hoping to lose 2 stone ish this year and a kick start sounds like a good idea.
Last night I did (and please bear with me, it sounds a bit hippy bullshit) a sort of spag bol where the meat was replaced by lentils and the pasta by courgette done thru one of those spiraliser jobbies. I didn't go the whole hog and buy hemp parmesan, sometimes you can go too far. It wasn't meat (obviously) but it was tasty, took about 25 mins from start to picking up a spoon and was just veg plus a tablespoon of oil and a little bit of cheese.
You could do a sort of courgette pappardelle with a peeler if you aren't like me and don't buy stupid gadgets you use once every 3 years. The sauce was super easy, limited amount of oil and other than the meat it was more or less a normal (English-style) bolognese so you could guess it. Loads left over for lunch and tonight too.
Also MalvernRider what were the 5 items in that diet? I'm hoping to lose 2 stone ish this year and a kick start sounds like a good idea.
2 stone in a year is relatively easy, but better managed slowly IMO, then you'll get less chance of [s]batwings and flap-belly[/s] unwanted effects of weight-loss. I wouldn't recommend what I did - it wasn't a weight loss plan but an elimination diet to discover what was aggravating (literally crippling) arthritis
Why not just do the 5:2 and calorie count with MFP? Much healthier way to lose weight. My rapid loss was a by-product.
Here's what I ate tho:
Carrots
White fish
Kiwi fruits
Sweet potatoes (yams)
Mollasses (stirred in warm water with a spoon of cider vinegar)
I mostly (lazily) steamed and mashed the carrots and sweet potatoes and microwaved the fish (frozen blocks of pollock) then seasoned with only a little black pepper. Was only 'allowed' to boil steam or microwave. Oils not allowed.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner was fish and mash. Or just mash. Or sometimes baked sweet potatos and steamed carrots with a nicely-steamed plaice and a little squeezed kiwi juice. Mix and match to a very limited degree!
Important bit: This daily 5-foods was supplemented by:
A glass of protein formula (have a look at pea protein formulas etc) and a raft of supplementary vits/minerals etc via caps and tablets. Sorry I don't have the exact data for those as it was 20 yrs ago and was formulated and directed by a nutritionist.
Still recommend 5:2 and keep MFP diary
Good luck OP and others taking on Veganuary.
I'm aware that we eat far too much meat in this house, so we're going semi veggie (will still eat fish) for January. I know it isn't anywhere near the same committment as going vegan, but it's a step in that direction. Also, we keep chickens and love our eggs 🙂
Good luck OP. I’ve been considering going veggie for a while. I could never become vegan though, I’d miss my leather arseless chaps.
All good under the hood on day 4, sleeping better too.
Farting like a good'n though!
Thanks MalvernRider, I asked because I was considering something similar. 5&2 is a good thought, I'm a bit impatient.
Anyway OP good for you my OH is feeling very positive about Veganuary. Kids not best pleased with peanut butter tofu and rice last night lol- but they ate it!
Best day yet. Feel great. Watching Cowspiracy with my son!
I asked because I was considering something similar. 5&2 is a good thought, I'm a bit impatient.
In that case just set yr own loss targets/timescale in yr MFP app. Easypeasy
Best day yet. Feel great. Watching Cowspiracy with my son!
good stuff! tbh i've not watched any of the "new" documentaries, it's not like i need convincing these days but yeah, pretty bonkers stuff.
What about the thousands of insects killed with pesticide to produce those vegetables, and knock on effects on surrounding ecosystems? There'll never be an Insoctober. #charismaticmegafauna #doeyes #fingersinears
Watching Cowspiracy
While it's heart is in the right place there's serious errors in the statistics used in the film people should be aware of -
https://newint.org/blog/2016/02/10/cowspiracy-stampeding-in-the-wrong-direction
also some of the references are decidedly sketchy and most definitely not peer reviewed science!
What about the thousands of insects killed with pesticide to produce those vegetables, and knock on effects on surrounding ecosystems?
Are they different to the ones killed to grow feed for animals?
Trolls dont care about those ones
Speciesism. What right have humans got to eat the flesh or drink the milk of another Earthling?
Not that I don’t agree with you, but apex predator that’s found ways to dominate most other species.
Are they different to the ones killed to grow feed for animals?
no but meat eaters don't wail on about not killing animals while eating food that has required the killing of many animals
One for the herbivores...
I just made/am currently consuming this: http://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/authentic-greek-fava-recipe-yellow-split-peas-puree/
Ultranom!
Vegan for 9 days now. Food has been great, have eaten really well. Have a stinky, stinky cold now though. I rarely get colds!
Thumbs up! (to the OP, not the cold). What was yr favourite meal so far? Least favourite?
Plenty fruit/vit C? And don't forget to eat yr greens!
Get well soon look fwd to updates.
Loads of veg, and I mean loads! Made really tasty vegan chilli, a bolognase and a curry all with some sort of bean, lentils or chickpeas. Did a vegan BBQ on Sunday and made cauliflower steaks, very nice! Inch thick slices of cauli drizzled with olive oil, Malden salt, pepper and chilli flakes then thrown on a super hot BBQ. Worst thing so far Linda McCartney farmhouse pies, very disappointing. Eating lots of porridge made with soya milk, sultanas and almond flakes for breakfast and homemade soups for lunch.
if you can find em (holland and barrett or morrison's, or ocado are best bets), then Fry's pies are better than the linda mccartney ones. the pepper steak ones in particular.
also, almond or oat milk makes better porridge too, in my experience.
but good on you! veggie chillies, curries and whatnot are so easy, nutritious and damn tasty too! my go-to curry is spinach, chickpea and mushroom. easy enough to wing it on the spice blends too.
^. +1 Frys stuff. Their frozen schnitzels* make a better 'fast food fix' chicken-burger than 99% of actual chicken burgers IMO
[img] 
[/img]
Cooked in oven, then in a burger bun topped with lettuce, fresh toms, ground pepper and vegan garlic mayo (I use Plamil brand, or else homemade aquafaba one if can be arsed)
Have to limit self with these as would eat 'fast food' every day other 😳
20 days. Lost 6lbs. Food tasty. Missing eggs but not much else.
Just shows that calorie restriction works.
Well done, and hopefully it’s still easy to stick with over the year.
Last day of Veganuary today and I've decided to stay vegan. Feel great and my conscience is clear. Nothing died a painful death to feed me.
Anybody considering trying Vegan, watch 'Land of Hope and Glory' on Youtube.
Well done, takes some effort.
The next hard bit is not buying any leather goods (i.e. shoes) and other materials so nothings dies a painful death to cloth you
Cheapest eating month ever for me. No booze or sweets either - had a banana on Saturday that tasted like heaven :). A bit of abstinence now and then makes you appreciate the good stuff.
Vegbruary is harder to say, but won't be any harder to achieve.
Okay so I've been vege for 30 years, every now and again I get pangs of guilt at the amount of dairy I consume... I stopped having milk on cereal etc about 15 years ago but I still have it in Tea. So what is the best milk replacement for a nice cup of tea (ah go on)?
Not interested in some herby tea or warmed up fruit cordial, I like a proper Northern cup of Tea.
Ta.
How can you ell if someone is a Vegan.....?
Just wait they will tell you. Why is that?
Tried it for a week found it impossible, pulses play havoc with my digestive system.
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 0.8rem;">So what is the best milk replacement for a nice cup of tea (ah go on)?</span>
<p style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; line-height: 1.2em; color: #444444;">Not interested in some herby tea or warmed up fruit cordial, I like a proper <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12.8px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">Northern cup of Tea.</p>
A proper cup of tea has cow's milk in it, sorry. Soy milk never quite tastes right - it's drinkable, and I dare say you'd get used to it over time, but it's not right. You could also drink it black - but again it's not a proper cup of tea.
Fair play and good on you.
The thug kitchen book looks interesting.
Not veggie or Vehan but regularly cook veggie meals. Quite often have friends round who are veggie or vegan. So may be worth a look for some new things.
I find it odd that people struggle so much cooking without meat.
Easy to make veg&pulse based curry/stew/stir fry or pasta etc.
We use Morrisons sweetened Soya milk in our tea. Can't taste the difference. If out with no Soya then I take it black.
Good for you ermmm lambchop and I mean that.
🥓
Nice one lambchop, I tried it for a month almost 6 years ago after being long term veggie and it just really clicked with me. I never think of it as giving stuff up, just eating differently. Other people are the hardest part 😉