I need help becoming a vegan! How can I do it?
I am a 16 year old male, on my schools Cross Country team and Track team and I need help becoming a vegan. I have been a vegetarian for ten years but I was a vegan for 5 years of my life (8 yrs old to 13 yrs old). The reason I had to stop being a vegan was because my doctor told me that I wasn't getting the essential nutrients to grow strong and healthy. But I am 16 now and I think I am smart enough to get the vitamins and nutrients I need from a plant based diet. But I have a slight problem. I am the only vegetarian in my family. And they don't really support my vegetarianism. They always throw meat in my face and they sometimes sneak bacon in my breakfast. And I cook for myself (my mom sometimes cooks for me). But my parents told me that they won't get me any extra things to cook for myself. So I have to use the things at home. I don't have a job which is a problem, but I don't have a problem getting one. So what I want to know is if I should wait till I am in college to go vegan or just go vegan now. I think it is important for me to go vegan, I know it is the right thing for me to do. I am doing this for a diet but I am also doing it for the animals. So I would like to know what you guys think I should do. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and thank you for your answers in advance!
Update:The reason I don't have job is that I don't have my license yet and I am going to be extremely busy with school this coming year. I will have to find the time ( which doesn't bug me) but it won't be easy.
Answers & Comments
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Sounds like my house! Goodluck
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/vegetarian-starter-... is the way to go. However, being that you're still growing at 16, if you don't have access to a variety of vegetarian foods and your parents don't support you, now is perhaps not the best time. It's not worth robbing your body of nutrition now.
I couldn't be vegetarian until I was able to go to college. My parents put meat in everything, and wouldn't let me cook for myself as that was a waste of the food they made for me. It was easier to minimize my meat intake by making my own breakfast (they never ate breakfast) and get veggie lunches at school and just pick and avoid meat where I could for dinner. I'm in my 30's now and my dad still doesn't support me being vegetarian.
At the end of the day, if you feel good about it and it know that its the right thing for you, I say stick to it. I personally am awed at your diligence for sticking to it, inspite of facing so many roadblocks.
There are amazing Vegan recipes that would make even a meat eater drool, not speaking of being extremely nutritious and low fat ( and making the environment better!). For example : Vegan Sloppy Joes: http://chefinyou.com/2009/10/vegan-sloppy-joe-reci...
There are many other lip smacking recipes here that you might like - http://chefinyou.com/recipes/special-diets/vegan/
You eat what you want and don't eat what you don't want. There are plenty of normal foods that qualify. But if your parents don't buy vegetables, beans and stuff like that, you'll probably need to opt to get that job. Wondering why, if it's not a problem, you don't already have one.
Hey I hope these help clear some things up
http://www.veganhealth.org/
Danny Dalton RAW VEGAN BODYBUILDER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbEUHCU_GtM&list=FL...
Alicia Silverstone TALKING ABOUT HER VEGANISM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA2CWnJ8j-k&list=FL...
GUY PUTTING IT STRAIGHT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGeQEB_7dO8&list=FL...
GROWING WHEATGRASS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2_lL4PTJ70&list=FL...
VEGAN PRESENTATION the real truth (HOUR LONG) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TlHcEcUWUE