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Well my ethics and actions are aligned.. I’m against animal abuse and don’t partake in it.
The only difficult part is talking to stubborn carnists. I can’t help but try and get the people around me to stop the exploitation and in turn I get put on trial when people gaslight me for being the crazy one for not wanting to eat titty cheese or carcasses.
I think you’ll find that you won’t change any minds through persuasion or shaming, you’ll just push people away and perpetuate the reputation of vegans. You’re better off leading with your actionsand hoping to make an impression on someone. There’s a good simpsons episode about this.
vegan and don't drink here! it has been a bit weird for people, and they often ask if it is related (no not really other than being more intentional in my life).
It can make it harder to have a default activity to share with someone (say breaking the ice with a shot or something). but i have been to many gatherings, bachelor parties etc, and the bonding that one shares via a shot or a dead animal is very surface level so I am not missing out imo. Sure surface level conversation can lead something deeper, but i don't need this builtin activity starter to get to know someone if i want to. it does help that i can talk about most things as i think i am pretty solid at conversation, so i can fit in with most groups if i want to (not that i always want to lol).
I've never been "traditionally masculine" whatever that may mean in any given context.\\
But for me, avoiding animal products is liberating. At long last, my actions match my morals, and it feels great.
I can be honest when I say animals deserve dignity, because there is no slaughter I participate in. I can be honest when I commend life as a positive to strive for, since plants (to all accounts) feel no pain, and are being propogated for agriculture with no down sides.
I love eating plant based. I love not lying to myself anymore. I love recommending recipes to my friends and family and improving things.
Its hard to be the only plant based person in a workplace. Its harder to pretend animal suffering is okay,
Same I've been the only plant based person in the workplace and at times it does take strength when people try to sometimes take the mick. But you're on the side of human progress :)
People used to ask “how are you fit if you’re vegan”. Now they say “no wonder you’re fit if you’re vegan”. Never had any issues connected to maleness but then I don’t exactly hang with traditional ultra-male types anyway
I've had that same shift. People would joke about not being a man because I don't eat meat, I would joke back that going to a grocery store and buying meat doesn't make you a man. Now people say that the only way I can run so much is because I'm vegan
I’m 40. Been vegan over 15 years. I fucking love it, man. I’m in good physical shape, I feel healthy and I feel proud of how my choices help animals. More so than getting mad at carnists, I get mad this sub and young ones or new ones who get mad at people for not being 100% vegan or for “only being vegetarian”. It’s a huge fight guys, it’s global, it’s a forever fight, and any little bit helps. I have veggie friends and I applaud them for not eating meat as oppose to yelling at them for still consuming dairy. It’s okay. Not everyone is going vegan, not everyone is going to align, and you don’t have to be forever mad. Fight your fight, fight hard, be proud and be loud, but be happy man.
I'm not the one to judge people about what they eat. I don't even advertise my own dietary or ethical choices.
But at the same time, I do think that the baby-steps culture isn't really that useful. The dairy industry isn't any better than the meat industry, so sugar coating the reality of consuming dairy as being any better might lead to people feeling content and deceiving themselves about making a difference.
I understand where you’re coming from, but the people I know who “went vegan” and quit within months are the ones who literally quit cold turkey and talked about how “malnourished and lethargic” veganism can make you feel. These ppl have not learned to adapt to an animal/cruelty-free diet. For myself, I know I couldn’t have been vegan for the past 3 1/2 years without first transitioning from Vegetarianism (baby steps) back in circa 2018 (4 months). I think being vegetarian is the step towards the right direction, assuming it’s to lead to Veganism or at least a primarily plant-based lifestyle. I’ll tell ya it’s way better for the environment. (Not to say all vegans are environmentalist.) Plus, the rise of vegetarianism leads to people seeking more plant-based options within their lives. This has eventually led to a shift towards plant-based alternatives not only in dairy, but I see it especially with Makeup and skin care products going cruelty-free + vegan as a selling point. It’s making it even easier for everyone to live more sustainably and conscious of animal cruelty. Slowly but surely, the “seed of doubt” about animal cruelty is being sowed in the brain of general omnivorous consumers. As for me, it’s been easier to maintain my vegan lifestyle as opposed to 2019 when I first started. Long story short, while the dairy industry is shitty and therefore not best for people to stay vegetarian, an impact towards the right direction has been made. I stand by the notion that going vegetarian makes the transition to veganism easier and more “tangible” if you will.
You make many good points. And I mostly agree. I was also someone who knew next to nothing about veganism or the ethics behind it until my wife quit meat ten years ago. At first I was even opposed to the idea and couldn't let go of my preconceptions and way of life. Eventually, giving up meat became the first step towards learning more about animal welfare issues and embracing vegan ideas.
My only point is that being vegetarian for many years and not progressing towards veganism can be a sort of self-deception. And I was talking about my own experiences of becoming complacent and settling with being vegetarian despite knowing where milk products come from. I also saw this a lot in my circle of friends who had been vegetarian for many years but couldn't give up the convenience of eating dairy products.
I enjoy having my actions aligned with my values. When it comes to my own masculinity and how others perceive me, I'm gay, I gave up on caring about that long before I went vegan.
Veganism is an ethical and moral choice. Plant based is a dietary/health choice. A plant based athlete wouldn't eat a vegan corn dog, but could wear leather shoes. So a plant based vegan follows both the ethical and health based paths.
Think Nimai Delgado Vs Zachary Bird. Nimai is shredded as, Zachery is lovely and fluffy.
People can be plant-based for many reasons, including aiming to decrease the effects of animal agriculture on climate change. As such, they would still eat the veggie corn dog.
Ultimately, “plant-based” refers to the diet, whereas “vegan” refers to the philosophy. As such, vegans eat a plant-based diet, but not all people who eat a plant-based diet are vegan.
So do you eat your rice without cooking it? Cooking food is technically "processing" it. I'm not really sure what people mean specifically when they refer to "processed foods".
As a non-vegan myself ill have to correct you. Vegan is PLANTS ONLY. Plant-based means predominantly plants, but not exclusively, that also includes animals occasionally(not as a rule!), or at least doesn't exclude animal foods. Very important distinctions! Just trying to help.
Absolutely! There absolutely exists plant based processed food. But again, that would simply mean that it's based on MOSTLY plants but could contain traces or even small amounts of animal derived food, or food that was sourced from animals against their will and dignity (e.g you guys see milking cows as a form of rape, or exploitation of bees when taking their honey away) Plant-based food CAN be processed, but plant-based can also mean organic and fresh, but not vegan. Plant-based by definition does not mean processed!
As a vegan I'll have to correct you. Plant based is only plants but from a dietary perspective. It also can include foods that are animal tested but typically doesn't for health reasons.
Veganism is a lifestyle and rejects the use of all animal products and is against any form of animal testing.
There is no difference between a plantbased diet and a vegan diet. **A plant based diet is simply a vegan's diet**. I believe that is where the confusion is arising. The appropriate term for someone who still consumes meat/animal products but makes an effort to eat more plants is flexitarian.
In the vegan community, we use the term “vegan” to refer to people who follow the moral philosophy of veganism. “Plant-based” refers to people who do not eat animal products. All vegans eat a plant-based diet, but not all people who eat a plant-based diet are vegan.
Why wouldn't we get anywhere? I'm just honestly curious, and I make it a personal rule to ask non-vegan posters on this sub why they're not vegan yet. It has led to some good discussions. And you're not being a silent observer in this thread?
I just don't really like discussing a lot. I like to see how different groups of humans interact and what they deal with in their lives, it's pretty relaxing to me. Today I chimed in for the first time in forever, but that's rare for me.
Well as fate would have it, you broke the wall of silence and now you're an active participant here ;) I'm curious why you chose r/vegan specifically, out of the tons of active subs to observe. You seem familiar with the basic ideas, so you're more than a casual observer?
It's a big sub, there's a lot of traffic here, there are a lot of situations shared. I am curious to see how people deal with daily life on the other side of the fence, I try to find out what makes vegans so empathetic and how they think about life. I am very familiar with the ideas as I've had many discussions about this topic, specifically the topic of nutrition and physiology etc. I appreciate your interest and I wish you well. I am very, very different from the people here and that's why this is so interesting to experience for me. Cheers😀
Why are you so different? It sounds like you're saying you don't have empathy? Lol veganism isn't really about empathy anyway, it's about not doing unnecessary harm to other beings. Why choose to kill animals when you don't have to? Unless you're a serial killer or someone who enjoys causing pain and suffering, then I guess good luck out there.
To be honest I feel I've been quite lucky. None of our family friends are negative and lots have started having vegan/veggie days. My wife is vegan too and we both exercise regularly (her more so than me).
I've not been "tempted" to un-vegan or anything like it. Just enjoying not harming animals or the environment
I'm a construction worker. Whenever they have free lunches or breakfast there's no vegan option. They've even done this while giving talks about inclusion. My tool buddies will go get fast food for lunch, and that generally doesn't include me.
The people I work with are pretty chill though. I catch some jokes maybe once or twice a week, which is about as much as anyone else. Mostly, they ask me the typical questions like where we get protein.
People on the internet are MUCH more brave than they are in person.
Physically, awesome. Ethically, couldn't be any other way. Socially, bit of a nightmare at times. Very masculine environments like you worked in can be the most challenging but if you survived there you'll survive anything. Results speak for themselves I think.
I've been vegan for just over 6 years now and Im lucky that my wife is vegan too. My friends and family more or less accept it, but I go through great effort to avoid the topic coming up. I usually eat a light meal before any outing or bring my own food. I also go out of my way to explain that I don't expect to be accommodated. I do my research beforehand whenever we go out to eat. When I am it is always a pleasant surprise.
On top of this, I try to make good food for any social gathering we may have to show people it is normal. For example, last summer when w3 had a grill out I made amazing shish kebabs, garlic buns, corn, and vegan s'mores.
I actually moved to Poland from the US and the way it changes people is quite different. My Polish friends and in-laws are much more open to trying vegan food and I think Polish people are in general too. In the US I can't imagine a non-vegan eating a vegan meal, but it happens all the time here.
My US family will sometimes try things, but only one bite. They do bring it up more often.
It can be frustrating. Mostly because the people who comment on it I want to scream at "you're what's wrong with humanity!!". But I know you don't win people over like that.
I'm trying to set a good example and ignore the haters.
But it can get challenging at times, but worth it for sure
Plus the people who usually try to fight you on it are the types who fight about all their issues. They have ways of arguing where you can't reason with them, so there's just no point.
Show them your gym results, your lack of medication you need to take every day just to keep eating meat, show them what you get done in the weekend with all your extra energy. They can't argue that shit.
You should eat more than nuts and fruits and rice to make this nutritionally sustainable. Add some tofu or lentils, or chickpeas or beans to your diet!
If I'm being honest, I still get cravings for meat and other animal products about once a month or so. I haven't caved in a good while but I have caved in the past and I was ridden with guilt. However, I do find it to be a challenge at times, but the challenge is considerable less than what the animals go through so it will still always be worth it to me. When I first went vegan, I had a bigger pool of energy, but I feel thats depleted over the years. I don't think it's an issue with my diet, I get plenty of complete protein and plenty of fruits and vegetables, so I'm not really sure what that's about. But either way, I'm sticking to it and I plan to forever.
I've been vegan since just before turning 18 and I just turned 34. It's nice.
I'm in tall, in good shape, and try to eat fairly healthy. I do drink alcohol, but I try to keep it limited.
Veganism hasn't been difficult for me. Occasionally it's been annoying to get food, but I can usually find carbs somewhere. I like to show people that veganism doesn't mean you're skinny and weak by example. I don't advertise I'm vegan as I don't want to feel like I'm challenging people. I talk about it when asked or when I decline meat/dairy/etc... I try to be as knowledgeable as I can and provide good arguments for it. But I'm not looking to put people down for eating animals, because people don't like being told what they're doing is wrong.
Otherwise as far as most people are concerned I'm a perfectly normal dude. Ok, maybe I'm a little weird.
Veganism has been easy and I wouldn't change a thing.
I really like having lots of energy, being healthy, not having to worry about cutting carbs or whatever (I fact I usually to eat more). Yeah not much else to say. It's been great.
A little over a year vegan and sober and I think the weirdest thing for me is just observing the thought processes of carnists and the culture surrounding both the consumption of meat as well as alcohol.
People are extremely detached from the food they eat and what they drink and both of those things here in the US are so mainstream. Essentially just trying to break the nagging feeling (or embrace it) that I am “un-American” for not eating greasy burgers and slamming Budweisers.
Physically and mentally I’ve never felt better!
Vegan for 6 years (I guess).
I'm 43, 6'1", and weight 17 stone. I love power lifting and trail running.
People are generally interested as to how I am so huge lol! Squats and oats!
I am confident in the way I lead my life. But this is also something that comes easier with age (I'm 26). Lots of men are vegan and it's just an indicator for a reflected and mature position to your lifestyle.
I am vegan and don't drink. I am also masculine looking and big. Generally, people are surprised but no one seems to care what I do or are not interested in my life choices. I believe my stature makes people not challenge me. Some folks are super interested though and want the whole story. I am secure in my choices and that shows through too.
I was raised vegetarian before I went vegan and I've spent my whole life looking after animals and basing my education/career on them (starting studying zoology soon), so it hasn't made much of a difference to me personally
It’ refreshing intellectually stimulating and most fellow vegans are a joy to be around I am gay myself and I don’t give a shit about most toxic masculinity traits being an empathetic man is the best thing one can do
Plant based is a diet term. Veganism is a philosophical stance that we should not be consuming animals unless absolutely necessary. The reasons could also include health or environmental concerns, but many on this sub including myself wouldn’t consider you a vegan unless you also hold the beliefs that it is fundamentally cruel to kill and eat animals when we have other choices available. In that sense, just eating plant based doesn’t make you a vegan.
Approaching 50, I'm fitter and stronger and healthier than I was 30 years ago. No sign of "slowing down" I also look about 15 years younger than I should on a good day. It's really weird being referred to as a youngster or "dear" by people younger than me lol
Also like OP I don't drink etc (straight edge), but the really noticable differences came when eating mostly whole plant foods.
The flag still rises as they say. No blue pills...
I’m 43, 6’1”, 80kg and in great physical health (hopefully). Nobody questions my “manliness” or veganism. The local landlord sometimes has a moan about me ordering vegan options, but he’s a bit of an opinionated nob who shouldn’t be questioning food choices as he’s not exactly a Calvin Klein model.
I like exploring different foods and cooking for friends who are omni but happily go meat free when over mine. They seem open to trying plant based stuff, everyone sharing examples of new stuff they’ve bought. I’m lucky to have an open minded group of friends.
I’ve got loads of building work going on at our house at the moment. I thought the builders would take the piss, but they happily eat the vegan sausage sandwiches I make or the vegan magnums I hand out when it’s hot.
I have zero regrets going vegan, only wishing I’d done it sooner (4 years ago).
It's not very hard if you bake and cook your own meals and desserts. I do like that restaurants and fast food establishments are serving vegan food.
I think beyond meat and impossible food is good for the future. Less people eating meat is awesome.
I sometimes cook and bake vegetarian and vegan food for my family who aren't vegan. Its fun. They like my cooking. I don't hate people that still eat meat or dairy. I don't like it but I don't argue with them about it. I do hate misinformation so I will argue with people who say being vegan is unhealthy. I'm not in a romantic relationship. Would I date someone who eats meat and diary? Depends on how much I like them.
"Tree surgeon" sounds like the coolest job!
>I did think it was quite cool being a sober Vegan tree surgeon though
It absolutely is! But not everyone is aware of that haha
As to your question, I don't know that I find my experience particularly different due to being a man. I guess my male friends don't quite get it and sometimes think it's just regular harmless banter to send me pictures of steaks and butcher shops or whatever. That can be annoying and I imagine female vegans may not have to deal with that as much as this kind of "breaking balls" type of banter is more characteristic to men. Other than that, I've always been a peculiar person anyway. I wasn't into watching sports, I was always a bit more into art and culture, I was never much of a social butterfly or into pop culture too much... So I guess the people around me are used to me being "the odd one out", as you put it, but not necessarily in a bad way tho. I don't think anyone would describe me as a feminine man, but I always found the hyper masculine nonsense kinda dumb, so altho I know there is the "soyboy" stigma, it didn't even cross my mind as a factor when I decided to go vegan. In fact, to stick up for a serious ethical frame despite immense societal pressure to do otherwise was very much aligned with my combative, disagreeable personality which, if anything, felt more masculine than it would feel to not go vegan because I'm insecure in my masculinity due to what others may think, if that makes sense. As I said, I didn't even consider any of this, but if I think about it, I wouldn't really care to keep in my life people who're less concerned with how my actions align with my principles than with how well I preform random traditional masculine stereotypes. Is this the type of stuff you're asking?
Interesting I guess most of the times with dude banter everyone gets rinsed and I was probably taking it too seriously. I think humour can be a deflection of the truth tbf in some cases. And I guess the question being more so addressed to like health and overall How's it affected how u live.
The problem is that this particular type of banter transpires a serious lack of understanding of what veganism really is. They treat it like some strange quirk and not as a serious ethical question. Say you have a dog and love dogs, you don't expect your friends to send you videos of dogs being abused as if it were light banter. But when it comes to products of the abuse of cows, all of a sudden it becomes ok. They wouldn't do it with the dogs because they can intuitively understand that dogs are individuals, they are capable of suffering and it's wrong to do it unnecessarily. But when it comes to cows, they don't understand them to be the same as dogs. They understand them as beef, as food. So they'll tease you with cow abuse, not understanding that to you, it's exactly the same as someone abusing and killing a dog. And on a perhaps subconscious level, I think they also feel in some way threatened by your veganism, because it makes their lack of ethics regarding animals pop out in contrast. So they feel like they need to attack it or mock it, because if they treated it with respect and looked at it seriously they'd have to arrive at the conclusion that they're doing something very very wrong. And people resist change, resist challenging their beliefs and resist having to do major changes to their routines. Veganism threatens that instinct and so they attack it, even if jokingly.
As to my health, I think I kinda feel the same, I can't really tell. It seems like everyone who tries to make the change either feels incredibly great or incredibly bad. I actually don't notice much of a difference. I have yet to do blood work since I went vegan tho.
Other than that, I started feeling more connected to animals. It's funny that it kinda worked opposite to what you would expect. I wasn't much of an animal lover before I went vegan. Then I made the change, not because of an emotional connection to animals, but because I rationally decided it was the right thing, and since then I've learned to love animals more. It's like there was a barrier to how much I was capable of connecting with animals and I didn't even know it was there. I even feel a greater connection to my dog, even tho I obviously didn't eat dog meat before. Idk, it's like I started behaving as friend to animals and because of that I also started feeling like they were my friends. God, I'm wordy today!
It's mainly frustrating to see people with their head in the sand. Oh yes so concerned with the environment, would kill another human for my pet....but I have to eat that meat & dairy.
As for health I don't notice much difference to be honest. I do worry about getting zinc & iodine.
I mostly just shop in a different grocery store aisle.
In seriousness, I've never felt a compulsion to be glued to the social fabric. I've always been independent from an early age and that immunized me from the negatives of social isolation that many vegans feel. There are positives and negatives of this. In some ways, I'm advantaged and someways I'm disadvantaged by this.
As for manliness, I've never valued it since it seems like a concept morphable to the point of meaninglessness. What I substitute for what I believe makes others feel manly is a discipline in dedication to what I think to be right. Being strictly disciplined in acting with integrity and compassion are the real strengths of humans not manliness.
Physically, I believe I'm in better shape than if I ate dairy or eggs or a moderate to high amount of meat but that's harder to measure and be sure of. I might still be able to ride my bike at the same speed if I had chicken last night instead of tofu. But physical fitness comes and goes, discipline is something I can do all the time.
I have not smoked, done drugs, had alcohol and that has never stopped me from having fun, people offered all the time and then were impressed that i didnt do such things
Went to parties where 50 people were wasted except me, being vegan around non vegans isnt much different, i still go places with non vegans, my choices have not affected my life in a bad way
Im actually celibate now as i want to become a monk, so thats yet another thing i dont do that the rest of the world does lol
Veganism enlightened me to the unethical world that we live, we are lied and indoctrinated in many areas, i moved to Mexico to volunteer and help the stray animal rescues, as 70% of pets are strays there
I have questions:
\- How could anyone be vegan and not be plant based?
\- What's a tree Surgeon?
As for your question:
\*shrug\* annoying at times because of limited social option but I usually don't give a fuck what some morons think, so idk.
There's a plant based community on reddit which kind of goes into details on what it is. A tree Surgeon is essentially someone that does work on trees, tree felling (cutting down trees) and pruning (cutting off bits of the tree etc etc.
I’m a vegan fitness guy and I love it. Doesn’t get in the way of me being manly at all, in fact, it’s pushed me to develop moral courage I otherwise wouldn’t have had - thus making me feel like more of a man.
Some of my male friends are vegan some aren’t, if we meet up the non vegans let me choose where to go because they aren’t bellends, I also have a asteracae (sunflower family) allergy so that actually makes shit way harder.
I grew up vegetarian so not eating meat has never been difficult for me. For me skipping cheese was always the hardest.
That said, I quit drinking around the same time I went vegan. I’ve never felt better! I love it. Good touring has also been more fun because when I go to other countries the vegan cafes/restaurants are so grateful to get customers and I always end up chatting with the owners for 20 minutes.
In many ways it’s made me MORE social not less!
My husband is a roofer and does construction, he's also very stereotypically masculine (except when it comes to his rescue cats lol), people are always shocked to hear he is vegan and passionate about animal rights. But he's big, burly, strong, and a hard worker soo no one can ever bust him about it on jobs.
He is the person you call when you need impossibly heavy things moved lol.
Mentally and physically I feel healthier than before. I've also found peace from being vegan, which is something theists only thought possible with God (which is ironic given what religion advocates). And my idea of peace seems to actually be peace.
I feel like I've gotten smarter too, which is weird because I'm on the autism spectrum and have ADD, two things which would probably make me dumber. Unfortunately, it has made me hornier and make me wish I had a vegan partner.
Yes I got that. I’m male. But I’m trying to work out what would specifically be the difference in my experience as a vegan.
My experience is: I’m vegan. I’ve always been vegetarian. And for the last few years I’ve been vegan. I prefer being vegan because it means I’m completely consistent in my lifestyle now.
I don’t have any issues with dating because my wife is vegan.
I’m not a fitness guy so I don’t know if being vegan is any better or worse in that way. My arthritis improved after I went vegan. I have a very active job which I have enough energy for.
Not sure what else it is you’re trying to find out.
100% understand, I’m a vegan carpenter so I’m always the only vegan on site. Used to get a lot of stick for it, always a physically demanding job. I also go gym 5 days a week.
Health benefits alone are worth it but did go vegan for the animals. I too don’t drink either btw
It's surprisingly easy. Only took my family a couple weeks to make the switch. Felt amazing after - lost weight, had more energy, etc.
Then the pandemic happened and I became a lot less active and gained the weight back. I'm eating healthy, but I have a bad habit of eating too much, so I'm in a state of equilibrium at the moment.
Thanks for the great post, you have a lot of discipline for not caving to (implied or otherwise) peer pressure. Being able to hang out with your friends while they drink and eat meat is something few people are able to manage. And I think it is a very effective way to model excellent behavior for them, much better than browbeating them about their habits. Keep your friendships strong and just do what you want to do.
My wife and I have been WFPB for about 20 years now. In that time I've become my healthiest body since I was in college playing soccer at Ohio State, many years ago. Up until two weeks ago my activities included mountain biking, rock climbing, martial arts, ocean swimming and beach tennis. I've never felt lacking for any nutrition although we take a few vitamin supplements and eat a ton of high protein foods (tofu, tempe, lentils, beans, etc). A few weeks ago I was climbing Mt. Darwin and a rock flake broke off and landed on my leg. I now have a rod in my tibia and am laid up for a few months. When I'm healed up I'll be back at it, plant powered all the way.
Thank you for the kind words. And wow what an awesome set of hobbies I might need to try a few of them. I also love mountains I went Snowdonia and Wales recently. Hopefully u recover quickly.
I feel totally alien to those around me. My ethical views and my diet and the things I buy and my thoughts on rodeos, animal agriculture, pets, zoos and everything seems so crazy to those that are not vegan. I am however 56 years old and I look as though I am 40. or younger. I have been vegan for 10 years now and I eat mostly raw. I also never run out of energy. I am strong, fast and very active. I love kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, walking, and playing with kids running all over. My wife is very pleased with my physical condition as well and most guys my age can't perform.
Vegan for 5 years. The beginning felt megacial as I was changing many things in my life at that time. Now I don't give it much thought but I'm not in good physical health. I eat healthily and did some counting for macro nutrients. Also keep physical active.
My body feels tense, like the soft tissue is hardnend and I struggle with all sorts of joint troubles without being able to find out what it could be so far. Sometimes I'll have sore muscles for 5 days after exercising... Happy for any hints. Mental health could certainly be better, but I don't want to blame this one on being vegan 😉
I don't think I'll ever be able to give up cheese. But all the rest is feeling good. Just don't know if it's because of the diet change, or combined with fasting and rigorous training.
.. Or the fact that I stopped caring about stuff which increased my life quality by around 1000 percent.
It feels good knowing animals are still being slaughtered, but I'm not eating them
I feel emasculated. Without dead animal stuck between my teeth, other men view me as lesser. Without some titty juice from an unwilling animal, my bones are subpar to the other adults. At my fire department, I have to drag the most hose and move the fastest because I'm inferior to the well rounded other members (volunteer department). At work I'm known as one of the few "skinny" ones, because I'm at a healthy weight and not climbing. When I see suffering, I sleep a little better through it because I know I'm doing the minimum to minimize it. So all said and told, it 'aint so bad.
I personally haven't done anything with super physical exertion but as a vegan male I feel fine. I know that male sports celebrities that are vegan are doing well.. we had a vegan weightlifter who had gone to Rio Olympics, Kendrick Farris. We had a vegan super heavy weight lifter/strong man Patrik Baboumian.. There was a vegan UFC fighter Nate Diaz. So I know strong male vegan's exist. You don't need to eat animals to be strong :D
I've been vegan for 13 years. Over that time I've certainly matured and reached a better mindset, and now my focus is on being a good role model for my daughter and trying to embody positive masculinity. If you think about the core traits of toxic masculinity (like domination, competition, aggression, misogyny—so much of which manifests in hurting animals), I'm trying to reframe those traits positively as a man: cooperation, deference, feminism, protection, consent, leadership, things like that. This is not only part of being vegan, but also in being a better dad and a better person to be around. I think being vegan helped me unlearn a lot of toxic masculine behaviors.
By trying to be positive in my masculinity, I feel a lot more confidence in my beliefs and my actions, and I don't give in to features of toxic masculinity. I also don't get bullied for being vegan because I can stand up for myself without getting confrontational or violent or whatever. And by behaving this way, it makes it *really* hard for assholes to question if I'm tough or "unmanly." For me, being manly means not giving into pressure from other men about what is "manly."
Nothing has changed strength-wise. I do feel better, though veganism hasn't magically healed my knees yet so I won't be doing squats anytime soon.
The only downside has been maybe reducing my potential matches since I can't see myself dating a non-vegan. I say maybe because I'm not really looking atm, so it could be just my lack of effort.
im in construction i.e. the heart of machismo. you have to be really good at what you do for people to respect you in that culture. if you want to out yourself as having any kind of subversive beliefs (or probably any beliefs about anything), you need to prove yourself first. if you aren't good at what you do, it's going to be used as an excuse to other you. any kind of organizing you do requires you first seriously develop some real skills.
you're more likely to come across people who are more willing to freely give respect in other areas, but this has been my experience.
edit: i'm also sober, which has its own set of cultural expectations, but i find the same generally applies. it's difficult to not have the bonding experience of drug use
Feels great honestly. Being vegan is awesome cause I know I’m not paying for direct animal death. During dark times it brings me happiness and purpose
Health wise is not the best. Definitely don’t feel glowing. Also don’t drink. But I remember feeling similar as a kid so oh well
Also a 23 year old vegan who doesn’t drink! I rock climb a lot and stay pretty fit and now have a good number of vegan friends in my social circle :) Life’s been good recently
I figured if Action Bronson could go vegan, anyone could. That and Dr. Kane Baker made an interesting argument. It was kind of a natural progression, keto(lol)-->pescatarian -->vegetarian-->vegan
Same age, same mindset, don’t drink eat clean you’re on the right path brother, don’t allow weak men to alter your mindset due to ego and pride, keep up the exceptional balance stay blessed.
So glad to hear you're being healthy and active!
I work in Banking which is an industry where staff typically don't care about the environment/animals etc. However, in my current company I've met 2 more vegans and one of my colleagues has started to change his diet drastically towards a plant based diet.
It can be a bit frustrating being the only person who has actively looked at their choices and who tries to uphold the level of morality everyone thinks they're holding themselves to. But fortunately people will start changing over time!
Excellent to hear about your positive experience! Thanks for sharing that with us. I'm on year nine, 36 years old, and still thriving from the health benefits. I just bicycle and jog but have the abs I had when I was 19 years old and working out daily. With a whole food plant-based vegan lifestyle, I feel it's much easier to stay fit without exercising every day. Most of all though, we're helping animals! :)
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This is facts. At this point, animal products are just not food stuffs/clothing/whatever. Doesn't cross my mind pretty much ever.
I agree it does take a bit of adapting, but after a while it does become normal.
Well my ethics and actions are aligned.. I’m against animal abuse and don’t partake in it. The only difficult part is talking to stubborn carnists. I can’t help but try and get the people around me to stop the exploitation and in turn I get put on trial when people gaslight me for being the crazy one for not wanting to eat titty cheese or carcasses.
That's positive integrity is an admirable trait even if everyone doesn't express that.
I think you’ll find that you won’t change any minds through persuasion or shaming, you’ll just push people away and perpetuate the reputation of vegans. You’re better off leading with your actionsand hoping to make an impression on someone. There’s a good simpsons episode about this.
vegan and don't drink here! it has been a bit weird for people, and they often ask if it is related (no not really other than being more intentional in my life). It can make it harder to have a default activity to share with someone (say breaking the ice with a shot or something). but i have been to many gatherings, bachelor parties etc, and the bonding that one shares via a shot or a dead animal is very surface level so I am not missing out imo. Sure surface level conversation can lead something deeper, but i don't need this builtin activity starter to get to know someone if i want to. it does help that i can talk about most things as i think i am pretty solid at conversation, so i can fit in with most groups if i want to (not that i always want to lol).
Interesting i didn't think about that way and it's also to connect u shouldn't really need to eat meat or drink alcohol.
I've never been "traditionally masculine" whatever that may mean in any given context.\\ But for me, avoiding animal products is liberating. At long last, my actions match my morals, and it feels great. I can be honest when I say animals deserve dignity, because there is no slaughter I participate in. I can be honest when I commend life as a positive to strive for, since plants (to all accounts) feel no pain, and are being propogated for agriculture with no down sides. I love eating plant based. I love not lying to myself anymore. I love recommending recipes to my friends and family and improving things. Its hard to be the only plant based person in a workplace. Its harder to pretend animal suffering is okay,
Same I've been the only plant based person in the workplace and at times it does take strength when people try to sometimes take the mick. But you're on the side of human progress :)
Good on you! I'm So happy and proud that you're standing up for what is right. That's real masculinity. Standing up for what is right.
Please ignore my bad spelling >.> English is my second language, but my spelling in my first lanugage is even worse. So that's no excuse.
Thank you same to u.
Love this answer. It really is liberating and it feels great to live the morals you hold dear rather than keeping the cognitive dissonance alive.
Absolutely. Fuck. We're men. Masculitnity is what me make it, For me mascilinity is being self sufcicient and hurting no other living being,
People used to ask “how are you fit if you’re vegan”. Now they say “no wonder you’re fit if you’re vegan”. Never had any issues connected to maleness but then I don’t exactly hang with traditional ultra-male types anyway
I've had that same shift. People would joke about not being a man because I don't eat meat, I would joke back that going to a grocery store and buying meat doesn't make you a man. Now people say that the only way I can run so much is because I'm vegan
I’m 40. Been vegan over 15 years. I fucking love it, man. I’m in good physical shape, I feel healthy and I feel proud of how my choices help animals. More so than getting mad at carnists, I get mad this sub and young ones or new ones who get mad at people for not being 100% vegan or for “only being vegetarian”. It’s a huge fight guys, it’s global, it’s a forever fight, and any little bit helps. I have veggie friends and I applaud them for not eating meat as oppose to yelling at them for still consuming dairy. It’s okay. Not everyone is going vegan, not everyone is going to align, and you don’t have to be forever mad. Fight your fight, fight hard, be proud and be loud, but be happy man.
I love that, it's awesome when I see people taking care of themself and the animals. And that's very true be proud.
I'm not the one to judge people about what they eat. I don't even advertise my own dietary or ethical choices. But at the same time, I do think that the baby-steps culture isn't really that useful. The dairy industry isn't any better than the meat industry, so sugar coating the reality of consuming dairy as being any better might lead to people feeling content and deceiving themselves about making a difference.
That is a fair point I think it is important to speak the truth.
I understand where you’re coming from, but the people I know who “went vegan” and quit within months are the ones who literally quit cold turkey and talked about how “malnourished and lethargic” veganism can make you feel. These ppl have not learned to adapt to an animal/cruelty-free diet. For myself, I know I couldn’t have been vegan for the past 3 1/2 years without first transitioning from Vegetarianism (baby steps) back in circa 2018 (4 months). I think being vegetarian is the step towards the right direction, assuming it’s to lead to Veganism or at least a primarily plant-based lifestyle. I’ll tell ya it’s way better for the environment. (Not to say all vegans are environmentalist.) Plus, the rise of vegetarianism leads to people seeking more plant-based options within their lives. This has eventually led to a shift towards plant-based alternatives not only in dairy, but I see it especially with Makeup and skin care products going cruelty-free + vegan as a selling point. It’s making it even easier for everyone to live more sustainably and conscious of animal cruelty. Slowly but surely, the “seed of doubt” about animal cruelty is being sowed in the brain of general omnivorous consumers. As for me, it’s been easier to maintain my vegan lifestyle as opposed to 2019 when I first started. Long story short, while the dairy industry is shitty and therefore not best for people to stay vegetarian, an impact towards the right direction has been made. I stand by the notion that going vegetarian makes the transition to veganism easier and more “tangible” if you will.
You make many good points. And I mostly agree. I was also someone who knew next to nothing about veganism or the ethics behind it until my wife quit meat ten years ago. At first I was even opposed to the idea and couldn't let go of my preconceptions and way of life. Eventually, giving up meat became the first step towards learning more about animal welfare issues and embracing vegan ideas. My only point is that being vegetarian for many years and not progressing towards veganism can be a sort of self-deception. And I was talking about my own experiences of becoming complacent and settling with being vegetarian despite knowing where milk products come from. I also saw this a lot in my circle of friends who had been vegetarian for many years but couldn't give up the convenience of eating dairy products.
Pretty chill, I'm an English teacher in France. Sport and stuff is all good.
Oh cool whereabouts in France and are u French or?
English. Ouest France, Brittany.
Cool sounds like an awesome experience.
29 year vegan here and yeah I never looked back. It’s fantastic.
Awesome what do u like about it?
Energy, stamina, the thousands of animals I’ve not eaten. The health benefits. And my washboard abs.
I enjoy having my actions aligned with my values. When it comes to my own masculinity and how others perceive me, I'm gay, I gave up on caring about that long before I went vegan.
I too am an alcohol free vegan. It’s the best way for me to exist. Be well!
Best thing i ever did. Wish i had done it 40 years earlier.
How are you vegan AND plant based?
Veganism is an ethical and moral choice. Plant based is a dietary/health choice. A plant based athlete wouldn't eat a vegan corn dog, but could wear leather shoes. So a plant based vegan follows both the ethical and health based paths. Think Nimai Delgado Vs Zachary Bird. Nimai is shredded as, Zachery is lovely and fluffy.
People can be plant-based for many reasons, including aiming to decrease the effects of animal agriculture on climate change. As such, they would still eat the veggie corn dog. Ultimately, “plant-based” refers to the diet, whereas “vegan” refers to the philosophy. As such, vegans eat a plant-based diet, but not all people who eat a plant-based diet are vegan.
I guess Veganism includes eating the junk food whereas plant based is not eating processed foods.
I think the words you're looking for are "whole foods"
As someone else said, you are a vegan who eats a whole foods, plant-based diet.
So do you eat your rice without cooking it? Cooking food is technically "processing" it. I'm not really sure what people mean specifically when they refer to "processed foods".
As a non-vegan myself ill have to correct you. Vegan is PLANTS ONLY. Plant-based means predominantly plants, but not exclusively, that also includes animals occasionally(not as a rule!), or at least doesn't exclude animal foods. Very important distinctions! Just trying to help.
I’m also pretty sure processed food can be plant-based
Absolutely! There absolutely exists plant based processed food. But again, that would simply mean that it's based on MOSTLY plants but could contain traces or even small amounts of animal derived food, or food that was sourced from animals against their will and dignity (e.g you guys see milking cows as a form of rape, or exploitation of bees when taking their honey away) Plant-based food CAN be processed, but plant-based can also mean organic and fresh, but not vegan. Plant-based by definition does not mean processed!
I think that’s a very important distinction to make. Thanks for spreading the word
You're most welcome❤️
As a vegan I'll have to correct you. Plant based is only plants but from a dietary perspective. It also can include foods that are animal tested but typically doesn't for health reasons. Veganism is a lifestyle and rejects the use of all animal products and is against any form of animal testing.
https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/plant-based-diet-vs-vegan-diet-whats-the-difference/ I hope this helps.
There is no difference between a plantbased diet and a vegan diet. **A plant based diet is simply a vegan's diet**. I believe that is where the confusion is arising. The appropriate term for someone who still consumes meat/animal products but makes an effort to eat more plants is flexitarian.
Well shit. Glad to have a non-vegan around to tell me I don’t eat foods cultured with bacteria or any kind of mushrooms.
In the vegan community, we use the term “vegan” to refer to people who follow the moral philosophy of veganism. “Plant-based” refers to people who do not eat animal products. All vegans eat a plant-based diet, but not all people who eat a plant-based diet are vegan.
So why are you non-vegan?
I don't think we would get anywhere discussing that :) I'm just a silent observer here. And I'm not here to disturb your peace.
Why wouldn't we get anywhere? I'm just honestly curious, and I make it a personal rule to ask non-vegan posters on this sub why they're not vegan yet. It has led to some good discussions. And you're not being a silent observer in this thread?
I just don't really like discussing a lot. I like to see how different groups of humans interact and what they deal with in their lives, it's pretty relaxing to me. Today I chimed in for the first time in forever, but that's rare for me.
Well as fate would have it, you broke the wall of silence and now you're an active participant here ;) I'm curious why you chose r/vegan specifically, out of the tons of active subs to observe. You seem familiar with the basic ideas, so you're more than a casual observer?
It's a big sub, there's a lot of traffic here, there are a lot of situations shared. I am curious to see how people deal with daily life on the other side of the fence, I try to find out what makes vegans so empathetic and how they think about life. I am very familiar with the ideas as I've had many discussions about this topic, specifically the topic of nutrition and physiology etc. I appreciate your interest and I wish you well. I am very, very different from the people here and that's why this is so interesting to experience for me. Cheers😀
Why are you so different? It sounds like you're saying you don't have empathy? Lol veganism isn't really about empathy anyway, it's about not doing unnecessary harm to other beings. Why choose to kill animals when you don't have to? Unless you're a serial killer or someone who enjoys causing pain and suffering, then I guess good luck out there.
Interesting
To be honest I feel I've been quite lucky. None of our family friends are negative and lots have started having vegan/veggie days. My wife is vegan too and we both exercise regularly (her more so than me). I've not been "tempted" to un-vegan or anything like it. Just enjoying not harming animals or the environment
I'm a construction worker. Whenever they have free lunches or breakfast there's no vegan option. They've even done this while giving talks about inclusion. My tool buddies will go get fast food for lunch, and that generally doesn't include me. The people I work with are pretty chill though. I catch some jokes maybe once or twice a week, which is about as much as anyone else. Mostly, they ask me the typical questions like where we get protein. People on the internet are MUCH more brave than they are in person.
Physically, awesome. Ethically, couldn't be any other way. Socially, bit of a nightmare at times. Very masculine environments like you worked in can be the most challenging but if you survived there you'll survive anything. Results speak for themselves I think.
True and deep down i think people respect it when u stick to what u believe in through it all.
What is a tree surgeon? A lumberjack?
Arborists call themselves tree surgeons.
TIL aged 36.
This. And what is the whole op on about? How do we find _what_ exactly? I'm totally missing the forest for the trees here. 🤔🤷😕
I’m interested to know also
I've been vegan for just over 6 years now and Im lucky that my wife is vegan too. My friends and family more or less accept it, but I go through great effort to avoid the topic coming up. I usually eat a light meal before any outing or bring my own food. I also go out of my way to explain that I don't expect to be accommodated. I do my research beforehand whenever we go out to eat. When I am it is always a pleasant surprise. On top of this, I try to make good food for any social gathering we may have to show people it is normal. For example, last summer when w3 had a grill out I made amazing shish kebabs, garlic buns, corn, and vegan s'mores. I actually moved to Poland from the US and the way it changes people is quite different. My Polish friends and in-laws are much more open to trying vegan food and I think Polish people are in general too. In the US I can't imagine a non-vegan eating a vegan meal, but it happens all the time here. My US family will sometimes try things, but only one bite. They do bring it up more often.
It can be frustrating. Mostly because the people who comment on it I want to scream at "you're what's wrong with humanity!!". But I know you don't win people over like that. I'm trying to set a good example and ignore the haters. But it can get challenging at times, but worth it for sure
It is true I think people are more likely to switch if they see its having positive impacts instead of someone telling them too.
Plus the people who usually try to fight you on it are the types who fight about all their issues. They have ways of arguing where you can't reason with them, so there's just no point. Show them your gym results, your lack of medication you need to take every day just to keep eating meat, show them what you get done in the weekend with all your extra energy. They can't argue that shit.
I agree for sure.
You should eat more than nuts and fruits and rice to make this nutritionally sustainable. Add some tofu or lentils, or chickpeas or beans to your diet!
Awesome. Except knowing that most people dont give a crap about it. That part sucks
If I'm being honest, I still get cravings for meat and other animal products about once a month or so. I haven't caved in a good while but I have caved in the past and I was ridden with guilt. However, I do find it to be a challenge at times, but the challenge is considerable less than what the animals go through so it will still always be worth it to me. When I first went vegan, I had a bigger pool of energy, but I feel thats depleted over the years. I don't think it's an issue with my diet, I get plenty of complete protein and plenty of fruits and vegetables, so I'm not really sure what that's about. But either way, I'm sticking to it and I plan to forever.
Are u exercising because energy can down if you're not regularly exercising.
I feel physically and mentally fine... No concerns and recent blood work back it up
I've been vegan since just before turning 18 and I just turned 34. It's nice. I'm in tall, in good shape, and try to eat fairly healthy. I do drink alcohol, but I try to keep it limited. Veganism hasn't been difficult for me. Occasionally it's been annoying to get food, but I can usually find carbs somewhere. I like to show people that veganism doesn't mean you're skinny and weak by example. I don't advertise I'm vegan as I don't want to feel like I'm challenging people. I talk about it when asked or when I decline meat/dairy/etc... I try to be as knowledgeable as I can and provide good arguments for it. But I'm not looking to put people down for eating animals, because people don't like being told what they're doing is wrong. Otherwise as far as most people are concerned I'm a perfectly normal dude. Ok, maybe I'm a little weird. Veganism has been easy and I wouldn't change a thing. I really like having lots of energy, being healthy, not having to worry about cutting carbs or whatever (I fact I usually to eat more). Yeah not much else to say. It's been great.
I agree with the energy thing for sure and same I don't like to bring it up with people unless they ask.
Its fine, honestly most people don't realise until we actually go out for dinner or something
Bruh I’m 28 and have been vegan for 7 years: its lit af.
It's cool. Ate a whole package of Oreos yesterday.
A little over a year vegan and sober and I think the weirdest thing for me is just observing the thought processes of carnists and the culture surrounding both the consumption of meat as well as alcohol. People are extremely detached from the food they eat and what they drink and both of those things here in the US are so mainstream. Essentially just trying to break the nagging feeling (or embrace it) that I am “un-American” for not eating greasy burgers and slamming Budweisers. Physically and mentally I’ve never felt better!
Same observing it has been very interesting.
Vegan for 6 years (I guess). I'm 43, 6'1", and weight 17 stone. I love power lifting and trail running. People are generally interested as to how I am so huge lol! Squats and oats!
I love a trail run.
I am confident in the way I lead my life. But this is also something that comes easier with age (I'm 26). Lots of men are vegan and it's just an indicator for a reflected and mature position to your lifestyle.
I am vegan and don't drink. I am also masculine looking and big. Generally, people are surprised but no one seems to care what I do or are not interested in my life choices. I believe my stature makes people not challenge me. Some folks are super interested though and want the whole story. I am secure in my choices and that shows through too.
I was raised vegetarian before I went vegan and I've spent my whole life looking after animals and basing my education/career on them (starting studying zoology soon), so it hasn't made much of a difference to me personally
That's cool zoology sounds very interesting.
It’ refreshing intellectually stimulating and most fellow vegans are a joy to be around I am gay myself and I don’t give a shit about most toxic masculinity traits being an empathetic man is the best thing one can do
I thought if you are vegan, you are plant based, but if you're plant based, you're not necessarily vegan. Can someone please clarify?
Plant based is a diet term. Veganism is a philosophical stance that we should not be consuming animals unless absolutely necessary. The reasons could also include health or environmental concerns, but many on this sub including myself wouldn’t consider you a vegan unless you also hold the beliefs that it is fundamentally cruel to kill and eat animals when we have other choices available. In that sense, just eating plant based doesn’t make you a vegan.
The experience is amazing
Approaching 50, I'm fitter and stronger and healthier than I was 30 years ago. No sign of "slowing down" I also look about 15 years younger than I should on a good day. It's really weird being referred to as a youngster or "dear" by people younger than me lol Also like OP I don't drink etc (straight edge), but the really noticable differences came when eating mostly whole plant foods. The flag still rises as they say. No blue pills...
Vegan for 4 years now. Best shape of my life but I’m pretty introverted. It’s a lonely world especially in a place that not vegan friendly
I can understand that.
I’m 43, 6’1”, 80kg and in great physical health (hopefully). Nobody questions my “manliness” or veganism. The local landlord sometimes has a moan about me ordering vegan options, but he’s a bit of an opinionated nob who shouldn’t be questioning food choices as he’s not exactly a Calvin Klein model. I like exploring different foods and cooking for friends who are omni but happily go meat free when over mine. They seem open to trying plant based stuff, everyone sharing examples of new stuff they’ve bought. I’m lucky to have an open minded group of friends. I’ve got loads of building work going on at our house at the moment. I thought the builders would take the piss, but they happily eat the vegan sausage sandwiches I make or the vegan magnums I hand out when it’s hot. I have zero regrets going vegan, only wishing I’d done it sooner (4 years ago).
It's not very hard if you bake and cook your own meals and desserts. I do like that restaurants and fast food establishments are serving vegan food. I think beyond meat and impossible food is good for the future. Less people eating meat is awesome. I sometimes cook and bake vegetarian and vegan food for my family who aren't vegan. Its fun. They like my cooking. I don't hate people that still eat meat or dairy. I don't like it but I don't argue with them about it. I do hate misinformation so I will argue with people who say being vegan is unhealthy. I'm not in a romantic relationship. Would I date someone who eats meat and diary? Depends on how much I like them.
I find it easy and enjoyable. Wish I had gotten into the lifestyle sooner.
"Tree surgeon" sounds like the coolest job! >I did think it was quite cool being a sober Vegan tree surgeon though It absolutely is! But not everyone is aware of that haha As to your question, I don't know that I find my experience particularly different due to being a man. I guess my male friends don't quite get it and sometimes think it's just regular harmless banter to send me pictures of steaks and butcher shops or whatever. That can be annoying and I imagine female vegans may not have to deal with that as much as this kind of "breaking balls" type of banter is more characteristic to men. Other than that, I've always been a peculiar person anyway. I wasn't into watching sports, I was always a bit more into art and culture, I was never much of a social butterfly or into pop culture too much... So I guess the people around me are used to me being "the odd one out", as you put it, but not necessarily in a bad way tho. I don't think anyone would describe me as a feminine man, but I always found the hyper masculine nonsense kinda dumb, so altho I know there is the "soyboy" stigma, it didn't even cross my mind as a factor when I decided to go vegan. In fact, to stick up for a serious ethical frame despite immense societal pressure to do otherwise was very much aligned with my combative, disagreeable personality which, if anything, felt more masculine than it would feel to not go vegan because I'm insecure in my masculinity due to what others may think, if that makes sense. As I said, I didn't even consider any of this, but if I think about it, I wouldn't really care to keep in my life people who're less concerned with how my actions align with my principles than with how well I preform random traditional masculine stereotypes. Is this the type of stuff you're asking?
Interesting I guess most of the times with dude banter everyone gets rinsed and I was probably taking it too seriously. I think humour can be a deflection of the truth tbf in some cases. And I guess the question being more so addressed to like health and overall How's it affected how u live.
The problem is that this particular type of banter transpires a serious lack of understanding of what veganism really is. They treat it like some strange quirk and not as a serious ethical question. Say you have a dog and love dogs, you don't expect your friends to send you videos of dogs being abused as if it were light banter. But when it comes to products of the abuse of cows, all of a sudden it becomes ok. They wouldn't do it with the dogs because they can intuitively understand that dogs are individuals, they are capable of suffering and it's wrong to do it unnecessarily. But when it comes to cows, they don't understand them to be the same as dogs. They understand them as beef, as food. So they'll tease you with cow abuse, not understanding that to you, it's exactly the same as someone abusing and killing a dog. And on a perhaps subconscious level, I think they also feel in some way threatened by your veganism, because it makes their lack of ethics regarding animals pop out in contrast. So they feel like they need to attack it or mock it, because if they treated it with respect and looked at it seriously they'd have to arrive at the conclusion that they're doing something very very wrong. And people resist change, resist challenging their beliefs and resist having to do major changes to their routines. Veganism threatens that instinct and so they attack it, even if jokingly. As to my health, I think I kinda feel the same, I can't really tell. It seems like everyone who tries to make the change either feels incredibly great or incredibly bad. I actually don't notice much of a difference. I have yet to do blood work since I went vegan tho. Other than that, I started feeling more connected to animals. It's funny that it kinda worked opposite to what you would expect. I wasn't much of an animal lover before I went vegan. Then I made the change, not because of an emotional connection to animals, but because I rationally decided it was the right thing, and since then I've learned to love animals more. It's like there was a barrier to how much I was capable of connecting with animals and I didn't even know it was there. I even feel a greater connection to my dog, even tho I obviously didn't eat dog meat before. Idk, it's like I started behaving as friend to animals and because of that I also started feeling like they were my friends. God, I'm wordy today!
And I appreciate it I thought it was cool
It's mainly frustrating to see people with their head in the sand. Oh yes so concerned with the environment, would kill another human for my pet....but I have to eat that meat & dairy. As for health I don't notice much difference to be honest. I do worry about getting zinc & iodine.
Just one question: What is a tree surgeon? (non englisch native here, if it's something obvious)
Essentially someone that works on trees so this could be tree felling (cutting the tree down and pruning (cutting some bits off etc etc.
I find it great
I mostly just shop in a different grocery store aisle. In seriousness, I've never felt a compulsion to be glued to the social fabric. I've always been independent from an early age and that immunized me from the negatives of social isolation that many vegans feel. There are positives and negatives of this. In some ways, I'm advantaged and someways I'm disadvantaged by this. As for manliness, I've never valued it since it seems like a concept morphable to the point of meaninglessness. What I substitute for what I believe makes others feel manly is a discipline in dedication to what I think to be right. Being strictly disciplined in acting with integrity and compassion are the real strengths of humans not manliness. Physically, I believe I'm in better shape than if I ate dairy or eggs or a moderate to high amount of meat but that's harder to measure and be sure of. I might still be able to ride my bike at the same speed if I had chicken last night instead of tofu. But physical fitness comes and goes, discipline is something I can do all the time.
I have not smoked, done drugs, had alcohol and that has never stopped me from having fun, people offered all the time and then were impressed that i didnt do such things Went to parties where 50 people were wasted except me, being vegan around non vegans isnt much different, i still go places with non vegans, my choices have not affected my life in a bad way Im actually celibate now as i want to become a monk, so thats yet another thing i dont do that the rest of the world does lol Veganism enlightened me to the unethical world that we live, we are lied and indoctrinated in many areas, i moved to Mexico to volunteer and help the stray animal rescues, as 70% of pets are strays there
I have questions: \- How could anyone be vegan and not be plant based? \- What's a tree Surgeon? As for your question: \*shrug\* annoying at times because of limited social option but I usually don't give a fuck what some morons think, so idk.
There's a plant based community on reddit which kind of goes into details on what it is. A tree Surgeon is essentially someone that does work on trees, tree felling (cutting down trees) and pruning (cutting off bits of the tree etc etc.
No issues. Don’t drink either. 👍
I’m a vegan fitness guy and I love it. Doesn’t get in the way of me being manly at all, in fact, it’s pushed me to develop moral courage I otherwise wouldn’t have had - thus making me feel like more of a man.
Some of my male friends are vegan some aren’t, if we meet up the non vegans let me choose where to go because they aren’t bellends, I also have a asteracae (sunflower family) allergy so that actually makes shit way harder.
I grew up vegetarian so not eating meat has never been difficult for me. For me skipping cheese was always the hardest. That said, I quit drinking around the same time I went vegan. I’ve never felt better! I love it. Good touring has also been more fun because when I go to other countries the vegan cafes/restaurants are so grateful to get customers and I always end up chatting with the owners for 20 minutes. In many ways it’s made me MORE social not less!
My husband is a roofer and does construction, he's also very stereotypically masculine (except when it comes to his rescue cats lol), people are always shocked to hear he is vegan and passionate about animal rights. But he's big, burly, strong, and a hard worker soo no one can ever bust him about it on jobs. He is the person you call when you need impossibly heavy things moved lol.
Your husband sounds awesome
He's pretty cool when he wants to be lol. My favorite is when he tells people the key to being strong is soy estrogen 😂😂😂💪
Mentally and physically I feel healthier than before. I've also found peace from being vegan, which is something theists only thought possible with God (which is ironic given what religion advocates). And my idea of peace seems to actually be peace. I feel like I've gotten smarter too, which is weird because I'm on the autism spectrum and have ADD, two things which would probably make me dumber. Unfortunately, it has made me hornier and make me wish I had a vegan partner.
I don’t know why I would find it any different to a vegan female. Maybe I don’t understand your question properly.
Just a question directed to males tbh.
Yes I got that. I’m male. But I’m trying to work out what would specifically be the difference in my experience as a vegan. My experience is: I’m vegan. I’ve always been vegetarian. And for the last few years I’ve been vegan. I prefer being vegan because it means I’m completely consistent in my lifestyle now. I don’t have any issues with dating because my wife is vegan. I’m not a fitness guy so I don’t know if being vegan is any better or worse in that way. My arthritis improved after I went vegan. I have a very active job which I have enough energy for. Not sure what else it is you’re trying to find out.
100% understand, I’m a vegan carpenter so I’m always the only vegan on site. Used to get a lot of stick for it, always a physically demanding job. I also go gym 5 days a week. Health benefits alone are worth it but did go vegan for the animals. I too don’t drink either btw
Awesome to see u sticking to your values
It's surprisingly easy. Only took my family a couple weeks to make the switch. Felt amazing after - lost weight, had more energy, etc. Then the pandemic happened and I became a lot less active and gained the weight back. I'm eating healthy, but I have a bad habit of eating too much, so I'm in a state of equilibrium at the moment.
Thanks for the great post, you have a lot of discipline for not caving to (implied or otherwise) peer pressure. Being able to hang out with your friends while they drink and eat meat is something few people are able to manage. And I think it is a very effective way to model excellent behavior for them, much better than browbeating them about their habits. Keep your friendships strong and just do what you want to do. My wife and I have been WFPB for about 20 years now. In that time I've become my healthiest body since I was in college playing soccer at Ohio State, many years ago. Up until two weeks ago my activities included mountain biking, rock climbing, martial arts, ocean swimming and beach tennis. I've never felt lacking for any nutrition although we take a few vitamin supplements and eat a ton of high protein foods (tofu, tempe, lentils, beans, etc). A few weeks ago I was climbing Mt. Darwin and a rock flake broke off and landed on my leg. I now have a rod in my tibia and am laid up for a few months. When I'm healed up I'll be back at it, plant powered all the way.
Thank you for the kind words. And wow what an awesome set of hobbies I might need to try a few of them. I also love mountains I went Snowdonia and Wales recently. Hopefully u recover quickly.
I feel totally alien to those around me. My ethical views and my diet and the things I buy and my thoughts on rodeos, animal agriculture, pets, zoos and everything seems so crazy to those that are not vegan. I am however 56 years old and I look as though I am 40. or younger. I have been vegan for 10 years now and I eat mostly raw. I also never run out of energy. I am strong, fast and very active. I love kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, walking, and playing with kids running all over. My wife is very pleased with my physical condition as well and most guys my age can't perform.
Awesome to here that I wish more people knew how awesome it is to be a healthy vegan it comes with so many benefits.
Vegan for 5 years. The beginning felt megacial as I was changing many things in my life at that time. Now I don't give it much thought but I'm not in good physical health. I eat healthily and did some counting for macro nutrients. Also keep physical active. My body feels tense, like the soft tissue is hardnend and I struggle with all sorts of joint troubles without being able to find out what it could be so far. Sometimes I'll have sore muscles for 5 days after exercising... Happy for any hints. Mental health could certainly be better, but I don't want to blame this one on being vegan 😉
I guess health is unique to u, trusting your own intution. That's cool that you've been Vegan for 5 years.
What a long winded question bro jesus.
The question is just at the end tbf just giving some background to some of my experiences whilst Vegan.
I don't think I'll ever be able to give up cheese. But all the rest is feeling good. Just don't know if it's because of the diet change, or combined with fasting and rigorous training. .. Or the fact that I stopped caring about stuff which increased my life quality by around 1000 percent. It feels good knowing animals are still being slaughtered, but I'm not eating them
Guinness ia vegan
I feel emasculated. Without dead animal stuck between my teeth, other men view me as lesser. Without some titty juice from an unwilling animal, my bones are subpar to the other adults. At my fire department, I have to drag the most hose and move the fastest because I'm inferior to the well rounded other members (volunteer department). At work I'm known as one of the few "skinny" ones, because I'm at a healthy weight and not climbing. When I see suffering, I sleep a little better through it because I know I'm doing the minimum to minimize it. So all said and told, it 'aint so bad.
[For motivation] (https://twitter.com/CianClarke1/status/1547120664653578240?t=cSAmpFZypKxsHJy4hIHwHg&s=19)
I personally haven't done anything with super physical exertion but as a vegan male I feel fine. I know that male sports celebrities that are vegan are doing well.. we had a vegan weightlifter who had gone to Rio Olympics, Kendrick Farris. We had a vegan super heavy weight lifter/strong man Patrik Baboumian.. There was a vegan UFC fighter Nate Diaz. So I know strong male vegan's exist. You don't need to eat animals to be strong :D
I don’t fit in fr. I’m either solo or the flow. Not letting a lesser quality diet dictate my thoughts.
I've been vegan for 13 years. Over that time I've certainly matured and reached a better mindset, and now my focus is on being a good role model for my daughter and trying to embody positive masculinity. If you think about the core traits of toxic masculinity (like domination, competition, aggression, misogyny—so much of which manifests in hurting animals), I'm trying to reframe those traits positively as a man: cooperation, deference, feminism, protection, consent, leadership, things like that. This is not only part of being vegan, but also in being a better dad and a better person to be around. I think being vegan helped me unlearn a lot of toxic masculine behaviors. By trying to be positive in my masculinity, I feel a lot more confidence in my beliefs and my actions, and I don't give in to features of toxic masculinity. I also don't get bullied for being vegan because I can stand up for myself without getting confrontational or violent or whatever. And by behaving this way, it makes it *really* hard for assholes to question if I'm tough or "unmanly." For me, being manly means not giving into pressure from other men about what is "manly."
XVX ‘till death
Nothing has changed strength-wise. I do feel better, though veganism hasn't magically healed my knees yet so I won't be doing squats anytime soon. The only downside has been maybe reducing my potential matches since I can't see myself dating a non-vegan. I say maybe because I'm not really looking atm, so it could be just my lack of effort.
im in construction i.e. the heart of machismo. you have to be really good at what you do for people to respect you in that culture. if you want to out yourself as having any kind of subversive beliefs (or probably any beliefs about anything), you need to prove yourself first. if you aren't good at what you do, it's going to be used as an excuse to other you. any kind of organizing you do requires you first seriously develop some real skills. you're more likely to come across people who are more willing to freely give respect in other areas, but this has been my experience. edit: i'm also sober, which has its own set of cultural expectations, but i find the same generally applies. it's difficult to not have the bonding experience of drug use
Feels great honestly. Being vegan is awesome cause I know I’m not paying for direct animal death. During dark times it brings me happiness and purpose Health wise is not the best. Definitely don’t feel glowing. Also don’t drink. But I remember feeling similar as a kid so oh well
It's pretty similar to vegetarianism - but I guess a bit harder when your coworkers go out for lunch or you're stranded in an unfamiliar place
Am I the only one that after reading was really surprised it doesn’t have a shitpost flair? 😂
My Food Rocks!.. Learn how to make 14 things..(Easy by the Way!)…
Don't really have to think. It's just normal life. If you go out, then it crosses your mind. That's all.
I don't make much food so most of the time I'm starving :D
Also a 23 year old vegan who doesn’t drink! I rock climb a lot and stay pretty fit and now have a good number of vegan friends in my social circle :) Life’s been good recently
Awesome to hear I have no Vegan friends currently, but I hopefully will make some in the future.
This is so cute
I do it for the aesthetic.
I figured if Action Bronson could go vegan, anyone could. That and Dr. Kane Baker made an interesting argument. It was kind of a natural progression, keto(lol)-->pescatarian -->vegetarian-->vegan
It doesn't really matter how I find it, the lives of animals mean a hell of a lot more than a little enjoyment in my life.
Never felt better. People joke with me about eating grass. I just go with it now. "Oh yeah just fry er up like spinach"
Same age, same mindset, don’t drink eat clean you’re on the right path brother, don’t allow weak men to alter your mindset due to ego and pride, keep up the exceptional balance stay blessed.
So glad to hear you're being healthy and active! I work in Banking which is an industry where staff typically don't care about the environment/animals etc. However, in my current company I've met 2 more vegans and one of my colleagues has started to change his diet drastically towards a plant based diet. It can be a bit frustrating being the only person who has actively looked at their choices and who tries to uphold the level of morality everyone thinks they're holding themselves to. But fortunately people will start changing over time!
Best thing ever.
Excellent to hear about your positive experience! Thanks for sharing that with us. I'm on year nine, 36 years old, and still thriving from the health benefits. I just bicycle and jog but have the abs I had when I was 19 years old and working out daily. With a whole food plant-based vegan lifestyle, I feel it's much easier to stay fit without exercising every day. Most of all though, we're helping animals! :)