Want to Go Vegan But Love Cheese? That’s OK
(Photo: Getty Images/Phil Marden/Yahoo)
Mary Mattern is the author of NOM Yourself and the creator of @nomyourself on Instagram. Here, she shares with Yahoo Health her philosophy on veganism — and how to make the lifestyle work for you.
If you’re like most people, when you think about going vegan, your knee-jerk reaction is probably: “But I could never give up X!”
Whether it’s cheese, bacon, or burgers, it seems like everyone has that one thing they just can’t imagine not eating. So I’m going to say something that vegans probably don’t want to hear. If you “could never” give up cheese, and that’s the one thing keeping you from being vegan, then DON’T. Live a vegan lifestyle, and also eat cheese.
Think about it: How crazy would I be if I said, “You know what? You’re right. You do love cheese too much, so you should keep eating eggs and bacon too.” Change has to start somewhere. And I guarantee once you’ve changed your lifestyle to 99 percent vegan for a little while, you’re going to find it surprisingly easy to give up cheese after all. It doesn’t stop there — being more conscious about your eating habits will lead you to more ethical choices when it comes to purchasing clothes, cosmetics, and entertainment.
I would never have thought I’d become a vegan. For a long time, even hearing the word “vegan” made me want to eat a cheeseburger. I tried being vegetarian a couple of times and I would always end up caving for a turkey sandwich. Then, it happened. That trusty moment that all vegans will tell you about if you ask (and sometimes when you don’t): the instant they realized veganism was the only option for them. For me, it wasn’t because I watched a slaughterhouse video (however, not a bad place to start) and became enlightened. What it took was wasting lots of vegetables. I would go to the farmer’s market every Saturday morning, buy everything that looked good, and almost all the produce I bought would go bad by Tuesday, if I didn’t burn it to a crisp on the stove first. So, I taught myself how to cook vegetables, and my diet slowly became mostly veggies. I didn’t even realize I’d stopped eating meat and dairy until my friends pointed it out. And then I noticed: I did feel better, a lot better. Not only physically, but mentally. Knowing you’re not contributing to the torture of animals really is a great feeling. And I had a couple extra bucks in my pocket, since it turns out eating vegan is cheap. With a newfound love for cooking and a different way of looking at how the world actually works, I decided I wanted to know more about this lifestyle.
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Now, before you think I’m going to get all “being vegan is magical” on you, keep reading. No, you do not need meat for protein or dairy milk for calcium (you can see why here, here and here). And once you start looking for them, you don’t have to look far before finding videos, articles, research and testimonials of how a vegan lifestyle is good for your health and that of the planet. And I’ll let you in on a little secret — being vegan is easy. We have all the resources we need to make cruelty-free cosmetics, alternative leather, and absolutely delicious food. I promise.
I think people get scared off by the word “vegan.” But it’s just a word, and your actions will mean more than that word ever will. See, you don’t have to be an animal-loving, hemp-eating hippie to be vegan. You just have to be mindful. What if veganism didn’t have a name and you were presented with the facts about a vegan lifestyle? Once you stop thinking of “vegan” with a negative connotation, you may realize that it’s something you have to do for yourself. Being vegan has nothing to do with a word, and everything to do with making better decisions. There is a living animal behind every cosmetic purchase you make, every piece of food you buy, and every medicine you take. Make a choice to leave this world a better place. And if that means hanging on to cheese while you go vegan otherwise, then do it!
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