Broken my veganism today

[Stepstepmother]

And had to tell someone!

I’ve been a vegan for a few years - for environmental reasons and the argument that it’s much more possible to feed the world when we eat a plant based diet. It’s genuinely been a sacrifice as I love eating meat and fish and dairy - but I’ve done it. Lately I’ve been toying with the idea of giving myself a secret day off. Just one day, then back to it. That day was today. So I’ve eaten...

A buttery cheese croissant for breakfast
Rare steak with beef dripping chips and creamed spinach for lunch
A chicken thigh pita with halloumi cheese, caramelised onions, and garlic aoli for dinner.

It’s all been epic. And totally secret. I’m back on the straight and narrow vegan route again tomorrow and will look forward to my next cheat day in a few years time. But I just had to share.

(I know I’ve posted in AIBU - so, was I unreasonable?)

Wasn’t it Gethsemane? (My main knowledge of Jesus coming from Jesus Christ Superstar)

Just to those reading: veganism isn’t a diet of deprivation. Pretty much all of that food can be veganised :) not here to pass judgment on anyone just wanted to put a good word in for veganism and how wonderful and indulgent the food can be.

Fuck it OP, you're still doing good in the world. I eat a largely vegan diet but tonight I ate a piece of fish in a restaurant with a friend and I don't care.

Oh man OP, YAVU, but tomorrow you will be all super reasonable again. I hope you enjoyed every chew and every mouthful.

Veganism can easily become an obsession, I have a couple of friends who I tolerate rather than love when they go ranty about it on facebook. I believe in mixed farming where a roast chicken every couple of months is a by product of feeding grain to get eggs. And a couple of bits of pork/bacon/sausage every couple of weeks is a by product of feeding scraps to the pig. Before anyone accuses me of living in some sort of Good Life cloud cuckoo land, this is exactly how I was brought up.

There are a number of v compelling arguments that suggest that strict veganism is not best for the planet at all. This article sums them up - essentially, not all land is arable and grazing animals makes use of land that would otherwise not be usable for food production

This is only relevant in a distant utopian future where the whole planet stops eating animal products, though.

For now, in the current world where most people are not vegans or even vegetarians, the best diet for the planet on an individual level is still veganism.

I’m also waiting for an answer from @HotblackDesiatoto on when the OP can call herself a vegan again. I think we’ve established she needs to take a dump but waiting for further guidance.

And we did cross posts - I knew it!

IF I was a new vegan, starting on my journey, would you say I wasn’t vegan yet? How many days does it take? If I have a really big poop tonight, is it better as there’s less in my colon?

I reckon 999 days out of 1000 is pretty good going.

You owe nobody an explanation.

I’d really like you to answer my question (apologies if we’ve cross posted!) When I go back to being a vegan tomorrow, can I call myself that. If not, why not

I think my answer was implied in my question back to you. Tomorrow you will still have dead cow parts in your body, so that's a hard no to the vegan label, obviously.

There is no hierarchy, its not about "cheating". You do understand the definition of vegan? "a person who does not eat or use animal products". Is that you? No, it is not. You know that, you can still taste the steak!

So OP, how did it make you feel eating all of the 'forbidden' food? Do you feel like it did you some good, or do you feel a bit sick? Curious (not judgey).

Before anyone accuses me of living in some sort of Good Life cloud cuckoo land

Just because you were broughtup believing that doesn't make it rational though. Feeding grain to a group of chickens to get eggs in a subsistence farming environment would more likely result in a roast chicken as a natural byproduct every 5 years than every couple of weeks.

I am interested in the claim that veganism is better for the planet. Could you direct me to the independent evidence for this please.

Good for you and it's nobody's business what you do or don't do.

Most of the land was arable. But a few bits were never ever going to be anything other than meadow. Mostly because of being wet, but also because it was Site Of Special Scientific Interest and could never be ploughed or sprayed or anything else that might kill the orchids and butterflies. So pasture it was and ever more shall be.

Your life, your body. I would say eating vegan 99.9% of the time definitely means you’re a vegan. I hope that everyone saying you’re not has never had a slip up in their own diet!

I'm beginning to think veganism may be where some religious zealots relocated...

HotblackDesiatoto

If this argument was just about the meaning of words, there would be a lot more nuance to it.

She didn't fall off the wagon,
She let her horses rest up, jumped off, ate like a frigging king, and will be jumping back on after her food coma tomorrow.

To ask whether she can call herself a vegan with dead cow and chicken inside would probably be more valid if she didn't already explain she loves meat.

Fwiw op I think you've done amazing so far and one cheat day isn't going to hurt. I hope the food was as amazing as it sounds and that you'll have no stomach problems tonight or tomorrow.

@SarfE4sticated it was delicious. I savoured every bite. However I knew it was wrong (on a personal level - not judgement so to anyone else) and I’m excited to get back on track tomorrow. (As long I take a big enough poop tonight apparently 🙄)

Christ, I really fucking hate this competitive veganism. It seems that some vegans just can't wait to give other vegans a kicking for not being a 'good enough' vegan. Surely if you care about animals the planet whatever you would appreciate any changes someone makes to their diet without whining about how it isn't good enough.

So how long do you have to abstain from animal products before you can call yourself a vegan anyway?

Your life, your body

Absolutely. But not, in fact, your own personal definitions of the english language. You cannot use "vegan" to mean "someone who eats and loves rare steak".

For me there is a difference between mainly following a vegan diet and being a vegan. I am the first as I will not rule out eating dairy completely but I cannot remember the last time I had a non vegan meal. I would not call myself a vegan unless I was committed to being a vegan 100%.

You’re being really disingenuous OP with your mealy mouthed statements “I chose to step off the wagon today, I didn’t fall off”. If a so-called vegan having a day eating rare steak, chicken & cheeese is ‘stepping off’ I’d like to see what falling off the wagon means to you.

You give genuine vegans a bad name and whatever your reason for becoming “vegan” the fact you can be so cavalier about eating rare steak today does not make you a vegan just because you plan to abstain tomorrow/insert arbitrary date until you next choose to “step off”.

This thread reminded me of this classic Lisa Simpson.