I started as a vegetarian and it was still a bit difficult to get used to a healthy vegan diet. There are those of us who can quit cold turkey, so to speak, and those who need to start by passing up the larger pieces of meat and working their way down from there.

Support yourself: Purchase vegan meat alternatives and try to remake some of your favorite dishes. Get yourself an extra treat or two when you shop for those days when you might feel restricted.

There are a number of protein alternatives and vegan meat substitutes available. Vegan tofu is very popular because it absorbs the flavors of the spices and other foods with which it is cooked. Versions of vegan protein such as vegan chicken alternative, vegan beef and other meat substitutes help those who still have that meat craving, but don't want to consume animal flesh.

Be harsh: If you're changing for moral reasons and find yourself tempted to stray, a regular visit to an animal rights website can keep you strong. If you have to play hardball with yourself, it can help to keep photo reminders of the source of your food near the meat.

Get educated: The more one learns about the methods used to produce meat in our society, the easier it is to pass the meat aisle without hesitation. You can also take steps to find great new free vegan recipes, vegan living support groups, and nutritional information for your new life.

Introduce new foods at the same time you cut old foods out. Try everything!! All of those strange, exotic fruits in the produce aisle, all those veggies you hated as a child. The way we perceive flavor changes as we age, start or stop smoking. Even what you eat or drink just prior to or along with your meal will influence the taste experience.

Vegan cooking is sometimes challenging, but not complicated. There are easy vegan recipes all over the Internet. Vegan cookbooks often provide simple instructions on how regular recipes can be adapted easily to fit the rules of veganism. They often contain complete instructions on what to substitute and how to do so.

Raw vegans attempt to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. They use cooking minimally or not at all. While that may eliminate some of the hassle of cooking, such a diet involves planning and added cost if you choose to find foods which are also organic.

Use this change to improve the health of your overall diet. It is absolutely possible to be a vegan and still eat an inappropriate diet. In fact, it may be even easier to get more sugar, fat and calories than ever before because of the ingredients used in some vegan products. Vegan chocolate and vegan candy bars, for example, routinely carry 500-750 calories per bar. You must learn to read labels, compare servings, and understand that packaging may be telling you big lies in order to sell you a product.

You can contact manufacturers through their websites, but be aware that oftentimes companies do not like to fully disclose the contents of their products for a number of reasons, even when asked directly. Some are worried about theft of their ideas. For others, lawsuits are a concern. With still others, I believe they may not be able to source every ingredient and don't want to admit this.

Perhaps this is simple oversight or maybe they prefer to retain plausible deniability. You'll get used to reading between the lines of labels and catching the industry lingo that is used to disguise animal products. If it helps, carry a cheat sheet along with your grocery list and then you won't struggle to get through the aisles and you won't arrive home to find that yet again you bought that sauce with the milk product (casein) hidden inside.

The good news is that the market is responding to calls for healthier food and vegan dessert options such as vegan cookies and vegan cake are becoming more common. Meals and snacks like vegan pizza can be found thanks to vegan bread and vegan cheese! We no longer have to do without our favorite foods in order to follow this lifestyle!

For most people, major changes in lifestyle are difficult. When becoming vegan, it can take time to learn the rules and apply them to all parts of your life. Work at your own pace. There is no point in burning yourself out or rushing in before you're completely ready.

Vegans eschew all animal products, but there are a few items one could argue about. Make your own choices, ones which fit your personal point of view. Make being vegan into what you believe it to be. It is important to retain your identity and the ability to maintain your lifestyle.

For example, I happen to believe that honey is perfectly acceptable. I don't seek it out, but I don't avoid foods which contain it. Certain vegans believe that bees are harmed in the production. I purchase mine locally and I know that the bees are well cared for and any harm to them is avoided at all costs. I don't find honey morally objectionable. If you do, that is completely your call.

If you know where you're going beforehand, you can do your homework and conduct some research on the restaurant you plan to visit. Larger chains will occasionally have online menus with nutritional information. This is all too often sorely lacking. You can place a call or send an email before your visit, but you'll be relying on the staff to be informed and truthful. If you get a diligent employee, you're set. Get someone who doesn't understand the word vegan, then isn't sure what ingredients to look for? You're pretty much doomed.

Upscale establishments should offer a fully sourced menu and be able to answer any question about your food or its preparation in detail, but you still can't be sure the kitchen staff will observe good food handling techniques. No one is going to wash the meat off of his hands before he starts plating or prepping your veg. Same with your local pizza place. You may order only vegetarian toppings, but the kid who just scooped out the meat bomb prior to your order will reach his meaty paws right into the green peppers without a thought.

I have pretty much stopped eating outside of my home, but if you must venture out, try to find either a vegan restaurant or one which caters seriously to alternative menu choices. Not only will they appreciate your support, but you'll be voting with your dollars for more options than a neighborhood burger joint.

It is common nowadays for establishments to offer a vegetarian option, but, once again, there is no guarantee that your food isn't coming into casual contact with juices, etc, in the kitchen, on the grill. Also, thanks to a lot of pseudo-vegetarians, it is commonly thought that we eat fish, chicken or eggs. You may need to state outright what you expect in your food.

Travel to a foreign country and you're likely to find yourself stuck. True, local markets are filled with fresh delights, but those are also the items it is most often recommended travelers avoid eating. Should you buy produce, if you wash it in local water, this exposes you to the same potential illnesses as drinking the water. And, sadly, translation isn't always adequate when you order a meal. Traveling through Asia, I repeatedly asked and was assured "Yes! No meat!" only to discover a glistening chunk of fatty pork at the bottom of my bowl.

Don't kick yourself too much over slipups. Sometimes they will totally be your fault. Sometimes they can't be foreseen. If the accident is your own, it is best to learn what you can from it, forgive yourself, then forget the incident and move on. There's no point in berating yourself over an honest mistake.

If the screwup was another person's fault, it is best to be as polite as you can about it. Use it as a teaching moment. Try to express to the other person how important this is to you as a moral issue or as a dietary restriction without being overly angry or resorting to insults. Think of yourself as an ambassador for other vegans, for all of us adhering to special diets. If you can be kind and forgiving, you have a better chance of being effective with your message. Scream at the waiter and you may as well ask for someone to spit in your soup next time.

If an establishment makes an error purposefully or one which cannot be forgiven, aim right for their corporate headquarters. Complaints on a local level may be brushed off. Higher ups know the stink that can be made over serving someone an ingredient the customer said was forbidden. You're more likely to get a reaction and a resolution in your favor. If the slight was egregious enough and the response isn't what you hoped, consider a lawsuit. Sadly, in our country, this is sometimes the only way to make yourself heard.

It is possible to live with a meat eater as long as you are both equally serious about your habits. In our house, we have separate cookware and separate refrigerator drawers for the meat. Meat dishes get their own dish tub and are washed twice. We are probably more extreme than most, but this is what works for us.

Adjust your routine to fit your own personal comfort level. My partner is the house chef. He usually makes a vegan meal for the day, then adds meat to his as he serves it, if he feels like doing so. He often grills outside rather than cook on the stove or in the oven as that keeps the smell and splatter outside of the house.

Look for ways to compromise

One way to initiate a change is to have an open dialogue about the reasons you want to change your habits. Once you have the basics aired, you can begin to discuss details of how to make your lifestyle work while still keeping the household functional.

You may find you need to state certain boundaries. Not everyone takes the time to think several steps out from direct contact with animal products. It helps to have a respectful and understanding partner or roommate. Mine is very careful about kissing me if he has recently eaten meat, for example. Simply revisit the issue after you've become accustomed to your new roles and address any concerns.

My family is a different story altogether. While I can fully trust my partner to check labels as closely as I do, I know that other members of my family consider my being vegan a silly fad, unhealthy, an inconvenience.

After about fourteen years of vegetarian/vegan eating, my parents finally stopped offering me meat dishes. My mother has only recently given up her hold on the stubborn misconception that I will die from lack of protein (since I have yet to do so). In the last couple of years she has even extended me the courtesy of preparing sides without animal products for Thanksgiving.

Trying to successfully navigate combined, entangled, food and family issues can be tricky. When you go to a place where you have less control, you have to rely upon those around you to be knowledgeable or avoid eating while you're there. Be aware that this can hurt feelings and the entreaties to eat or the nonstop jokes and questions can get old, fast.

If you can get away with it, it is best to bring your own dish to special occasions. If you have a family that is open, bring enough to share. At least you'll have something safe on your plate, so you'll stand out less visibly. You may have to make sure Uncle Ted doesn't stick his turkey fork into your meat-free stuffing... I have been spared that problem. Apparently foods like couscous are too exotic for my folk. No one is about to touch anything I bring to eat.

It is possible not only to be healthy and happy, but to excel on a diet wholly eliminating animal products. Don't give in to the myths and hype, the fears and bad information.

Making a significant change in your life can be tough to accomplish, yet it will be one of the most satisfying experiences you will have. It brings out previously unknown aspects of your self, your relationships to food and to other people; highlights habits we take for granted; and leads to far reaching consequences.

You'll be doing something very few people will attempt. I wish you luck.