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Here are nine stories from people who did the Veggie Challenge in July/Aug 2008, but faced some challenges.

My friends and family became very defensive

I knew once I told my meat-eating friends and family, I was gonna hear it. Well I sure did. They automatically became very defensive which made it very hard to state why I have begun to make this life change. They attacked me with many "meat myths" and shrugged me off when I tried to refute them. Either way, no one would hear it. Still a week later, they try and tempt me and mock me, as if swaying a greasy hamburger in front of me would make me break. However, little did they know it had the utmost opposite effect. I no longer crave those burgers or hot dogs or dripping steaks. My stomach actually twists with repulse when I see them. At first, this lifestyle change was about giving up meat and now 7 days later, it is about eating the foods that allows my body to be the healthiest it can be. What a difference!

– Michelle, early 20's, Edmonton, AL

Facing reality

The majority of my diet has always consisted of more vegetables than meat. I had to constantly remind myself that the meat I was eating had no feelings or was never alive just so that I could eat it. However, more recently I have been so affected with guilt, I started to think about having a strict vegetarian diet.

I questioned my animal-loving partner why he ate meat and he too did not want to face reality. We decided to take a weekend Veggie Challenge and on that same weekend were at an eco fair. The Toronto Vegetarian Association was involved which is how I learned about the Challenge. We signed up and this was the start of our challenge.

The main issues I faced were eating with my family. I was really worried because I live with my family and am not the one that provides and puts the food on the table. I am lucky that my family does not eat a lot of meat to begin with. But I was concerned that they would wonder why I am not even eating one slice of chicken or beef. I was also concerned that eating just the vegetables instead of the meat I wouldn't get enough nutrition.

So I told my mom that I was trying to eat a vegetarian diet and of course the questions rolled in, "So you can eat chicken? Not even fish? Even a little?" Since I had been reading a lot of interesting articles from different sources about being vegetarian, I decided to send an article via email on the benefits of the diet to her. To my surprise she emailed me back with a great positive and supportive reply. This is a step forward to me being a vegetarian. The support is definitely encouraging.

– Amanda, early 20's, Toronto

Upon the death of my rat

I started this Challenge after I had to put down my pet. It broke my heart and also changed my views on things. Being that my pet was a rat, an animal often tested on, I researched all the products that I used at home and purchased replacements that didn't test on animals.

The next step was changing my diet. This Challenge helped to give me the additional motivation to change my eating habits. I was also lucky to have a very understanding boyfriend, who tried new restaurants or new vegetarian items with me. He also asked if it would bother me if he ate a certain meat item, knowing I used to really enjoy it.

I think the hardest part was finding something to eat at restaurants. I'm an extremely picky eater and placing more limitations on what I'm willing to eat made some places harder then others. I found eating at more ethnic restaurants such as Indian or Chinese made it easier, having more options.

Another challenge was not having much money, I'm a masters student and I'm paying for everything on my own. Buying all new products and different food items cost me quite a bit of money. Organic products tend to be more expensive then the chemical ones. While this experience has left my pocket book a little lighter, I have noticed some of the products are worth it. My hair is easier to manage and I don't have to use as many hair products.

Also I suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and so far with my diet change I've only had one episode and it didn't last as long or was as painful. This is the start of a new road in my life, that I'm excited and proud of.

– Nicole, early 20's, Toronto

Returning to my former way of eating

I was vegetarian for about 4 years while going through university. I felt great at the time and then I met my partner (who wasn't vegetarian) and slowly started reintroducing meat products until it felt like I was a "meat and potatoes" girl again. At that time, I didn't like how I was feeling and it wasn't until I saw your website did I think, yes, I need to transfer back to the vegetarian diet again. Since starting the Challenge, I've felt more energy, I haven't had the heavy feeling after eating nor have I had the cramps that I used to get after eating meat. I feel much better about the food choices that I am making and I feel like I'm eating to fuel my body properly now.

One of the most helpful links for me was the one about the athletes. I'm a long distance runner and I had the mind set that I would always be hungry if I didn't eat meat the night before a long run. Boy was I wrong. I actually feel better on my long runs now that I'm eating this way. Also, it makes so much sense to me to eat the way the animals eat instead of getting the food "secondly" through the animals. When I read this on the email, it really stuck with me.

One of the hardest things is going over to family member's houses for dinner. I feel like they are making an effort to make me something different but of course they comment about it while they are doing it. Maybe I can convince them to try the Challenge.

Overall I feel great and I'm so glad that I have returned to my former way of eating.

Thank you!!! Keep up the great work.

– Lisa, age 30-44, Ottawa

I'd been vegetarian, but lapsed shortly after I got married

When I was younger I'd been a vegetarian, but lapsed shortly after I got married. Most of my friends eat meat, I began working two jobs, then three plus volunteering. Cooking at all became a challenge – let alone cooking for everyone else and then for me. So the thing that lost out was my vegetarianism.

As my diet choices began to affect my health though, I seized the Veggie Challenge as an opportunity to re-embrace a previous dietary choice with better information and support. The results so far have been favorable, and I've decided to stick with it. Diabetes, heart disease and cancer all run in my family – and other than exercise and vigilance, the best way to keep ahead seems to be diet and nutrition. And so, once more as a vegetarian, that's what I'm going to do.

– Puck, Toronto

I used to be vegetarian at age 13

I used to be vegetarian at the age of 13, because I idolized my older sister. She brought me to the Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair in 2001 (6 hours from our place). I loved it. The movies showed me a lot about why I should be vegetarian...

But then, I became anemic because I didn't eat properly.* So my family forced me to eat meat again.

Now, 7 years after, a taste for meat has never come back. Plus, I just moved to my first apartment, so I started researching becoming vegetarian again, but more healthy. So I started the Challenge, with my doctors by my side.

Tomorrow, I will learn if my iron level is okay. But I do think so. Those e-mails helped me to figure out what to replace my iron with.

There's two more things: I do not like tofu. Even if my boyfriend finds that he can make it better than mine, I do not like tofu.

And after eating at McDonald's once during that week, I found out that those foods were the reason of my sudden fatigue and loss of energy.

Vicky Jean-Louis, Commercial Artist, www.vickyjeanlouis.com

– Vicky, early 20's, Hawkesbury, ON

*Note: See our vegetarian nutrition page for information about iron sources.

Moving towards becoming vegetarian is easy to do

I chose to stop eating red meat and move slowly towards eliminating my intake for white meat especially fish. This change in my diet is the result of many things such as the continuous practice/activity in China of skinning dogs alive and treating cats with indifference.

This choice for me was made prior to undertaking the Challenge. What I ate was a variety of mixed bean salads, vegetable lasagna, quinoa with various veggies, soya products ("It's All Good" is fantastic and tastes like chicken), brown rice with veggies, veggie salads with seaweed etc. I also started implementing the various recipes from the number of veggie recipe books I bought over the past year.

I guess the main challenge was that there was no indication on the website on how best to cook with beans (i.e. not from a can). In addition, I want to know what nutrients I can get from a vegetarian diet so that my body doesn't slow down – as in getting iron or enough protein. Or where could I incorporate these into my meal plan during the week etc. *

I usually take last night's dinner to work and save myself heaps of money. I found that while eating my taste buds were astoundingly striking.

As for friends and family, I received positive feedback and respect.

As per indicated at the start what motivated me was what was occurring overseas however I've always been more or less a semi-vegetarian since the year 2000. Moving towards becoming a vegetarian is easy to do.

– Oblongish Cat, age 30-44, Toronto

*Note: See our vegetarian nutrition page. Energy comes from complex carbohydrates and there are many sources of iron and protein.

Small town challenges

It wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. I think if I lived in a city or even a town with a supermarket, things would have been more smooth. Kids are another tough part of the Challenge I wish there was more about preparing snacks or meals to please them.

– Laura, age 30-44, Wirral, NB

I can't eat dairy, wheat and oatmeal

One of the challenges I faced was what to eat, especially breakfast.* I have intolerances to dairy, wheat, oatmeal and other things that I have yet to discover hence the "what to eat" dilemma to sustain me through the morning and why I went vegan instead of vegetarian to begin with. Bread, crackers, cereal are just not an option for me unless I try to find a gluten-free recipe but that would be very time consuming. Another reason I am doing a vegan challenge is to find recipes that are easy, low fat and fast as I am trying to lose weight to no avail. Even though nothing has happened, I will keep at it until I find the right formula as I truly feel better and in the long run, will maybe stumble upon my ideal weight.

The Challenge was perfect, unfortunately the intolerances are in a category of their own but I must admit, going vegan resolved many... I would recommend it to anyone interested in their own health! All I need to do now is fine tune here and there and I am off to great health with the help of veg.ca of course!

– Line, age 45-64, Ottawa

*Note: Gluten-free breakfast ideas include smoothies and tofu scramble. You can also buy specialty breads at natural food stores. Little Stream makes an excellent vegan rice bread. See our breakfast page,