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Here are more stories from people who did the Veggie Challenge in Jan/Feb 2010.

A plant-based diet was the obvious answer for me

I've been eating about 80% vegetarian for a few months now, usually choosing vegan options. This comes after many years of going through phases of being near-vegetarian to heavy carnivore and back and forth again. A number of issues prompted my latest attempt to become vegetarian. For starters, it was brought to my attention that I was not nearly as healthy as I thought I was: I had put on weight that I couldn't seem to shed, I easily developed infections and respiratory ailments, and my blood pressure was found to be a bit high… and I'm only 42 and have a young son to keep up with! Add to that the fact that there is heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes in my family and I knew changes were absolutely necessary. The recent interest in food politics, from "Food, Inc," to a number of new publications, coupled with news of listeria, e-coli, and animal abuse issues sealed the deal for me. A plant-based diet just seems like the obvious answer.

Seitan stirfry, from Sheila's blog. Part of her More Quick Meal Ideas post.

I joined the Veggie Challenge thinking I would actually try to go a week on a completely vegan diet. I didn't quite make it, having added cream to my coffee and nibbled on cheese a few times. I have now discovered Silk creamer so the dairy cream is a thing of the past. As for cheese... that's my downfall... still working on that one!

My partner has been very supportive of my changing diet and likes the meals I have made. I have to be fair in knowing that we started our relationship with us both being meat-eaters and I don’t expect him to make changes he is not comfortable with. Then there's my son: he is not at all used to a vegetarian diet and it may be a little more difficult finding dishes he'll eat. He does, however, eat tofu hotdogs and melted vegan cheese without knowing there has been a substitution and he loves my seitan BBQ 'wings'.

All in all I have been very satisfied with the Veggie Challenge and am even more confident in my dietary choices. Thank you Veg.ca!

– Sheila, age 40-49, Montreal

Note: Sheila has started up an excellent food and recipe blog: http://thoughtfulvittles.blogspot.com . These photos are from the blog.

The Veggie Challenge gave me the push I needed to get things rolling

I went out and bought a whole bunch of new grains – bulgur, miller, amaranth – and also beans and lentils. I was so excited! Fortunately, my boyfriend is Japanese and is an incredibly talented cook, so meatless meals are not that much of an issue. My only 'slip' was the crab (real? not sure?)* in a California roll that my boss ordered for me over lunch. However, I'm really excited about the Veggie Challenge, because the more I've learned about the food industry, the more important my food choices have become. The Veggie Challenge gave me the push I needed to get things rolling...

Thank you!

– Bjc, age 30-39, Vancouver, BC

*Note: Imitation crab is almost always made for other fish. See http://ask.yahoo.com/20030110.html

I felt a huge weight falling off my heart and soul

I turned to veganism at the end of January 2010. The main reason was the desperation I felt about my very long-term problem with cramped muscles in my arms and shoulders. I know, this is kind of a strange reason for going vegan, but I thought that cutting animal protein out of my diet for a while would probably help to loosen this painful myogelosis in my arms. I have a condition called Repetitive Strain Injury, that derives from using the keyboard and mouse very intensively – I am a writer.

I have never tried to live vegan before, but I was also never really a meat-eater. But I loved cheese very much. Nevertheless, I was willing and ready to give it a try, so I started getting informed from the internet. I think, in the first two weeks, I read the equivalent of 25 books about the topic. On that journey my knowledge grew enormously about the food we consume and its negative effects on animal well-being, our own health, the condition of our planet, our climate, and hunger in the world.

Bear's garlic is one of my recent favorite foods. [Note: In North America a similar plant is Wild Leek.] Right now we have bear's garlic growing all over in the woods which is a very tasteful delicacy - and it is available for free! Above is thick fried potato "medallions" stacked with roasted eggplant and tomato with fresh homemade bear's garlic pesto (I made it with pine nuts and nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese). I cooked this for lunch on Good Friday...! And my husband LOVED it too!

Yes, intuitively I did know that consuming animal products supported cruelty and unfairness, but because I loved animals I couldn't look closer at what was going on in the manufacturing of these foods.

Since I started eating vegan many things have happened: The first was I felt a huge weight falling off my heart and soul. To know I was not a part of this abuse any more made me happy, happy, happy!

Then I experienced a dramatic decrease of PMS and menstrual cramps. That was only 8 days from the beginning! My next period 4 weeks later was also easy. So I solved an old problem I did not really address before.

My cramped forearms seem to be lighter, although the problem is not gone yet.

And finally: Even though I ate a lot – I had to sample ALL the vegan culinary possibilities there are – I lost weight!  My body is definitely changing and I feel very good. I will certainly stick to it!

– Miriam, age 40-49, Austria

Better both mentally and physically

I found using the Veggie Challenge very helpful and it has made the transition to becoming vegetarian an easy one for me. I always look forward to receiving your emails and I have printed out and tried many of the recipes. Thank you for making this Challenge available. I will continue to be vegetarian/vegan and feel so much better both mentally and physically because of it. Reading the labels (ingredients/nutritional value) on the packaging has really opened my eyes. My Dad has high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. I'm sure that by following your Veggie Challenge and successfully making the change to becoming a vegetarian/vegan I have decreased my chances of these and other health ailments. Thank you for helping me to make my life a healthier one!

– Maureen, age 40-49, Ingersoll, ON

The push I needed to go veg

The Challenge was very inspiring for me. I have been interested in a vegetarian diet for a very long time, but this was the push and help I needed.

On Day 1 of my challenge was our local winter fair... I took my son (1 1/2 years old) to the petting zoo, there was a yak and my son put his face right to his and kissed his nose. That moment I really understood what I was eating, for the first time ever... and I know I can never eat meat again.

– Karen, age 30-39, Orillia, ON

Giving tofu a second chance

This was an excellent challenge and a wonderful way for the Toronto Vegetarian Association to promote it's cause. The emails were easy going, fun, and very helpful. I decided tofu and other vegetarian foods deserved a second chance as you suggested. I never had a very good recipe or technique for cooking tofu when I tried it years ago. This time I followed advice from your recipe links, including freezing it first to give it a more meaty texture. I marinated it in apple cider vinegar with a little olive oil and garlic and fried it gently with shredded Cabbage and served over rice. It was tasty and SATISFYING! I feel healthier, more positive and am convinced that I can prepare nutritious yummy meals without animals and the environment suffering. Thank you!

– Carolyn, age 40-49, Richmond Hill, ON

I learned so much being a new vegetarian

Prior to the Veggie Challenge I did a detox that eliminated meat and sugar from my diet. I felt much better. I then decided to try the Veggie Challenge. I learned so much being a new vegetarian. I liked the quizzes to help me learn even more and I’m about to try a veggie shepherd's pie for my family.

– Clare, age 40-49, Woodstock, ON

The Challenge as a school assignment

I took the Challenge as a school assignment. It at times was hard because school takes up a lot of my time. I tried during the week to focus on breakfast and dinner. Lunch was more of a challenge due to being at school. I did try to make healthier choices when I could. I would love to try this (again) when my schedule isn't so consuming. I did enjoy the emails. I found them to be educational and useful. Thank you for sharing this opportunity with the public. I do feel people should be more aware of the food that they put in their bodies. I will continue to come to your website for recipes and information. Thanks again.

– Dean, age 30-39, Windsor, ON

*Note: For lots of veggie lunch ideas see veg.ca/lunch .

Going the extra step

After my doctor and I had went over recent tests results, he advised that I try not to eat any red meat at all. This was great in the start, but then I decided to take it the extra step: No meat at all. I did have a little bit of a challenge with an entirely vegan diet, as I am not able to consume soy products due to a digestive issue, but all in all the Veggie Challenge was a great start! The emails gave me a great menu selection, and the recipe websites were great. I did, however, have to change a few recipes to suit me, but I have had a great experience so far and will continue to enjoy veggies in a new way!

– Paula, age 30-39, Capreol, ON

Going vegetarian was a great move

The Challenge went well. I had decided to do it at the start of the year, so mentally I was ready. My wife joined me and we ate most of our meals at home. Our daughter was not an easy sell. We will keep working on her.

The tough part is finding quality foods (I have to travel far) the time to prepare them, and putting in the effort to learn how to make vegetarian meals. However we feel better, we have lost weight, and my sugar counts have improved (I am diabetic). All and all, it was a great move. We will continue to learn and improve our well being. Thanks for the help.

– James, age 50-64, Detroit, MI

Breaking down barriers

Working in the restaurant industry, what I thought would be the biggest hurdle was changing my daily meals to veggie only. But using a bit of research and creativity it became easier each day.

The biggest hurdle is breaking down barriers and old ideas of stubborn narrow minded owners.

– Roger, age 40-49, Oshawa, ON

Challenging my husband, a dedicated meat-eater

My husband does most of the cooking, which is wonderful. But he is a dedicated meat-eater. I am trying to get him to try one meatless day per week. Today for lunch we had salad, yeah vegetarian!

– R, age 50-64, Toronto

My vegan girlfriend was great support

The Veggie Challenge went very well. The support of my vegan girlfriend was great, and I might consider partaking in a vegan diet as soon as I make the transition.

– Doug, age 30-39, Ottawa