how can i convince my parents to let me become a vegan?

Question

my parents believe that im trying to starve myself and that im not eating healthily enough if im vegan. my mom says she refuses to buy soy milk or egg substitue for me. i feel terribly for the animals. how can i get my parents to understand y im vegan and y im doing this? wut should i say and start with?

Answer 1

well, vegan is a hard lifestyle. i tried it, and failed miserably, but I'm not saying that you cant do it. if they don't believe its for the animals, then you have to get some other facts. you can get facts by searching the web, try the PETA website. its lots healthier to be vegan, that's just the truth. just start with the facts, statics on how much healthier it is for you to refrain from eating animal products. like i said, the PETA site is the best place to go for this info. the truth is, more people are vegan than you would think. if your parents are big Hollywood fans, then find out about stars that are vegan (there are more than you think) and that should help. the list of facts on vegan-ism is huge! all you have to do is learn them. i don't have any facts, except for the fact that the PETA site is the place to go. my sister's vegetarian, and she's a PETA member. its a great place to start. hope you can do what i couldn't, i plan on trying again. maybe your parents will understand, its a good way to healthy and save the poor animals.

Answer 2

The are concerned for your health. Do your research and show them all the REPUTABLE sources that say a vegan diet is healthy.



If you want to be vegan, you really have to think about things. Are you willing to pack a lunch at school, what about when you travel? Many places have very few vegetarian dishes and most have no vegan ones. I am vegetarian and I find it hard enough to eat away from home... it would be much worse (at least in my area) if I were vegan.



Anyway... to convince your parents, you have to convince them that you know what you're doing...which means... you need to know what you're doing! LOL You need to pay attention to calcium intake, iron intake, protein intake, as well as aminos and all the vitamins & minerals. A vegan diet takes work to be a healthy diet. Perhaps you should try to convince them to let you be a vegetarian first. Once you successfully manage that, you can try to get them to let you go vegan. Maybe ask them to buy free-range eggs and organic free-range milk, etc so you aren't hurting the animals. Good luck!

Answer 3

What everyone else said



AND



Go to the library. Get out all of the books that you can about eating vegan and vegetarian. Including cookbooks. Take them home, and read, read, read. Take notes. Write a report. Show your parents your report, and your source material.



I'm guessing that your parents will be more impressed with information from published books than from the "anyone could have written that" internet.



Also, if you have a teacher at school who teaches nutrition or a cooking class or health, talk to them, see what they say.



Oh, and if you can (and I know it's incredibly difficult) perhaps you can ease into going Vegan? Make a deal with them, if you eat a burger on Thursday, you can drink all of the soy milk that you want on Friday. I know, it's crappy. So many people are not just scared of what will happen to people who don't eat meat, they're also scared of what will happen to people who eat the dreaded soy. If your parents can see that you're healthy on the alternatives, they might let you phase out the animals.



Also, make sure that you aren't giving your parents any reason to believe that you are starving yourself. Pig out on vegan food!



It can be difficult; my grandparents were convinced that my sister was anorexic because at one meal she didn't want seconds of dessert...

Answer 4

Here are some realy good websites for new vegetarians/vegans take a look and show your parrents! watch the videos as well.



Hope this helps, there are alot more reasons to go vegetarian/vegan than just animal cruelty.



A realy good book for someone who wants to go vegetarian is "Fit For Life" written by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond.

Answer 5

Read and show them this:



http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/veg.pdf



and this:



http://www.canadian-health-network.ca/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1001852&pagename=CHN-RCS%2FCHNResource%2FFAQCHNResourceTemplate&c=CHNResource&lang=En



and tell them you will follow this (and actually do it):

http://www.dietitians.ca/news/downloads/vege_guide(EN).pdf



Pick up a copy of "Becoming Vegan", and read it and discuss it with your parents. Show them that you've done your research and want to be a healthy vegan. Ask if you can see a dieitian about your food choices.



Do you have a history of eating disorders that would cause them to think you want to starve yourself? (If not, ignore the rest) If so, reconsider being vegan. Are you sure you're not just doing it to cover up an eating disorder?

Answer 6

Out of experience, I have to say it'll be diffucult. I always hated the taste of meat, but my mom thought the same as others thinking we NEED meat. I never got my way. You however have an advatage: the internet (I did have the internet, but not as many resources as there are today). Just research and hope she will listen and support. If not, try your hardest when you are away from home or set yourself up for when you move out!! Either way good luck!

Answer 7

well, i'm no vegan... but i am a vegetarian...look ... the best way to tell your mom is ...

1) firmly but kindly say that you are very serious about becoming a vegan

2) introduce your family to vegan dishes and resteraunts

3) show them that it is healthy and that it is not like starving yourself

~~I hope your parents will understand~~

Good Luck :)

Answer 8

Write a list of foods you can/will eat that will give you your RDI of everything you need and show her its okay. If she's all personal about it tell her to get fuqd' and say sh!t like "at least I'm not a druggo" or something like that. Maybe get a really nice vegetarian recipe and cook it for the family so they eat it and agree with you that it is nice.

Answer 9

they don't realize you're a self-centered elitist already? oh well, you learned it from someone in that house. btw-you're at the top of the food chain for a reason, animals serve us-get over it.