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Welcome to the Group
Welcome! We would love get to know you, so please tell us a little bit about yourself. You can choose any format you'd like, but most of us here share some or all of the following details:
1. History with veganism/vegetarianism:
2. History with Calorie Count:
3. Reason for joining this group:
4. Some interesting details about yourself, such as your job, your family, your pets and your interests:
And now just go ahead and make that first post!
Hi :) My name is Michelle - I am 37 - and have been a vegetarian - mostly vegan almost a year now. I aim for a vegan diet - but dont always manage (which means, I will use a little parmesan, or there is dairy or egg in a mix, but I do not eat eggs, or drink milk, eat yogurt, it seems cheese or cooked into something is my sticking point). I live on the west coast of Wa state with my husband and 3 kids - 11, 13, and 16 - all omni - so I usually cook 2 main courses and vegan sides. It works for us. We have a bodercollie/austrailian shepard and a cat, I work in health care. I have about 70 - 75 pounds to lose - when I first started eating strictly vegan I dropped 20, but as soon as I started slipping a little it came right back. So, I back at it - and going to the gym running - hubby too... looking forward to getting to know you all!
Michelle
Hola!
My name is Rachel {Ray}. I'm 17 and I have been a vegetarian for 2 years. I am currently transitioning to a vegan diet, though I'm not sure if it's possible yet. I don't eat dairy or eggs outright, but I can't be too picky about those ingredients in breads and other things. I have three sisters and a niece, but I am still the only vegetarian in my family. This means I cook for myself almost always, though I usually make enough for anyone who wants some. I love to cook, so this is no problem. 
I like my two gerbils and my dog, Prince. Prince is an especially fun running buddy. I used to run more than I currently do, but I still go running about three times a week. I love running. It's something I absolutely feel great about. It helps me maintain my weight, which is my goal on CC, and it keeps me fit enough to love life.
Hi Ray! I am just starting to get into running - mostly in the gym though. I run for a few and then walk for a few, then run, then walk - hopefully it wont be too long before I can just run straight though! My dog would have a great time, but I am afraid he would trip me - he seems to have to check everything out when I take him walking - so I always imagine if I tried to take him on a run he would jet right in front of me and it would be the last of me!
When I first started eating vegetarian I was completely vegan for about 6 months and then starting getting away from checking labels as much. I still rarely eat anything in its raw form (eggs, milk etc, if I do it is a little cheese) but usually will not look for whey or casein (sp?) in a mix. Once I stopped doing that however I gained back the 20 pounds I lost when I went to a vegan diet 
so, I am trying very hard to stick to the vegan diet again and check all labels!! I really didn't have a tough time the first time. I got very used to cooking two sets of dishes, using egg replacer, rice milk etc. in some things it seems to really matter, in others, no one can tell.
Glad to see you see you here, I thought maybe I was alone and thought I may unsub from the group
Michelle
Nice to meet'cha, Michelle. 
So you lose more weight on a vegan diet, too? I keep my weight more stable on an eggs, milk, and especially cheese-free diet, as well. I found out about casein in the cheese replacements I've been using, which made me pretty disappointed. I have found that rice-based "cheeses" are better, so I'm trying to just buy those on occasion. I also bought {but haven't tried} egg replacer. How does it work? As an exact replacement, or as a decent substitute?
I go running in my neighborhood and in the fields nearby. I have to be rather cautious, however, as the field I run in is somewhat hazardous with cactus, low-hanging branches, and very uneven ground. Still, running is fun anywhere. I'm quite addicted to running. xD
Ray~
i'm alaina and i've been vegan for 9 months, and vegetarian a year and a half before that. i'm the only vegan in my family; my brother is a vegetarian but he's at college so i'm all alone :P i love cooking and especially baking, although it's taken me awhile to get the hang of making edible baked goods without eggs.
aside from being vegan, i've done ballet for over 13 years, and played piano all my life. i live in a suburb of dallas and am planning to major in piano performance at university of north texas. i wanted to be an art major for a long time before i decided piano is my true passion, but i still love art; sculpture, charcoal drawing, and mixed media are my favorites. and i love bunnies :)
ray, if you're talking about ener-G egg replacer, i've found it to be WAY better than any other replacement i've tried. everything i've made with it comes out with perfect texture and my family can't tell it's egg free.
Alaina: Awesome! I bought a box of said egg-replacer, and I was hoping it was all I had heard it might be. I can't wait to make some pancakes with it. xD
I live in Texas, as well. Lewisville, to be precise~
Hi Alaina! I have only tried the enrgy (sp?) and I like it- my family never complains :)
Ray - I am just to much of a cheese snob I guess! :) I would rather go cheeseless than have the vegan cheeses they just dont do it for me. I get used to it. Humus is good though and for me seems to replace the craving - if I just want cheese in general I can usually get past it with some pita and good humus.
Take care - have to get back to work!
Oh - what I had today that was tasty - the vegan ground crumbles with a little taco seasoning - heated in the micronuker - mixed with some pico de gallo and a little guacamole and some baked tortilla chips - very yummy - nice lunch!
Michelle
Alaina: Flower Mound? No way, we're practically neighbors then! Wow, I hadn't actually met any vegan/vegetarians in this area, let alone heard of them. This is super. xD
Where do you get most of your specialty vegan foods? I ask, because I wonder if there is some sort of store I haven't heard of, and I'd hate to be missing out, lawlz.
I typically buy mine at the local Sprouts farmer's market, as well as the normal grocery stores like Tom Thumb and Super Target. I've shopped at Whole Foods, naturally, but we live closer to the aforementioned stores, so I generally don't get a chance to go there often.
haha yeah!! i only have two vegetarian friends, excluding my brother, and they both live in denton. denton seems to be way more veg friendly than the lewisville/flower mound area.
i get almost ALL my food at sprouts on main; places like target and walmart have stuff like tofu and cheeze too but usually it's way more expensive, but i'll buy other stuff like canned goods there because they're cheaper.
i went to abundant life health foods near lhs last week looking for new things and they basically had the same stuff as sprouts but all at least $2 more. like, a pint of so delicious was almost six bucks... jesus!
Hey! I'm Michelle. The Vegan group founder/moderator.
Psychorache is now also a moderator(:
I never understood the whole never-met-a-vegetarian thing. But, then again I live in Olympia which is know for its hippies and half of all my friends a vegetarians. It's a town that's a bit different.
So, I have a request for all of you: Find any vegetarians or vegans you know on caloriecount and invite them to this Vegan group. Thank you. I believe that with a larger networking we'll get a larger suppport system fo the individual member.
Hi, i'm lauren :)
I've been a vegetarian for about a year and bit, for health and ethical reasons. I have about 2 friends who call themselves vegetarian, but one eats fish and one eats bacon and pies and sausages occasionally. So I'm kinda the only one I know.
This year have been slowly phasing out dairy products, and now I would say I am mostly vegan, I avoid milk/eggs/cheese etc by themselves but I have to eat some of the products containing dairy that they serve us or i'll starve. I plan to become as vegan as possible in a few weeks when I leave the uni hostel I'm in and can cook my own meals.
I've been a member of CC on and off for about a year, despite what it says on my profile. I joined this group because I was invited to, but I think it would be great to be a part of a group like this :D
Err so I'm 18, I'm studying German, Psych and Linguistics at University in NZ. I have three cats and I love rock music. Also I have about 15lbs/6.5kg to lose!
Hi Lauren - welcome on! While I would say for sure Bacon and sausage don't make the vegetarian cut why pie? just curious! (I can make a mean pie - and vegan at that - crisco is vegetable shortening - so killer crust!)
Michelle - did I mention that I live just north of Everett in Marysville? My sister was in Lacey for a while, but she is north now too!
Michelle
that's why i LOVE austin... hippie vegetarian town :) when i live there i will have no lack of veggie friends.
Original Post by meeshellmabell:
Hi Lauren - welcome on! While I would say for sure Bacon and sausage don't make the vegetarian cut why pie? just curious! (I can make a mean pie - and vegan at that - crisco is vegetable shortening - so killer crust!)
Ah sorry, in New Zealand, a pie = meat pie. I.e. mince, mince and cheese, steak and cheese, steak and kidney, bacon and egg etc... They're really popular and sold everywhere for like a dollar. We have apple pies of course too :D
Oh, duh is me -- I am so familiar with that kind of pie ... I just did not take note of your location! sheepish grin...
I would continue to support your friends efforts however - changes like becoming vegetarian (especially vegan) can be harder for some than others - and regardless of why they are doing it - every day they eat vegetarian is something good - good for them, good the animals 
meeshell
Oh i know, its great, and i do. I don't preach to them about not being real vegetarians, its not really my place. Its better than them eating a lot of meat i suppose :)
Yeah, sometimes the better course is to just let people do what they feel comfortable doing. It certainly keeps you on their good sides for longer. xD
My whole family are omnies and I don't condemn them when they agree to eat vegetarian for a day and they just... "forget" Live and let live, right?
the only person i've turned vegetarian is my brother, and he did it because i dared him :P but i cook dinner for my family alot since my dad works full time and my mom teaches piano all afternoon so actually they end up eating vegan a LOT.
