Actually, I find this video comforting. Normalizing mistakes and being imperfect makes this lifestyle more approacheable and less intimidating.

I have wanted to go vegan or vegetarian for a while, but when I started assessing my relationship with food I realized that I infact already had, and had been living with for a long time, an eating disorder that I was ignoring and downplaying. It was hard to make the decision to wait until i had a good relationship with food before starting my plant based journey because I am so passionate about the environment but I also don't want to make my condition worse. I think any nuance in the plant based conversation is good because I can't be the only one who has faced this decision

I think the main difference between being vegan and plant-based is the motivation. Veganism is an animal rights movement--the backbone of it is ethics and the goal of reducing animal suffering. Yes of course eating a vegan diet is more sustainable for the environment, but that's not the goal. It's hard for me to imagine being so aware of the environmental impact and then not really considering the ethical component, but i understand that people have different priorities and passions. And I think if you care about the environmental aspect, it's easier to advocate for the reduction of animal products versus having an aboloshinist approach. But if you are coming from the ethical side, you'll probably want to encourage people to completely stop using animals because you see it as an act of cruelty that shouldn't be supported in any capacity. Like if you're against child abuse, you wouldn't ask people to abuse kids less, you would be fighting to eradicate child abuse. I think the world would be a better place for people and animals if everyone was vegan, hopefully one day 🌱💚

Thank you Gittermary. What a refreshing video to watch ❤ I started my journey shortly after finding your channel a few years ago purely for the environment, and after further research I became passionate about the health and ethical aspects too. Let’s stop scaring meat and dairy eaters away from our cause by insisting it’s all or nothing and instead encourage realistic change 🌎 Small steps in the right direction is far better than heading the wrong way!

I'm not vegan, plant based, or vegetarian, but I love your content because you pass along information in such a kind and fun way. I support you 100% on what you want to do and how you want to change. I support your happiness! You're doing great!

Hey! I can´t lie, I feel a little disappointed. I’m a vegan as you can imagine, I did have waves in terms of how I feel about the movement and how I interact with people that are part of it and that are not. I currently live in Argentina so it hasn´t been an easy journey as meat is a strong part of its culture. I found the balance in being vegan, sharing my ethical view mainly with vegan friends, and with other people only when they ask about it, which they become very defensive even when I mentioned that I am vegan because I don’t feel OK participating in animal exploitation, but didn’t feel like that before and I know that learning about this things is a journey that not everyone is going to agree or join in. I understand your point of view, I know that being vegan in our society is not an easy task (and I don't believe in perfect vegans, either), and I have the impression that your main motivation has been the environment, in fact your views and facts about climate change is why I follow you. However, you do mention the ethical perspective on being an environmentalist and how companies that are not ethical with their workers can´t be considered clean or sustainable. I feel the same way about veganism, I can´t put aside the exploitation and suffering of animals. So I feel a little disappointed when you do consider the ethical side of companies to have sustainable decisions but not about animals. I hope I am not being to hard, honestly. I still really like your content but it is sad when you learn that someone you thought was part of a movement you are so passionate about, it is not anymore.

Hi Gittemary! I am so happy you're talking about this. I have been a big proponent of "it is better to have thousands of imperfect vegans/vegetarians than 10 perfect ones". I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years (or vegan by the definition you gave!), and my perceptions around this have evolved a lot over time. Some people would come to me and say that they wish they could become vegetarians as well, but they loved their grandma meatball or whatever. I would point out that the benefits from being a vegetarian/vegan every day - except the day when grandma makes meatballs - are very relevant, and just imagine if this was the case for everyone! The environment would be very thankful. This expectation of perfection that is placed on the back of people who make a choice such as becoming a vegan can be too much, it ends up preventing more people from even trying it out. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd say it must have started in the meat industry, because they end up benefitting the most from this approach! 😆

For me, ethics and the environment are inextricably linked because why are we trying to preserve the environment if not for all the creatures living in it? How does it make sense to say I do my best to save the planet for other living beings, then turn around and kill and eat those beings? Surely it's not just people that are deserving of our efforts to save the planet? Saying I'm vegan for the environment is basically like saying I don't like murderers, but not because murdering people is wrong but because we are clearing forests to make graveyards and that's bad for the planet. Yes, I know, food deserts and all that, there's still a ways to go to make a vegan lifestyle viable for every person on Earth, it's just that the "logic" behind the "vegan for the environment" stance is baffling to me.

Thank you Gittermary! Love your kind approach! I'm vegan for 7 years too. Taking the door to health overnight, after a few months and the incredible benefits of a whole plant based diet, I watched Earthlings and Cowspiracy and become an ethic vegan for the animals and the planet. I admit I have lost friends but they certainly weren't friends if they can't accept your change in lifestyle and thoughts. And I got new ones and that's good. Encouraging people to lower their consumption of animal products by being a positive example, by cheerfulness and joie de vivre is the best way, you are doing great !

100% agree with the sentiment that we should try our best to be plant-based/vegan, but don't beat ourselves up when situations arise that make that impractical. My husband's family are all cattle ranchers, so even though my husband and I are plant-based 98% of the time, we know that it's impossible to have a family meal with them and actually have something to eat. Plus, there's the whole "we dont support the family business if we don't buy beef" nonsense that we would rather avoid with them. No one's perfect, and the hard-core veganism crowd can definitely scare away anyone who is curious about decreasing their animal product consumption.

As a non vegan, plant-based sounds more accessible and approachable ☺️

I loved this! One thing i adore about you is that alongside your sustainability, knowledge and veganism, youre still very realistic about it all. Its never about perfection, just simply doing the best you can. I get why you felt scared to do this.. im so glad you did, a true bad ass ✌️ ❤ x

Thank you for this video, Gittemary! I am a covid long hauler and have been for over 3 years. And because of that, my relationship with zero waste had to completely change. I generate a considerable amount of plastic waste for medical reasons. That bothered me initially, but I've come to terms with it and it's ok. Somebody told me once the medical field is one of the few places where single-use plastic usage is justified and totally ok. I still think medications could come with less plastic but I have no control over that and I need them on a monthly basis, so I don't even fuss about that anymore. I also realized how ableist I was: "Oh yeah, making your own plant-based milk is so easy, and plant-based yogurt and detergent and...", right, try that sick. I had to stop doing all of that and come to terms with the fact that being chronically ill will make more difficult to do as many things as I used to and that's ok. These days I just do what I can. Some people might say it's not enough, but it's what I can do with the energy I'm allotted and with the health I have at the moment. We all can only do the best that we can! Thanks again!

I’ve been following you for a few years now and I’ve been drawn to your content because I can relate to you a lot more than more ‘extreme’ vegan educators. I am just a vegetarian that enjoys beautiful clothes and home decor, whilst trying to eat and live intentionally and sustainably. Your content has given me new ideas on how to be more sustainable in all aspects in life and it has done so through kindness and excitement rather than guilt. So thank you for what you share and how you communicate

I agree with you, and think ANY step towards veganism/PBD/low waste, etc. etc. is a good thing. I know I'm not perfect in literally any aspect of my life, however I am still a "I'd rather starve" kind of vegan. It's just so built into me now. I've definitely accidentally eaten non-vegan products over my 5 years as a vegan, but I'd never choose to. Not judging those who would, if you're literally starving then that's fair, but for me going hungry for a day is worth it rather than give up even a fraction of my beliefs.

Awesome video! I've been gradually changing my lifestyle over the past few years, wasting less and eating more and more plant based. But there are still times where I have found it to be unavoidable, and then I find myself having to talk myself out of feeling too much guilt. So thank you for your transparency, you're awesome! ✌

YES!!! Thank you ❤ I'm currently learning how to not be so hard on myself with all of this, and in my case that includes "stepping down" from a completly vegan diet, to a vegetarian one. Because of a lot of reasons. If my ARFID isn't gonna let me eat 100% plant based, I'm not gonna starve myself anymore. It's about doing the things you can, not pushing yourself past your own limits. Progress. Over. Perfection.

I love that we're talking about eating plant-based like this! I think this way of thinking is just much more sustainable like you said and also more considerate of different people and their situations and needs. this is also much more approachable to people that are thinking of eating more plant-based food. I also have pretty much the same attitude towards eating plant-based for 3 years now! like for example if I was abroad, I wouldn't starve myself if there was no plant-based food. I wouldn't eat meat, but I would choose the vegetarian option. I really agree that being kind to yourself and not trying to be perfect is seriously really important. thank you for talking about this! madeleine olivia also recently talked about this in the same way, so I really appreciate seeing the people I follow share their thoughts.

Hello Gittemary, Thank you for your insight. I find myself in a similar situation, but I am processing it differently. Your journey, and the video where you explained that you used to love meat and it took you time to get away from it inspired me to do the same. Before I thought that I had to do it cold turkey after watching an horrible documentary, and I couldn't put myself through it. It's been almost three years, and I am a proud vegan. However, it is true that I have been cutting myself some slack. I have realised that some relationships that I have are impossible to maintain without me giving a bit as well. In the cafeteria where most of my coworkers eat, almost nothing is vegan. I know that if I don't eat there, I will have less perspectives, so I have eaten butter cooked rice or vegetarian dishes with eggs knowingly, sometimes just to eat proteins and not be constantly hungry. I am also more flexible with my family and my partner because we used to fight a lot about it, and otherwise I have to cook for everyone all the time. Also, I find it counterproductive when someone goes beyond their way to produce something vegetarian in a country where it is not popular at all, and I deadpan that it's not enough. However I will never say that I am plantbased, because I keep in mind that I am compromising. If it was only me, I would do it differently. I will never say that I am a vegetarian because the dairy industry will never be okay. I just tell myself that it's a phase, and that I will be a better vegan when I'll be able to

Thank you for your smile and inspirational speech❤ So true about "no one will give you a medal"😊 I had, and some times have, this problem in various aspects of life. Good luck with your book.

I love your approach! I am plantbased since 10 years and the first ca. 5 years I was super strict. Now I have a similar approach like you. At home it’s no problem for me to eat fully plantbased but if I‘m away and it‘s either eat something vegetarian or eat nothing, I‘m choosing the vegetarian option. It doesn’t happen often and when it happens, I don‘t feel bad about it. I do what I can, when I can, it doesn’t have to be „all or nothing“! Thank you for your relatable and inclusive content 🙏🏻

ive been vegan for 5- 6 years. I got hit by a car and ended up in hospital in Thailand during my year abroad. I had only rice for 4 days until my body couldnt handle it anymore. the 4th day was so bad and i my blood pressure was dangerously low I had an egg, dairy yoghurt and a chocolate bar, the egg was awful but the Toblerone was so good! I havent had one since i was a child. Now im back to normal, my leg is fully healed and i eat 100% plantbased again. But if i ever end up in a similar situation i will eat dairy or eggs.

It feels really positive for you to lay your opinions and journey on plant based vs. veganism and I couldn't click fast enough. Thank you for shedding light on the fact that not everyone can be so strict about their diet. My body can tolerate a vegan diet but my partner is incredibly sensitive to all the classic vegan proteins from tofu to lentils to peas etc. We can't have two dinners so i've had to balance meat and meat free days into our diet to cater. I try to offset this in other ways by sourcing locally and trying to lessen our environmental impact in as many other ways as possible like less single use plastic, refill schemes, batch cooking to use less energy etc.

"You have to mature within it" is such a perfect way to put all of this. I've been vegetarian for 11 years and there have definitely been changes and a maturation that's happened in me around food.

I think most people outside of this community don’t even know the difference between vegan and vegetarian. But they will probably feel like it’s a very restrictive diet. They will picture a vegan as a socks-in-sandals semi-hippie wearing beige hemp clothes , long hair, no makeup, probably thin, munching raw carrot sticks with zero joy and a lot of moral high ground. So I’m glad for all people who make it accesible, fun, tasty, inclusive, varied and joyful. Plant based sounds really great and doesn’t imply you have to eat like that every day from here to eternity, which can be very daunting.

I have been vegetarian for 4.5 years, and would consider going completely plant-based, but I have had a bad relationship with food previously, and I and concerned that cutting out dairy and eggs could take me back to that position. I am also autistic and have sensory issues surrounding food, and some of my safe foods contain eggs and dairy, so I'm not sure I could cut them out.

I love your attitude about this. I've tried to reduce my meat consumption on and off over the years for environmental reasons. But I have issues managing my blood sugar, and I can't tolerate soy, so not a ton of protein options (I love legumes, but not for every meal forever). And now I'm pregnant and during the 1st trimester I basically had to eat protein every 2-3 hours to keep from throwing up. But I can't tolerate a lot of dairy and eggs make me nauseous when I'm pregnant. During my last pregnancy, I developed gestational diabetes and by the end of the pregnancy, couldn't even tolerate legumes. And that's okay. I do a lot in other aspects of my life. When my health allows, I reduce my meat consumption. When I need meat to keep myself and my baby alive, I choose as sustainable of an option as I can. It can be hard to make peace with this while being in the environmental sector, but everything in life is nuance.

I'm very glad you bring these aspects of self-care /-love, preventing burn-out and overcoming perfectionism into the community. I agree that it is more sustainable in the long run. Also: "We don't need a handful of people doing Zero Waste [and Veganism] perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly" (forgot who said/wrote this quote) 💚 Thanks for your wonderful work! Greetings from Berlin 🌿

I am at a point where I am thinking a lot about my food choices, this video was much needed to get some clear sense for it. Thank you so much 💯

love your approach of cutting yourself some slack to make your lifestyle sustainable! very relatable video overall!! 💙

Thanks a lot for that video. I've been following you for about 2years now. Even if some friends are eco conscious, nobody close to me is vegan or vegetarian. I don't feel guilty about eating meat and dairy although I have changed my relationship to it by buying organic or free range meat. Better for the environnement, myself and the animals. Yes I'm aware they live and die to get in my plate but at least they got a life. I know not everyone can see things my way but it calms me down to know the animal wasn't living only in a meat factory. Besides, even if it's not enough for some, it was a huge deal for me and a great improvement (I even used to waste meat so I've come from far). This change as generally reducing my waste is in part coming from being part of your audience so big thanks for that. Also I don't have any allergies or intolerance but never ate healthy food since childhood so eating good meat actually helps me getting a healthier daily diet (feel like I had to add that seeing some strict comments here which I find unfair as we shouldn't feel like justifying ourselves as long as we are in a good mindset for us and the planet).

I have a similar experience, because when i learned about veganism and the environmental impact i wanted to be 100% vegan from day one, but that wasn't possible for me and i beat my self up about it. Now I personally call myself hverdags-veganer (everyday vegan) because at home i can be in control of what foods to cook and eat, but when im out and eating at restaurants or at friend's houses i call myself either vegetarian or pescatarian and eat dairy and sometimes fish if there is no other option. I find that a lot of people i talk to about it is comfortable asking about it and start trying to lower their own animal consumption. I think i am about 95% plant based and that works for me, and in my experience that can be a lot more approachable and inspiring for others, than if i was 100% vegan!

so proud of you.

Ive been vegan for 3 years now. Best thing ive did ever

After a lot of heated conversations in my home town lately surrounding veganism (due to a restaurant banning vegans and a vegan activist targeting said restaurant with extreme activist methods - both of which were covered heavily in the media creating a huge rift between vegans, non-vegans and even between the different types of vegans [I myself was called a non-vegan just because I don't call myself an activist and because my main motivator is also environmental reasons rather than ethical]) it's so refreshing to hear a stance which is realistic, non-judgemental and takes into account the nuanced and complex nature of human beings and the world.

Don't feel guilty for giving yourself a little space within veganism. It is so terribly difficult to be vegan / zero waste in a society that is not build for it. I have a lot of respect for you and for what you do. You inspire and you’re always positive. I was inspired by you to prepare a 5 course vegan menu for my family, 15 people. It was really fun and everyone had a great time. Cutlery etc. all out of the cupboard, used a service from my grandparents. Everyone different wine glasses (great) and completely vegan. Hadn't said it in advance and no one noticed. Have to be honest with you, was al little scared to tell them afterwards, but everybody liked the food and they were totally fine with it being vegan. I am a vegetarian, but wanted to show that it is also possible to do this vegan. And that vegan taste just as good. It was all very successful. Thank you for everything you do!

Ya. Don't call yourself vegan if you don't actually care about the animals

There was a time I would have reacted in the same way you described your past self. I’ve grown in a similar way and it has made my relationships so much healthier and receptive. Working on forgiving my past self for the intensity in which I paraded veganism 💚

Great conversation. I have recently been put off by meat so I am organically adjusting my diet to a non meat diet.

Thank you Gittemary for sharing your vegan story! I am vegan for ethic reasons and all the other vegan or vegetarian I know, too. So it was very interesting to hear your reasons, which I understand as well of course. If I wasn't vegan for ethic reasons, I think I would be vegan or vegetarian (or almost) for our environment. But that's of course not easy to say. I wasn't vegan over night as well, first I was vegetarian and over the years I cut out animal products more and more, till I was vegan at home. When eating in the office or restaurants, I went for vegetarian options. Since 2020 I am completely vegan and it just felt like...I don't know...reaching the last step? Something like that. But I am not living a completely vegan lifestyle, my husband (who unfortunately still eats meat from time to time) and I own two cats and I go riding a horse 😉 But I also do not buy leather, silk or wool, my cosmetic products are vegan and I do not buy any products that are testet on animals or that are produced from a company that does animal testing. sustainability is a huge point in my life as well and I am sooooooo glad that I discovered your channel some weeks ago, you help my a lot in my sustainable badass journey, thank you so much! And you beeing in some situations "less vegan": I think that's ok, you do the best you can and the most important thing is, that you can live with your decisions. Who cares, what other people say or think? Nobody is perfect! I eat strictly eat vegan and I would prefer to starve than eating something non vegan, but therefor I produce more waste than you. Sorry for english mistakes, I'm german 😁

I remember you saying something along the lines of food from dumpster diving is "vegan." I really like that type of approach. Obviously it's best to find people those who are omnivores to consume those products, but it still seems more sustainable to eat discarded food rather than allowing it to go to waste.

You are doing everything you can; that is all we can ask of everyone. I work in the field of sustainability as well and one of the think I talk about in my workshops and talks is precisely the impossible standards of perfecting of the sustainability movement, we want as many people as possible to join so that means that we have to accept the limitations and "imperfections" of what they do or don´t, and sustainability is much more complex then the individual choices

Plant based is less controversial than vegan as a descriptor. The biggest hindrance to more plant based foods is the allergies in my family- corn, wheat, and soy (all for different siblings). Meat is something we can all eat, and my brother raises a lot of birds and his father in law butchers for us- so we minimize impact where we can.

I love your perspective of having a healthy relationship with food and eating plant based foods. This really inspires me to be kinder to myself on my sustainable journey, especially when I hear so many people talking about eating the perfect whole foods vegan diet. I am learning that balance is important. 😊

Wow G! You almost made me sad. 😢 Great Video ❤ Thank you for your honesty

Great video! I totally agree with you! Over the years I’ve been vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan at different intervals. My daughter was diagnosed with an ED last year so we had to reintroduce some meat per doctor’s orders. I now eat poultry when she’s around but otherwise vegetarian. Sometimes you have to just eat what works and do your best on the ethical/sustainability side. My friend says she’s a “sensitarian” - she eats what makes sense in a given situation. For me the default is vegetarian but I’m not going to make myself crazy to achieve this at all costs.

Will your cookbook be available in English as well as Danish? All the food you cook looks so beautiful and delicious; I'd love to try it!

I probably slipped up without knowing it and also some times knowingly. And it is fine. I wouldn't beat anyone else up for it, so why should I beat myself up. If my friends and family would think that I am that strict when it comes to veganism, they wouldn't ask me for my advice or maybe not try at all out of fear to slip up and be judged. A lot of my friends eat more plant-based foods because I introduced them to it. They probably range between 60 to 90% of plant-based foods in their diets and I still consider them to be "on my side", if that makes any sense. They are trying their best and also influencing others to be more plant-based. I have been more successful spreading veganism by inviting people and cooking with them or just casually talking about what I eat, than with judgement and anger.

I feel like the best way to describe your channel is NUANCE. Thank you for always bringing nuance to these conversations.

I was vegetarian for 5 years and have been vegan for 10. I did it gradually over the course of 6 months and it was much harder on my family then me to deal. That being said if I was stranded on a desert island and I had to eat meat to survive with no other options, I would.

Thank you so much for talking about this! There can be so much pressure to be "the perfect vegan" when being an environmentalist. I'm very allergic to legumes and nuts and whenever i have tried to go vegan in the past, it has not been good for my health. I was simply lacking protein. Now i'm sticking to a vegetarian diet because that's so much better for me, but i still catch myself feeling guilty about it sometimes. I shouldn't, i can just focus my sustainability efforts elsewhere. So thanks! This is an important conversation ❤

I think we've all been in that situation and held ourselves. To a standard of do we share ourselves or do we sustain ourselves

This is wonderful to hear. I was so worried way back when you were bullied by vegans and to me it seemed you turned vegan yourself quite fast (had a different account back them but remember giving a few stern words to the vegans in the comments, lol). Even if something is the right choice for us, if we're bullied or manipulated into it, it screws with our relationship with that thing, which is never okay. It could be why you were more...strict? in the beginning, or maybe that's what happens to all vegans, I wouldn't know. Personally I've never given a label to how I eat. Easiest is just to say I don't eat red meat as I dropped that completely in 2008 for environmental reasons after moving away from home for the first time. The main reason though is because my diet is highly circumstantial as someone who's trying to keep myself healthy with a budget of someone who's poor (poor is relative and no, I've never had enough money to put me above the poverty line in my country). I'm currently trying to learn away from rescue food, not completely but just came to the realization that I'm allowed to have fresh healthy food too, and it's not my job to rescue the stuff stores have put on sale because they've ordered too much. Wealth to me is something like fresh bread. Anyway, thank you for being open about this! I do feel the atmosphere has _finally_ started to relax around veganism so that nuanced conversations are possible. As for the cookbook, what we've seen of it on your channel has actually made me think I'll by it for a non-vegan friend as a gift as they love to cook. I think marketing vise, calling it plant-based is a really smart choice. You could add somewhere on the cover or back cover that it's "plant based and vegan friendly". I think that has a soft and cute ring to it, and it's reassurance for vegans that hey, this is for you!

i heard somewhere else a few years ago as well that whatever your angle for getting into a more eco friendly/low waste lifestyle is up to the individual. i came into this whole thing by trying to spend less money and stick it to consumerism. as a by product, i just started buying less meat. but friends or people i knew who tried to get me to care about the animal cruelty that never worked. not b/c i thought they were wrong or that it wasn't important but it just wasn't the spark that lit my fire. let people come to this lifestyle for whatever is important to them.

I love your content and never feel judged. I related so much to this video. I am not close to being vegan. I like meat, but I have become I guess an environmentalist (labels feel weird) and I agree that overconsumption in all cases impacts the planet. Basing one's diet on meat-focused meals every night just isn't sustainable. For both my family's health and the planet's health I have been adding so many more plants into our diet packing my taco meat with lentils and other vegetables because even if it's not a plant-based meal I am still lessening the amount of meat on my dinner plate. More and more I am losing the mindset of a meal is not complete without meat and seeing all the protein options available through plants. Your videos are so good and help me feel that being sustainable is attainable. I love the energy you bring to your channel and always hope you can continue that way.

I’m in my 3rd year of being vegetarian after one of your videos inspired me to give it a go. I’m finding now I’m having to reassess my diet so that I’m getting enough protein, as I’ve hit a wall where I’m feeling constantly tired and craving meat again. I don’t want to give up though, so am currently working on the balance between lentils and too many lentils!!! 😂

Thank you for akniwledging that you CAN be allergic to various thibgs that nakes a fully vegan diet impossible. I have a multitude of allergies and people, particularly (other) vegans often refuse to accept it, because "it's plants". Yeah... I am amongst other things allergic to tomato, onions and garlic... very basic things to many vegans. Then there's bananas, citrus - and other things. I've been plantbased, later vegan for years, but honestly, the lsst tear I've had chicken or fish on occassion... and it has actually, in very small portions, done me well because tgere's so many things I get sick from and so sometines I'm actually malnourished. I WABT to continue veganism for all sorts of reasons but I am finding it very difficult with the dietery ristrictions I'm under. (And before anyone starts; I'm under medical supervision, no it has not helped to "experiment with small portions of my allerhebes" and what not. Homeopathi makes it worse for me, sometimes it just is what it is.)

agreed! soo here for a more chill approach, especially to protect one's relationship with food and hunger

Hi dear, thank you so much. This is the kind of video and lifestyle i’m trying to improve and bring in my Life and to my community. Thank u for being so genuine, real and pure. That makes me to even more and more. Can i Just ask u something that has nothing to do with the topic? What kind of camera do you use? Thank u, have a great summer. Daria

My boyfriend and I are on a journey to decrease our animal product consumption. My current goals are to be vegan for breakfast and have at least 2/3 veggie/vegan meals. We’ve been adding more meatless dinners to our repertoire but some weeks are better than others. Sometimes I just want a yogurt smoothie for breakfast, ya know? But I feel like the difference between 1% and 0% is pretty negligible in terms of impact. Thank you for making me feel less bad about where I am on my journey and still eating animal products sometimes.

If the goal is to get the general eating public to eat less meat, plant based is the way to go! And as a non vegan, almost vegetarian, I know that I would be more likely to pick something up that used the term. It implies, get more plants in your diet, not change your life (and not necessarily to something you agree with). To make this comment more controversial, I am consciously being 100% vegan one day a week and find that I am buying far less local ingredients to do so. I think this is less environmentally sound. I really do believe I am doing more for the environment if I eat eggs from the neighbors chickens than a coconut milk yogurt. I also don’t eat processed foods, so find the Beyond Meats etc to be a bad direction for diets and the food industry to be moving, and am not sure how I feel about vegan cheeses etc.

I had a period in my 20s when I really tried to be a perfect vegan and my relationship with food became very bad, I started seeing food as good or bad and the perfectionist in me was getting the best of me. I do not cope well with restricting my diet and I learned that for me is better to be more flexible, not putting a label on it. I am vegetarian most of the time and sometimes I will eat a little bit of meat if it's really appealing or there is no other option. I think that it's better than a classic meat based diet and if people would try it, I'm sure more will adopt this lifestyle.

I have been mostly vegetarian for years now, I have definitely gotten better at it, but I have ADHD/Autism and sometimes I am unable to cook and need to get doordash or fast food, and I always feel bad about it. So I really appreciate you making this video and making it clear that you have to do what is best for you. I am working on ways to make meals easier for me, but it's taking a lot of work and time.

This is the best way to promote these ideas, way to go Gittermary.

Living in the midwest of the US, I tend to hide & downplay the fact that I’ve been eating plant-based for the past four years. Although I personally have started to find animal meat/products repulsive or just not satisfying, I don’t know if I’d be comfortable taking on a vegan title. I am interested in the path you chose for your cookbook and hope that it wasn’t chosen out of fear, but I, for one, can’t wait for it to come out :) I just read your first book after purchasing it secondhand and am excited to try some of the recipes included!

I am convinced that more people would do things differently if lifestyles wouldn't be presented in such a all-or-nothing, moralizing, perfectionist etc way. There is much more to win if people are inspired and motivated to try out things. I realized how much of these choices are connected to self-identification and looking down own others, but also being hard on oneself. Since I realized that I rather focus on ways I can find connection and communication instead of division.

So well said! I try my best to eat a plant based diet, except recently I was put on a liquid diet after jaw surgery. It was really hard to get enough nutrition on a liquid diet, let alone a plant based foods. I'm still eating soft meats to make sure I'm getting enough protein, but I'm hoping to transition meat out of my diet again soon.

Thanks ❤ i am not vegan but a am trying to lower amount of animal products for years. Some years ago i ate vegan for 6 months, but now i have found what is best for me to follow long time (i hope whole life) and i love it :) i think many not perfect vegans are better than few pure vegans :)

I have a health issue that dictates my diet and I’ve always leaned more plant based in favorite foods anyway, but now I really have to lean into plant based more and more. One aspect that I had never considered was that whole food plant based is one of the cheapest diets you can have. It’s also a bit easier to find resources if you don’t use vegan and instead use ‘plant based’. So for me it’s the budget and health aspects over anything else really. That could be because I was raised by people who had farmed for years, and when they raised their own animals for food they used everything. So to me if someone raised their own or went hunting for necessity and use everything, that’s ethical especially compared to factory farms.

I’m not vegan - but you inspired me to go vegetarian🌱 … I’ve been vegetarian for about a year and with that my husband is now 80/20 vegetarian … that is a very big win 😂❤ because he has been a “bacon guy” forever… our two kids (13 and 7) are 70/30 vegetarian but both loves the spaghetti bolognese they have been used to eating growing up. They want that to stay the same - and I don’t blame them ❤️ and we don’t want to make a big fuss about it ❤️

Food calm. I like the concept. I've never been 100% plant-based but very close to it. I very rarely bought any dairy products but then I had to start eating gluten free. I guess I got a little bit lazy with two non-mainstream diets and started including some dairy in my diet. I've felt a little guilty about it but then again I don't want to stress about my food on a daily basis. I'm sure there will be times in my life when I get inspired to eat more plant-based again.

Thank you for this video and your honesty. I try my best to stick to a sustainable diet, but due to IBS, a history with an ED, and close-minded family, it's far from perfect. At this point I avoid red meat, fish and dairy and eat at least vegetarian as much as possible. Thanks for the reminder that I shouldn't beat myself up too much if I make a less sustainable choice once in a while

Perfect video. Thanks for that. Totally agree with you

I feel like it's important to focus on impact of our diet as a whole, rather than individual cases. I eat mostly plant-based, but I do have animal products every few months or so (when travelling and not having too many options or when being a guest at the event where host did not ask for dietary restrictions/preferences). The change of an impact of my diet is HUGE - several years ago I ate meat few times a day. It's not like all of that achievement is cancelled out by the fact that I dipped my chips in real mayo on one occasion. It's not like glaciers would be putting themselves back together if I hadn't had piece of the birthday cake that had egg in it. We need more people trying to do more, not for a few to be perfect. Also I'm strongly in favour of eating non-vegan food if the food would otherwise go to waste.

The way you talk about it is much better and healthier! It makes non-vegans more curious, at least me! I don't like people telling me what to eat or not, and in my experience most vegans are extremists, and I don't like that!! I LOVE meat! But when you clamly, respectfully and kindly talk about plantbased food and not being extreme - well I really am curious and I wonder how it would be! And also I accept it much more.. I do tend to chose vegetarian rather than vegan, but again - small steps 😊

I relate to this so much. I started stepping away from strict veganism last year as i was on holiday and struggled going to some restaurants with family. I decide to cut myself some slack. I dont like using the label vegan anymore and prefer vegetarian or freegan. I dont eat meat but now eat vegetarian when friends and family cook for me and im okay with that. I still eat vegan at home and i feel fine with my choices. I think youre right that its more sustainable in the long run rather than burning out.

Recently I caught up for lunch with a dear friend who I hadn't seen for ages and a ridiculous amount of catch up time was spent trying to order food, then sending it back because it wasn't vegan. I wished that I'd just ordered something with cheese and devoted my time elsewhere. At home where I can control things is another story (although I do occasionally eat honey, ooh aah).

As someone who cannot go fully vegetarian or vegan for health reasons (my body does not like most green vegetables and I miss zucchini every day or legumes) I can wholeheartedly say that using "plant based" instead of "vegan" would make me more likely to pick up a cookbook or watch a video, because I have had negative interactions with the scary mean vegans and I'd just rather not. My family and I have already cut back on meat and dairy as much as we currently can with my health and their childhood pickiness, and I look forward to finding more ways to continue to reduce if possible for us. This was a really sweet video and I appreciate it.

really nice said, I agree

Society has warped the word Vegan in the same way it has with the word Feminism. We create words to find connection with one another and eventually we’re taught that it’s a bad thing and have to constantly regroup.

I agree, I thought being vegan was just a trend (remember when everyone was so mean about vegans?!) and didn't really understand it. I went vegetarian and then vegan after having digestive issues five years ago. Did you know that there's a study which shows vegetarians/vegans have more varied microbiome than meat-eaters? It totally fascinates me. My boyfriend is vegetarian which makes it super easy to reduce meat in our household.

Totally agree that it’s impossible to be perfect and mistakes happen but it should also be said that veganism isn’t about getting a medal or praise - it is about considering the animals who have absolutely no choices in their entire existence when most of us often do, especially in modern society. If we were to look at things from their perspective it might be easier to understand that some inconveniences now and then aren’t the end of the world for us while it most certainly would be for them. I can respect you coming to plant-based eating for sustainability but do encourage you not to overlook the horrific suffering inflicted on the animals.

I think the gate keeping of other people’s food/bodies/abilities keeps many interested “plant curious” folks away from giving a vegan diet a try. If we can support and encourage each other that would go a long way. I love letting people know, once they’ve found out that I’m plant based/vegan that it’s what works for my body right now, & that they can make choices that are right for themselves as well.

@Giitemary when you were transitioning, how did you get over that occasional overwhelming desire for meat? I am eating down the remaining few pieces of meat in my freezer on days when I can't think of anything I can face eating in the plant based line.

A goal I’ve slowly developed for myself is aiming for one plant based meal a day. As of now, veganism isn’t the goal for me. I want to start incorporating vegetarian meals into my regular day and move on from there. I live with my family still so avoiding dairy products is a challenge which is why I’m choosing to transition to vegetarian (might be pescatarian). I appreciate this video and watch you reflect back upon your behavior without tearing yourself down. It’s refreshing. Keep doing what you do❤️you’re a sustainable badass😎

Having a healthy relationship with food and the planet seems so much more important to me than diciplining yourself to never ever eat sth non-vegan or using 2nd hand items made from wool. Really like your new approach and can 100% relate.

I love this video and the fact that you have the courage to talk about this, thank you! Regardless of the topic, I often find that there is too much black and white thinking in our societies, which is ironic when life is all about the nuances of grey.

Check out the Reductarian movement . I think the conversation should be more about the spectrum of reducing meat and dairy (as much as possible). Veganism is obviously on the end of one part of this spectrum . This mind shift away from all or nothing thinking or black and white rigid standards will appeal to the greater population. Which in turn will reduce meat and dairy more than just demanding everyone go vegan . Plus , no offence , as a non vegan , militant vegans and the vegan police make me want to go out and eat a big steak and have a giant milk shake with their attitude and judgement. Big turn off and exactly opposite of what they want .

I like this relaxed attitude. I am vegan, it’s my default, my preference, and I love it! But when traveling or the only option may have a dairy or egg micro component, I’ve adopted your attitude as well. I’m not going to eat an omelette or a cheese sandwich either, but I’m ok with a sauce or bread ingredient. I want to raise my child to be similar and not demonize a piece of cake at a birthday party he’s at, but hopefully his healthy default is plants!

When I describe my diet to other people (which hopefully isn't often, because I feel like that's pretty boring) I usually say "I'm trying to eat more vegan food." I'm trying to frame it as additive (learning more things I like to eat) rather than subtractive (restricting certain foods) is helpful to me. I don't want to give myself an eating disorder and I generally don't want to think about certain foods as "good" or "bad" because that's not helpful! Also, I don't think I could ever be a strict vegan because sometimes I have to buy shoes (doing my best not to buy new leather, but it doesn't always work out) and then maybe the sugar has been processed with bones and where does it end?? I'm doing my best. So are we all.

well... after having some really pretty rough experiences with vegans (having worked in a vego-vegan charity restaurant).. and further being turned off veganism bc of those experiences - THIS video makes me think about reassessing the whole dealeo.. and sure - maybe even buying the book. :)

Even though at home we eat vegan, I call myself vegetarian because I find it comes with less pressure. I don't want to beat myself up because I eat birthday cake at a party or for people to make me feel guilty when I eat dairy or eggs because there are no other feasible options. But at the same time, I can't help but feel hypocrite, knowing all the suffering animals endure for one bite of pleasure.

Thanks for this Gittemary. As a vegan I have often shamed myself for “accidents” and “slip ups” in travel situations or if someone makes me a meal not understanding what “vegan” is. I think that to make our planet healthier we will need to find new ways of relating to nonhuman animals (outside of factory farming), but that doesn’t mean everyone has to be 100 percent perfectly vegan. I figure I can cut myself some of that slack as well.

I loved this video! I am trying to be as sustainable as I can, but I'm chronically ill and disabled, so going completely vegan would most likely be impossible. I really appreciate the 'doing what you can' mindset - if everyone ate a little less animal product, the impact would be huge. I think everyone should try to do what they can, and a flexible approach will bring in more people, I think.

I feel you, babes - I've been vegan for ten years now and I've had several "hick-ups" in my time. Meat is completely out of question as it disgusts me, but every once in a while I slip up in similar situations to what you talked about. As it was the case for you, I used to get really upset when it happened to me in the very beginning of my journey, but I've become way more relaxed and it isn't the end of the world for me anymore if I accidentally or due to the circumstances consume animal products. The only ones who really judge me for this are family members that are very opposed to veganism and try to make me out as a hypocrite whenever I choose to eat a slice of cake my grandma made that most certainly contains eggs/dairy - that is if they even realise that there are animal products in most cakes 😂

I think making an effort to try as much as “possible and practical” to avoid things from animals should count as being vegan. It can be hard to know exactly where to draw that line. And I feel like sometimes we (me) end up making more compromises and end up doing less than we really could. It does feel like there is sometimes an aggressive perfectionist vibe around “vegan” which can make it feel unobtainable, turn people away, and make you feel like it’s all or nothing. I hope people keep challenging themselves to be more sustainable and to live ethically, reducing harm and suffering to animals and humans. But yea, I guess just do as much as feels possible to maintain is my general philosophy.

Well, in terms of food plant-based and vegan is the similar. But I describe myself as vegan, because I pay attention to it everywhere as far as I can. Actually in Germany the difference is for example, restaurants / fast food chains are not allowed to call a burger vegan if it has come in contact with animal products on the grill. So they call it plant-based instead. Plant-based is also not a protected label like the one from the Vegan society. Also the word vegan is easier / quicker to find on the products to know if I can eat it or not. But I guess „plant-based“ may be able to reach more non-vegans.

I'm similar, say I'm vegan but if a family event comes up and I don't know if the sausages are vegan or veggie or I buy a 2good2go bag I eat anything veggie and give away any meat products in it to friends or family

You were a huge influence on me for I going vegan ... (About 8 months now) Thanks you sweet, beautiful soul!❤

I absolutely love the stance you take on this. I only ever went 90-95% vegan, and would sometimes say I was vegan due to rounding error. A strong emotional discomfort with animal agriculture has always been my primary motivator, so I think the vegan label is appropriate for me, even though I've never tried doing it 100%. I have found the people who seem most inclined to police my diet and tell me that I shouldn't be eating something are people who eat animal products quite frequently. I have always strongly agreed with the "possible and practicable" piece of veganism, and think it is unfortunate that the concept of veganism is so emotionally charged that "possible and practicable" is usually left out of the conversation.