I was vegan for two years, and have been vegetarian for about five. While I am by no means an expert on dietary restrictions and lifestyle choices, I'll make use of my experiences to offer some insight into the world of no meat, for those of you that are curious.
Growing up as an Indian in a house immersed in Indian culture, being vegetarian wasn't particularly difficult. My mother doesn't cook meat, and a good portion of India doesn't eat any either. It made the transition easier, especially after having eaten meat for more than half of my life.
Vegan on the other hand was particularly difficult. The concept was foreign and almost unheard of to my family and many of my friends. Not eating meat? All right. Not drinking milk or eating eggs? That's insane! What could you possibly eat? Oh, the social commentary that comes along with making dietary restrictions. In fact, most of the discussions I had with others regarding veganism were initiated by other people, rarely ever by me.
Transitioning from eating meat to not eating meat wasn't particularly difficult (at least, it wasn't for me. I understand that difficulty is relative). But, going from vegetarian to vegan was the juggernaut of dietary shifts. It wasn't easy, and though it was very rewarding during that portion of my life, it wasn't a decision to be taken lightly.
To anybody who's considering vegetarianism or veganism, I say this: know your body. Understand its needs and your own. You shouldn't do something under external pressure. It should be for you.
Veganism is only rewarding when the choice is yours, and you do it for you. When that's the case, I promise, it'll alter your perceptions of food altogether.
Was it hard? Yes. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.