How to go vegan
How I did it: We made the decision that we were going to go vegan.
We gave ourselves a timeline (3 months - we had lots of frozen meats) to finish off all of the non-vegan foods in the house (we don't waste food or money so we didn't throw anything away).
If anything needed to be purchased during this time (like milk), the vegan option was always purchased.
During the 3 months, I started putting together a list of food ideas, vitamin needs, etc... During this time I also tried out tons of recipes for my favorite comfort foods (like MacNCheese) in order to make sure I would still have that comfort food.
Once the 3 months was up, everything that needed to be consumed was gone and from there on out, everything we purchased / ate was vegan.
Lessons & tips: Know why you are doing it. We did it to live healthier, everything else is a side benefit... (if you are interested in this reason... read the book in the resources section) Whatever your reason, know it and own it.
If you are living with someone else and you frequently eat together, you may want to discuss this with them. If they decide not to try, it's good to at least let them know they'll be fixing food for (just) themselves.
Take your time, transitioning is easier in steps... if you can only cut out meat, milk or eggs at first then go with that and then work your way to other foods. You don't have to do it all at once... I believe a lot of people go vegetarian first and then after a while go vegan. Do what works best for you.
You may need to go to a different grocery store to find all the items you want... Most stores have ice cream alternatives, but not cheese and yogurt alternatives. If there is a Whole Foods near you, that will probably be the best place to find everything you are looking for, but it may not be the cheapest place to buy those things.
The biggest hurdle for us was no fast food... we both worked full time each with 1-1.5hr commutes each way so fast food was our 'savior' on long days. We managed to go completely without it... it wasn't easy, but it ended up saving us a LOT of money. When you have hurdles, just remember why you are doing it and the benefits in the end. When you get over that hurdle you'll likely be pleasantly surprised to see some extra benefits show up too.
If you need ideas / help, look online. There are all sorts of websites, forums, etc... with people who have done it and are usually willing to help out.
Resources: Skinny Bitch (book & cookbook)
VegCooking.com
VeganHealth.org
Whole Foods grocery stores
Trader Joe's grocery stores
http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=40&catId=10 (my new MacNCheese)
Meetup.com (find or start vegan get-togethers near you)
