It is most interesting to read of contributors' levels of commitment to their new vegan lifestyle. It's easy to imagine that we are all of the same mind, but this certainly isn't true. Vegans can range from newcomers who have their heart in the right place, but who may be struggling and perhaps occasionally lapse through to die hard vegans who maybe would choose to be burned at the stake (or steak) rather than lapse. So, what can the struggling newcomer do in order to assist themselves on their journey? Possibly the first thing is to remove temptation, in particular give away all non-vegan food products. Better to deal with the 'what a waste!' syndrome once rather than many times over. Next, set yourself an achievable target eg. I'll stick to my new diet for three months and then have a think. Giving yourself a daily reward mark in your diary, or wall chart, each day enables you to tangibly see your progress and gain strength from it. Promise yourself a concrete reward at the end of your target period. Finally, remember that your journey should be pleasurable and fun so buy a few recipe books and plan some interesting meals in advance. Good luck!