I'm exactly the same.

I'm vegetarian, so I'm mostly there, but completely giving up dairy and eggs is so difficult.

Are you aware there are a lot of vegan bodybuilders

So personally I hate fake meat products, but there are loads to choose from. And other people really enjoy them. They may be a good way for you to transition. Take it gradually. Pick one meat product to give up and give yourself a short, achievable goal. I grew up with meat served twice a day. My partner of 15 years expected the same. Now I'm a 99% vegetarian and finally happy because I don't have to have anyone else's permission to cook the foods I love. I'll eat meat if I'm out at a restaurant and there's no agreeable vegetarian options. In those situations I aim for shellfish or chicken.

It might also help if you decided to start with either one day a week or one meal a day where you ate only vegan food. That way you could get used to cooking new things without the frustration that you're not living up to your expectations of yourself.

I also recommend trying Indian and Thai food, as there are a great many vegetarian and vegan dishes and they're full of flavor which you probably crave as you grew up in the South. There's probably also a lot of Greek recipes that you'd enjoy.

I found subscribing to a menu service was really helpful. I used Happy Herbivore's Meal Mentor for 2+ years. It gave me a good familiarity with basic recipes, plus just all the different veggies out there. Potatoes FTW! Here's a link for the plan: [getmealplans.com] My husband is also 6'2", from the south, and a former hunter, and he's been vegan for 2 years now, and he loves all the variety and new foods. Good luck!

Start with alternatives to meat, like tofu. Supermarkets have lots of meat alternatives these days. Start small. Ease your way towards going vegetarian first, or even just pescatarian. One small step at a time.

You need a handful of vegan receipts that are easy and cheap to fall back on... I do a chickpea salad that’s like eating tuna, rice and beans, stir fry with tofu, plate of pasta... I switched because of severe pain, great motivator. Now that I am vegan and I’ve learned how to navigate food I’m good. Delicious, filling, healthy, cheap, easy and vegan. No judgment, you fall, you get back up. Pic of my fake tuna salad... it’s dolphin safe

I grew up eating pork chops, hamburgers, and fired chicken. Yes, it is hard to break a habit, and food habits are no different. However, if you give up one at a time, it may help. I first gave up pork. Then hamburgers, steak, and other meat except for occasional chicken or fish, which I occasionally eat. IMO if you eat fish or chicken less than once a week, you are a vegan who sometimes "sins."

I recommend you try vegan recipes until you find a few you really like enough to be a staple, for example oatmeal, vegetable pot pie, spaghetti marinara, chili and vegan taco.