Making the change to a vegan diet, or even a more plant-based diet is easier than you might think. Sometimes, though, people have misconceptions about the way that vegans eat, and it makes this lifestyle look much more difficult than it really is. If any of these reasons for giving up meat and other animal foods apply to you—well, then maybe you really could be vegan!

I could never be a vegan because I just can’t eat low fat.

Some vegans eat low-fat, but definitely not all. I don’t eat a low fat diet and I don’t even recommend a low fat diet to others. Peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds—they are all part of a healthful vegan diet.

I could never be a vegan because I don’t like tofu.

There is not one single food that is necessary in any diet—vegan or otherwise. You can plan a very healthy vegan diet without ever coming near a tub of tofu—or a carton of soymilk, or any soy food.

I could never be vegan because I don’t like to cook.

Well, if you eat, you need to either do some food prep or get someone to do it for you. But that’s an issue for everyone, not just vegans. Vegans don’t’ have to cook any more than anyone else. You can build a perfectly healthful vegan diet around veggie burgers, canned beans, bread, salads, frozen veggies and other convenience foods.

I could never be a vegan because I don’t like vegetables that much.

Eating lots of veggies is good for you—but again, this is true whether you are vegan or not. Vegans don’t need to eat any more vegetables than anyone else.

I could never be a vegan because I eat out a lot and I don’t know what’s in the food. The servers never seem to know, either.

Every vegan knows that when you eat out, you take a chance on ingesting some animal products without realizing it. I don’t love the idea of this, but I don’t get too bent out of shape about it either. I make every reasonable effort to be vegan where I can, but I recognize that animal products sneak into my diet and that there are times when I just can’t do anything about it.