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Unless you’ve spent the first part of 2020 hiding under a rock with no access to the internet or social circles, you will no doubt have been exposed to the Veganuary movement which is sweeping the globe! You can read our blog about Veganuary here, however if you’re thinking of transitioning to a vegan, vegetarian or plant-based diet, here are our top ten tips to help you on your merry meat-free way.
1) What are your reasons?
There are a whole number of reasons why people want to go vegan; health benefits, environmental issues and animal welfare are just a few of the most commonly cited reasons.
Before you decide to take the plunge and adopt a vegan lifestyle, the most important question to ask yourself is why you are doing it? Think about your motives, research and do your homework, then make a conscious decision as to why veganism is for you, or at least why you want to give it a go. Believe us, you will be questioned!
2) Work in progress...
Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and most likely your transition to a plant-based diet will not happen overnight. If it does then congrats, but otherwise keep taking small steps towards your destination. Remember, life is a journey, and that journey is just as important as the destination. If you eat or use something that doesn’t fit in with your new lifestyle choice, don’t beat yourself up about it, simply learn from your mistakes and move on. Likewise, if you have food or lifestyle products that aren’t in keeping with your new ways either make a pledge to use them up before making a switch, give away to friends, or to a food bank or charity.
3) Read up.
Cutting out two food groups from your diet and staying healthy is no mean feat, so we encourage you to read up on dietary requirements as well as checking in with blogs from other people who have already travelled the path you are on and eliminated meat and dairy from their diets and life. Search for recipes featuring your favourite veggies, fruits and legumes and be inspired- at the end of this blog you’ll find a few accounts we highly recommend you follow for inspiration and advice.
4) Eat the rainbow.
We recommend everybody should eat a varied diet. Eating a diverse assortment of fruit and vegetables, with a broad spectrum of colours, where the term “eat the rainbow” comes from - is a good place to start, along with a variety of properly prepared legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, for protein; seaweed, one of the few plant sources of DHA; nutritional yeast, which is a vegan source of vitamin B12, and sprouted and fermented plant foods, to help combat antinutrients and increase the amount of beneficial nutrients within these foods. Read our recommendation for what supplements to take if you are vegan here.
5) Find alternatives.
Giving up your favourite foods might be tough, so we highly recommend searching for alternatives to replace them. These can be food products already available to buy ready-made and marketed as alternatives, or you can attempt to create your own in the kitchen. If you’re not sure where to begin, the Google search bar is a good start! Just type in “vegan _______________” and we’re sure in most instances you’ll find something to start you off in the right direction, perhaps a substitute or base ingredient you hadn’t even thought of.
6) Get creative.
Many state that a vegan diet is bland, but this is simply not true. Plenty of vegan dishes that meat-eaters consume on a regular basis are very tasty. That said, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut of always preparing your same staple vegan dishes; the safe tried and tested recipes that you know work. But we dare you to get creative - be sure to stock up your kitchen with plenty of herbs and spices, buy unusual seasonal vegetables and try out contrasting flavour combinations.
7) Balance.
As with any diet or lifestyle, balance is the key. We mentioned eating the rainbow and finding alternatives for your favourite foods before, but we also want to discourage you from eating a load of junk food and filling up on unhealthy snacks. Just because something is labelled “vegan”, it does not make it healthy. That said, you will also want to seek out your new favourite healthy-ish vegan “treats” and either bake a batch or stock up if it’s a readily prepared product. Having these at hand will help you resist temptation and stay on the straight and narrow.
8) It’s a lifestyle, but it’s your life.
Switching to a plant-based diet, or becoming vegetarian or vegan, are ultimately lifestyle choices and you can choose how you apply these to your life. You don’t need to answer to anyone about your decisions, but you need to find out what works for you. You may find that veganism or vegetarianism is not for you, but through your experimentation you may discover the flexitarian or pegan approach works for you.
9) Don’t be embarrassed, even if you “mess up”.
As we said in the last point, you don’t need to answer to anyone about your lifestyle choices, so if you slip up and eat or use something that isn’t vegan, don’t beat yourself up. It is all part of the journey. People may try to call you out, as veganism is still a subject which divides opinions, whilst others will be genuinely interested. Always remember your reasons why you chose to follow this lifestyle, and keep them in your mind. That way, if someone asks you about your choice, you are ready to answer with a rational and level-headed reason, not caught on the backfoot and defensive.
10) Don’t preach.
“How do you know if someone is vegan? Don't worry – they'll tell you.” This is an old joke but we still hear it pretty often. Vegans are often passionate about their mission, and this is where the root of this joke comes from. Sure, if someone shows interest in your choice to be vegan, then expand on your reasons, but otherwise don’t preach to your family, friends or colleagues.
We hope you’ve found our top 10 tips useful for transitioning to a plant-based diet. Want to research further? Here are a few accounts you should look to follow for recipe inspiration, lifestyle, beauty and more!
Here’s a few accounts you should look to follow for recipe inspiration, lifestyle, beauty and more!
Recipes
Beauty & Lifestyle
Best Vegan Fast Food
