So, you’ve decided to give veganism a go? Whether you’re doing it for ethical reasons or health reasons, this is a big decision and it’s going to take some time for you to get used to life with vegan foods as your staples. One of the biggest issues with most people transitioning to a vegan lifestyle isn't necessarily the cutting of certain meats and animal products, but the time it takes to get used to the changes. Going forward with a vegan lifestyle is so much more than reading a few books. You need to research properly so that you can be sure that this new lifestyle is really for you. You can take a Vegan Cooking Course and learn more about what it means to learn a vegan lifestyle. You can research and get to know others who have gone through the same transition and learn what matters the most with this so that it feels easy for you to do. Below, we’ve got some transition tips that will really help you get through this time in one piece.
Don't rush
Changing your entire diet to suit a vegan lifestyle isn't an easy thing to do. It’s not just giving up meat, eggs and dairy. You have to think about every ingredient to ensure that animal products are eliminated - gelatine being one of them! You could take your time with this transition and remove one product at a time so that the transition is more like taking baby steps than rushing it all. There are many ‘fake’ versions of all of your favourite foods, you just have to search for them on the ingredients list on the packaging.
It’s okay to slip up
A change of lifestyle when all you have known are animal products in your diet takes time to get used to and so you shouldn't beat yourself up over it if you get it wrong sometimes. You can still be a vegan if you accidentally eat cheese! You just have to learn where to go out to eat that will sell vegan foods. Forcing anything on yourself that doesn't feel right will lead to binge eating all the food you’re trying to avoid. Get to know the vegan documentaries out there. Sometimes, a visual reminder of why you’re doing this will really help. There are so many documentaries out there that will tell you the impact of eating animal products on health, the environment, animals and the strength you gain from going plant-based.
Don't skimp
Cutting out animal products doesn't mean that you reduce your portion sizes. Instead, you can eat more flavourful foods and add spices and herbs to give them the depth they need. Add more ingredients like oats and lentils to get that same portion size you always had!Preparation is key. Social events can be hard when you’re a vegan, but when you plan ahead, you can ensure that those events can still be catered to you, too! Just plan and read the menus of venues and you’ll be golden!
