1. You May Need to go to More Than One
Grocery Store.
When I first started out on a
vegan diet, I automatically assumed that anything that wasn’t from Whole Foods
wasn’t vegan. After spending wayyyy too much money on groceries for a few weeks
I finally realized that most grocery stores actually have a good variety of
vegan options. I typically buy staple items such as rice, pasta, and produce at
a cheaper store like Walmart or Wegmans and go to Whole Foods for all of my
vegan cheeses, pizza, or any pre made food I may like. Believe it or not Walmart
tends to have more dairy free ice cream options than Whole Foods. Grocery
shopping is already the absolute worst and it’s totally a drag to go to two
different grocery stores, but this method saves me roughly $100 a trip.
2. Watch Out for Soy
Just because it's vegan doesn’t mean
it’s healthy. Check your ingredients to make sure you’re not exceeding
your soy intake. Soy is put into a lot of vegan alternatives and has been linked
to health problems such as breast cancer and infertility. Going vegan is supposed
to help your health, not hurt it, so make sure you're still paying attention to
food labels. It’s also important to note that not everything that isn’t
advertised as vegan is off limits. A lot of snacks like Triscuits and most
hummus and oatmeal are vegan friendly.
3.
Vegan
Cheese is Your Friend
Before I went vegan I used to think
it would be impossible because of how much I love cheese, so finding vegan
cheese alternatives saved my life. However, I will warn you, not all plant-based
cheeses are that great. My favorite brands are Daiya and Whole Foods 365 for
sliced and shredded cheeses. For pizzas, I usually go with Amy’s or American
Flatbread. Finding a plant-based cheese (and butter) that I actually liked was
key to transitioning into a vegan diet. These items make it easy to prepare
meals the same way I have in the past.
4.
You
May or May Not Lose Weight
It depends on what your diet was like
prior to going plant-based. I personally did not lose weight when I changed my
diet but I was already a pescatarian and only had to cut out dairy and seafood.
If you’re currently a meat eater and go cold turkey you will most likely experience
a smaller waistline, along with a number of other health benefits.
5.
Your
Workouts Will Be Even More Beneficial
Most people worry about losing muscle
mass when cutting out traditional protein sources, but this is very rarely the
case. As long as you’re still implementing the right amount of protein
throughout your plant-based diet you may actually find that you gain more
muscle from your workouts. I personally have felt stronger since going vegan
and have found that I have more endurance during my workouts.
6.
Take
a Multivitamin If Needed
If you find that you have a hard time
hitting all of your nutrient goals, take a daily multivitamin. It’s not unusual
for vegans (and vegetarians) to be low in iron and B12, two vital nutrients for
energy levels. A multivitamin can keep your levels normal and your energy high.
7.
You’ll
Need to Plan Ahead for Dining Out
Thankfully most metropolitan areas
have introduced quite a lot of vegan restaurants but if you’re going out somewhere
less populated it's helpful to look up the menu beforehand. It can be confusing to
try to find options last minute when dining out with friends and family.
Planning ahead can take that stress away or help you decide if you’d rather
pick a different place. Luckily most chains and restaurants are catching on to
the amount of people changing their diet and are offering plant-based eaters more
options than just a salad.
8.
People
Will Be Really Fricking Annoying
Regardless of the fact that I do not
try to force plant-based living onto others, I can’t tell you how many people
have teased me or asked endless questions about my diet. Even after answering all
their questions with credible answers I still get disapproving looks and
comments. If anyone really won’t let it go just ask them this “how does MY diet
affect YOU?” … The bottom line is that it doesn’t. Changing to a plant-based
lifestyle is something to be proud of and you shouldn't let the opinions of others
change your mind. You’re creating positive change for animal rights, our environment,
and your own health.
9.
Holidays Will Be Tough but With the Right Planning, You’ll Survive.
I’ll be honest and say that I have
been craving hot cocoa, brownies, and all of the other yummy treats that come
along with the holiday season. This is my first year being vegan and at first,
I was pretty put out. Thankfully I found a number of equally tasty plant-based treats
on Pinterest. Finding substitutes for the holidays will keep your
holidays merry and bright all season long.
10. Don’t Beat Yourself Up If You Make a Mistake
This is by far the most important one
on this list. In reality Veganism is overall an extreme diet and you won’t
perfect it overnight. If you’re trying your best but you accidentally eat
something with dairy don’t beat yourself up. It can be hard at first to figure out what is right and wrong to eat. It’s better to be imperfectly making positive
changes than to not be making them at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment