Transitioning to a eating a plant-based diet can be fun, easy and exciting - or it can be dull, difficult and stressful. The kind of experience you have largely depends on how you approach this journey. Here are 7 helpful tips to make your plant-based journey a positive, life-changing experience!
1. Be Clear About Why You’re Transitioning Your Diet
If you’re considering overhauling your entire diet, you should first know exactly why you’re doing it. Are you transitioning to a plant-based diet to be healthier, because you’re concerned about animal products’ connection to climate change, because you don’t want to participate in animal abuse, or some combination of these reasons? Understanding your reason for transitioning to plant-based eating will create a clear path for you to be successful at accomplishing your goal.
2. Do Your Research
With all the books, articles, blogs and websites dedicated to plant-based eating, there’s an unlimited amount of information available about everything from how to get proper nutrition from plant-based foods to how to prepare delicious meals to how to survive the holidays with family. Being as informed as possible about all the different aspects of the plant-based diet will give you the confidence you need to forge ahead on this plant-based food journey.
3. Plan Ahead
Jumping right into plant-based eating without a plan is a recipe for failure. Changing the entire way you eat is a big deal, and should be treated as such. Creating meal plans, shopping lists, finding plant-based recipes for your favorite dishes and locating restaurants near you that offer plant-based foods will ensure that you stay on track - even if you find yourself busy or stressed. Coming up with a well-thought-out plan could be the key to a successful transition to plant-based eating.
4. Find A Support System
Whether it’s social media groups, Meetup groups, online forums or in-person potlucks, it’s important to find networks of like-minded people to support you during this transition. Because we live in a society that glorifies eating animal products, we need as much support as possible when making such a large and important diet change. People who’ve been eating plant-based for years can be especially supportive and helpful in encouraging newbies to stay on track.
5. Be Positive
So many people who are new to plant-based eating approach it from the perspective of all the foods they can’t eat anymore or what foods they’re “missing out” on eating. Instead of seeing this way of eating as restrictive, see it instead as an opportunity to explore the vast variety of delicious plant-based foods available. The more positive you are about the experience, the more motivated you’ll be to keep learning and exploring.
6. Keep Your Focus
Don’t forget the reason you decided to transition to a plant-based diet. The world we live in constantly presents opportunities for you to go back to your old ways of eating, but if you stay focused on your reason for going plant-based in the first place, you’ll be less likely to be tempted by animal products. Reading books, watching videos and reading articles about the benefits of plant-based eating are a great way to stay focused on your goal.
7. Make It Fun!
Remember that this new, exciting chapter in your life should be an adventure! Explore new foods, experiment with recipes, share your wonderful food creations with family, co-workers and friends, and just have a good time. Before you know it, you’ll be 1 year in, and then 5 years and then 10 - and you’ll be looking back and thinking that transitioning to plant-based eating was one of the best decisions you ever made!
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