5 Things To Know When Going Vegan

Within this website, I do my very best to not only provide great, easy vegan recipes, but also to give advice to new and aspiring herbivores.

I’ve learned a lot in my almost 12 years as a vegan. I’ve also failed sometimes, and I need you to know that it’s okay to fail sometimes! Just don’t give up.

I want to share some of my knowledge with you to make your plant-based journey a little bit easier.

So let’s dive in 🙂

1. Perfection is not the goal.

If you’re going to have any staying power in this, you’ve got to be willing to make (and learn from) mistakes.

Especially at first, you will accidentally buy things that have egg in them. You will forget to order your Beyond Burger without cheese. Mistakes are going to happen, so just remember to practice self-forgiveness and get right back on the horse.

2. Vegan options have come a long way.

I remember my early days of being a vegan, back when my local grocery store only had two kinds of “dairy-free” cheese, one of which was only lactose-free (that was when I found out what casein was lol).

Since those days, vegan offerings have expanded greatly-and it’s awesome. There are different flavors, such as Mexican 4 Cheeze Style for things like tacos, Feta Style crumbles, even pourable Mozzerella for awesome vegan pizza.

And that’s just cheeses! When I first went vegan, I never would’ve thought I’d be able to actually order a vegan Whopper at Burger King. Times are changing, and people are becoming more aware of vegan and plant-based lifestyles. That means it’s easier than ever to go vegan.

3. People will probably question you.

Not trying to scare you, but this is a part of the reality. The good news is that once you stick it out for a while, it’ll happen a lot less! I’ve noticed the longer I’m vegan, the less people ask me about it.

Also try to keep in mind where people’s questions come from, be it genuine interest or from a more argumentative place.

I try to be diplomatic and answer genuine questions, because some people are honestly just going to be curious about your new lifestyle. Some thick skin may be needed for dealing with more argumentative people, but just remember that it’s totally okay to disengage from an unproductive conversation.

4. Meal prepping is a great tool.

Especially if you work longer hours, the temptation to just go with what’s simpler may arise. That’s why I would recommend when you have a free day, such as the weekend, to meal prep for the week.

This will enable you to try new vegan recipes (such as the ones on this website!) and to stick to healthier options throughout the week, even when you’re tired.

5. Make sure you get enough calories.

Since your main sources of protein are changing, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough calories for your body weight (something you can discuss with a doctor or nutritionist).

Veganism is by no means meant to be a restrictive diet. You may also wish to use a calorie counter, such as MyFitnessPal or LoseIt, to keep track and make sure you’re hitting your target.

There are plenty of protein sources vegan in nature which you can use to enrich your diet (such as quinoa, tofu and seitan), as well as a plethora of grains and vegetables that you can use to bulk up your meals. Here’s a meal plan you can use for some inspiration!

Thanks for reading! I truly hope this post helps you out in some way. Also remember that becoming vegan may seem a bit daunting at first but, especially if you make smaller gradual changes, is very doable.

Until next time, peace 🙂