Be truthful about your motivation
People switch to a vegan diet for a variety of reasons; the biggest being the ethical viewpoint that animals are sentient and capable of feeling pain and terror, not simply a resource to be exploited regardless of the cost.
Other reasons include the health benefits that veganism affords. These reasons while more pragmatic, are also valid. Far be it for us to turn someone away from the growing veganism movement due to uncalled for scrutiny of their motivation to make the switch.
Avoid adopting anyone else’s reasons for going vegan. The goal that most resonates with you is the one you will stick with, not the goal that sounds most pleasing.
Research has shown that goal oriented people tend to be more successful at making progress and sticking to plans. Whatever your reasons are, make sure to keep them front and center during these critical days.
Avoid going cold turkey
Let’s agree on one thing; going cold turkey is not the right way to do it. Some people may have the iron will that makes it possible for them to quit meat and animal by-products overnight, but for most of us, slow and steady really does win the race.
In his bestselling book “The power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” Charles Duhigg argues that habits are hard to break because they are ingrained in our brain. The only way to break the cycle of habits is not to shoot for some lofty goal of completely abandoning old habits overnight.
“The Golden Rule of Habit Change: You can’t extinguish a bad habit, you can only change it.” Duhigg says.
Trying to go from a lifestyle of eating mac and cheese and steak for dinner three nights a week to hardcore veganism in as little time as possible may actually hinder your progress instead of helping it. This is because your brain can only fall back on what it knows. It will keep searching for the dopamine hit that it’s used to and when it doesn’t find it, it will create a very stressful psychological condition until it is provided with something familiar to lean on.
So instead of replacing your burgers with a bean salad, go for the soy burger. It will likely taste the same if not better, and in any case may be close enough to trick your brain into thinking it’s walking the beaten path of old habits when in fact, it’s not.
Dhuigg goes on to say “Rather, to change a habit, you must keep the old cue, and deliver the old reward, but insert a new routine.”
Eat Junky things
Yes, you read that correctly! Veganism doesn’t have to be about clean eating. If you enjoy sweets or fried things, that can be found in veganism as well.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that you force yourself to eat unhealthy things, but depriving yourself during the first 100 days may not be ideal. We’ll posit that keeping your brain well satiated with endorphins from sweets might go a long way towards convincing it that this whole “going vegan thing” may not be so bad after all.
Map your area and scout out the resources you will be using your transition
Preparedness is absolutely key here; you’ll be coming home after a long day’s work and need something quick to grab before you fall asleep. If you don’t have a readily prepared arsenal of restaurants that cater to your new vegan tastes, you might very well be tempted to reach for those old take out menus.
Also, it’s worth it to examine the menus of popular restaurants carefully to find the vegan options so that you never have to turn down an evening out with friends for fear of getting stuck with an empty plate.
Don’t watch your weight
Put your weight goals aside for the first 100 days of your vegan transition. We know it’s hard; you’re full of energy and enthusiasm about your dietary changes and you want to be healthier than ever. We promise that sticking with it will eventually get you there, but don’t tie your dietary transition to veganism with your weight just yet.
Any change in diet is bound to be associated with fluctuations in weight. You might yourself losing or gaining weight during the early phase while your body gets settled into the new eating style. To save your sanity, put the scale away until you have built the new habits securely into your brain and just focus on rewiring those neurons.
Take an anti-flatulence medication
Coming from a diet of minimal amounts of veggies, fruits and legumes to eating them as a primary source of sustenance almost always results in some unsavory intestinal side effects.
While these changes are transient, and indeed indicative of a healthy gut microbiome, they can be rather off putting and may in fact be the sole reason you cave and switch back to a less wholesome style of eating.
To avoid the stress of dealing with flatulence while your gastrointestinal tract adjusts to the large volume of fiber rich food, an anti-flatulence medication of your choice will make sure things go a bit more smoothly for you during the change.
Don’t fall for the false alarmism of avoiding vague “chemicals”
Chemicals are not your enemy; in fact, everything is a chemical so don’t fall into the trap of thinking because you’re now a vegan, you must avoid things deemed as “chemicals” such as medications that could make your life easier.
Instead, consider the following: the air we breathe and the water we drink are made up of oxygen and hydrogen atoms, our very bodies are made up of tiny carbon and hydrogen atoms. All of these are, you guessed it, chemicals. So spare yourself the discomfort of deciphering what’s a chemical and what’s not and truest us; everything is a chemical and that’s perfectly alright.
Anything you want to eat, you can eat vegan
Veganising your favorite recipes is always a great way to earn your vegan chops. It’s associated with a special sense of accomplishment and the reward of eating your beloved familiar foods without the side order of guilt.
So make an effort to learn your substitutes:
- Eggs are easily replaced with “flax eggs” or “chia eggs”; a tablespoon of ground flax seed and a couple of tablespoons of water, mixed together will form a great binder that can replace eggs in baking recipes.
- Roasted, blended cauliflower or blended kidney beans and avocados make for a great “creamy” sauce alternative to be used in pasta dishes.
Vegan subscription boxes are an excellent way to discover new vegan food
Subscription boxes are monthly or bimonthly catered treat boxes delivered right to your doorstep. We suggest finding one (or more) of the various vegan themed ones and subscribing to them. They may expose you to brands and concepts of food items that you hadn’t even considered before.
Change your Perception of Food
We have a wildly different view of food than our ancestors did. For them, food was sustenance, it was fuel to get through the day and do the work they needed to do for survival, whereas we eat for comfort, we eat because we’re bored, we eat to fill the time.
Even our effort expenditure to obtain our food has markedly decreased. A quick trip to the supermarket or the corner store is hardly comparable to the miles upon miles our ancestors crossed on foot in search of food and water.
Start working on cultivating a healthier way to view food and eat to power your life, not to fuel a false emotional attachment to your meals.
