Thinking of going vegan?

For most people, changing any diet takes a bit of effort and is rarely accomplished overnight. Most of us have been programmed since we were little to eat meat, fish and dairy. It is difficult to teach our bodies a new way of eating especially as we’re often emotionally tied to specific tastes and textures and ‘the way we had it as a kid’; so, eating differently is likely to seem pretty alien at first.

 You are likely to experience some level of cravings (I still want scrambled eggs from time to time). This is so completely natural, but the good news is that it gets easier over time and as your taste buds change, you’ll start preferring plant-based food. Don’t feel bad if you do miss meat, fish or dairy, nor should you bully yourself if you slip up, just start again when you next go to eat or drink. And the great news is that these days there are so many more alternative options out there, it’s never been easier.

 So, what’s the best way to approach vegan eating?

Keep in mind that everyone is different, and your transition isn’t going to be the same as the next person. Some people are able to completely change their diet in a day and never look back. That’s great for them, but that isn’t most of us. Taking it step by step so that our bodies, both physically and mentally, have time to adjust to each new thing, is usually the best solution to allow you to get used to the diet and stick at it.

So, you’ve started tackling meat and fish, and now you’re wanting to do battle with dairy. This tends to be the stumbling block that many people face. And why? Well, one reason is that dairy is addictive. It attaches to the same receptors in your brain as heroin and there is a completely logical reason for this. Baby cows need to become big, strong cows (kind of obvs, I know). Therefore, nature needs the calf to want to come back for more milk time and time again. And if you thought milk was addictive, consider how cheese has intensified that addictive element. So, there is a reason you find it hard to put the cheese down or stop wanting milk in your tea. But, don’t let that stop you. There are now more alternative options than ever for cheese, milk and yoghurt, although don’t always think that they’re going to taste the same, because mostly, they don’t. One of my first easy swaps was changing the goat’s yoghurt on my morning granola to a coconut yoghurt. I remember the first spoonful tasted really strange because my mouth was expecting goat’s yoghurt, and I had just shocked it with something it wasn’t expecting. By the end of that first granola bowl I had kind of got used to the taste, and by the end of the week my body had adapted so that it was expecting the coconut yoghurt and loving it in the process! So, don’t give up on your first try, keep going and know that 9 times out of 10, you’ll come to enjoy something you might have never realised you could at the beginning.

One other top tip for a dairy swap is nutritional yeast. If you haven’t yet discovered this incredible high protein, cheesy condiment, packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, let me introduce you to it now! This is my go-to ingredient when I want something quick and making a pasta cheese sauce out of nutritional yeast, hits the mark every time!

Check out my simple Pumpkin Pasta recipe here

Hats off to all you who’ve made the transition overnight. If you want some motivation to do this, watching Cowspiracy, Forks over Knives or Earthlings massively helped me. If you plan to make an immediate change, however, make sure you do your research and stay prepared. The two easiest ways to fail is that you’re caught off guard by being somewhere where there are no vegan options, and not keeping up with the daily macro and micronutrients your body needs. (I’ll go into this in more detail below).

 Whichever the path you take, it’s important to remember that you’ll be doing more good to your body, the animals and the planet, each day you commit to eating more plants and less meat, fish and dairy.

If you’re someone who hasn’t got much experience with plant-based food, or for those of you who have busy lives and don’t want to be caught out, you may want to have a readymade stock of plant-based swaps. These are vegan options which are quick and simple and can instantly replace meat, dairy or fish for those times when you don’t know what to cook, are exhausted or just really hungry. Foods such as a vegan roast dish, sausages, chicken-free nuggets, dairy-free milk and yoghurts, and even breaded fishless fingers are easy to find these days! This can be especially helpful for those times when you’re tempted to go back, so do use these occasionally as you get going and whilst you are building up your vegan recipe repertoire.

I found that when I went vegan, I had to give vegetables the same TLC as I had given meat before. That meant stopping just boiling up the veg and leaving them blandly on the side of the plate. Instead I treated them to more herbs, spices and sauces and got creative with my cooking methods…no more boiling here! For some examples, you can look at the Recipe library here.

To start, make sure you get enough calories, eat plenty of whole foods such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, grains, legumes and lentils. Next, pile on those fruits and vegetables, as many and with as much variety as possible. This might mean you want to pay a little more attention than you’ve been used to, particularly at the start. I would recommend tracking your macro and micronutrients, firstly monitoring the calories, protein, carbohydrates and fats you are consuming, and then looking at the vitamins and minerals. I use Cronometer which is an amazing online tool for inputting everything you eat and drink and seeing the tables of nutrients. You’ll know at a glance if you’re short or had too much of anything. It’s worth knowing that some nutrients, such as Iodine, can be dangerous if consuming more than the recommended daily allowance (see below).

If you’ve ever changed your diet before, you’ll know that your body can react to these changes – and as normal, these changes, if any, will be different for everyone.

The most common change people mention is their digestion – you may become far more regular than you’re used to. This is a healthy sign that your body is functioning well, and unless you are experiencing any pain, is perfectly normal. You may also find that you have a little more gas than you’re used to. This can be especially true after eating lentils and beans, however, this can be reduced by washing cooked/tinned beans thoroughly and cooking legumes for longer, to allow the sugars to break down more. You’ll also probably notice that your body adapts to this change, and you’ll find that the gas reduces over time.

Occasionally, as with any diet, if you make the change quickly, you may get headaches at the beginning as your body adjusts. If you do, this will normally pass after 3-5 days, although, as with any symptoms like this, do see a specialist if this continues longer.

Some people have reported that they have felt weaker, and this is often due to eating too few calories and/or protein throughout the day or being B12 deficient.

BUT, on the flip side I found that I felt a lot lighter throughout the day, particularly after I’d eaten. I lost some weight, without even trying and recovered from exercise much quicker. Quite early on I found I was able to start eating some of the foods I was really intolerant to and now, I can eat about 4/5^ths of the long list of foods I couldn’t eat before.

There’s never a better time to start than now. Putting anything off often means you’ll never start, and disappointment sets in. Take a moment now to think about what you can change today. Maybe change your snacks to nuts, seeds and fruit. Or buy some plant-based milk ready for breakfast tomorrow or your coffee right now or look up a new plant-based recipe. Make just a small change immediately because it’ll help you get on your way to making the next change tomorrow. And if you need help planning, check out my How to Plan blog.

For even more inspiration, check out the following documentaries: Cowspiracy (Environmental), What the Health (Health), Earthlings and Land of Hope and Glory (Animal Welfare).

If you’ve committed yourself to a vegan diet, well done! There are going to be times however, when you slip up, or at least get tempted to. This usually happens when you’re feeling emotionally or physically tired or ill, or you’re out with friends and peer pressure sets in, am I right? First of all, as I mentioned earlier, the best way to get back in the wagon is not to get all judgey on yourself. The more time you dwell on your disappointment, the longer it’ll take you to get going again. What I would suggest you take away from it though is to remember the feeling you get from tripping up. I use that feeling whenever I get tempted and it helps keep me from giving in to my temptations. So, think about your next meal. What delicious vegan food can you eat to get back on track? Maybe consider your favourite comfort food, just to remind yourself how tasty and satisfying vegan food can be.