There is power in small change. I know you’re excited to get started but going slowly gives you a chance to adjust and improve your plant-based cooking, knowledge and even your taste buds. Be honest with yourself and push yourself to get outside of your comfort zone. Your transition might take 2 weeks and it might take a year, this is not about perfection. Change can be difficult and it can be emotionally and socially challenging to break free from the norm. Below are 7 steps to help you have a successful transition.
-Know Your “Why”: You need to really know why you are choosing this life-style change. Maintaining your new diet shouldn’t be about willpower, struggle or deprivation. In fact, once you learn more about plant-based eating, you’ll see how your choice not only positively effects your life, but also positively impacts the planet, the animals and the people around you. Keep that reason front and center to help you stay focused.
Benefits of a plant-based lifestyle include:
Lower environmental footprint
Reduce animal suffering
Less water & air pollution
Improve mental health outcomes
Support social justice
Save money
Supports a healthy weight
Lower rates of heart disease
-Ease in with Food Swaps: You can find easy and delicious ways to start making better food choices, just by modifying your favorite meals with lower calorie, more nutrient dense plant swaps. Pick a few plant-based meals and rotate them through in a week. Start with meals such as oatmeal, pasta primavera, veggie stir-fry, bean and rice burrito, lentil stew, spiced cauliflower tacos or mushroom and bean chili. Next gradually work on swapping animal-based ingredients with plant-based alternatives such as oat milk or cashew yogurt.
Some of my favorite ways to replace meat in recipes are:
cauliflower rice to replace beef in things like chili
walnuts and/or lentils to make taco meat or anywhere else you’d use ground beef
jackfruit to make pulled pork or pulled chicken
portobello mushrooms to make steak strips for fajitas, or to use as burger patties
homemade veggie burgers
seitan, tempeh or tofu as meat substitutes
-Meal Plan: This is probably the most important aspect of eating plant-based. Unless you have unlimited funds and live somewhere with tons of vegan restaurants, preparing your own food at home is absolutely key to making a whole food plant-based diet work. Focus on foods you like and ones that are easily accessible to you. You can start easy with canned beans, frozen veggies, marinated tofu in a pan, add sauce, and top over rice/noodles. Next, learn new ways to make those simple recipes more fun and flavorful.
Here are some resources for recipes and meal planning:
-Shop Healthy Staple Foods: There are so many incredible products from dairy-free milk to tempeh and tofu. Stock up your kitchen with nutritious, plant-based foods.
Depending on your dietary preferences, each week your grocery list might consist of:
some fresh vegetables (leafy greens, zucchini, rooted veggies, onions, avocado, mushrooms)
some frozen veggies (cruciferous veggies, green beans, squash)
some fresh fruit (bananas, apples, watermelon)
some frozen fruit and vegetables (berries, pineapple, cherries)
some soy such as tofu, tempeh and edamame
any pantry items you’re out of such as dried and canned beans/lentils, spices and dried herbs, nuts, seeds, vinegar, nut butter etc.
dairy-alternatives such as almond or cashew milk and dairy-free yogurt
whole grains such as oats, rice and quinoa and whole grain products such as popcorn, bread, pasta
limited lightly processed foods such as cereal or healthy crackers
-Get Educated: During this month, it’s a great time to continue to educate yourself on the merits of a plant-based diet. I would highly recommend these resources to help you on this journey.
Podcasts
The Rich Roll Podcast
Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger
That Vegan Couple Podcast
The ChickPeeps
Our Hen House
Plant-Strong
@forksoverknives
@plant_proof
@iamtabithabrown
@earthlinged
@plantbasedrd
@plantbasedonabudget
-Start Adding in More Plants:
While you’re transitioning in the first month, not only do you want to start eliminating meat but it’s also time to start adding more plant-based foods to your diet. For example, if you normally eat scramble eggs for breakfast, try adding spinach, mushrooms and onions to the mix. If you’re eating soup, stir in some chickpeas and kale, if you’re making a sandwich, try adding avocado and sprouts. By adding plant-based foods, you’ll also be adding tons of healthy fiber and nutrients plus the more plant foods you eat, the less you’ll need animal products and processed foods.
-Develop Healthy Support Habits: Health is more than just what we eat. Stress management, exercise and sleep all play a role in setting our health baseline. Now is a good time to start incorporating healthier habits that will support your nutrition plan.
Rethink Stress- Stress is a part of our everyday lives, but how we react to stress (stress management) may lower inflammation in the gut, ease GI distress, and keep you nourished, since your body can focus on absorbing the nutrients you need. Movement, meditation, and a balanced schedule (including sleep and time with community) have all shown to help manage stress.
Movement- Exercise can help enrich and promote gut bacteria diversity. Movement helps to improve the Bacteroidetes-Firmicutes ratio which could potentially contribute to reducing weight and metabolic diseases. Lastly, it stimulates bacteria capable of producing substances that protect against gastrointestinal disorders and colon cancer (such as SCFAs).
Sleep-Our gut microbiome interacts with our hormones, their relationship with your brain activity and their strong influence over our immune system, all play a part in how you respond to evening cues. It is vitally important to stay on a regular 7-8 hour sleep schedule.
Comments