Transitioning into an entirely new way of eating is never an easy task. This is especially true if you decided that you want to become a vegan. However, even though it can be difficult, you can still make it a bit easier if you follow these steps.
Step 1 – Take your time
You should not make such drastic changes in your life immediately. Suddenly deciding not to eat meat will not go well for you. Take it slow by gradually removing animal products from your diet until you get used to them not being there.
You can start by doing something like a Meatless Monday where you go the entire day without meat. Do this for a couple of weeks. You can then proceed by removing meat from your lunches. Gradually making the transition will give your body enough time to accustom itself to the changes.
Step 2 – Remove one animal product at a time
Rather than getting rid of all animal products in one go, you should do it one at a time. For instance, you can start with beef, and then pork, chicken, and so on. You will find it easier to transition to a meat-free diet when you don’t make all meats off limits right off the bat.
Step 3 – Replace what you can
Switching to a vegan diet does not just mean you have to cut out things from your diet. It is also important to replace the things that you removed. For instance, if you love carnitas tacos, replace them with bean tacos. Aside from getting a similar flavor, you will also obtain enough proteins from the beans. This will prevent you from missing out on nutrients.
Step 4 – Learn to cook
You will find it easier to transition to a vegetarian diet when you cook your meals. Go online and search for vegetarian recipes that you think you might like then try your hand at making it; it might even be fun.
Step 5 – Try new foods
Don’t dwell too much on the foods that you cannot eat. Focus on what you can eat instead. Be more open to trying new foods. You might surprise yourself at how much you enjoy certain foods that you haven’t even heard of before. Removing meat from the menu opens it up for more and exciting changes.
Transitioning to a vegan diet does not necessarily need to be difficult. By following the steps mentioned above, you can greatly increase your success rate at transitioning to veganism and sticking to this healthy lifestyle for the long run.
