The last blogpost of my journey into the world of VEGANISM, already. It has been an interesting journey and I want to end it with looking into the best way to start changing your lifestyle. As the New Year just started why not add a healthy resolution to your list? It does not have to be a drastic one such as going 100% vegan in one go, but changing your diet to be healthier could be something for you. I will be looking into the most common concerns or troubles people have as they start a (more) vegan life. So, read further if you are interested!
Over the last couple of weeks we looked into the definition of veganism, the origin of the lifestyle, the reasons and motivations to consider it, the pros and cons that come along with the diet and the Hotspots in Utrecht that serve vegan food. We, now, have some background knowledge on the topic, except on the topic how to start as a vegan in real time.
As I mentioned before some of my friends are vegan, during this journey I have discussed their lifestyle and the choices they made with them. They told me about their experiences and the results but also about how they started their life as a vegan. The information given by them allowed me to make this top 3 of important factors on how to start a vegan life in the best way possible.
Time
One of the biggest mistakes one can make with changing your lifestyle is making too much of an effort in a short amount of time. If you always lived on an omnivore diet than it will not be healthy or motivating to change overnight to a vegan diet. The best is to take your time and make small adjustments to your diet. The first step would be to look at your current diet and you will probably find out that many products are already plant- based. If you stick with the plant- based you are familiar with than that can form your base and you can built form that. It will, also, give you the opportunity to find out whether or not this type of diet suits you.
Products & Expenses
Many people think that the vegan products are more expensive than the normal (animal-based) products. Of course, for the organic products and some replacement products this is the case. These products are more expensive. But, you have to keep in mind that there are also many products in the vegan diet that are good, healthy and low- priced such as beans, rice, pasta, fruits and vegetables.
Besides, due to the expenses people might think it will be hard to find vegan alternatives. Nowadays, I noticed that more and more supermarkets in the city are selling vegan products and for reasonable prices. So, there are definitely possibilities, but it might be more difficult to find the right products if you are living in a small town.
Support
When you are making a change in your lifestyle, it is important to have good support. It will be challenging to make drastic changes when you are in an environment that is non- vegan. Before you start making any changes, it is good to conduct research. If you are clear and knowledgeable on what you want to change and you know the pitfalls than you know what to expect. People will have a lot of questions and you will be able to answer these questions and help them understand your choice. On top of that, who can say no to good food? So, start sharing some of your delicious vegan meals with them and you might be able to inspire them as well.
Finally, talking to my vegan friends showed me that they are all strongly motivated. Even when I, as a non- vegan, eat my delicious cheesecake they never wavered or asked for a bite. So, when you start a (more) vegan life, it is important to be motivated but more important to stay motivated as there will be challenges. Throughout, this journey and talking with vegans I can say that I now know more on the topic and I got inspired. However, I am not ready to go 100% vegan but for this New Year I would like to further integrate some vegan dishes into my diet.
Hopefully, I have inspired and informed you as well on the topic veganism. There are always good points, challenges and possibilities for a change in lifestyle and diet. Feel free to ask questions or share your experiences in the comment section below.
Stay up to date on my blog as I am looking for another topic to explore during this New Year!
What are your New Year resolutions for the year 2016?
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