A Simple Guide to Starting a Vegan Diet
So you want to become a vegan? Whether it’s for health reasons, environmental or otherwise, a vegan diet has many benefits. Here are some simple tips for becoming a vegan for beginners!
To me, vegan eating is clean eating because I don’t consume many processed foods or foods that contain animal hormones etc. I try to eat 80 percent plant based most of the time, but of course I have cheat days… hey, I get cravings too!
I’m Going Vegan Slowly
This year I decided to give the vegan life a try because the thought of eating dead animal carcass was making me sick. I am also gluten free, so it’s become a pretty restricted diet, but I do feel much better!
Here’s what I’ve noticed in the past few months:
- Less bloating
- More energy
- More mental clarity
- Less mood swings
- Virtually NO PMS SYMPTOMS (which is a huge bonus for me)
- Clearer skin
- Less anxiety
My diet changes include a lot more healthy food choices that I can feel making a difference in my body! I also drink green juice every day, which I’ll write about soon!
If you aren’t familiar with high vibrational foods, they are foods that heal and raise your body’s vibrational energy. After all, your body is like a machine and needs to proper fuel to run it’s best! Why do we feed our bodies garbage that has zero nutritional value? No wonder people feel like garbage!
Let’s get the facts on the vegan diet.
A vegan diet is one that requires you to strip all and any animal products from your diet and lifestyle.This means no meat, dairy, eggs, oranimal flavors of any kind. And no leather or fur!
Starting a vegan diet for many people can be a challenge ‒ not because there are no food choices, but because it is unknown and new territory that many people have never been taught about. Our food choices become habits and as you know, habits can be hard to break.
At first, try searching YouTube for you favourite dishes, but vegan! There are vegan recipes for nearly everything!! Here are some of my fave vegan YouTube Channels for inspiring and delicious recipes:
If you’ve been wondering how you could get started with a vegan diet, here is an easy guide to help you.
Vegan For Beginners
Vegan shopping list:
Start At a Comfortable Pace
Being a vegan for beginners can be challenging. First, cut out all meat for a few days. Once you are comfortable, you can slowly work on cutting out dairy products. Pay attention to labels and find new alternatives to your typical groceries.
Some vegan products are awful and others are awesome! Don’t give up just because you tried a bad vegan burger! I highly recommend Beyond Meat and Unmeatable products. They are loved by vegans and non-vegans!
Don’t be hard on yourself or give up just because you slip up! If you sneak a piece of cheese or milk chocolate here and there, that doesn’t mean you can’t go back to being a vegan.
It’s not about the label. It’s about the lifestyle!
It’s hard at first, especially when no one else in your household is sticking to a vegan diet. Temptation can be everywhere, but it does get easier to stick to it.
Load Up on Fruits and Veggies
Most people start a vegan diet by looking at the “meat alternatives” section to find the foods that will give them a similar taste to the meat they gave up. But, if you are going to be successful in your new diet, it’s also important to load up on fruit and veggies.These are a big part of the vegan life and make you feel good!
Fruits and vegetables serve as a major source of nutrients on a vegan diet.They provide your body with vitamins, minerals, and a good source of carbohydrates.
Keeping in mind that many vegetables are not very calorically dense, try to eat foods that are dark green, such as spinach, broccoli, and other leafy greens as these will contain a good source of calories and important nutrients.These are the high vibe foods your body LOVES!
Understand that Grains are Good for You
Many people are still afraid of carbohydrates, but on a plant-based diet, much of your caloric value during the day will come from grains such as wheat, corn, rye and oats.They help make you feel full!
These grains will provide your body with a steady source of complex carbohydrates. They also contain a wide spectrum of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), vitamins, and minerals.
Most importantly, whole grainsare a very good source of fiber, which will help to keep youregular, reduce inflammation, and be a great tool for weight management.
Beans and Nuts for Protein
Although a focus on protein intake is not as essential as getting the right carbohydrates, it’s still important to ensure that you’re getting 1g/kg of body mass per day.
This can be done through beans and nuts. Many beans are, in fact, just as protein dense as meats. Black beans, for instance, contain just as much leucine as beef, and lentils contain just as much protein per gram as most fish.
Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are a great additional source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients.
They will also serve as the main source of dietary fat, as a vegan diet will work best when you keep your fat intake to 20% or lower of your daily calories.
Always Eat Fresh
The most important thing to consider on any new diet, especially a vegan diet for beginners, is to eat a complete spectrum of food and when possible eat fresh.
Did you know that fresh foods have a much higher vibrational energy compared to frozen or canned?
In other words, just because Oreos are vegan doesn’t mean you should eat the entire box!
On ahealthy vegan diet, fruit and vegetables should be your main source of calories and the bulk of your diet should be from the food you can cook yourself.
Simple Vegan Recipes For Beginners
Long-standing research shows that a vegan diet is not just healthier for you, but it lowers your riskfor heart disease, cancer, and obesity. It can even raise your body’s vibrational energy, making you feel great!
So, when going vegan as a beginner, just stay on track, eat fresh, and don’t stress when you go to a restaurant ‒ there are always vegetable options. Good luck on your new health and wellness journey and stick with it! You’ll be feeling amazing!
