Endeavoring to become vegan after viewing celebs on TV wax eloquent on the benefits of vegetarianism might seem tantalizing and hep. It is only when you actually get down to forgoing your choicest foods that you start feeling the pinch. As you compel yourself to feed on foods that you think are meant for thoroughbred vegetarians and herbivores, you feel like throwing up.
Nevertheless before going back to eating animal protein, remember that a vegetarian outlives a non-vegan nine times out of ten! However, keep the following factors in mind before you take the stand to stick to just vegetables and fruits.
People will always have something to say
Don’t be irritated or upset if someone pulls your leg for taking the decision to stop consuming dairy products or foods containing animal protein. Make it clear to one and all that your resolution to go vegan was driven chiefly by health concerns and that it was purely an independent choice. Sooner or later, people will realize why you made that choice as well as respect you for the same and the jokes will stop eventually.
Animal protein is not substitutable with junk food
Just because you’re not savoring steaks, butter toasts or poached eggs anymore doesn’t mean you should be taking more of pasta, white bread, spaghetti or other packaged fares. Of course, you need your routine fix of minerals, carbohydrates, fats, calories, vitamins, and proteins. But substituting animal-based foods with packaged or processed will do your health more harm than good. You can choose from an array of whole foods that are not only rich in nutrients but wholesome as well.
Let the switch-over be gradual
Don’t expect to turn vegan overnight and hence don’t even try to. Trying to curtail animal protein consumption abruptly is like forcing a drug addict to give up heroin at one go. You’ll not be able to endure the withdrawal symptoms and will go back to your old ways. Start by replacing one meat dish with one plant-based item-let the conversion be gradual.
Plant-based diets are free from side effects
Transitioning to a holistic and balanced plant-based dieting regimen will keep you in the pink of health instead of making you feel enervated as you might think. Taking more vegetables, salads, and fruit shakes will keep you stress-free.
You’ll need your protein fix
Since amino acids are life’s building blocks, you should tuck into more soy, lentils, pulses, beans, seitan, and quinoa to get your protein fix.
Plants sufficient for fulfilling calcium requirements
Non-vegans ingesting a minimum of 525 mg of calcium everyday were equally at risk of fracturing his bone(s) in comparison to vegans that absorbed an equivalent amount of calcium.
The changeover doesn’t need be expensive
Contrary to popular belief, routinely consuming food items laden with animal protein turns to be more costly than making the switchover to veggies and fruits and sticking to it. You’ll be actually saving a lot and have more to spend at the end of the year when you take to eating vegetable dishes and sipping on smoothies.
You’ll stay jubilant
Once you undergo the transition to becoming a vegan from being a die hard non-vegetarian, you’ll end up losing excess fat, sleep better, see better, and feel better. You’ll end up feeling jubilant at the end of every working day and you’ll have only yourself to thank for going vegan.
Image credit: kurhan