Becoming and Staying Plant-Based!
An HRC (Humane Research Council) conducted a study and found that around 80% of people who decide on eating a vegetarian or vegan diet end up quitting. This should not be a surprising figure as any habit or lifestyle change (especially as drastic as a diet change) is very difficult; however, there are some steps people can take to reduce this statistic and ensure they don’t end up giving up on their goals.
The first step is to get your motivation and rationales in order. If you do not precisely know why you are changing your diet to become vegan or vegetarian, it is very easy to quit at the first signs of struggle. For some, these reasons are health-based. For others, it is an issue of animal rights. Either way, doing thorough and continual research into plant-based diets can help solidify your commitment to your new diet and prevent fluctuations in your motivation.
Next, make sure you still enjoy your food. A vegetarian or vegan diet does not have to be bland and repetitive. With this age of digital information, fun, easy, and tasty recipes are only a couple of clicks away. Lots of fast-food joints are now more vegan-friendly (e.g., Burger King using Beyond Meat patties). In addition, local restaurants serving exclusively vegan and vegetarian foods are a much more common occurrence. By ensuring you have a diverse choice of foods and tastes as options you eliminate the chance of just being bored of your food.
If you have struggled with sticking to this new diet, try easing your way into it. You can slowly cut various meats and animal products out to make the transition easy. Cut the things that are easiest for you to avoid first and leave the hardest ones for the end. Slow changes help make new habits and lifestyles stick.
Finally, having a network that is committed to the same goal as you can help make the transition much easier. Having friends who are also vegan/vegetarian would be the primary way to do this; however, you could also join groups- both in person and virtually. For example, there are tons of groups on Facebook for vegetarians and vegans where you can meet others with similar goals, ask questions, and answer other people’s concerns with your own experience.
In the end, becoming vegetarian or vegan has the same struggle as any lifestyle change. The key is to truly understand your motivation, not making this into a burden, and having a strong support system.
