Follow These 6 Helpful Tips If You're Thinking About Going Plant-based

Have you ever considered going vegan? If your answer is no, then maybe this isn't for you. Yet!

But if you've been on the fence about making the leap from non-veg to vegan, this blog post is to help you out. We understand where you're coming from because we've been there too. So keep reading to learn a few simple tips to make it all a little easier. 

1. Become Familiar With The Type Of Plant-Based Diet You Want To Follow

If anyone were to tell you that they follow a plant-based diet, they could be referring to anything from a strict vegetarian to someone who is just dabbling with a few meatless meals.

It is therefore easy to get confused by the many different versions of plant-based diets available today, such as facto-vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian, etc. so it is important to understand what lifestyle interests you. Once you've defined that for yourself, it becomes much easier to learn more about it and meet goals realistically.

You can start by writing down foods you will eat, won’t eat, or foods you want to move away from. From there, you can then figure out how you want to move forward. Will you eat these foods once a week or once a month? And then you can build off of that!

2. You’ll Want To Determine Why You’re Making A Lifestyle Change 

Even if everyone followed a vegan diet, everyone would be doing it for different reasons. And it's always personal.

For example, if you're trying to eat healthier, you may be vegan for health reasons. If that looks like avoiding preservatives and choosing clean labels, you can absolutely do the same thing with vegan foods.

If you care about the environment and want to reduce your carbon footprint, you can choose products or ingredients that use less resources than others.

Creating a sustainable lifestyle that works has to align with why you're doing it in the first place. Even if it takes a long time to meet your goals, the most important thing is to know why you're doing it in the first place. 

3. Start With Foods You Love, But Make Them Plant-Based

Maybe you don't have to change anything about the way you eat, but you'll need to change how you can replicate the same taste and flavour of something from a plant-based source. 

If you eat primarily Indian foods, you can focus on finding alternatives for ghee, curd, paneer, milk, and butter. Maybe your bread and pasta-loving friend can find plant-based cheese instead. 

Just remember that it can take some time to adjust or find the right alternative. The first vegan cheese might not be the one you live off of, but once you find the right replacement you'll wonder how you ever lived without it!

4. You Don’t Have To Spend On Expensive Ingredients 

Many Western ingredients can be expensive and hard to find, but an Indian plant-based diet is quite affordable (and delicious) in comparison.

In addition, if you focus on organic, premium ingredients at first and eat entirely different foods you're more likely to feel dissatisfied with your choices.

Start by segregating your food into categories and identify what is most important. Is it protein? Is it desserts? This will let you see what your high impact foods are and then you can figure out how you want to spend your money.

5. Make Sure Your Nutritional Needs Are Met 

Many people jump into plant-based diets without checking whether their bodies are ready for such a drastic change. 

To be extra safe, it's not a bad idea to get a few routine medical tests done to understand your body and what it needs. That way, you can ensure your new plant-based diet includes the foods and dietary supplements necessary to meet your body's unique requirements. 

6. Enjoy Your Journey, One Step At A Time

If you're starting with nothing but a basic understanding of what a plant-based diet is, don't pressure yourself into changing overnight.

It's supposed to be a positive experience for you. Take every balanced, nutritious meal as a step toward your goal rather than restricting yourself and feeling like you're missing out. 

Gradually, your body will adapt to new foods, and you'll be able to confidently follow a diet that satisfies both your mind and body.