April 25, 2016 · Written by Foodtolive Team

Simple but Effective Lifestyle Tips for Becoming a Vegan

Becoming a vegan is a challenge to one’s willpower as changing your habits and lifestyle this much can be very difficult. The hardest part is not the diet itself but the planning of it and readjusting your budget to fit your new needs. The following tips should help you with this transition:

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Solve the protein problem first

Beginner vegans might encounter some serious issues when planning their new diet as the absence of animal products robs your meal plan of a huge amount of protein. This is a valid concern as this element is necessary for supporting your health. You’ll have to get creative in order to design a diet that will give you enough protein from plant-based foods only. A healthy dose of this element is about 1.3 ounces for every 100 pounds of weight. You can easily get this dose by eating nuts and legumes. Of course, you’ll need to complement them with fruits and vegetables as there is no becoming a vegan without these food groups. However, nuts and legumes contain the largest amounts of protein, and soy products are the best plant-based source of complete proteins.

 

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Learn to plan your menu
Menu planning is fun, especially if you are just starting your vegan ‘career’. There are hundreds of great recipes available online, and all this information is completely free. Dedicate a bit of your free time to researching them once a week, and you’ll be able to create an amazing menu very fast.

You can even use various smartphone apps to make this task easier. With the right programs on your phone, becoming a vegan gets much simpler because the software can help you develop shopping lists and even calculate your grocery budget.

 

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Ban all animal food from your house
If you are just taking your first steps as a vegan, the temptation to revert to your old habits will be huge. Therefore, you need to remove everything that can cause you to ‘relapse’. It would be prudent to start your vegan diet after you run out of all animal products, but if you still have some in the house, it’ll be best to donate them. This way, you get a chance to help others while strengthening your resolve.

Have fun looking for shops
Becoming a vegan is more than eating nothing but plant-based foods. This means changing your whole lifestyle in an attempt to stop using animal products. Of course, you are the one to decide to what extent you want to alter your habits, but you definitely should give it a try. Searching for vegan products and specialized shops will keep you busy and help you stay motivated during the first months of your transition.