Easy Steps to Transition to a Plant-based Lifestyle
May 24, 2017Going plant-based may seem like a daunting lifestyle change, but with a few easy steps, it’s a vegan cake-walk!
Beginning a new diet may seem difficult at first. Here are a few simple tips to make your transition a bit easier! Not only will adopting a plant-based diet benefit your health, the animals, and the planet, but it may also be easier than you think to stick with! Over time, your body will thank you!
Find Your "Why"
Why are you adopting a healthier lifestyle? What goals do you plan on achieving? Reminding yourself of this will help you stay on track. Educating yourself on the benefits of making the switch will help motivate you as well. There are a few free plant based documentaries on Netflix such as Conspiracy, Forks Over Knives, Plant Pure Nation, Food Matters, Vegetated, and more! These films are also available on Amazon for purchase.
If you are looking for a few good reads providing more science-based literature, feel free to dig into The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall, How Not To Die by Dr. Gregor, Dr. Barnard’s Program For Reversing Diabetes, and The China Study by Dr. T. Collin Campbell along with many others.
Education on the powers of a plant-based diet is one of the keys to understanding why choosing to go against mainstream "fad" diets and the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet), to reach your overall health potential is worth the change. You can't argue with science! Plus, you will be making a choice to live a more compassionate life; it’s a win, win!
Find Plant-Based Friendly Restaurants
Use plant-based friendly search engines such as HappyCow.Net to search for restaurants near you. Also, many vegan-friendly restaurants include Moe's, Chipotle, Subway, and more. Not to mention, if you do treat yourself to junk food once in a while, there are vegan alternatives to so many foods including pizzas, ice cream, candy, cookies, and more. Yes, even Oreo's are vegan! But don’t give in to the junk food cravings very often. It defeats the purpose.
Find Food Staples You Love
Choose a handful of food you absolutely enjoy, and center your diet around these foods. This will help you create healthy, yummy staples to keep you on track, energized, and satiated! If you are constantly struggling with temptations, it will be difficult for you to pass up cravings. Keep your pantry, fridge and cabinets stocked up with healthy meals. Always have lots of rice, potatoes, fruit, beans, breads, pastas, veggies, and sauces on hand! Be prepared for when you are on the go and need a quick and easy snack. Great options are Sunwarrior Sol Good protein bars, Sunwarrior shakes, rice cakes, fruit, or veggies with hummus!
Stock Up On Free Recipes
For anything conventional, there is a vegan option! Sunwarrior Health Hub offers hundreds of yummy recipes! Search for your favorite recipes in the search bar and save them to your desktop for future use. From smoothies, chilis. cookies, breads, and more, you will have everything you need right at your fingertips!