Love sinking your teeth into a big, juicy burger, but thinking about going vegan?
Here are a few things you should know:
- Sticking to your decision can be one of the biggest challenges you could face.
- There’s a chance that you'll fall off the diet change wagon.
But it’s less of a struggle when you know the most common reasons people don’t stay on track. So, these are the steps to help you stick to your decision.
Common Reasons For Not Sticking To Veganism
The three most common reasons for not sticking to veganism are:
- Making the switch for the wrong reasons
- Having unreasonable expectations
- Being the only vegan in your social circle
Choosing a plant-based diet has implications on your health, time, resources, and relationships, and many people don’t realize this upfront.
If you want to go vegan because your favorite celebrity did or because it’s trendy, you need to re-examine your motivation. Celebrities and trends come and go, so if you want your decision to give up meat to be a lasting one, it needs to be founded on firm principles. Likewise, if it was based on the hope of losing weight or improving your performance in sports or at the gym, you might want to put a little more thought into it.
Some people revert to meat-inclusive diets because their family isn’t vegan. Whether you or someone else is doing the cooking, it can be challenging to be the odd one out. Sometimes it’s easier to cave and eat that burger. Some even choose the easier way and include dairy, fish, or eggs in their diet when eating at non-vegan events. This reason often goes hand-in-hand with the issue of convenience. It's easy to slide back into old habits.
So, if your mouth starts watering for a great, big sausage, or you’re tempted to take the most comfortable option, stop, breathe, and think. There are more significant issues and bigger benefits at stake here – benefits for the wellbeing of yourself, the animals, and the environment.
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Why Veganism Is Good For You And The Environment
According to Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a plant-based diet increases longevity. In an interview, Willett said that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. He added that veganism also could benefit the planet, as farming cattle for the meat industry generates enormous amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.
The idea is to be vegan, but if it takes you some time to reach that goal, you can still enjoy the benefits of a mostly plant-based diet.
Pic: @goodvibesonly