By Chelsea Harrop, Veganuary
Image courtesy of Unsplash
So, you did Veganuary, but now you’re struggling to stay on track. What happens now? Are the plant-based police coming to revoke your vegan license? Not quite…
Staying vegan can feel like a huge commitment, so here’s some advice to help you through the tricky times.
Be kind to yourself
One of the core values of veganism is compassion – and that means being kind to yourself, too. Anyone trying to go vegan should feel positive and empowered, not daunted by the prospect of doing it ‘wrong.’
If you’ve given in to a late-night chocolate craving or forgotten to read a food label, it’s not the end of the world. Undoing a lifetime of habits doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not realistic to expect that from yourself. Mistakes don’t make us hypocrites – they make us human! Accept you’ve made a mistake, brush it off and carry on.
Find your why
One reason why people revert to their pre-vegan ways is because there’s nothing driving their lifestyle change. Why did you try Veganuary in the first place? Was it because you learned about the suffering of farmed animals, or because you want to do your bit to tackle the climate crisis? Perhaps you read about an athlete’s experience of eating plant-based?
Educate yourself in all of these areas and think about what resonates with you the most. You’re much more likely to stay vegan if you connect with this way of life. There are lots of books, documentaries and online resources to help you learn.
Have fun with plant-based food
Going vegan isn’t about depriving yourself of foods you love. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Many people think being vegan means you’re not ‘allowed’ to eat certain foods, but it’s really about exploring a whole new world of exciting flavours and textures.
Veganise your favourite dishes, try new products and menu options and have fun experimenting with plant-based ingredients. You’ll soon realise that you’re not missing out on anything!
Find your community
It’s important to have people around you who understand why veganism is important to you. More people than ever are embracing plant-based foods, which means you probably won’t be the ‘awkward vegan’ in your family or friendship group.
However, there’s also a huge community of like-minded people to help you with questions and dilemmas. Join local Facebook or Meetup groups and follow vegan accounts on social media for recipes, tips and new product launches.
Go at your own pace
Going vegan is a gradual process that involves learning as you go. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to be the ‘perfect vegan’ because (spoiler alert) there’s no such thing.
Remember that your imperfect vegan journey still has an incredible impact. Together, Veganuary 2022 participants spared more than 2.16 million animals from suffering – just by trying vegan for one month! If we all do our bit to end animal suffering and protect the planet, the world will be a much better place.
Veganuary isn’t just for January! People can sign-up any time of the year at veganuary.com to receive 31 daily emails packed with nutritional info, delicious recipes, easy meal plans and helpful advice.
