Sometimes allergies and intolerances arise, other times a popular diet trend catches your eye. Regardless of the reason, it seems more and more people are trying out a plant-based diet. This means no dairy, no meat, no animal products or ingredients. It can be difficult to move into this type of eating, but some basic tips and background should make this change a little bit easier.
Don’t be afraid of “fake meats”
People who have been eating a plant-based diet for a long time will recommend you stay away from as much processed food as possible. But if you’re going from a regular meat-eating lifestyle, this is a lot easier said than done. Consider meatless meats found in most stores (Gardein is popular and found at Target. Trader Joe’s also has a lot of good options). Just be sure to read the ingredients even if the packaging claims it’s meat-free – some foods will have added milk/milk products or honey.
Buy more spices
Only eating veggies and veggie-like foods might sound tough for some, but that’s where seasoning comes in. As long as your pantry has a wide variety of spices and flavorings, you’ll be set. Plain steamed broccoli isn’t fun for anyone – when you get roasted, balsamic and garlic broccoli instead, you’ll know what I mean.
Take your time
Very few major life changes happen successfully right away – give yourself the time and space to make mistakes and adjust from there. Especially when it comes to your diet, feeling pressured to just get it immediately is normal but can discourage you more than anything else. We’re human, we learn over time, and that’s completely normal and okay.
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