Veganuary is in FULL swing. According to Veganuary, 750,000 people from 192 countries have joined the pledge to go vegan for the month of January. Veganism is the 'single biggest way' to reduce our environmental impact on the planet. With one month of eating vegan, an individual can help eliminate the use of 33,000 gallons of water for animal food production, the destruction of 900 square feet of forest, the creation of an extra 600 pounds of CO2 gas, and 1,200 pounds of grain used to feed 33 animals that could instead feed people.
We scoured the web to see how Veganuary has been going for you all. Here are tips from some Veganuary #fails and shoutouts to some Veganuary success.
Veganuary Fails
Changing your lifestyle and daily habits can be HARD. With new food choices come new recipe mishaps, slip ups, and social peer pressure. As a vegan of 8 years, I’ve been through it all. Here are my simple tips for common struggles:
You can’t seem to eat enough.
Surround yourself with an abundance of plant-based food that you truly enjoy. Vegan food is often less calorically dense which means you need a larger volume of food to satisfy your hunger. Stock your pantry with vegan staples that you can easily whip together for satisfying meals. This includes oats, beans, grains, pasta, potatoes, and nuts. Fill up your freezer and fridge with a variety of fruits and veggies to keep things exciting. Examples of some go-to hearty meals include a bowl of oatmeal with all the fixings for breakfast, a bomb vegan sandwich for lunch, and lentil daal with rice for dinner. Browse the web for endless vegan inspo.
You accidentally eat something non-vegan.
This is bound to happen as you transition to a plant-based diet. It is a process. Slowly you will learn what to and what not to eat. If you mess up, don’t give up! Have grace and keep on keeping on.
CRAVINGS.
Cravings make total sense. Your body knows to crave meals you have had in the past. It knows if you have that bowl of pasta, you will be satisfied. SO, you have to find new meals to crave. This may take a bit of time- but is totally worthwhile. Once you find new go-to meals that you love the taste of, that fill you up, and that you know how to make, you are set up for success. And going back to the hunger topic, if you let yourself get too hungry- cravings are inevitable. So make sure to eat enough and meals and be prepared with snacks.
Veganuary successes!
Now on to celebrating people who are on the road to success with their Veganuary journey - making an impact with each bite they take.
Creativity for the win.
Fabulous meals with friends.
Sad and depressed, no, thought not.
In summary, if you are on the Veganuary train, keep up the good work! If not, it is never too late to jump on the bandwagon to make a difference. And if you are trying but #failing, seek out advice from someone who has been around the block a few times.
