What is Veganism?

Veganism is the philosophy around being vegan which means to abstain from all animal products in your diet and life. Animal products are not just limited to meat but include animal by-products which include dairy, eggs and honey (although this last one is sometimes debated).

Why vegan?

If you’re searching for tips on going vegan you might be interested in the plant-based diet and lifestyle. There are many reasons people chose to go vegan. For me it was for ethical reasons, after a lifetime of being vegetarian I realised there was a lot of cruelty involved in the dairy and egg industry and I wanted to live a cruelty free lifestyle. For others it is to improve your health or to avoid having a detrimental impact on the environment. You may have been inspired by all the gorgeous food bloggers on Instagram or are following a loved one’s lifestyle. There is no right or wrong reason to go vegan. In my opinion it is a great way to live, with a friendly supportive community who love animals.

However, the facts of going vegan are undeniable. By choosing a vegan lifestyle you will:

• Spare countless anima lives each year, this is estimated to be 30 animals per person
• Being vegan is better for your carbon footprint and let’s face it we need to start prioritising the environment!
• Not only do we save animals but we save water too up to 1,100 gallons each day which is no longer used in the production of meat (or dead carcass as I like to call it!)
• Live longer – need we say more, add years to your life simply by focusing on what you eat
• Be healthier – you are less likely to die of heart disease

Here are 10 tips for going vegan:

1. Find substitutions
2. Follow vegan recipes
3. Mistakes happen – don’t give up
4. Do some research
5. Follow vegan bloggers
6. Try new things
7. Eat more, not less
8. Get all your nutrients
9. Don’t just focus on food
10. Use vegan stores

Find Substitutions

The biggest mistake I made when going vegan was to simply cut the egg and dairy products out of my diet. I was brought up a vegetarian so I (naively) thought it would be easier for me to transition to veganism.

Let’s just say the first few weeks of my vegan journey resulted in me being very hungry. Looking back it’s funny because I now eat an abundance of food and enjoy a crazy amount of variety in my meals.

When you first go vegan it can be hard to know what to buy and trying new food straight away can be overwhelming.

The simplest way of going vegan is to substitute the meals you have now:

• Eating a burger and chips this weekend? Swap it for a veggie burger and chips (chips are the vegan staple when you go somewhere with no vegan menu by the way!)
• Having a pasta bolognaise? Swap your meat mince for vegan mince (available in the frozen section of supermarkets). Again, pasta is (usually) vegan, just avoid the fresh pasta made with egg
• Do you love meat in your curry? Swap it for a meat substitute like Quorn pieces or turn it into a vegetable curry

There is a substitution for everything including milk, cheese, even fish. Write down your usual weekly meals and find a vegan alternative. Not only will you be able to easily change what you are eating but you get to find alternatives to the meals you already like.

Follow Vegan Recipes

Once you have swapped all your meals it’s time to try something new. There are countless vegan bloggers who share recipes, and even a few on this site!

If you only stick to substitutions you will constantly compare your new diet to your old one. Most fake meats taste different (or so I’m told) and even with the advancements like Impossible burger you may end up craving your old favourites.

Finding new tastes and exploring the impressive variety in a plant-based diet will be key to keeping you interested and trust me your tastes change after a while. Once upon a time I didn’t know how I would ever give up cheese, when I first went vegan I tried a lot of alternatives but nothing seemed the same. However, now I barely even eat the alternatives. Although I do occasionally like a vegan cheese pizza! Your tastes change when you try new food and with 300,000 edible plants in the world there’s no reason to think veganism is restrictive.

Mistakes happen – don’t give up

I’ve heard many people say they tried going vegan but slipped up on one meal and then gave up. There’s no rule that says you have to be perfect. I know I will never eat meat as it has never been part of my diet but maybe it’s harder when you are not used to a meat-free way of eating.

Being vegan means checking labels and making sure everything you eat is suitable. It can be hard work at time, until you get used to it. So, don’t panic if you make a mistake or ‘slip up’. Remember your reasons for trying veganism in the first place. Each meal offers another opportunity to be vegan you don’t have to give up after one failed attempt.

Do some research

Most people who fail at being vegan do it wrong. I’m thinking of the food vloggers who eat a lettuce leaf and a smoothie for a vegan challenge and say they are too hungry to follow this lifestyle. A rabbit would be too hungry eating that!

Research is your friend when going vegan. Search for new products to try, look for recipes, find people who share the same lifestyle to follow.

There is a wealth of research and tips at your fingertips. Planning is key to doing veganism well.

Follow vegan bloggers

Before going vegan I was inspired by vegan bloggers. If you’re on social media try following people who are following a vegan lifestyle and other vegan blogs.

Having a constant source of inspiration and inspiration will make things so much easier. You’re becoming part of an amazing community, use it and get a wealth of information.

Try new things

Innovations are occurring all the time in the vegan world. From fake meats to vegan egg, there is a ‘copy’ of most things. Don’t be afraid to try something new and see what products are out there.

If you’ve never tried tofu it’s time to experiment, it really is gorgeous.

Supermarkets usually have a dedicated vegan/free-from isle, check it out – see what’s on offer, and try something new.

Eat more, not less

So many people eat less than they need when first going vegan. Obviously this is not the best way to go vegan. If you’re hungry and lacking in essential vitamins and nutrients the diet won’t. Fruits and vegetables have a higher water content.

If your diet is mostly whole foods make sure you are eating more to ensure you get the correct calories. Eating more is a great problem to have!

Get all your nutrients

Believe it or not you can get everything you need including protein on a vegan diet. However, to do this you need to eat variety of foods.

Eat dark leafy greens for calcium (yes you don’t just get this from milk) and chickpeas for protein. There is a food for every nutrient need. If in doubt ‘eat the rainbow’. This means eating a colourful diet and you will get a mix of vitamins and nutrients.

If in doubt try using vitamins. B12 is hard to get in all diets including a vegan one. Luckily vitamins are cheap and good to use with a balanced diet.

Don’t just focus on food

Figuring out your diet is an essential first step in your vegan journey but it shouldn’t stop there. Perhaps you just want to focus on diet which is more of a plant-based lifestyle whereas veganism focuses on everything. Your clothing, footwear, alcohol and even toothpaste can be vegan.

Don’t worry though, there’s no need to focus on everything at once. Take your time and get used to one thing at a time if that’s easier.

Use vegan stores

If you are confused about what to buy there’s an easy solution. Believe it or not there are vegan supermarkets where you can find what you need. As a matter of fact, vegan supermarkets are becoming more popular and will hopefully one day be on the high-street too.

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Hopefully these tips will give you a good starting point. Like many vegans the only thing I regret is not doing it sooner.

I honestly can’t believe how I used to think about veganism. I was convinced it was going to be the hardest thing to do. Now, I absolutely love this lifestyle (so much so I’ve made a website to share all things vegan and sustainable). I have no regrets and I wish everyone knew how great it is.

Keep going and give it a go. You won’t regret it.