Eating more plant-based foods can be challenging. Sometimes it feels like you’re spinning your wheels. There are logistical and social obstacles that will pop up when you least expect it. Thankfully, some obstacles are easier to get around once you’re aware of their presence.
Here are three ways you may be sabotaging your plant-based eating without knowing it. These tips can help prevent binging, cravings, feelings of deprivation, and unnecessary guilt.
1. Can Eat vs Can’t Eat
If you have decided to eat only plant-based foods, become vegan, or vegetarian, you have no doubt caught yourself saying “I can’t eat that”. You may say it out-loud when someone offers you food, or you may say it in your head when reading a menu.
Do this instead:
Instead of labeling all foods you come across as foods you “can eat” or “can’t eat”, consider that each time you eat you’re making a choice. You’re choosing to eat something, or you’re choosing not to eat something. This gives you more power, and helps you think in terms of abundance. That also means that even if you choose to eat something today, it does not mean you have to make the same choice tomorrow.
2. Deleting before Adding
By taking foods out of your diet, and not adding any new ones, you’re sure to feel like you’re being deprived. Not only are you now lowering the number of food options you allow yourself to chose from, but you may also be reducing the total number of calories you consume each day. Calories are required by your body for fuel in every day functioning -both physical and mental.
Do this instead:
Find plant-based foods that you enjoy consuming and eat more of those BEFORE making an effort to remove less desirable foods from your diet. The less desirable foods will naturally be consumed less and later their complete removal from your diet will be much easier.
3. No Identified Transition Foods
Transition foods are foods that make changing your diet easier, even if they are foods you don’t plan on eating long-term. For some people that may be mock meats (or another new food). For others it may be an old favorite you really enjoy but are not ready to take out of your diet even if you’d really like to.
Do this instead:
Identify at least three foods as your transition foods and allow yourself to eat them without guilt. Add them to your grocery list. Their presence in your diet can be reviewed later. For now, focus on the new foods that are easy to introduce into your diet and that move you towards eating more plant-based foods.
Although changing the way you eat can be challenging, it can be done. The tips discussed in this article can go a long way in helping you to eat more plant-based foods, without the flip-flopping. Even though these steps are simple, they may not always be the easiest and will take practice. So, give yourself some time to make these changes.
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