As I’m talking to clients, followers and friends I sometimes hear stories about why they quit being vegan. Often they know that eating plant based is in their best interest. They WANT to stick to a healthy whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. But something is blocking the way. Here are 5 reasons I hear about why they quit being vegan.
Reason #1 – They start feeling sick.
Are you really sick? Or is it what is sometimes called a healing crisis?
Your body is an amazing healing machine. When you start eating and living healthier, part of what your body does is to detox from all the junk that you’ve been piling into it for however many years you been living a typical life and eating the typical diet. Once you stop putting the junk in, then your body starts furiously working to get out as much of it as it can, as quickly as I can. It dumps the toxins out through your body systems.
It does its house cleaning is by giving you cold and flu system symptoms to expel the mucus and the toxins in your body.
Or you get rashes and pimples and skin eruptions as the toxins come out through your skin.
Or you may have digestive symptoms as the toxins go out through your urine and through your bowels.
You might even have some emotional symptoms for a while.
Your detox crisis symptoms will vary and come and go as the toxins are eliminated over time.
But none of these things mean you should stop!!
It just means your body is doing what it supposed to do! If you can hang tight and go through it, you’ll get on the other side of it, and you’ll feel so much better! Better than you have ever felt!
Unless course you start dumping the toxins in again.
If you haven’t already started to do so, start keeping a wellness journal that can help you notice and track what is happening, and the progress you are making. This can help reassure you, help you learn what works best for you, and learn how to listen to and pay attention to the messages your body is sending to you.
Do you know that your doctor probably doesn’t know very much about nutrition? Or anything at all!? For most physicians, what they did learn in school, if they learned anything at all, was the myths and misinformation that’s promoted by the pharmaceutical, meat and dairy industries who have their bottom lines in mind, NOT your health.
So, your doctor most likely doesn’t know anything about nutrition and will tell you that your detox/healing crisis symptoms are a problem and that you need to go back to eating meat. Even a dietitian may not know that much because again, they’re educated by the same industry funded misinformation.
Find the support of someone who actually knows something about whole food plant based diets and has studied the vast amount of credible research about the power of plants! Better yet, educate yourself!
Reason #2 – It gets to be too expensive and too confusing.
There’s all these crazy, expensive ingredients that you’ve never heard of before or don’t know what to do with like Tempeh or tofu or TVP. What the heck is it Himalayan crystal salt? It can seem so confusing and so expensive.
If you go to Whole Foods or even many regular grocery stores or supermarkets you will see a growing list of foods marketed to vegans and vegetarians. Much of it can be very expensive. Beyond Beef is outrageously expensive, the fake cheese it’s ridiculously expensive. Everything seems to be out of your reach. And how do you know which ones to try?
But the truth of the matter is that you don’t need any of that stuff to eat delicious, healthy vegan food.
That’s one thing I’ve learned for sure here in Tanzania where I can’t even get a lot of those things and what I do see is REALLY expensive. I’ve discovered how much more affordable AND delicious just real food can be. It’s much healthier too.
I eat a lot of is beans, rice, greens, lettuce, fruits and veggies of all types. Just real food. Real food! I’ve learned to use spices and herbs to make them taste delicious. Over time you can experiment and get familiar with different spices, different fruits, different veggies, etc. You are embarking on a tasty adventure! Enjoy it!
You don’t need all that expensive fancy stuff. It can be helpful, especially at the beginning as you are transitioning to a new way of eating. Having vegan replacements can be a stepping stone into the plant-based life.
But eventually your goal should be to eat WHOLE foods. The way nature provides it. It’s simpler and cheaper and MUCH more healthy for you.
Reason #3 – They don’t know what to eat or how to keep from getting bored.
You can eat so much more that salads! Yes it’s true, there are different techniques and skills you may need to learn. Especially if you are used to eating a lot of processed foods. Yes, it’s gonna take a little bit of time to retool and build a new skill set. But you didn’t learn to cook the way you do now overnight either.
So yes, it’ll take you a couple of weeks, maybe a couple of months, to learn some new techniques. But you can do it! And you can end up with food that you like even more!
I like my food now more than I ever did before I was vegan. I discovered new amazing fruits and veggies and grains. I learned the power of seasoning and spices. I experimented with new ingredients and I learned how to make it even better food I was always a good cook even better cook now. It was an adventure!
In my Menu Planning Workshop that I offer on Black Vegan Academy here are some of the things that I talk about:
1. Look at what you make already and see which could easily be made vegan. Like spaghetti sauce. You can just take the meat out! You don’t even need to use a meat replacer. Maybe add a few extra vegetables. Add some nice spices and seasonings and you’ve got a delicious spaghetti.
What other recipes do you already make that can easily bevmade vegan by eliminating the animal products or swapping them out for vegan options like plant-based milks etc?
2. What recipes do you already make that are already vegan?
Guacamole, salsa, I’m sure there are things that you already make you don’t think of it as vegan, just food. What things do you already make?
3. Then start adding a few new things.
Thanks to Google, these days you can find any and every recipe in the world. Search for vegan ….. Whatever you would like to make. Go on YouTube and again, search vegan ….. I’ve got lots of yummy recipes right here at Food For The Soul.
Find two or three new recipes that you’re going to try the in the next week or two. The next time you shop get the ingredients that you need.
I like to find a couple of different versions of a recipe to find the parts that look to best to me. I’ll take this part of one recipe in that part of another recipe till I find what I think it would be good.
And then give it a try! If you don’t like it the first time, figure out what you could do to make it better next time. Don’t give up on it if it doesn’t taste delicious the first time.
This is going to be an experiment, a trial and error a learning experience. By taking the time now to build your kitchen confidence, your vegan cooking skills you will soon be able to just whip up a menu that works for you in no time.
Reason #4 – Worrying about losing too much weight.
As you change your diet you will likely start losing weight. Maybe a lot, and quickly. Your friends and your family are worried you are sick! “What’s the matter? You got cancer?”
You start getting all skinny and you worry, worry, worry, “Oh no I’m gonna get too skinny. My clothes don’t fit anymore!”
Yes! You’re going to lose weight. And it’s not a bad thing!! But many of us have a distorted idea of what we SHOULD weigh or what we should look like. Most people are overweight nowadays. Do you even know what a normal weight looks like? Normal to you now is probably not at all normal. It’s based on the average of what you see now around you. I was recently in the United States and as I looked around I was reminded how big most people there are. Here in Tanzania people are typically healthier weights.
Yes, you’re going to lose weight. You might even lose a lot of weight as your body detoxes and gets rid of all the junk that is stored in your fat cells and stored places in your body like we talked about in reason #1.
Your body will first tear apart the unhealthy foundation, the unhealthy building that has been created over the years and purge all that out. Then as you continue to eat healthy it will rebuild itself into the healthy version of yourself that you are meant be.
You will come to a natural weight that’s healthy for you. Don’t worry about the number on the scale. Don’t worry you’re going to be too skinny. You’re going to be just right for you. If you’re eating lots of a whole, plant-based foods – fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, legumes, whole grains, you will become the weight you are supposed to be. Don’t let weight loss throw you off track
Reason #5 You feel like an odd ball, like you’re strange.
My bet is that you feel peculiar already, maybe you have all your life. The fact that you are even willing to try this means you’re different than most people.
I know I’ve always felt peculiar. Since I was a child. When I changed my diet it just made one more way I am unique.
Yeah, you’re going to be peculiar because everything in society today is telling you, you got to eat meat. Don’t you want to eat this juicy burger? Don’t you want this cheesy stuff all over the place? Don’t you want to be same-same like everyone else?
Hell NO!!
So, yes, you’re going to be peculiar. Get used to it. Just keep on going. Accept the fact that you’re peculiar. NO! Rejoice in the fact that you’re peculiar!
You’re so peculiar, you’re going to be healthy and live a good, long life while everybody else is popping all these medication‘s and can barely get up off the chair.
Sooner or later you’ll begin to attract a different tribe. You’ll meet other people who are peculiar like you. You’ll make new friends. Other people might see what’s happening to you and decide they wanna join you. And even if they don’t, sooner or later your family will get used to you and they’ll just say “Oh yeah, that’s Ama, she eats weird.” and it won’t be a big thing anymore.
But don’t be that Vegangelist! (Vegan Evangelist) Don’t try to convert everyone else! It can be tempting especially after you start feeling so wonderful. But refrain. When (if) folks are ready, they’ll come to you.
You’re gonna be the grandma who can sit on the floor with the grandkids while all the other grandmas are you aching and in pain have to sit in the chair and use a cane. You’re going to be the one who can still fit into that cute dress while other people are wearing baggy clothes.
You’re going to be the one that can see what’s really happening around you, see the truth and make a different choice. Rejoice in that fact. Being peculiar is a good thing.
So these are five things that can make you want to quit being vegan. That can get you off track and make you decide you don’t want to be vegan after all.
But don’t let it stop you! Keep strong! This is the freedom that you want! If you can pass through these things you will discover it’s worth it. it’s so worth it. I don’t regret it at all. My life is forever changed. I’ll never go back.
Need some help? That’s what I’m here for. Check out the Courses over at Black Vegan Academy where you can Learn how to make delicious healthy meals, deal with your self sabotaging patterns, feel confident about what you are eating, and navigate the non-vegan world you live in.
For personalize support find out how one-on-one coaching can help you Put An End To Your Struggle – Start Loving Your Vegan Life
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