When I decided to switch over to a plant-based lifestyle, I learned a few things about the new lifestyle very quickly and enjoyed a lot of it. However, I was shocked by some of the adjustments my body had to go through on the new diet. I also didn’t expect some of the weird experiences that I had with the food. This article is more to help you get over the adjustment phase of this lifestyle.
Here is a list of the adjustments and weird food experiences that were all new for me:
1.) Delayed Health Benefits
One of the reasons that a lot of people go vegan is for health benefits. They are told that they will feel better, have more energy, and will have fewer cravings. What they don’t mention is that it takes time to get those health benefits and to change your unhealthy habits. Even if you are one of those insta-vegans and you can adapt quickly to the lifestyle, it will still take time to enjoy all the health benefits. Food cravings will eventually go down, and so will your desire to eat those foods. One day you will ultimately be blessed with higher energy levels and fewer headaches. The energy levels feel great, so I encourage you to get past the first month to get some of those benefits.
2.) Food will Taste Bland
The first two weeks were the most challenging adjustment period for me. I felt like my food options were limited and that the food didn’t taste as good. There were new flavors that I wasn’t used to, and some of the meals had a bland taste. It was disappointing because I thought this healthier lifestyle would at least have good tasting food. I wasn’t sure how people could commit to this if they didn’t enjoy eating it every day.
Then after a month of living a plant-based lifestyle, I started to notice an exciting burst in food flavors. The foods stopped tasting bland, and I began to enjoy all of it. I think this is partly due to my taste buds changing and the amazing new recipes that I was finding. My taste buds didn’t need all the high fat, salty, or sugary foods anymore. Both of these things contributed and helped me to realize that a plant-based lifestyle could also be delicious and rich in flavor.
3.) Constant Hunger
Some might be surprised to hear that in the beginning, I felt a constant desire to eat after I finished my meals. I was so hungry for the first three weeks that I was worried I was doing the lifestyle wrong.
I also thought I was going to gain some weight from all the extra calories. I remember being afraid that this situation wasn’t going to change. After a month of not eating meat, my stomach started to adjust. Now I have learned what it feels like to be full, and I don’t sense that constant hunger anymore.
I had never really realized that meat sits a lot heavier in your stomach. Two months after eating meat-free, my husband and I decided to try some beef again. I was shocked by how heavy my stomach felt. It took a few days for my stomach to process the meat, and I felt pain in my intestines for two days. Now I refuse to eat meat because I don’t want to feel that discomfort again (and for many other reasons.)
4.) Plant-based Substitution Fails
Plant-based meat is not meat. Let that soak in for a minute. If you are expecting the plant-based meat to taste anything like the meat it is replacing, you will be disappointed every time. The substitutes are not made out of the same things, so they will not taste identical. This concept was super hard for me to accept in the beginning.
I blindly thought that the plant-based substitutes would taste similar enough that I wouldn’t feel like I was missing out. However, no matter how bad you want your plant-based chicken to taste like chicken, the flavor or texture will always be off. I just had to remind myself that they were made differently. Now that I have adjusted my taste buds and I have found things that I enjoy just as much, I rarely crave any of the meat options anymore.
The plant-based substitutes are just there to help you adjust over to a plant-based lifestyle without feeling like you are missing out. The substitute foods are processed, so they should still be used sparingly. They are considered to be a healthier option since they don’t contain cholesterol. For your plant-based mindset, it would better to think of these substitutes as an every once in awhile food replacement.
5.) Vegan Products are not Necessarily Healthy
The fun part about making healthier lifestyle choices is learning more about food products. There are so many Vegan verified products out in the market now, and I have come to realize that just because it says it is “Vegan” does not mean that it is healthy for you. The more processed a food is, the less likely that it is safe for you. Make sure that you can read and know what all the ingredients are in the foods you are eating. It took me some time to change my food habits, and now I strive to buy less processed foods. I still allow myself some processed snacks every once in a while, but I just try to not make it a daily thing.
6.) Not Everyone Knows what Vegan Means
Something that was frustrating to me was how difficult it was to order food when eating out as a Vegan. I would ask for a Vegan meal, and they would bring a plate with cheese on top of it. I have now discovered that not everyone understands what Vegan means. Most people understand vegetarian but are unfamiliar with the fact that sour cream and ranch are not vegan.
Instead, I have learned that I need to specify which items I don’t want on my plate. Even that sometimes can get complicated if you are not specific enough. It can also be embarrassing to put so much effort into ordering your food. It has sometimes made me feel uncomfortable in front of my friends. Every once in a while, I will be lucky to get a server that is also Vegan, and they are more than willing to change my order around.
Conclusion
If you are planning on going Vegan, then I hope some of these explanations will help you get past the first month. It really gets so much more manageable after you can get past that barrier. I personally love being Vegan now, and I love all the health benefits that I get with it. I also enjoy all the fantastic recipes that I keep finding. So if you are in the beginning phases, then don’t give up. Keep pushing forward. It gets better, I promise!
What was the hardest adjustment for you? And tell me how you came to the plant side?
Looking forward to your comments,
Chantel
