Changing to a plant-based diet is not easy for everyone, but it has a multitude of benefits that make it more than worth it. These are considered to include a lower risk of heart disease, improved insulin sensitivity linked to a higher fibre intake, plus it’s recognised as an environmentally friendly type of eating plan, too.
When most people imagine a plant-based diet, they imagine a plate full of unseasoned vegetables and nothing else, but this isn’t the case at all – the diet can be tasty, nutritious, and indulgent all at the same time! Here are seven steps to starting a plant-based diet.
1: Take a Multivitamin
While a plant-based diet will give you plenty of nutrients, there may still be areas of deficiency. To ensure your body stays in optimal health, take a multivitamin each morning. There are plenty out there, from Noor’s multivitamins for women to ones tailored to helping your skin and hair, so choose the one that best suits your body and lifestyle. It’s recommended to speak with your GP or a health professional before starting a new eating regime or taking a new supplement.
2: Replace One Meal with Plants
It doesn’t work for everyone to jump straight into only plant-based foods. The trick is to start small, so replace one meal a day with plants only to get started. This way, you won’t end up binging, and your body will have time to adjust.
3: Learn Your Body
Everyone’s body is unique and has different needs. Only you and your doctor can figure out how many calories you need, whether you are deficient somewhere, and what foods you should avoid. By getting to know your body, you can tailor your plant-based diet to ensure you stay full of energy and health.
4: Purchase Plant-Based Cook Books
You are going to need to learn some new meals if you want to enjoy delicious plant-based food. Don’t worry; there are plenty of excellent cookbooks out there to guide you in the right direction, so you’ll be whipping up mouth-watering buddha bowls and cauliflower wings in no time!
5: Give Your Pantry an Overhaul
While you should aim to eat everything in your food cupboards, over time, give your pantry a complete overhaul by filling it with plant-based foods. This should include plenty of fruits, rice, and legumes, so that the next time you head to the cupboard for a quick meal, your options only included plant-based ingredients.
6: Slowly Up the Number of Plant-Based Meals
After eating one plant-based meal a day for a few weeks, it’s time to up that number. Again, it would help if you didn’t rush it, but eating a plant-based breakfast and dinner while keeping your lunch the same is a great way of slowly adjusting your body to the diet. Before long, you’ll find that you crave those plant-filled meals much more!
7: Understand Why You’re Making the Change
One of the vital steps to changing your diet is understanding exactly why you’re doing it, as it’ll help keep you motivated throughout the transition. Do you want to lose weight? Increase your energy levels? Save the planet? Whatever the reason for going plant-based, keep it in mind throughout your whole journey so that you always stay on track.