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The Carnivores Anonymous Guide to Going Vegan

The Carnivores Anonymous Guide to Going Vegan

Congratulations! You’ve done your research, watched the documentaries and are ready to take the leap into the wonderful world of veganism!

 Changing the way that you eat may seem overwhelming, and you may not know how to get started. Don’t worry! The Carnivores Anonymous Guide to Going Vegan has got you covered! Carnivores Anonymous is a psychiatrist-developed 12-step program supporting and providing strategies to help you maintain optimum health, lose weight, reverse chronic illness and tackle food addiction while adopting a plant-based lifestyle.

 Follow the steps below to transition to a healthy, cruelty-free and environmentally-friendly way of eating!

 1.   Ease Into It!

There’s no right or wrong way to start eating a plant-based diet. Some people are able to make the change overnight and for others, it may take longer, and that’s ok! To start your new way of eating, we recommend gradually easing into eating more plant-based meals. Start with replacing one meal a day with a plant-based one. The next week, replace 2 meals, and finally replace 3 meals on the third week. There you have it! You successfully changed your eating in just three weeks! Of course, you can take more time if you need it. The goal is to make the transition a sustainable change.

 2. Meat and Dairy Substitutes are Your Friends!

There’s no doubt that meat and dairy products are addictive and a huge part of today’s culture. We are bombarded with advertisements for fast food, pizza, ice cream and other animal products every time we watch TV, go on social media, or read a magazine. So how can you just forget about your diet and switch to something completely new? Thankfully, there are substitutes for every mainstream animal product and many for unusual ones as well!

 Gone are the days when tofu was the only option. Yes, you can find plant-based chicken, beef, pork, bacon, milk, cheese, ice cream, pizza… you name it! If you experience cravings for meat and dairy while you’re following step #1, we highly suggest that you use these substitutes to not only address your cravings, but to create tasty meals that you look forward to eating! A few of our favorites include Califia Farms almond milks, So Delicious coffee creamers, Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders, and Field Roast Chao Slices!

 3. Eat Foods That You Already Like!

Most likely, you’re eating quite a few vegan foods already! Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, baked potatoes, rice, pasta with marinara sauce, tortilla chips with guacamole, fruit smoothies… they’re all vegan so you’re closer to an all plant-based diet than you probably think!

 4.  Get Enough Calories!

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when transitioning to a plant-based diet is that they don’t eat enough! This is because their intake of fruits and veggies increase, but since these are generally low-calorie foods, they end up eating far fewer calories than they are used to or that their body needs. Yes, you absolutely need fruits and vegetables in your diet to be the healthiest and most energetic version of yourself, but it is difficult to reach your daily requirement of calories on fruits and veggies alone. Incorporate grains, nuts, meat and dairy substitutes, and higher-calorie fruits and veggies like bananas, potatoes, avocados, and pineapple to reach your daily caloric requirements.

 5. Drink Enough Water!

Water intake is crucial for your body to feel healthy and function at its best. When you first transition to a vegan diet, your body will flush out toxins from the meat and dairy products you previously consumed. It is very important that you drink enough water to help this detoxification process. Of course, drinking water throughout the day is recommended at all times so fill up your reusable water bottle to take with you wherever you go!

 6. Stock Up on the Essentials!

Did you know that plant-based foods are some of the most budget-friendly foods there are? Dry beans, lentils, rice, and nuts can all be bought in bulk and stored for long periods of time. With these staples at your disposal, you will always have something to cook and eat! Stock up on these foods to save time and money! Of course, keeping plenty of fresh fruits and veggies around will also be useful when hunger strikes!

 7. Learn to Meal Prep!

We’ve all been there. It’s late, we’re tired, and we’re hungry. We look in the fridge and there’s nothing to eat! We call for take-out and wave goodbye to our eating plan! The best way to stick to healthy, plant-based eating is to meal prep! By preparing your meals and snacks ahead of time, you can stay on track and avoid the “there’s nothing to eat” trap described above. Not sure what to prepare? If you have a meal that you really like, go ahead and make enough to eat throughout the week. Don’t want to eat the same thing all the time? Wash and cut up some fruits and veggies, pack up some snack packs to take with you, or make some rice or grains to add to soups and salads. Anything you can do to make eating more convenient will help you succeed!

 8. Keep an Open Mind!

When it comes to trying new foods, just go for it! As you transition, your taste buds and food preferences will change. Foods that you may not have liked in the past may become your new favorite! There are 20,000 edible plants on earth so you’re bound to find a few that you like!

9. Be Kind to Yourself!

Switching to a brand-new way of eating is a big (and worthwhile) change! You may slip up at times, but don’t beat yourself up about it! Be patient with yourself and give yourself credit for all of the great work that you are doing! When and if you are tempted to throw in the towel, just remember why you started in the first place! Whether you’re doing it to getting healthier, lose weight, help the environment or eliminate animal suffering, the important part is to keep moving forward!

 10. Find Support and Inspiration!

If you find that you need support and inspiration while transitioning, go online! Search for vegan Meet Up groups or start a Carnivores Anonymous group in your area! Not sure what food to eat or make? There are over 55 million posts using #vegan on Instagram alone! That’s a lot of food inspiration!

 With these steps, you’re on the road to a new vegan way of eating that you will enjoy and be able to stick to! We’d love to hear how these steps worked for you on our Carnivores Anonymous Facebook and Instagram pages!

 

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