Hey everyone! This article is for anyone interested in making the transition to veganism or just trying to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet! I’ll talk a little about my journey and offer some tips! Let me know in the comments about your journey and if you have any tips to transitioning or sticking with veganism as well!
Part 1: Making the Switch
My transition to veganism was pretty easy. I had been vegetarian for a few years, and had begun cutting back on dairy for my skin and gut health. I was lucky growing up in a family that really focused on eating healthy. A healthy diet also played a major role in performance for the sports I played - gymnastics, cross country, and tennis. My mom is a pescatarian and eats a little chicken sometimes, but never cooked a lot of meat for our family. So when I was 15 and decided that I didn’t want to eat any meat anymore, it wasn’t a huge deal. My mom has been super supportive of all my diet/ lifestyle decisions though, and did make an effort to accommodate me. Anddd since I went vegan I can honestly say if she started her own vegan instagram and blog it would probably pass up Simply Radishing by miles. Check out her vegan eggplant parm recipe, its amazing!
After my first year of college and a month long summer study abroad in Valencia, Spain, I came home feeling pretty disconnected from my body. I was used to way more workouts, less drinking, and healthier meals in high school. I started the Kayla Itsines BBG program to get my body back in better shape, but my diet needed some work too. As I began to choose healthier recipes and learn more about my foods, I started cutting back on eggs and dairy in my own cooking. On my mission to educate myself, I started watching vegan documentaries on Netflix - hello “What the Health” and “Cowspiracy.” Both of these played a major role in making me want to go fully vegan.
I started the transition slowly. It was a lot easier when I went back to college for my second year and had my own kitchen instead of relying on the dining hall. I only bought vegan ingredients at the store, but was lenient when I was at club meetings, friends’ houses, and eating at restaurants. I still stuck to a vegetarian diet in these situations, and this balance worked fine for me for a few months. Finally, one day I woke up and decided that I wanted to be 100% vegan and then started Simply Radishing to document my journey. The rest is pretty much history!
I have never regretted the decision I made. Eating a plant-based vegan diet has made me feel so much more in touch with my body. My energy levels improved and my skin looked healthier. I feel more in touch with my food and the earth as well. Giving more thought to what I put in my body has also made me more aware of its source. I've learned a lot more about the ethics behind sourcing food and other environmental concerns.
So on that note….
PART 2: My Advice
Surround yourself with people who support you and your lifestyle. I think this really goes for anything you do with your life. If people are going to give you a hard time for what you believe or make you feel like you need to change, then do you really want them in your life?
Start slowly. Drastic changes are hard to stick with so give yourself time to transition. If you instantly switch to a vegan diet its shocking to your body physically and can be a hard lifestyle transition as well. Try starting with meatless Monday or other small changes to ease into the change.
Be lenient with yourself. I've been vegan for about 4-5 years but definitely had some periods where I was pretty lenient with myself and didn't strictly follow a vegan diet. I studied abroad in Spain and interned in Peru for a summer during college. While I was abroad I tried to be vegan when I could but also allowed myself to try other things and experience the culture there. Slipping up a few times or making some exceptions doesn't mean you totally have to give it up!
Be aware. Pay attention to how different foods make you feel. If you notice that fueling your body with plant-based and nutritious foods makes you feel better it will make the commitment so much easier. We all want to feel good, right?
Have fun with it. Just because you're vegan, doesn't mean you can only eat vegetables. There are so many fun and yummy vegan foods now. Eat some vegan cookies and enjoy them!
I hope this helps! If you're thinking about switching or trying to go more plant-based then reach out to me! Its one of my favorite things to chat about :)
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