Today marks the end of Veganuary. After 31 days of experiencing a vegan lifestyle and eating a plant-based diet, you might be wondering about what you should do now. Some people make up their minds at the start and give up during Veganuary, others are determined to finish strong but are not totally convinced. However, this is my message to everyone that completed Veganuary and is unsure if they should go back to their old way of life, or if this new lifestyle is something that suits them.

Here’s what you should figure out if you want to continue this way of life:

1. Am I getting enough nutrients in my diet?
2. Am I content with the fact that my new lifestyle can interfere with my social life?
3. Am I aware that veganism extends to all facets of my life and not just to food?
4. Will I ever revert back to eating animals?

Adequate Nutrition:

I’ve already written an entire article on getting enough nutrients on a vegan diet, so I’m not going to necessarily cover what you should be eating here. However, it’s very important to keep track of what you’re eating, and also diversifying your nutrition. You don’t want to rely on overly-processed foods to sustain your needs, and you’re more than likely going to harm yourself by doing that. Make sure you’re eating a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables during the day, and that your diet revolves mostly around whole foods. This is the best way to ensure that you’re getting everything that you need.

If you’re not sure how to go on about this, there’s tons of resources out there to help you! I’m currently reading Dr. Michael Greger’s book How Not to Die (which I’ll be writing a review on), and I’m learning so much! Otherwise, I’ve linked some pages that are extremely helpful down below!

Social Life:

It’s important to have a balanced and fulfilling social life that is comprised of valuable friends. Interestingly enough, most of my friends are non-vegan, and I don’t think my being vegan has ever been an issue for them! You see, it’s important to be honest with others about how you live, otherwise, people won’t take your lifestyle seriously. If you don’t drink alcohol for religious purposes for instance, your friends shouldn’t berate you because of it. Same thing goes for veganism. It’s part of your life, and after a while, it does become part of your identity. So embrace it. Your friends should be supportive nonetheless.

Fortunately for us vegans, most establishments nowadays tend to be vegan friendly (in the UK I’d say), so you can always feel accommodated if you’re going out to eat with your friends. Additionally, you could always try to convince your friends to eat at a vegan place for change, they might just like it!

Some people might have extraneous issues if they become vegan. For instance, if someone’s parents don’t cook vegan food, that could be an issue. Or if their cultural revolves heavily around eating animals, then opting out might be regarded as being aloof. As I’ve said previously, be mindful of how you present your lifestyle. If you’re convinced of it, others will understand and act accordingly! (I might just write an entire article on veganism and social life, so stay tuned for that!)

100% Vegan:

This should be obvious by now, as veganism is not strictly a diet. There is a big difference between being vegan and plant-based. The lifestyle aspect of veganism includes shopping cruelty-free and vegan products. The market for these two criteria is abundant, but can be a learning curve for sure. I’ll definitely write a detailed report on how to shop cruelty-free and vegan, but for now stick to these rules.

1. No leather, fur, silk, or any other material that comes from an animal (always make sure your clothing/furniture/accessories are vegan!)
2. Shop cruelty free! Make sure that the brand is vegan and doesn’t test on animals. An easy way to do that is by checking if the product has the leaping bunny and the “Vegetarian Society Approved” logos.
3. Keep researching! Join online communities or in real life, and if you’re unsure of a product’s vegan-friendliness, use the internet!

Vegan for Life?

This daunting question might seem scary for some because at the end of the day, veganism is a “life-long” commitment. During my 4+ years of being vegan, I haven’t once considered returning back to my old way of life. Why? Well, why should I? I feel healthy, wealthy and on top of the world! People worry about craving cheese or meat, or fear that they’ll miss out on foods they ate before becoming vegan. It’s important to reconcile with the fact that it’s very easy to “veganize” dishes and to embrace the connection that you have with the animals. I’ve written extensively about this, and I think that anyone that is truly considering veganism, should first understand their motives for living this way, and what they plan to achieve from it.

At the end of the day, veganism is not individualistic, but rather a collectivist action. We’re vegan for our health, for our planet and for the animals. Truly embracing these tenants makes it so much easier to adapt to veganism, and also enjoying the newfound connection that you’ve built with the world around you.

Word of Advice:

Be true to yourself. If you think veganism isn’t for you at this point in your life, then don’t steer a sinking ship. It’s best to be ready and prepared for the road ahead. It took me over a year of research to finally convince myself to take veganism seriously, and when I did it, it was a smooth transition. Understand that at the end of the day, you’re in control of your consumer choices, and that no matter what, your lifestyle is helping others, one day at a time! Stay blessed, and have a good day🌱🕉🙏🏻

Helpful Links:

Nutrition Facts’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NutritionFactsOrg

Nutrition Facts’s Website: https://nutritionfacts.org/

Mic the Vegan’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MictheVegan/featured

Vegan Health’s Website: https://veganhealth.org/

Dr. Esselstyn’s Website: http://www.dresselstyn.com/site/