What are typical beginner's mistakes of vegans? If you're looking for the answer to this question, you've absolutely come to the right place! Whether ethical, ecological or health-related: there is a wide range of good Reasons for the vegan lifestyle. But the changeover works completely smoothly for very few people. Of course, this is not bad - yet we can learn from the experiences and findings of other vegans.
Therefore, in this article I would like to present you 15 typical mistakes of vegan beginners. Simply use them to make a smoother transition from meat-eater or Vegetarian to vegan on the parquet. Have fun!
Here is in advance already a small Overview about the contribution:
- To think you are now a health guru
- Simply omitting meat, eggs and dairy products
- Completely forgetting the variety of international cuisine
- Meal Preps to be considered complicated
- Tackling the transition without a plan
- Eating too few calories
- Thinking veganism is a common way of eating
- Giving in to cravings for meat and dairy products
- Being lazy and disinterested
- Consume more vegan finished products
- Not enough regional and seasonal food to buy
- To start without nutrient knowledge
- Believing you have to do everything perfectly
- Wanting to master the changeover without support
- Missionize other people
1. to believe that you are now a health guru
Anyone who seriously studies vegan nutrition learns quite a bit about Nutrients and a balanced one, healthy lifestyle. But you don't have to push that on everyone's nose. Vegan also does not automatically mean healthy! After all, chips and cola are also vegan but far from being healthy.
However, you don't have to give up sugar and processed products completely - and you can also Continue to consume favorite foods such as pizza pasta, burgers, or foods such as milk and cheese - just in a vegan, sustainable and healthier way. So just have fun and learn step by step.
2. simply omit meat, eggs and dairy products.
Living vegan is actually not a renunciation. But simply cutting out animal products without seeking alternatives or discovering new foods and meals can quickly make it seem that way. All the more faster one is then also frustrated, gives up and suffers perhaps even a lack condition. So get involved in the diversity of vegan cuisine, then the switch is definitely an enrichment for your life.
3. forgetting the diversity of international vegan cuisine.
The first two to three weeks of the changeover are usually the biggest hurdle - because that long it takes time to break a habit and establish a new one. During this period, many vegan beginners have problems coming up with new dishes. Often, the temptation is then great to simply fall back into old habits. But vegan dishes are a dime a dozen. Simply use the following vegan-vegetarian country cuisines by natureto help your creativity take off:
- Chinese
- Thai
- Japanese
- Italian
- Israeli
- Indian
- Arabic
Tip: In another article, you will also learn how you can find a vegan meal in really every restaurant.
4. consider Meal-Preps to be far too complicated
A typical beginner's mistake of vegans is also not to start with the Meal-Preps at all. But honestly: since I pre-cook my lunch for the week easily and relaxed in about an hour on Sunday and make it in Stainless steel lunch boxes store, my Life so much easier have become. I don't have to wonder what I'm going to eat every day - and I have time to relax at lunchtime. This short time of planning and preparation is really worth its weight in gold.
5. approaching the changeover without a plan
Just to start spontaneously... that works out in the rarest of cases - whether you stop smoking or want to eat a vegan diet. Unfortunately, this jerky, impulsive approach is usually only successful in the short term and therefore a typical beginner's mistake of vegans.
It's much easier to stay on the ball if you have an (exact or even rough) plan. When do I go shopping, what do I buy, what meal prep do I prepare, what dishes do I cook and what snacks etc. do I have ready when my cravings come up again? Answer the questions and be prepared - then the change is totally simple and quickly routine.
6. Eating too few calories
Many former beginners say that they are always much too hungry and therefore eventually no longer vegan were. The mistake lies in simply leaving out animal products and not giving your own body a substitute with the to provide the same amount of calories. For example, lentils have fewer calories than cheese or meat. You should increase the quantities accordingly. Plus, healthy fats keep you fuller longer. When you get a little hungry, you can also treat yourself (especially in the transition phase) to apple with peanut butter or carrots with hummus, for example.
7. to consider veganism as a common form of nutrition.
There is a Difference between veganism and plant-based diet. The latter is a form of nutrition. Veganism, on the other hand, is a way of life. One renounces for the welfare of the animals on the consumption of animal offers (food, entertainment, clothing, Animal testing etc.) - and thus primarily pursues ethical motives against the exploitation of animals. In addition, there are ecological and health reasons.
Make veganism a part of your personality! If you have a strong, personal reason for being vegan, the initial change in your diet will quickly become a permanent lifestyle.
Tip: Under "Why live vegan?" I present you my most important motives for the animal-friendly, environmentally friendly and healthy lifestyle.
8. giving in to the craving for meat and dairy products
A typical beginner's mistake of vegans is also to succumb to the old habit and give in to cravings. The Cravings are of course still there at the beginning of the changeoverYou should keep that in mind. It takes some time for them to disappear completely. Perhaps you have asked yourself, Why vegans often consume meat substitutes? I almost don't eat them anymore, but they definitely helped a lot with the transition to vegan, since they look and taste like meat.
9. being too lazy and disinterested
If the "pain" is not great enough, you quickly give up. It is incredibly important that you are always aware of why you want to eat vegan or why you want to live vegan. No cruelty to animals, no Deforestation of the rainforests, no antibiotics in the food... there are hundreds of motives! But by lazy and disinterested I also mean that for lack of information and enjoyment, you quickly lose the desire to think about and cook a vegan meal. Then just go to the restaurant more often and let yourself be inspired and cooked there. You'll quickly learn about new dishes and the variety and excitement in climate-friendly, plant-based cooking.
Important: Be sure to use my tips on vegan egg substitute and vegetable milk substituteto make the transition even easier for you!
10. consuming too many vegan convenience products
As I said: the vegan substitutes for meat, cheese & Co. are extremely helpful when switching to a vegan diet - but in the long run they really go to the money. Accordingly, the impression can quickly arise that Veganism teuer is. The consequence? The mistake of many new vegans to give up.
In fact, the cheapest foods in the supermarket are vegan: Rice, lentils, peas, noodles... you just need to increase the desire to get active and cook yourself!
11. buying too few regional and seasonal foods
People who consume a lot of convenience products automatically consume few regional and seasonal products. Accordingly, the ecological consequences of the own nourishing way for the planet. It is also therefore a mistake of new vegans, because foods from the region, which just have their season, also taste much better. They are usually more nutritious, fresh and sustainable and make your vegan dishes a real taste experience.
Related articles:
12. to start completely without nutrient knowledge
It is possible to meet one's nutrient needs in all phases of life with a plant-based diet.₁ Avoiding animal products But can quickly develop into a one-sided diet, if you do not plan the changeover and inform yourself accordingly. As said: Vegan food is not automatically healthier and also not automatically healthy! The following nutrients apply According to DGE₂ as critical nutrients in vegan diets, to which special attention should be paid:
Do not make the beginner's mistake of vegans to underestimate the importance of nutrients for your health. With a regular blood test at your family doctor you are on the safe side and can master the transition to vegan specifically.
13. believing you have to do everything perfectly
Veganism is not about doing everything perfectly. It's about, To gradually minimize animal suffering through one's own way of life. The fact that you don't do something perfectly is no reason not to develop steadily.
And as we all know, you can learn from your mistakes! I myself have made dozens of them during the conversion to vegan - and some of them I present to you here 😉.
14. mastering the transition without support
Many people feel attacked and disturbed just by the presence of a vegan. For example, because they believe that you can as a vegan thinks something better. Even if this is not so, of course, the hurdles that others put in one's way are correspondingly large. The one or other new vegan might then find it difficult to stay on the ball. The path of least resistance and so...
Therefore it is advisable to Mastering transition together with a friend or family member. Facebook groups with like-minded people can also be a helpful companion!
15. proselytizing other people
It feels incredibly good to no longer have to cruelty to animals to pay. One thinks: "Hey, why doesn't everyone do it that way?"Accordingly, one wants to carry away as many people as possible - especially as a vegan beginner. But that does not always come well at counts therefore in my opinion to the typical beginner's mistakes of Veganern. Often meat eaters remove themselves then still further from the Veganismus, because they feel missioniert. So always keep in mind that it took you some time toountil you have recognized the true motives and have finally decided on a vegan lifestyle.
Learn from the beginner mistakes of vegans and do better right away
Making mistakes and learning from them is great and part of the personal development. I hope that you too were able to learn from my mistakes with the vegan lifestyle and simplify the transition for yourself.
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Or can you think of other typical beginner's mistakes made by vegans? Then write me as always happy to comment!
Be always kind to animals,
PS.: Did you know that you can be a Vegan also promotes human rights? In the linked post I explain to you now why that is so!
References:
₁ American Dietetic Association; W. J. Craig; A. R. Mangels: Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets (as of July 2009), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19562864 [07/20/2021].
₂ Selected questions and answers on the DGE position on vegan nutrition (September 2020), available at https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/weitere-publikationen/faqs/vegane-ernaehrung/#c2895. [20.07.2021].
