5 Pitfalls To Avoid When Going Plant Based Or Vegan

When I went vegan in 2017 it felt like the right move for me. I can confidently say that three years later it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Since going vegan I’ve lost 75 pounds over the course of 3 years. And I am better able to manage my depression and tendonitis in both my knees and wrists. My digestion is better (most of the time) and my acne is easier to manage as well.

Not to mention I’ve found meaningful and fun ways to move my body. I’ve figured out how to fuel my body and what makes me feel good. My plant based transition has brought me closer to my yoga and meditation practice. It has also cultivated a deep sense of gratitude to the earth that grows what I eat and the farmers that facilitate their growth.

But that doesn’t mean my transition was easy. Making any lifestyle change is going to be difficult and requires a lot of dedication and grace. I’ve eaten my fair share of undercooked beans and mushy rice. I’ve eaten flavorless salads and have accidently starved myself for days because I had no idea how to build a filling plant-based meal. I’ve overeaten because I found myself on the body building part of youtube. I’ve done the raw vegan thing, I’ve done the juicing thing. I tried living off smoothies for days. All those vegan influencer diets- yeah, I tried those too.

I’ve fallen on my face time and time again, in the kitchen and outside of it. Learning how to read nutrition labels, looking for clothing items, meal planning, not planning. My learning curve was steep.

But the journey is worth it- even if your journey right now just includes adding more plants to your plate.

I’m not here just to embarrass myself I promise. Here is a list of the top 5 pitfalls to avoid when transition to a plant based or vegan diet. I hope you read this list and avoid making some of the similar mistakes I did when I first transitioned.

1. Not Eating Enough Food

Here’s the deal, eating more plants is amazing for a variety of reasons. One of the amazing benefits of eating more fruits and veggies is that they are lower in calories and full of fiber. This means they have the ability to help you feel fuller faster and keep you full for longer. Of course this is on top of the fact that fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients our bodies need to heal and thrive. So adding more plants onto your plate is a guaranteed win in any department.

But remember, I said that fruits and vegetables are lower in calories than animal foods and processed foods. That means you can build yourself a giant salad that only has 300 calories in it. And while that sounds amazing, it’s not going to keep you full until you can eat again. (I use 300 calories as an example. Please talk to a dietitian or doctor if you have any questions regarding how much you need to eat).

So how do you round out your meals to keep you fuller for longer, making sure you get enough calories? Take my salad example and add a portion of baked tofu, beans, or lentils. Then sprinkle a small handful of nuts or seeds on top, or maybe half of an avocado. That 300 calorie salad becomes a delicious and filling meal to help fuel your day. Remember, eating plant based is supposed to be about a celebration of abundance, not deprivation. If you are hungry then eat more. Balance your meals with proteins and healthy fats. Focus on whole foods but eat what you enjoy as well.

2. Not Eating Enough Variety

Under that last pitfall I mention that eating plant based is supposed to be about abundance. Abundance to me means a wide variety of color, texture, flavor, and nutrients. Sometimes when you are new to cooking or cooking vegetables, it can be easy to eat a lot of bread, or pasta with a few vegetables thrown in. I get it, the kitchen can be an intimidating place and you are learning. It is all a part of the process.

But to get the full benefits eating the rainbow can provide you need to nudge yourself out of your comfort zone a little. This could mean taking a local cooking class or working with someone to help your transition. Or pick out a few good cookbooks to get some inspiration. I highly recommend The Veganomicon. It’s the perfect beginner cookbook. It Describes how to cook different vegetables, grains and beans with so many amazing approachable recipes.

Check out your local farmer’s market and chat with your community farmers. They grow the food they sell, they will tell you their favorite ways to enjoy that eggplant or fresh bunch of beets. Bonus, you may encounter beautiful produce you never would have seen at the grocery store.

3. Not Taking Any Supplements

Transition to a plant based or vegan lifestyle is incredibly rewarding. The wide variety of plant foods I enjoy is awe inspiring most of the time. Like I mentioned before, I am an all-around healthier human because of my transition to a plant-based lifestyle.

For a lot of reasons, produce you buy at the grocery store ranges in nutrient content. So it is necessary to supplement the plant based or vegan lifestyle.

B12 is a big one for me. Most people associate B12 with animal foods but it’s actually a nutrient we get from bacteria that grows in soil. Another conversation for another time, but our global soil health isn't the greatest. So adding a B12 supplement to your diet is helpful to maintain healthy energy levels.

Another big one for me is vitamin D. This is because I live in Western NY where most of the sun we get happens in 3 or 4 months out of the year. Vitamin D is essential for me as well because it helps me manage my depression.

Other supplements or nutrients you may want to consider are omega 3 fatty acids from foods like chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp seeds. You can also get flaxseed oil to help you with this as well. As always though, please consult with a doctor or dietitian before starting any kind of supplement regime. Especially if you’re dealing with any kind of chronic illness or taking other medication.

4. Not Listening to Your Body

This is a big one for me. When I went through my short raw food phase I was having a difficult time digesting raw cruciferous vegetables (kale, cabbage and broccoli to name a few). I was bloated, gassy and had a hard time going to the bathroom. Some raw foodists told me to fight through it but instead I decided to listen to what my body was telling me and stopped eating those foods raw. I love raw cabbage in coleslaws after I’ve massaged a little salt into the leaves. A light blanch on raw broccoli usually does the trick for me as well.

Listening to your body takes practice. And you may have a few digestive issues when first transitioning anyways from all the fiber you may not be used to eating. But knowing how certain foods make you feel is an important tool you can use to continue creating a diet that fuels your lifestyle.

It may be helpful to write down what you eat and see how you feel 3 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours after eating a particular meal. Or you can take note of how you’re feeling in the morning and then again before bed.

5. Taking Yourself Too Seriously

I have a bad habit of taking myself way too seriously. Remember, a plant based or vegan transition is supposed to be journey, it’s supposed to be fun and exciting (most of the time). Go out, try new foods, new restaurants, meet new people. Some people go crazy with tracking every nutrient going into their body. And while tools like myfitnesspal and cronometer can be helpful tools, eating a wide variety of foods, supplementing when necessary and listening to your body are the way to a sustainable plant based or vegan lifestyle.

Getting regular blood tests can help ease any concerns you may be having. And utilizing tools like nutritionfacts.org can be helpful if you have any concern about living a plant based lifestyle.

I also want to close this post by reminding you that lasting and sustainable lifestyle changes happen over time. Not in 5 or 10 days (although you can start feeling better in that time). It took me 3 years to lost 75 pounds and keep it off because weight loss is more than the sum of its parts. Finding movement like walking, yoga, running, swimming etc. that fuels you body mind and spirit is a process. There will be easy days and harder days. But eating more plants is entirely worth it, you’re worth it.