Even If You Tried Before...Don't Give Up!

I was on Instagram Live the other day talking to my peeps (come follow me on there so we can connect, too!) about how and why they should start a vegan journey.

One of the ladies asked if it's normal to start and then "fall off the wagon" only after a few weeks.

This is pretty common! Maybe you can relate.

Before I became vegan in April 2010, I tried it earlier that year (around January), but only lasted about two weeks.

I lived on fruit, sunflower seeds and water during this time because I had no idea what to eat, cook, or how to vegan grocery shop.

I was sooo overwhelmed!

These days there are a million resources, ingredients replacements (homemade and store-bought) and support, so there's really no excuse to not incorporate healthier and more compassionate options.

Even if you tried to go vegan before, you should never give up!

Don't let these reasons stop you from going vegan:

*Meal planning and cooking is too time-consuming -- I can understand why this is a struggle for many people. We're all used to grocery shopping and cooking at some level - The problem is, most of us aren't used to writing a detailed meal plan and paying close attention to what we buy while grocery shopping.
This is the reason vegan life can feel time-consuming in the beginning. I promise once you get used to those uncomfortable feelings (by pushing passed them) and get into a routine, all of this will become easier. 

Related: Check out some meal planning tips here and here 

 

*Feeling like it has to be perfect circumstances to start -- I don't care what anyone says, it doesn't have to be all or nothing to get started on your vegan journey. It takes time to learn (and unlearn all the crap that we've been conditioned to believe), so just start.

 

*Too expensive -- Check out my podcast episode with tips on how to save some coins on your grocery bill here

 

*Feeling alone (no one in your real life is interested) --- You can find a community online, using meetup.com and even in private Facebook groups like we have in Zero to Vegan. Being around like-minded people will make the transition so much easier.

Action steps:

  • Get clear on your why and make the decision to be vegan
  • Be open to experimenting in the kitchen (check out this previous post with tips on how to get confident in the kitchen)
  • Don't beat yourself up!

 

You've got this!

Vegan Confessions: Thick Thighs, Oreos & Heavy Drinking

*Sigh* I thought about making this video for months.

Hitting "publish" on this video was very uncomfortable for me, but it had to be done.
Weight has always been a touchy subject for me. 
These days, I realize that being overweight is often the outer result of all the issues we deal with inside. 

For me, it's binge drinking, overeating and emotional eating.

The goal is to be better with self-care, self-love, being more in the moment and taking action to BE and FEEL happier.

I plan to share more of my weight loss journey as I move forward.

Watch the full video below...

Resources mentioned in the video:

The Daily Dozen app

True Life: I'm A Chunky Vegan video

Is Pasta Vegan? + Explore Cuisine Black Bean Pasta Review

A few weeks ago someone asked me whether or not pasta is vegan, so I want to answer that question right here.

The way this vegan life is set up, you can make everything vegan. Seriously.

Ice cream. Cake. Pizza. Scrambled Eggs. And yes, pasta.

The great news -- most of the pasta brands in the regular grocery store aisle is already vegan -- made out of just wheat and water.

On my YouTube channel, I did a review of pasta made out of black beans. I swear they have everything these days. lol

Click below to watch...

Others options for vegan pasta are ones made out of: 

  • Quinoa (my fave)
  • Spelt
  • Brown rice
  • Corn
  • Lentils
  • Black beans

The black bean pasta featured in this video is made by Explore Cuisine. I was able to find it in the natural section of a regular grocery store.

When buying pasta, be sure to always check the ingredient list because some brands contain eggs. Fresh pasta in the refrigerated section of the grocery store and at authentic Italian restaurants usually contain eggs.

Need a couple of quick meals featuring pasta for this week?

Spaghetti recipe here

 

I hope this is helpful!

Want your family to GO VEGAN? BE the Example!

I went to my parents' house yesterday and was so excited to see tofu and coconut milk in their fridge!

My dad wasn't exactly sure what to do with the tofu (I gave some tips lol), but he was open to trying it when he saw it in the store.
Dad has taken gradual steps to replace some of his meat with vegan options. I'm so excited!

He does all the cooking at home, so when he eat well, so does my mom. :-)

Here's a quick video I did while there...

$100 Whole Foods Grocery Haul | Vegan Family Meals

How is your week going?

I feel so accomplished already because I got a new YouTube video up for you and the outline is done for a free virtual workshop going down next week (you can sign up for the workshop here).

One of the things that has skyrocketed my productivity this week is taking overwhelming/big projects and breaking them down (on paper) into digestible steps.

I know this may sound easy, but so many of us spend a lot of time in our heads and don't take the action we need to go to the next level.

This same method can be applied to starting a vegan journey.

Some people can go vegan overnight, but the majority of us need manageable steps to make it happen.

What will your next step be to get closer to a compassionate and more healthy vegan life? It can be as simple as switching your dairy milk to almond milk or using coconut oil (or Earth Balance buttery spread) in place of dairy butter. 

Break the big goal down into baby steps and make it happen!

 

In the latest YouTube video (watch below), I show you what I was able to get for $93 at Whole Foods and how I plan to use these ingredients. This food only lasted a couple of days, but I wanted to share because it's been too long since I've posted a grocery haul video for you.

 

These days, I don't go the grocery store as much as I used to. I'm so thankful for services like Instacart and Amazon Fresh! They deliver groceries right to your home.

This is what dreams are made of! lol

PLUS, I can use that shopping time with my family and  to grow my biz. 

You know, the important stuff. :-)

Don't ever feel like you have to shop at stores like Whole Foods to be vegan. You can literally get vegan options at any grocery store.

Rice, beans, potatoes, greens, bananas, etc. are all vegan and accessible.

I also put together a shopping list with a list of vegan options for categories, such as: protein, fruit, vegetables, snacks, condiments and grains to make grocery shopping easier.

 

Recipes mentioned in the video:

  • Lasagna (video & blog post coming soon)
  • Chickpea salad sandwich
  • Grilled cheese (used Rudi bread and Field Roast chao cheese slices)

Brands mentioned:

  • Instacart
  • Just Mayo
  • Amazon Fresh

 

There's so much variety in a vegan lifestyle, so get started and have fun!