I’ve also found that after mountain tours and long bike rides I feel much more energised and recover faster – and thus more ready to workout again.
Tips to make a vegan diet work
If you’re thinking about a vegan diet, these are some tips to get started.
Schedule your daily 12 foods
The be-all and end-all of a vegan diet is balance. Sure, spaghetti with vegan ready-made bolognese is quick and easy.
However, they also contain few substances that our body urgently needs.
Particularly important for vegans are not just vegetables and fruit, but also legumes, which provide proteins and good carbohydrates from whole grains.
Dr. Michael Greger, in his book How not to die, has summarised 12 foods to include daily in a vegan diet. You can download the list here.
Participate in campaigns like Veganuary
If you find yourself struggling to commit to a vegan diet, try planning your vegan month in January.
So many restaurants and supermarkets are getting behind Veganuary so it’s much easier to test the waters when everyone around you is in the same boat.
Plan for substitutes now and then
Cheese, burgers and feta – most of what the heart desires is available in vegan form.
They might not all be the most healthy alternatives but the actual flavours can often be very similar to the original.
So if the desire does overwhelm you, it’s still far better to reach for the substitute product.
The craving for these products will naturally diminish at some point.
Keeping an eye on nutritional supplements
Vegans get all the nutrients they need, as long as they eat a balanced diet.
With one exception: vitamin B12 should be taken as a supplement, as it is only found in meat and dairy products.
By the way, animals also absorb B12 through their food.
It is found in the earth and is stored in their bodies via grass, etc.
Those with iron deficiencies should seek medical advice before going vegan and pay attention to iron-rich foods such as sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, dried fruits etc.
The best recipes for vegan nutrition
Cookbooks have definitely helped open the gateway to delicious vegan foods.
You can find an edit of the best vegan cookbooks here including BOSH! by Henry Firth and The 20-Minute Vegan: Over 80 Easy, Tasty and Quick Plant-Based Recipes by Callum Harris.
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My conclusion on a vegan diet
After a month of trialling it, I do think I’ll continue with a predominantly vegan diet. But what do I mean by predominantly?
At home, it’s a lot simpler to incorporate vegan dishes into your daily schedule.
But when it comes to eating out with friends and socially, I’m happy to make exceptions so that things aren’t too restrictive for me.
One thing I will continue to eat at home will be honey. Because I also don’t tend to eat sugar, I use exclusively honey for sweetening.
For me, this is still the most natural and nutrient-rich way to bring some sweetness in the food.
In particular, Manuka honey, which also has many other benefits, I will not be taking off my grocery list any time soon.
But I can say with certainty that I’ll definitely be back for Veganuary in 2024!
This article originally appeared on Glamour DE.