Five things I have learnt from a month of being vegan

When I get an idea in my head, I have a tendency to run with it and never look back. Thirteen years ago I had a night in with some of my close friends at the time and we joked about going vegetarian, the next day I told my parents I no longer wanted to eat meat and haven't touched any since. Just over a month ago, my husband and I were reading about veganism and we both thought it would be a great idea to give it a go, the next day I got rid of any dairy in the house (giving it all to my parents) and we became vegan. The last month has taught me so much about myself and most importantly my diet, even though I was vegetarian and tried to avoid dairy, I was shocked by how much dairy was hidden in some of the foods I was eating and I realised that despite eating a lot of vegetables already prior to being vegan, I could have been getting more in my diet and have been more experimental with my cooking.

Over the last four weeks, my health has seen a slight improvement, my weight has slightly dropped (this is mainly due to me actively dieting alongside being vegan) and overall I have felt a happier, perkier person. What was originally only supposed to be a months challenge, is looking like a viable lifetime option for both my husband and I. Today I thought I would put together a few things that I have learnt over the last month for anyone who is considering taking the step to becoming vegan.

It's not that hard

Going from vegetarian to vegan was quite easy for me as I had already cut out dairy from my diet prior to my transition, however, I expected things to be a little bit more difficult for my carnivorous husband. Once we had created a meal plan and done our first food shop, we both realised that it really wasn't that difficult.  There are so many products out there for vegans these days and every year, more things are being introduced to make lives of those who are too busy to cook from scratch easier. Sainsbury's only this year introduced a large section of plant-based cheeses and Linda McCartney and Quorn are now actively expanding their vegan range.

It's not that expensive

A lot of people jump to the conclusion that eating healthy is automatically expensive, but it isn't, especially on a plant-based diet. If you stock up on cupboard essentials such as beans, chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, herbs and spices, you can make a plethora of meals for just a few pence.

Cooking has become exciting

I have always loved cooking, but I am enjoying it even more now I'm vegan. Being vegan has forced me to become more experimental with my cooking and my baking, for example ditching the eggs for linseeds or bananas. It is fun to play around with spices when it comes to making curries and over the last few weeks, I've eaten a few new foods such as Jackfruit and Ackee.

Restaurants are more adaptable than you would think

Dining out was one of the biggest things holding me back from being vegan, my husband and I love going out for meals together. However, a lot of the restaurants I have visited recently have been more than accommodating. Surprisingly, one of the best meals I've had was a salad at a steakhouse when going out with friends who are not vegan. 

It is surprising how much energy you have

I have always battled with fatigue and I'm aware that being vegan won't fully eradicate it, but it has helped tremendously. Before going vegan, I was feeling tired and rundown every day, but recently my levels of fatigue seem to have halved. I also feel like I have more energy at the gym and I'm feeling stronger - it's no surprise that a lot of top athletes are vegan.

Being vegan has been eye-opening for me and it is something that I have now become quite passionate about and would hopefully like to continue in the future. I'm not fully vegan when it comes to my clothing and makeup just yet, but I'm hoping that each month that goes by I'll be taking, even more, steps to becoming cruelty-free.

Have you tried being vegan?