Go Vegan in 2022 with these Easy New Year’s Resolutions!

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There are nearly 80,000,000 vegans in the world in 2021. 2019 was actually coined “The Year of the Vegan” by the Economist. The Veganuary campaign had record breaking numbers just last year. And with the word vegan being the most popular search word of its kind, it is no surprise that more and more people are trying to adopt a vegan lifestyle themselves.

In short, Veganism (the term) was created in 1944 by Donald Watson, the co-founder of The Vegan Society. And they define veganism as,

“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”

They go on to include,

“There are many ways to embrace vegan living. Yet one thing all vegans have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey – as well as avoiding animal-derived materials, products tested on animals and places that use animals for entertainment.”

So, if you’re thinking of adopting a vegan lifestyle but need some tips to start out, I got you!

10 Simple Tips to go Vegan this Year

1. Start with Meatless Mondays – If you’re looking to try a gradual change, if you’re unsure that you could do a full 360, try cutting out meat & dairy every Monday. Once you get Monday’s down, start trying it twice a week, then three times a week, and so on, and so on.

2. Vegan Weekends – Another great way to slowly introduce the change into your diet/lifestyle, is to be completely vegan on the weekends. It can be hard for some people to change their meals when they’re running around all week, working, getting takeout etc. So if you need a more slow-paced approach, vegan weekends tend to be easier. Most of us have more time on the weekends to plan meals & prepare.

3. Vegan until 4pm – Some people also adapt well with a vegan until 4 approach. Basically, everything you eat until dinnertime is plant-based. I think the reason why people like this method is because it feels like less of a drastic change at first. They still get to feel their normal for one meal of the day. Eventually they transition to do a full vegan day(s).

4. Vegan all Week – Basically the opposite approach to vegan on the weekends. Instead, you would eat a plant-based diet all week while leaving the weekends for the normalcy that many people need during big life changes.

5. Veganuary – If you haven’t heard of Veganuary before, it’s pretty much going vegan for all of January. The hope is that after a New Year’s Resolution of partaking in Veganuary, you would continue the lifestyle afterwards.

Checkout my latest post Go Vegan 2022 where I help you sign up for Veganuary & give you a bunch more tips & recipes to help you on your merry vegan way 🙌!

6. Keep a food Journal – I know food journals/calorie counting can be triggering to those who struggle with eating disorders so listen to yourself first, if this isn’t an appropriate tip for you then just ignore it. One thing to keep in your mind though, is to make sure you are eating balanced meals. And that is why I suggest a food journal. Often times when people switch their diets they either don’t know what to eat or they resort to what they know or what’s easy. And that’s why so many people also fail on diets in general.

* One thing to note: veganism is a lifestyle & not a diet. Plant-based would be considered the diet of veganism *

When you keep a food journal (I use the free MyFitness Pal App & my husband uses the Cronometer App) you can check to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients. You want to make sure you’re getting enough Protein (it’s really not as difficult as people make this out to be haha), Fiber (so easy on a plant-based diet), Fats, Iron, Vitamins, etc. These journals just help you better understand where these nutrients are coming from. Nobody wants you to be living off of French-fries & French-fries only haha. Although, some of us earlier vegans, we have definitely experienced that.

7. Watch some important Documentaries – One of the best ways to help motivate you and build your compassion for animals, the environment, & your own health, is to educate yourself & do some research.

Here is a list of docs that I highly recommend to anyone that reaches out to me asking for advice on going vegan…

• Food Inc.
• Game Changers
• Earthlings
• The Truth About Food
• GMO OMG
• Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead
• Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days
• Vegecated
• Cowspiracy
• Forks Over Knives
• Hungry for Change
• Food Matters

I also suggest looking into Kimberly Snyder, she’s a celebrity vegan nutritionist & she breaks down food health very simply. She also has a weekly podcast, which is always filled with amazing information.

8. Join a vegan chat group – There are so many vegan groups on social media nowadays. Vegan Twitter is a real thing. Some people on vegan twitter can be harsh but don’t let them discourage you, they’re just really passionate & expressing themselves helps them deal with their frustrations better. My experience in these groups has always been positive however. I also just try to avoid/not engage when it feels a little “judgey”. Everyone has their own reasons & stories, you just being curious about veganism is a huge step and I’m happy to help those who are curious. Vegan Facebook groups are also a great way to reach out for help, get recipes, and make new vegan friends.

9. Start or Join a Vegan Pinterest food/recipe Board – You can even join my Vegan Recipes & Foods board or my Healthy Info/Vegan Facts & Info board. Both of these boards are filled with tons of information & recipes to help make this transition easier on you. You can also use the general search bar to find other vegan info & start your very own vegan boards.

10. Don’t be so Hard on Yourself – We all want to do the right thing but sometimes we mess up. Sometimes we order food that we didn’t realize had animal products in them. Sometimes we don’t notice an ingredient in something until after we’ve eaten it. That’s ok! You are not less vegan because of it. Remember, veganism isn’t a diet, it is a lifestyle so… Move on and move forward. Lesson learned. The most important thing is that you always remember to stay connected to your main priority, causing the least amount of pain or suffering as practicably possible to all living creatures.

Bonus Tips:

Some vegan books/cookbooks I highly recommend.

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I have helped many friends & family members go vegan. It is something I love to do & it truly makes me so happy when people reach out to me with questions.

Please feel free to reach out to me anytime at keirst@ablogaboutstuff.com

If you’re looking for some New Year’s Eve Vegan Dinner Inspo, checkout my article on this Delicious Vegan Christmas Dinner Feast. Included with printable menu cards.

Easy New Year’s Resolutions to go Vegan in 2022 – A Blog About Stuff – Vegan Wellness