To kick off 2021, I participated in Veganuary. This meant I ate vegan for the month of January (or at least did my best to). It was a great experience and I am more plant-focused than ever before as a result. I wanted to share some of my primary learnings with you all:

1. Following a vegan diet does not mean you are being “healthy”

A popcorn bowl of nuts is vegan. Plain pasta and dry toast are vegan. Heck, even Oreos are vegan. A food or meal being vegan does not mean it contains the vitamins and minerals you need to feel nourished and satisfied. Sometimes, the vegan option is actually high in fat, low in protein, or altogether devoid of nutrients.

Do not equate veganism with healthfulness.

2. Being vegan is a lot of work

Because of the point above, being began is a lot of work. In such a restrictive diet, it is even more important to ensure you are getting the right nutrients. I used a meal tracker to ensure I was getting adequate micro and macronutrients. But even then, there were some days where I just wasn’t able to prepare the well-rounded meals I needed.

This was even more challenging when eating out. If the restaurant didn’t have vegan-friendly options, I either had to ask a ton of questions or guess and hope.

3. Finding vegan options can be difficult given the foods available to you

I spent the majority of Veganuary in Florida. While a great place to get away from the cold, the area in which I was staying did not have many healthy restaurants around. As a result, it was very difficult to find healthy, plant-based options. A side of Brussels sprouts came out crisped in oil. Or a salad was often covered in cheeses or heavy dressings.

This would have been a challenge for me on my regular diet, but was really taxing as a vegan. As a result, I sometimes had to break my “vegan-streak” in order to choose a meal that had been prepared in a more healthful way.

4. There is no one diet that is “better” than the others. Like with exercise, it’s all about finding something that you enjoy that you will want to go back to day in and day out. Forcing yourself into something you don’t like is just going to leave you unhappy and result in quitting.

I write a lot about plant-based diets, and I do believe that for me and many others, going predominantly plant-based has improved my life. However, there are plenty of people for whom the idea of eating only vegetables sounds like torture. As long as both parties are paying attention to macro and micro nutrient levels and watching portion sizes, one is not “better” than the other.

While I wasn’t able to stick to it 100% of the time, Veganuary was still a great success. I really pushed myself to think of new ways to utilize vegetables, and found new recipes I continue in my day-to-day. I have a newfound respect for people who follow a vegan diet. Not only do they resist many of the temptations pushed upon us by the food industry, but they navigate a food system that does not always have them in mind. Who knows, maybe I’ll do Vegebruary!

Did you participate in Veganuary? Let us know! runningbysix@gmail.com