Don’t Be Scared Into A Plant-based Lifestyle (From A Plant-based Nutrition Coach)

Have you watched all those scary documentaries about plant-based diets? About how veganism is the only way? About how our meat consumption is going to ruin this planet and give all of us cancer? While I cannot argue that there is some truth in these films, we must remember that they are brilliantly crafted to grab our attention and shock us into living the “right” way.

I remember watching What The Health on Netflix back in 2017. It is a documentary presenting the health complications directly tied with the overconsumption of meat and dairy, produced by Joaquin Phoenix. I was on tour with An American In Paris at the time, and we were in Des Moines, Iowa. That’s right, I watched this movie in the the heartland of the meat and dairy industry in this country.

I will not go into further detail about the movie and what it presents, but I was so profoundly moved at the time that I went vegan overnight…in IOWA. I remember feeling “holier-than-thou” around my meat-eating coworkers, whether I was being vocal about it or not. I saw veganism as the only way forward, and was frustrated that I couldn’t get the world on board with me.

Somehow, I sustained this diet while touring several midwest states. I really don’t know how I did it. I was suddenly a die-hard vegan…for about 6 weeks. I slowly began to slip — dairy on occasion, seafood on occasion. After about 3 months of being a cheating vegan, I was a full on meat-eater again.

So, what went wrong?

Shock is not an effective way to change your habits around food. It will be last for a season, then it will wear away around the edges, until it undoubtedly erodes back to where you started. Nerd alert: the word “shock” is derived from the French word choc [wait, is this the root of chocolate?], which was originally used to describe a ‘sudden violent blow or impact,’ in the context of war. Attacking your system with an overnight diet overhaul is extreme and unkind, and the old self you are attacking is likely to fight back.

Think of it this way: you desire to eliminate dairy from your diet, yet you have a voracious cheese monster inside of you. You decide to suddenly give that voracious cheese monster a violent blow by cutting out all the dairy overnight. Well, voracious cheese monster is going to become a violent cheese monster. It is far more kind and sustainable to negotiate with that VCM. Go dairy-free a couple days per week. After a month, go dairy-free for an entire week. Slowly find your favorite dairy alternatives while you quietly defeat that VCM.

Overhauling your diet is achieved through small changes. Habits are more likely to stick when built into our pre-existing systems, and small changes over time more reliably yield lasting transformation. Imagine: you are driving on a perfectly straight road. Now, just veer a few degrees off of it. In a mile, you won’t be too far off of your original course. In ten miles, you’ll be noticeably on a new path. In fifty miles, look how far those few degrees have taken you from your old path.

Compassion for yourself is key. We should never let our brain be at war with our body. Team work makes the dream work! We must understand the body we have existed in until this point, understand why we have developed the cravings we have, and collaborate with our bodies to achieve lasting change. Don’t wage war with yourself, sit down and peaceably negotiate. Negotiate tactics for moving forward that are attainable. Quitting cold turkey is the least compassionate approach.

Should I pursue a plant-based lifestyle?

I believe your ideal nutrition plan is just as unique as your DNA. No plan is universal, and I do not think living a plant-based diet is for everybody. Yes, I identify as plant-based. I have discovered it is an optimal way for me to manage my body. It has been a long, slow journey to fully embracing my plant-based life, and I will never force my personal lifestyle on anyone.

However, I will share my personal reasons for eating plant-based.

1. More volume, less calories. I love to eat, so if I can eat more volume and feel less guilty, then yes, please!
2. It brings out my creative side in the kitchen. I still crave so many things from when I was not plant-based. I love the challenge of reimagining those same recipes with plants and the satisfaction that comes along with discovering a successful recipe. And usually those recipes come with far less guilt.
3. Plants don’t have minimum cooking temperatures. I never have to worry about undercooking my foods or consuming undercooked meat. While undercooking a plant-based protein may not yield the most pleasant texture, it won’t kill me.
4. Number two was never so easy. No explanation needed here…
5. It lessens my risk of disease. It’s hard to argue the cardiovascular risk of high blood pressure connected to eating a meat-heavy diet. The same argument can be made with diabetes and its connection to sugar and dairy. By not having meat or dairy in my regular diet, I reduce my risk of developing correlated health issues.
6. It’s cheap. By shopping seasonally and from local farmer’s markets, there are always deals to be had on produce. Right now, bananas are $.19 at Trader Joe’s. An ear of corn at Sprouts is $.20, and a huge bag of spinach is $1.99. A slab of tofu is $1.69 at TJ’s, which can stretch several meals.
7. Yes, I still hit my protein needs. If I eat a variety of vegetables daily, while incorporating legumes and higher-protein grains, I hit my numbers. There are other supplements that I routinely add, such as: plant-based proteins, nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, ground flax, and Vega Sport Protein Powder for a huge boost on occasion.
8. I still give myself room to slip up. I am not perfect. When I do veer off course of my plant-based goals, I just realign and move forward. Resentment has no forward motion.

As an artist and nutrition advocate myself, I have deep respected for films such as What The Health. I am not arguing against these filmmakers and/or health advocates, but rather voicing that there is a more sustainable way to stick with change long-term. By incorporating gradual change into your routine, you more will more reliably attain that lifestyle you are working toward.