Vegan January: How to Stick To Your Resolution

A new year is upon us and with it comes an abundance of promises and resolutions! We tell ourselves we will stay away from sweet treats; we lock away the booze for as long as possible and hoards of people descend upon gyms in an attempt to become fitter. If none of these common resolutions tickle your fancy, why not join millions of other people and challenge yourself to sticking to a vegan diet for a month?

Why Do People Choose a Vegan Diet?

There are lots of reasons people choose to change to a vegan diet or complete lifestyle including:

Many do it for the animals
You may choose a plant-based diet to help you with training or exercise. There are many sports stars who follow a vegan diet including tennis ace Serena Williams, boxer David Haye, racing legend Lewis Hamilton and footballer Jermain Defoe
It’s good for the planet
It’s delicious! There are millions of mouth-watering recipes online at your fingertips and an abundance of cookbooks to choose from
It’s good for your health
It’s never been easier! Supermarkets and restaurants now cater for vegans; long gone the days where there was barely one option on a menu!
Veganism can be for everyone!

What Can I Eat as a Vegan?

No, No

Vegans eat zero animal products. So, obviously no meat but then they also stay clear of foods that come from or are a bi-product of animals including including milk, eggs, cheese and some vegans will also give honey a wide berth.

Yes, Yes

Basically, anything plant-based! Stock up on plenty of fruit and veg, carbs such as potatoes and rice, get your protein from beans and pulses and dairy alternatives can be made from soy or nuts.

There are a lot of vegan alternatives out there for cheeses and meats, but just be careful - don’t assume that just because it’s vegan, it’s healthy or good for you.

Tips on Sticking to Your New Vegan Diet

If you were a meat or dairy eater on December 31^st and a vegan for the first time on January 1^st, it may be a bit of a shock to the system! There’s no denying that it may be hard at times, but you can do it!

Plan, plan and plan some more! Never underestimate the power of a well-thought out food plan to help you stick to your newfound diet.
Get to know what you can eat to curb your cravings. If you’re craving sugar, you may be dehydrated or if you’re missing out on certain fats, then try avocados or nuts as a replacement.
Attempt new recipes instead of replacing your old go-to’s with processed, vegan alternatives. Processed vegan foods often contain lots of saturated fats, so try and stick to wholesome, nutritious plant-based recipes.
Don’t get hung up on the foods you can’t eat but concentrate on the foods you can eat and make vegetables the star of the show!
Get to know your plant-based proteins. Vegan sources of protein are plentiful and can be very good for you including tofu, lentils, chickpeas plus lots of nuts and seeds.

Colourful bowl of vegan food with vfruit and vegetables

Embracing the Vegan Lifestyle

Veganism is on the rise and it’s not just a vegan diet that people are converting too. A vegan lifestyle also includes avoiding any beauty items or cosmetics which may contain animal derived products or clothing made from materials such as fur or leather.

At Superdrug, we have over 1000 Own Brand vegan products for you to stock up on! Here are just a few of our faves but why not explore the full range this January (and beyond)?