How to eat more plants (without rules or guilt)

I’m sure you have heard a lot about plant-based diets and all the potential benefits. Benefits to your health, the environment, animal rights, etc. Most people want to eat more plant-based meals but feel guilty because they think it’s hard to keep up, don’t like the foods, or see it as just another short-term diet. So how do we both increase the amount of plant-based foods we eat, and do it without the guilt and shame?

what do you like?

Start with what vegetables and plant-based foods you like.  And before you say “I don’t like any” I have yet to work with someone that does not like a single vegetable or plant based protein.  I find that it is more the narrative of “I don’t like any veggies even though I should” that is getting in your way rather than you not actually liking anything.  Make the list of all the things that you like.

Add, don’t replace

Now that you have an idea of a baseline of what you like, try adding in those veggies or plant proteins to meals that don’t have any, this could be breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks.  Try adding these to meals in new ways and flavors. Making it a fun challenge helps you enjoy it more than forcing yourself into compliance.

Once you have that baseline going, now make another list.  This list is of plant foods that maybe you have never tried but are interested in, you aren’t sure if you like, or that you think you might like if it was cooked a certain way.

Start adding these into meals gradually, trying one new thing a week and building from there. It’s about steady progress, not a sudden overhaul that starts on Monday and fizzles out by Thursday.

what was your relationship to veggies growing up? (what is your veggie trauma)

This is a good thought exercise if you feel especially stuck in the above narrative of “I just don’t like veggies.”  9.9 times out of 10 when someone has this narrative it is because they are trying to force themselves to like boiled, unseasoned veggies or salad with a drop of dressing – ick.  Forget the myth that you “ruin” veggies by making them the way you’ll actually eat them. Carrot sticks with ranch don’t lose their nutrients just because you dip them. Adding a dressing you enjoy to your salad doesn’t make it unhealthy—it helps you like it more and crave it again. If veggies don’t excite you, try making them taste good in ways you love!

can you reframe to experiment and play?

As I said above there is so much guilt and shame when it comes to people eating vegetables and/or plant based foods.  They feel like it is the healthiest thing they could do, but also feel like unless they are eating a raw vegan diet, they are never going to be healthy enough.  This is not true and is the biggest barrier when it comes to people supporting their health even by having some veggies in their life.

Instead of shaming yourself, make it fun! Start with vegetables you actually like (even if you think you don’t), cook them in ways that sound good to you, and try adding one new veggie or cooking method for the veggie each week. Keep it simple and enjoyable! This causes positive reinforcement – a much more powerful tool for habit change than shame and guilt, which much push you two or three steps but will not feel good doing it.

getting out of the all/nothing with labels (vegetarian, vegan, etc)

You’re making an impact even if you aren’t 100% vegetarian/vegan.  Another large barrier that I see is the all or nothing when it comes to eating vegetables and plant-based.  If you want to be 100% vegetarian or vegan – go for it!  But what I find it that people feel that 100% is the only way to make a positive impact on their health, the environment, animal rights, etc.  This is also something that you can start slow and if you goal is eventually to get to 100% plant based that is also fine. 

There is also everything else in between where even if you start with adding veggies to some of you meals where there wasn’t any before – that is positive.  If you start having one plant-based meal a week where before it was all animal product based – that’s a positive impact.  You can start slow and also get to a place that isn’t 100% anything and still be positively contributing to the things that matter to you.  Our bodies work on averages and overall, not in the extremes of only having one path to health for your individual body.

I myself was a vegetarian for 5 years and have since moved away from that label. However when I think about my day-to-day eating patterns, I often gravitate towards vegetarian meals because that is my preference. I find that eating this way is much more sustainable and healthy for my body and also everyone can decide what is best for their own lives.

If this all sounded great but you’re not sure how to get started for yourself, reach out to me. I’d love to talk with you about working together on creating eating patterns that feel good!