So you’ve been eating the Standard American Diet (SAD—and it truly is sad) for years and are considering changing to a Whole-Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet. You may begin by jumping in all at once. That’s what I did. It worked for me but doesn’t work for everyone. It may/may not be the way for you to change.
Let’s first address the “Plant-Based” aspect of this way of eating. This means consuming no animal products. So, let’s get into a bit more detail on what animal products are. In eating WFPB you will eliminate all meat, dairy, seafood, and eggs. Keep in mind that foods on the grocery store shelf may contain ingredients that are derived from these animal products.
Many people choose to ease slowly into this new Way of Eating (WOE). You can chose to go animal-product-free for a couple days the first week, then add another animal-product-free day the next week. Then continue on until all seven days of the week are animal product free. This works for many, and it may be the way you want to transition.
Perhaps you aren’t ready to give up all animal products on one specific day each week. Then choose just one or two to not eat. You might eliminate dairy, red meat, pork, chicken, eggs, or seafood. Elimination of any of these leads you toward your goal of no longer consuming animal products.
Another aspect of WFPB is the fact that you will be eliminating highly-processed foods. That entails eating foods closest to their original state as possible. That means no refined flour, sugar, or oils. A good example is that you eat an olive—that would be a whole food. You eat a teaspoon of olive oil on your salad—that would be a highly-processed food.
Sometimes processed foods can help you make a transition to a WFPB WOE. (How about that, you now know some abbreviations you’ll see over and over in your journey) A temporary diet that includes veggie burgers from the store might be the answer you’re looking for. Or perhaps those chickenless patties for a sandwich might help you along your way. Just do keep in mind that these foods are temporary.
When it comes to eating totally animal-product-free there is something you absolutely have to do. That something is reading each and every label. Before you put that item in your grocery cart at the store or online read the label. You’ll be shocked at the products you currently have in your refrigerator or pantry that have animal products in them. A great example of this is bread crumbs. Yes, you’d think bread crumbs are bread crumbs, but many brands of them have milk and/or eggs in them.
In recent years reading labels has become easier. At the bottom of most all ingredients lists you’ll find items highlighted that are common food allergies. It’s stated simply like: contains milk, soy, wheat, etc. If you see animal products listed there you don’t have to waste your time reading the entire list of ingredients, just move along to something else.
If you find yourself the only one in the store reading labels, don’t worry. Kudos to you for being diligent on what you’re eating. I do recommend that you pull your cart to the side of the aisle and let people pass by. Many people just can’t seem to grasp the idea of reading labels. Those people definitely don’t want you wasting their time by standing in front of them while reading a label. Just remember that if those passing by want to put just anything and everything into their bodies, that’s their decision. You’re doing the right thing. If you want to make it really easy shop only on the produce aisle and buy only the many fruits and vegetables found there.
One of the very best things that you can do to support your efforts to go WFPB is to get all animal products out of your house. Yes, I said out of your house. Go through your refrigerator and your pantry and perhaps even the console of your car. Yes, I hate throwing away food and I imagine you do too. If it’s something unopened, unexpired, and shelf-stable you can donate it to a local food pantry. Just do an internet search or go on social media and you’ll probably find there are a lot of food pantries in your area. In other words: Clean your environment. This idea is best summed up: if it’s in your house it’s in your mouth.
So now you are thinking that you can’t clean your environment because the other people who live with you aren’t about to go animal product free. Not to worry. I faced that when I went WFPB. My husband and two granddaughters weren’t about to give up their burgers, cheese, and chicken nuggets just because Gran did. Add to it the fact that I did and still do most of the cooking. Trust me, you can do the WFPB eating without “cleaning your environment”. It will be harder, but if you are determined it is doable.
Now for the really good news. I’ve told you to eliminate this and eliminate that. The good news is that you are about to find so many things you can add to what you have been eating for years. You’re going to be amazed at the number of fruits, grains, legumes, and vegetables there are in this world. Just when you think you’ve had them all you’ll see something in the produce aisle or in a recipe that you’ve never seen or heard of before. Don’t be afraid to explore new whole foods. Try a little of each. You just might find a new favorite thing to eat.
You may find yourself venturing into new places to shop. Perhaps you’ve never been to a farmers market or what you might consider an ethnic grocery store. You’ll soon find these places to be wonderful and interesting places to shop. Who knows, you might even find yourself stopping to chat with that farmer who has parked his pickup truck with veggies along the highway for the past ten years. You’ve passed right by him before, but now you will see that opportunity may have been staring you in the face for years.
In summary, whether you are going to jump in 100% the first day or transition slowly into a WFPB WOE, my congratulations go out to you. Not only do I congratulate you, but in a remarkably short period of your entire body will begin to congratulate you.
