Dealing with cravings as a vegan
A lot of vegans like myself were not originally vegan or even vegetarian. Before I made the change, I was binging on pizza, sushi, beef burgers and chicken each week. I didn’t stop eating animal products because of the taste. I stopped eating them after educating myself about animal agriculture and the argument to go vegan, which I highlighted in my first blog post. Consequently, I personally still get cravings every now and again, especially as a new vegan.
It’s been nearly four months since I went plant based. And honestly, I have only had two or three cravings for non-vegan food. They don’t last long, as I feel a great amount of pain and sadness when I actually think about what that slab of meat actually is and where it has come from. However, here’s a couple of tips which can be implemented:
Be careful when fasting
When you are hungry, you tend to crave a quick fix. Fasting is an incredibly healthy thing to do, but at time your mind can wander. During periods of fasting and then watching others eat a dominos pizza for example, that old craving comes back. The craving should be brief, have a glass of water and remind yourself why you are vegan and why you are fasting.
Have a binge day
If you are living in the UK for example, there is plenty of vegan friendly junk food. If you are heavily into your fitness and have been eating well for the previous 6 days, there is nothing wrong with having a cheat day. Binge on all of your favourite snacks, to the point you feel content. This will help remove any cravings you might have for the next 6 days, at least this is how it works for me.
Meat & Dairy Alternatives
Based on what I’ve tried so far, the plant based alternatives are incredible. The beyond burgers taste exactly like beef, it’s insane. The Ben & Jerrys vegan ice cream is tastier than the original. And everybody knows about the Greggs vegan sausage rolls. You can fix these cravings by simply treating yourself to some of the premium plant based alternatives or even the budget alternatives that are still extremely tasty.
Remind Yourself
It’s important to constantly educate yourself and remind yourself why you are doing this. It’s easy to snap out of a craving simply by watching how these animals are exploited and murdered. It’s easy to snap out of a craving by revisiting the literature that links meat with heart disease. It’s easy to snap out of a craving by revisiting the damage animal agriculture is having on our environment. This is the most powerful tool you have in your toolbox, as the morals and ethics make veganism more than just a ‘diet’.
