You Quit Being Vegan But Want To Go Back?

You tried being vegan, felt really excited about it, knew it was the right thing to do... and then quit.

Something's happened recently and now you want to go back.

I've been vegan on and off for about 5 years, and I can share with you everything that's helped me get back on track and stay consistent.

1) Remember why you wanted to go vegan in the first place, and why you want to switch back now.

- If it was for the animals: Go to a farm with cows and pigs.

- If it was for the environment: Binge watch Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy.

- If it was for health: Binge watch "What The Health"

Whatever you believe would get you more emotionally connected to why you want to quit dairy and meat, do it :)

2) Solve the issue that made you quit last time.

Most people quit being vegan because it was too hard for them to go out and eat with friends, or their partner.

Socially, it is hard to be vegan. Sometimes you'll go to a party and there's nothing for you to eat. Sometimes you'll see people go out of their way to help you and make sure you got vegan food and you feel bad.

The way around this is to plan ahead. If you always have yummy protein bars with you that will keep you full for a while, it helps a lot.

WHY Bars, Larabars, Cliff Bars, Nu Bars, and Vega Protein bars are some of my favorite.

If you feel bad for people going out of their way to make sure you have something to eat, don't.

People want to help. You're able to see who really cares about you by how they try and make sure you're taken care of. You're also creating attention and conversation around your vegan lifestyle. Other people might be curious, and you can share with them all the good a vegan lifestyle does.

If your partner is always trying to convince you to quit being vegan, it's a perfect time for you to be able to set boundaries, or observe the relationship as a whole.

I've been with multiple partners that have tried to get me to start eating meat and cheese. But if I really shared with you all the details of the relationship, this wasn't the only thing they tried to change about me. They wanted me to eat more so I could be curvy for them. They wanted me to have friends, they wanted me to go to college. They wanted to change me and have me live a life I never would've been happy with.

One man, I told him that it would mean a lot to me if he didn't try to change me because many people have done that, and it always made me feel inadequate. He flipped and looked for vegan meals and restaurants with me.

The others, decided their vision of what they thought I should be, was more important than who I actually was. Those relationships never worked out.

So if your partner is trying to change you out of being a vegan... is that the only thing they're trying to change?

There's been many meat eaters I've dated that have been very accepting of my lifestyle. They've gone out of their way to bring me to vegan places, or ensure the restaurant we were going to had something I could eat.

They were the ones that accepted me, and didn't try to change a thousand aspects of who I really was to please their own benefits and needs.

3) Allow yourself to cheat, if not forever than in the beginning.

People always act like being vegan has to be an all or nothing thing, and that's not true.

Some people are vegan M-F. I cheat on being vegan once a month. Sometimes I do a little more than once a month, but I allow myself to cheat a little, so I don't have to give up being vegan and can still do the best I can.

4) Surround yourself with vegan friendly people. Not the judgmental people that will judge you for cheating and quitting, but the accepting ones that want to support you.

There is many Facebook and MeetUp groups for vegans. I'm a part of the Vegans of New York, and Vegans Of Chicago. I've made many new friends through those groups and felt very supported on the plant based lifestyle.

5) Stock up on your favorite vegan meals at home.

This can help a lot whenever cravings hit, to keep you full and satisfied :)

Wish you all the best of luck on your journey <3