How to Approach Veganuary with a Happy, Healthy Mindset
With the arrival of January comes the sudden ubiquity of fitness and wellness culture buzzwords. In the Sustainable Baddie world, one that we hear often is Veganuary: a month-long commitment to eating vegan at the start of the year. Veganuary is an international pledge you can practice alone, or you can participate in the global campaign for additional support and resources. Participating in Veganuary is a great way to lessen your carbon footprint and kick off the year with an intention towards sustainability.
However, diet is a complex topic. If you are someone (join the club!) with a strained relationship with food and diet culture, Veganuary may not be just a simple month-long challenge. We want to tell you that you are not alone! That’s why we made a guide to exploring Veganuary with curiosity, and authenticity, without sacrificing your own mental and physical health. Let’s talk about it!
To begin, I want to recount my own experience. I was a vegan for four years and previously participated in many Veganuary challenges. Unfortunately, my already complicated relationship with food made this lifestyle unsuitable for my overall health, so I returned to a vegetarian diet. But my love for all things plant-based has remained. Because of my personal experience, I wanted to write an article that made space for those of us who may not be able to dive into veganism but are still curious about animal rights, environmental justice, and ethical eating.
History and Purpose of Veganuary
Source: Meatless Farms
Veganuary is a nonprofit organization based in the UK that started in 2014 and has grown year by year. Last year, they had over 700,000 people globally participate in the Veganuary challenge. The intention is to make veganism more visible and accessible to a wide array of folks who may not be ready to commit to the lifestyle change in the long term, but who are interested in veganism and recognize the environmental benefits of the diet. The organization encourages folks to commit to vegan practices through what they eat and what they buy—veganism is about more than just food! If you choose to take the pledge online, you can expect to receive daily recipes, tips, and insights on veganism to help you navigate the entire month.
How to Try Veganuary Intentionally
If you are considering dipping your toe into Veganuary or veganism in general, we have a few tips for doing so in a mindful way.
Start by asking yourself some questions:
What inspired you to take on this vegan challenge?
What is your end goal?
What do you want to gain from the experience?
What do you hope to learn?
We hope that your answers include lessening your carbon footprint, putting less money into harmful industries, and supporting small, sustainable, and environmentally friendly businesses. If any of your answers are inching towards diet culture, take note of them (no judgment necessary, just observation). Although there is nothing inherently bad about choosing veganism for health reasons, it’s important to try and discern whether you’re restricting yourself or adding something beneficial to your life.
As you explore veganism, we also encourage you to explore non-white representations of plant-based eating, considering there are ethical diets all over the world. The whitewashing of veganism in the United States has permeated diet culture. When we choose to expand our perspectives on what a vegan looks like, we open ourselves up to understanding that plant-based lifestyles like veganism are practiced by people of all body shapes and racial and gender identities. And everyone is going to do it differently. The beauty of Veganuary is that it offers the opportunity to learn from a wide array of cultures and dig deeper into what kind of lifestyle you might want to adopt. Like most labels, we made “vegan” up, so feel free to either accept it conditionally or reject it outright. Define ethical, healthy eating however it resonates with you!
Do what feels good. If you’re excited to explore veganism for the first time, or if you have been vegan for years and loving it – go forth and prosper, bestie! Trust yourself and lean into your instincts. You don’t have to eat chia seed pudding every morning if you don’t want to. (Can we interest you in this vegan masala paratha recipe instead?) Stay aware of how your body feels. If you are used to eating meat regularly, you might experience decreased energy or get hungry more often. Again, it is important to listen to your hunger and energy cues and refuel as you need to (always have snacks!). It might feel unusual compared to how you used to eat, so it’s better to trust yourself and give your body what it needs. My rule of thumb is: If I need to eat, I let myself eat. Having snacks on hand, packing meals, and preparing to order or find vegan options can help you get through Veganuary healthfully and happily.
Here are some of our favorite vegan or vegan-friendly influencers to get inspiration from:
What else can you do?
As you know, veganism is about so much more than what we eat, and there are so many ways to commit to being plant-based that don’t require changing your diet. If you know that eliminating animal products from your diet will not work for you this month, try doing Veganuary in other ways. Maybe this month, you commit to not buying new leather, wool, or other fur products. Maybe you choose to only opt for animal-friendly and cruelty-free skincare, haircare, or home care products.
You can also make other important commitments to your consumption that are vegan-adjacent. Practice eco-justice and climate action by boycotting food brands that use unethical practices—learn more through the Food Empowerment Project’s online resources for ethical brands. You can also choose to go semi-vegan, vegetarian, or any other permutation of plant-based that feels good for you. Every bit counts.
Ultimately, whatever you choose to do this month, we hope it feels good in your mind and body. We hope you take time to listen to yourself and take care of yourself in whatever ways feel best for you. And if changing your diet is not the move this month, remember that you can still make a difference in the climate justice and sustainability world!