I still remember the first time I tried to “become vegan”. It lasted a weekend.
Friday, I bought almond milk, frozen edamame, a tofu block and a mountain of curly cabbage. Sunday evening, I was standing in the refrigerator in a tracksuit pants, eating macaroni and cheese straight from the container. Not because I did not care about animals or the planet – but because I was hungry, overwhelmed and secretly convinced that I had to be perfect or not at all disturbed.
This is the thing that nobody said to me: you don’t have everything or nothing.
You don’t need to be 100% vegan to benefit from factory consumption.
And once I stopped chasing perfection and I started to become curious instead, everything has changed – my body, my kitchen, my state of mind and yes, even my impact.
The problem with thought “all or nothing”
For a long time, I thought that being based on plants meant returning a switch. One day, you eat burgers and milkshakes; The next one, you are preparing quinoa bowls and sipping oat milk slats.
But in practice?
This switch rarely turns cleanly.
I grew up in a household loving food-Mexican-American, multi-generational and deeply rooted in the tradition. My grandmother’s cuisine felt meats and cinnamon with slow crampons. Family rallies were around Tamale, Pozole and Enchiladas. Ask if the taupe was vegan would have earned me an eyebrow raised and a second help, just to be safe.
So when I tried to become entirely vegan, it was like a rejection of this story. And when I “slipped” inevitably – eating eggs with brunch or entering a slice of birthday cake – I felt like I failed. Again and again.
The guilt loop prevented me from staying with it. I would give up completely, telling myself that I would try “again next month” or “after the holidays”.
In the meantime, I missed the advantages that I could I got if I would have just allowed a little grace and flexibility.
What finally worked: progress, not perfection
A few years later, I tried, but this time, I did it differently.
Instead of declaring myself a vegan overnight, I made lasting small exchanges. I started with breakfast. I exchanged my morning yogurt for the pudding at the chia or the toast to the lawyer.
I kept simple lunch – cereal bowls, vegetarian soups, roasted remains. Dinner was the place where I gave myself the most freedom, especially cooking with the family or leaving.
And something interesting happened: even without being “completely” vegan, I felt better.
My energy has improved. My digestion was more fluid. I slept more deeply. I started cooking again to cook again – not because I had to do it, but because plant experimentation has become fun.
I didn’t need to label myself. I just needed to notice how good I felt.
Which has really improved (and why)
1. My digestion has become much more coherent
Once I started to eat more legumes, greens and whole grains, my intestine thanked me. I had less swollen days, less cramps and more regularity overall.
The fibers played a big role here – and the plants based on plants are naturally rich. Studies show that Fibers feed good bacteria In your intestine, leading to a healthier microbiome and better digestion overall.
2. My energy has stopped crashing
During thick days of meat and letters, I often felt slow at 2 p.m., but when I focused the plants – especially complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, sweet potatoes and beans – I noticed more constant energy throughout the day.
There are also research connecting plants based on plants to Improvement of blood sugar stabilityEspecially when meals are balanced with fibers, proteins and healthy fats.
3. My relationship with food has become less complicated
Once I stopped obsessed on the labels and I started to focus on what I felt, the food has become easier. I started to make choices from a place of care, no control. And ironically, it led to better decisions. I wanted roasted vegetarian tacos.
I want lens soup. I didn’t need rules – I needed a rhythm.
How to feel the advantages – without going 100%
If you are curious about plant -based food but you feel overwhelmed by the idea of ”any intention”, here is what helped me make it lasting:
1. Start with a meal
Choose one meal a day and do it from plants for a week. Breakfast is generally the easiest – smooth, oats, toast with almond butter or avocado. Once it seems normal, add another meal.
2. Repeat the meals you like
You don’t need a new recipe every day. I found some favorite meals that I liked and I kept them in rotation:
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Roasted vegetarian bowls with tahini
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Red lentil curry with rice
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Pasta with sautéed garlic spinach and cashew cream
Let these meals become habits, then explore from there.
3. Concentrate on “add” it, not only on “subtract”
Instead of asking What should I give up?ask What can I add?
Think of color, texture and flavor: roasted squash, cabbage salad, creamy houmous, grilled peaches. Eating more plants should feel abundant – not restrictive.
4. Will not insist on the label
If you mainly eat plants but still have eggs or cheese from time to time, it’s okay. This does not cancel the good you do.
In fact, even small changes to a plant -based diet – such as the adoption of a flexitarian or Mediterranean style diet – can considerably reduce the risk of disease and environmental impact.
What I still eat – and why I feel good about it
These days, I would describe my diet as about 90% on plants. I still have honey in my tea. I will take advantage of the occasional sliced sliced very fishered on my cousin’s birthday. And when my grandmother makes her signature green enchiladas, I eat them – with gratitude.
But I also eat a rainbow of plants every day. I start my mornings with smoothies, I build lunches with grains and green vegetables, and I do dinners from zero most often. I nibble on fruit, nuts and roasted chickpeas. I drink more water. I buy more intentionally.
Because now I know I don’t have to be “good”. I try to feel good. And knowing that my choices, even when they are imperfect, are aligned with the way I want to live.
Final reflections
We have been taught that change must be extreme to be significant. But I learned that consistency has more than intensity – and small changes in the right direction can be incredibly powerful.
You don’t need to be 100% vegan to enjoy the advantages of a plant -based lifestyle. You don’t have to abandon all traditions or refuse you joy. You can move at your own pace, define your own version and feel even better in your body, your mind and your impact.
So if you wait to be ready … no. You are ready.
Start with a meal. An exchange. A new recipe. Let your plate evolve like you.
Plants do not require perfection. Just intention. And maybe a little garlic.