In this article, Alison Lenton, PhD, discusses the process of making a significant behavior change. Although changing any habitual behavior is difficult, understanding the process better can enable us to put ‘setbacks’ and ‘stagnation’ into context and see them for what they are: not failures, but an integral part of making any significant change.

Faunalytics’ 2014 Study of Current and Former Vegetarians and Vegans asked a mostly-representative U.S. sample of people age 16+ to report on their current and former eating habits and their attitudes toward meat and dairy consumption. Of the nearly 11,400 people who participated, approximately 12% were either former or current vegetarians or vegans. For the purposes of this blog, some of the study’s key findings were:

• The current failure rate of remaining a lifelong vegetarian/vegan (veg•n) in the United States is 84%. In other words, 84% of participants who had previously attempted a veg•n diet reported eventually giving it up.
• By the time the survey took place, approximately one-third of those who attempted to become veg•n lapsed within 3 months, and over half (53%) gave up within 1 year. And there were some (12%) who gave up even after having been veg•n for 6 or more years!
• Approximately 30% of “failed” veg•ns had also experienced previous failures. That is, nearly one-third had failed more than once to become veg•n. Nevertheless, 37% said that they want to try veg•ism again.

Given these results, it would appear that it is fairly difficult to transition from being omnivorous to veg•n, but any big change in habitual behavior can be difficult. Let’s look at why that is.

The behavior change process

Successful adoption of a new habit depends on the following (for a more complete summary, see this document from Faunalytics):

• Motivation, intention, and planning—you have to want the new behavior, you have to intend to undertake it, and you have to make plans to achieve it as well as plans for surmounting the inevitable obstacles
• Know-how—you have to understand how to enact the new behavior—and belief—you have to believe that you can do it
• Resources—e.g., adequate emotional, physical, cognitive resources in both the immediate and longer-term choice environments
• Positive reinforcement and absence of punishment—you have to perceive that the new behavior yields additional benefits and fewer costs
• Social and environmental support—do your friends/family understand or do they sabotage and challenge? does the environment provide you adequate opportunity and resources to enact the new behavior?
• Self-regulation abilities—are you any good at controlling your momentary desires/impulses? are you any good at directing yourself toward longer-term goals?
• Practice—repetition makes challenging behaviors easier and is key to their becoming automatic, which is when the behavior no longer requires conscious intention/thought

Add to this that the new and old habits then compete with one another for dominance. That is, for an old behavior to be replaced by a new behavior, the right internal (intra-person) and external (environmental) circumstances have to be in place. To illustrate, consider the following recent model of behavior change (Kwasnicka, Dombrowski, White, & Sniehotta, 2016):

According to this model, even after an initial change in behavior, the old and new ‘habits’ remain in conflict with one another. This is because the probability of one or the other habit dominating at a given point in time and in a particular situation depends on competition between the two habits’ different motivations, the distinct emotional resources required to enact or suppress them, the particular levels of self-control they demand, and just how automatic the associated behavior is (or has become). As the model points out, the new behavior may ultimately win out if it is practiced again and again, across different situations and over time.

As a result, when one initiates a change in behavior, it is not uncommon to find that the old behavior continues to pop up now and again, at least until the new behavior becomes automatic; as illustrated by the figure below (also from Kwasnicka, Dombrowski, White, & Sniehotta, 2016).

And even then, it isn’t as if the old behavior and all of its triggers are completely erased. Think of it like how computers write files onto the hard drive: Writing a new file does not necessarily overwrite the old one. Remnants of the old file continue to persist and can be brought back into competition with the new file given the right (or, perhaps, wrong) circumstances. So even with everything in place, there will be setbacks: It takes time for a new habit to dominate the old one.

The fact that so many former veg•ns ‘failed’ but tried again—and want to try yet again—may actually be part of the process of becoming veg•n. Indeed, the 2014 Faunalytics Study found that the ‘failed’ veg•ns were more likely to indicate that they transitioned to their new diet over a matter of days/weeks, whereas for the ‘successful’ veg•ns, it was reported to be a lengthier process. In other words, it may be that the ‘failed’ veg•ns in Faunalytics’ study are simply at an earlier stage in their path to veg•nism, and many will still ‘get there’ in the end.

The findings also hint that any attempt at becoming veg•n may be successful to some extent: Those who ‘failed’ the strict test of maintaining veg•nism still reported eating less beef and pork thereafter than those who never tried to be veg•n (though we note that these data are correlational and, thus, causal conclusions are tenuous).

Overall, we suggest that taking a longer view of the process of becoming veg•n is both a theoretically and empirically valid one: For most people, becoming veg•n isn’t like a light switch that is flicked on at full brightness and never again flicked off. The process of becoming veg•n is more like a dimmer switch: Change is incremental and can sometimes move backward. Perhaps, however, once the dimmer is ‘on’ at all, there is at least a glimmer of light.

With that in mind, we recommend that animal rights and welfare organizations focus on informing people that becoming veg•n is a process made up of a series of smaller, achievable steps. This is because goals that are perceived to be feasible are more likely to be set in the first place than are goals deemed too daunting. These organizations should also give people explicit advice as to how to take those initial steps (e.g., simple rules-of-thumb such as “always choose the tofu option” and “when offered cheese, say ‘hold it please!’”), as research indicates that those with concrete if-then plans—especially plans that include strategies for managing potential obstacles—are more likely to achieve their goals.

At the same time, advocates should continue to advance the general message that these small steps lead somewhere: Veg•nism reduces animal suffering and death, not to mention that it improves human health and the welfare of our planet. To the extent that we can make the process of becoming veg•n seem more manageable to people, and get people to understand that it is indeed a process that includes stagnation and setbacks, then we expect that more people will set upon and, ultimately, stay on the path toward veg•nism.

This blog is a variation and extension of one Dr. Lenton wrote previously for Faunalytics.

By Michelle Alvarado, Guest Contributor

Michelle Alvarado is a contributor to Cria Vegano Magazine, and lives in Chicago with her family where the winters seem to never end!

The winter season can be tricky with little ones, especially if you live in places that snow. Personally, it can be painstaking to even get in the mood to leave the house when the weather is in the single digits. Once I do muster up the courage to leave the house, I never regret it. My 19-month-old, Joey, enjoys it, too—we’ve just learned to layer like pros.

We’re fortunate enough to have found a moms’ group where we not only get together with our little ones and chat, but we get a good indoor workout in as well. The best part is that Joey gets the opportunity to socialize and make friends with kids of all ages. If you’re able to join a local moms’ group, whether it’s a vegan, church, or Meetup group, I highly recommend it.

The library has become a favorite go-to during the winter. I must admit that before I had my son, I only went there to pick up books I’d called in ahead of time for my preschool class. When he turned one, a friend of mine suggested a play date at the library, and Joey ended up having a blast!

A lot of libraries have story times, a play area, and even allow you to sip on some coffee while you sit back and talk with other parents. And don’t forget to take advantage of that library card! You can pick up some books to read at bedtime. But don’t be like me, return those books on time!

We live in a city where there’s a nearby children’s museum. When my husband and I took Joey, it did not disappoint! Holy sensory stimulation—it was magical! We played in a huge water table, built structures with glow in the dark tiles, and played house. Our little musician thoroughly enjoyed the music exhibit. And the staff at the small café even worked with us to put together a vegan-friendly snack!

This activity wasn’t free and is usually best to pay for a year membership if you plan on going more than a couple of times per year.

If you like brisk, chilly weather and you are an outdoorsy family, going for a nature hike at the nearest park is a perfect winter activity for you. You get to breathe in the fresh cold air, get a little exercise and can work together to spot different types of animals. Some parks even have nature centers where you can take a break and thaw out.

As Joey gets older and I learn from other mamas about how to stay busy during the cold winter months, I look forward to watching him participate and stay active. There’s so much to explore out there!

If you’re staying indoors today, don’t forget the latest issue of Raise Vegan is out now, and our mini magazine, Raised Vegan, is available to purchase!

You spoke, and we listened.

You want only the best and most relevant information in your inbox, so we’re transforming our Vegan Living and Advocacy Blog into our new Action Alerts email list!

Our Action Alerts will tell you quick, impactful ways to help animals, including requests to—

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• Much more!

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Thank you for your support and for doing all you can to end speciesism!

by Jack Norris, RD

Vegan Diets—Health Benefits

A vegan diet can provide many health benefits. Vegans have:

• 3/4–1/2 lower rates of high blood pressure (1, 2)
• 2/3 lower risk of type-2 diabetes (3)
• 15–20% lower risk of cancer (4, 5)
• Significantly lower cholesterol levels (6)

Even though there are numerous benefits, in order to thrive, vegans should be aware of the nutrition issues below.

Calories, Protein, and Fat

It’s important to include some high-calorie, high-protein foods in order to feel satisfied.

Simply removing animal products from a typical American diet is going to leave you with mostly low-calorie foods such as salads, vegetables, and fruit. Eating only these foods could quickly leave you feeling hungry and weak, and thinking a vegan diet is a real challenge.

While severe protein deficiency is nothing to worry about, not eating some high-protein plant foods could leave you craving animal products or feeling fatigued—see Story from a Once-Failing, Now-Thriving Vegan.

Legumes—beans, peanuts, peas, lentils, and soy—seitan, and quinoa are the best sources of protein for vegans. Include a few servings of these foods each day—maybe even each meal.

People tend to think of animal products, and especially meat, as “protein,” but many are 50% fat. A very low-fat, plant-based diet might improve someone’s health in the short term, especially if they have high cholesterol, but it might not be ideal for longer periods. If you’re avoiding all added fats and you start to crave animal products, it might be time to increase the plant fats.

In fact, research has consistently shown that eating nuts—which are high in fat—improves markers for heart disease (7).

Although the research is still preliminary, it appears that some people don’t have the genetics to do well on a high carbohydrate diet (8). For such people, an eco-Atkins diet, high in plant proteins such as soy meats, legumes, and seitan, might be a better choice (9).

Finally, if you find yourself craving animal products, it could be because you have a strong preference for the taste of glutamate, also known as umami. Plant foods high in umami are ripe tomatoes, tamari, miso, sauerkraut, dried sea vegetables, marmite, nutritional yeast, olives, balsamic vinegar, and mushrooms. Roasting, caramelizing, browning, and grilling increase umami by freeing glutamate from proteins (10).

Don’t Overdo the Oxalate

Some plant foods are high in oxalate and spinach is extremely high. For most vegans, oxalate won’t be a problem, but if you decide to start juicing or blending your greens, make sure you don’t consistently use large amounts of the high oxalate greens—spinach, swiss chard, and beet greens—doing so can sometimes result in a kidney stone. See Oxalate for more info.

Low Cholesterol

In rare cases, some vegans might not get enough fat or calories to produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones, which are made from cholesterol.

Two studies have shown vegans to have sex hormones on par with meat eaters (11, 12), but one report showed vegan women to have lower levels of estrogen (13).

A few anecdotal reports provide some evidence that low cholesterol might be a problem for some vegans—see Bonzai Aphrodite’s story of regaining her health as a vegan, Facing Failing Health As A Vegan. In such cases, increasing saturated fat, such as by adding some coconut oil, could increase a depressed libido or resume menstruation.

Vitamins and Minerals: For the Long Haul

Although a vitamin or mineral deficiency is very unlikely to occur in only a few weeks or months as a vegan, there are some nutrients you need to pay attention to if you want to thrive over the long term.

Daily Needs

We provide the precise requirements and common sources for each nutrient below in our article, Daily Needs.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 in vegan diets has been a source of controversy and myths (14). Although it rarely happens quickly, if you don’t get a reliable source of vitamin B12 through fortified foods or supplements, the chances are high that you will eventually find your health suffering.

Calcium

The need for calcium on vegan diets has also been surrounded by misleading claims with many vegan advocates saying that animal protein, including milk, is the main cause of osteoporosis in Western countries. Following this logic, it would make sense that vegans don’t need to worry about osteoporosis since we don’t eat animal protein.

The research actually shows that vegans, like nonvegans, should try to meet the same calcium recommendations as the greater population. Vegan diets tend to contain much less calcium than other diets, so we must make an effort to include good sources on a daily basis.

Vitamin D

More often than not, vegans who come to me with severe fatigue are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. This isn’t just a vegan problem as many people develop vitamin D deficiency, partially as a result of avoiding the sun. But vegans are at a slight disadvantage, on average, because we get less vitamin D in our diets. Make sure that you have a reliable source of vitamin D.

Iron

Iron is found in a wide range of plant foods and vegans tend to have iron intakes comparable to meat-eaters.

However, plant iron isn’t as easily absorbed as iron from meat and a small percentage of women develop iron-deficiency anemia after becoming vegetarian.

If you think you’re at risk: Make sure to include a good source of vitamin C at meals—it binds with iron creating a more easily absorbed complex. Avoid coffee and tea at meals as they decrease iron absorption.

Iodine

Iodine is important for thyroid health, but it’s a nutrient that most vegans rarely think about. A 2011 study showed that some vegans don’t get enough. Especially if you eat soy, you should make sure you have a source of iodine—either from seaweed, a supplement, or iodized salt.

Omega-3s

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is important for cognition. A short time on a vegan diet is not likely to cause any sort of deficiency, but long-term vegans should make sure they’re getting enough omega-3s. Walnuts, canola oil, flaxseeds, or a DHA supplement are the most common ways to obtain omega-3s.

Vitamin A

There are many sources of vitamin A for vegans—especially orange vegetables—but you shouldn’t leave getting enough to chance. See your options in the picture below and eat one or two sources every day.

Zinc

An average vegan diet will meet or come close to the RDA for zinc, but some people might fall a bit short. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include catching frequent colds or developing cracks at the corners of your mouth. Supplement with 50–100% of the RDA if you suspect a deficiency.

Vegan Meals

To see general meal plans that a vegan might follow to meet nutrient needs, check out:

• Meal Plans—Dina Aronson, MS, RD
• The Plant Plate—Ginny Messina, MPH, RD

Good luck—and may you thrive on a vegan diet!

References

1. Fraser GE. Vegetarian diets: what do we know of their effects on common chronic diseases? Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1607S-1612S. Epub 2009 Mar 25. Review. Erratum in: Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jul;90(1):248.

2.Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hypertension and blood pressure among meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans in EPIC-Oxford. Public Health Nutr. 2002 Oct;5(5):645-54.

3. Tonstad S, Stewart K, Oda K, Batech M, Herring RP, Fraser GE. Vegetarian diets and incidence of diabetes in the Adventist Health Study-2. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Apr;23(4):292-9.

4. Key TJ, Appleby PN, Crowe FL, Bradbury KE, Schmidt JA, Travis RC. Cancer in British vegetarians: updated analyses of 4998 incident cancers in a cohort of 32,491 meat eaters, 8612 fish eaters, 18,298 vegetarians, and 2246 vegans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jun 4.

5. Tantamango-Bartley Y, Jaceldo-Siegl K, Fan J, Fraser G. Vegetarian diets and the incidence of cancer in a low-risk population. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012 Nov 20.

6. Bradbury KE, Crowe FL, Appleby PN, Schmidt JA, Travis RC, Key TJ. Serum concentrations of cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B in a total of 1694 meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 Feb;68(2):178-83.

7. Sabaté J, Ang Y. Nuts and health outcomes: new epidemiologic evidence. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1643S-1648S.

8. Dieting by DNA? Popular diets work best by genotype, research shows.

9. Jenkins DJ, Wong JM, Kendall CW, Esfahani A, Ng VW, Leong TC, Faulkner DA, Vidgen E, Greaves KA, Paul G, Singer W. The effect of a plant-based low-carbohydrate (“Eco-Atkins”) diet on body weight and blood lipid concentrations in hyperlipidemic subjects. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Jun 8;169(11):1046-54.

10. Is Umami a Secret Ingredient of Vegan Activism?

11. Thomas HV, Davey GK, Key TJ. Oestradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin in premenopausal and post-menopausal meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans. Br J Cancer. 1999 Jul;80(9):1470-5.

12. Key TJ, Roe L, Thorogood M, Moore JW, Clark GM, Wang DY. Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, calculated free testosterone, and oestradiol in male vegans and omnivores. Br J Nutr. 1990 Jul;64(1):111-9.

13. Goldin BR, Gorbach SL. Effect of diet on the plasma levels, metabolism, and excretion of estrogens. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988 Sep;48(3 Suppl):787-90. Review.

14. Vitamin B12: Are You Getting It?

Vegan Outreach’s Community Events team ended 2017 with some awesome events! From cooking demonstrations to a vegan hip-hop event, the vegan message was spread far and wide!

Gwenna Hunter, Greater Los Angeles Community Events Coordinator, organized a Holiday Soul Food event at the Alma Reaves Library in Los Angeles, CA. Chef Sol—AKA Josue Solis—captivated the audience with his personal story about going vegan. The room was packed to its capacity, and attendees enjoyed a tasty vegan meal. Chef Sol served macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, and “chicken” casserole made with Gardein products. Daiya Cheezecake was served for dessert!

Roopashree Rao, Indian American Community Events Coordinator, organized a vegan food tasting event at the Jain Temple in Sunnyvale, CA. Approximately 450 people enjoyed sampling a vegan dish, which included Kite Hill unsweetened plain yogurt in place of dairy yogurt, a popular food used in Indian cuisine. Roopashree assisted the chef and learned how to cook for 500 people. She also gave a presentation on the connection between Ahimsa and veganism.

Nzinga Young, Greater NYC Community Events Coordinator, organized an adult vegan cooking class at the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn, NY. Attendees learned how to make a massaged kale salad and discussed the ethical, environmental, and health benefits of adopting a plant-based diet. Immediately after the class, some of the attendees met as a group at their local grocery store and purchased the ingredients they’d used in the class. What a fantastic moment it is when we see how our message motivates people!

Victor Flores, Greater New Mexico Community Events Coordinator, organized an event at the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, in Albuquerque, NM. The Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice provides resources and a space for organizations and individuals working on peace and justice issues to network with one another and share information. Victor teamed up with local rapper I.Q. The Professor and organized—in just eight days—The Conscious Eating Hip Hop event. The event featured a number of other local hip-hop artists and delicious vegan food.

The Community Events team would like to send a big Thank You to all the volunteers and donors who make this work possible! We truly appreciate your support!

By John Deetjen, Outreach Coordinator

It’s freezing cold and snowing in Toronto, Canada, yet a crowd is gathered outside of a new restaurant waiting to be seated. This restaurant is called Mythology Diner, and it’s the latest creation of Toronto-based, vegan chef Doug McNish and The 5700 Inc.

Mythology Diner is the city’s first all-vegan, late-night diner, and it bills itself as, “The Classics, Veganized.” Through a series of teasing posts on their social media accounts and news coverage from Toronto news outlets, the city’s foodies—vegan and non-vegans alike—were abuzz with excitement to try this new restaurant.

The location is right in the heart of Parkdale, which has been nicknamed “Vegandale” because of how vegan friendly the neighborhood has become. The 36-seat restaurant has everything you could want in a diner—an enticing menu, a sizable bar, funky artwork, and a warm ambiance. A DJ played hip-hop music to the packed restaurant of patrons enjoying their plant-based creations. It wasn’t surprising that we had to wait for almost an hour to be seated.

The menu is exactly what the restaurant advertises—veganized classics. Appetizers include wings, poutine, and garlic bread. Main course options include meaty sandwiches, mac and cheese, and Salisbury-style steak.

After much consideration of what to order, we decided to order french onion soup, cheesy garlic bread, and “The Bloomer”—a breaded Vidalia onion with chipotle sauce. We also ordered the “Classic Burger,” cinnamon bun pancakes, and a root beer float for dessert!

The french onion soup was hot, had great flavor, and was topped with two pieces of bread with vegan mozzarella melted on top. It was the perfect appetizer for a snowy Canada night!

The garlic bread was soft and covered with the restaurant’s house-made, cashew-based cheese and topped with colorful, edible flower petals!

The Bloomer was amazing! I’ve never tasted anything quite like it. Fried, perfectly crispy, and paired with a creamy chipotle sauce—it’s a match made in vegan food heaven!

The Classic Burger was fantastic. The mushroom tempeh patty was grilled crispy and topped with maple chipotle barbecue sauce, caramelized onions, and shaved pickles.

My wife and I both agreed that our favorite dish was the cinnamon bun pancakes. They were topped with cinnamon sugar swirl and cream cheese frosting, accompanied by house-made cashew butter, maple syrup, and tempeh bacon.

The root beer float was a delicious, sweet, and bubbly treat to round out our meal. It was topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream made from tiger nuts.

Mythology Diner is busting every myth that you can imagine about vegan food, and it joins Toronto’s massive and growing vegan restaurant scene as a true creative gem! If you’re ever in the area, it’s a restaurant you’re not going to want to miss.