Many people view veganism as a restrictive lifestyle, which forces you to give up your favorite foods. That’s not the case. Cutting out major food groups and dieting isn’t the best way to do it. In fact, it can leave you heavier, unhealthier and unhappier than you were when you started. In this post, we’ll tell you why. Read on to find out why people who diet are doing veganism all wrong.

3 Reasons to Ditch Dieting

1. It’s Short-Term

Lots of people get into veganism by doing ‘Veganuary’. This can be a great introduction to vegan life and the benefits of a vegan diet, but short-term solutions like this aren’t always the best way. A quick fix won’t give you the long-term results you want. This is because you can’t maintain a large calorie deficit for a long time. Some fad diets require you to eat nothing but rationed, pre-packed meals. Others completely cut entire food groups out of your diet. During the Atkins diet trend, people ditched carbohydrates and opted for fats instead. These days, many are doing the same with the Keto diet. Don’t do the same with veganism. This isn’t sustainable. Eventually, you may need to add other foods back into your diet. If you restrict yourself for too long, you could end up falling off the wagon, binge-eating, and ending up right back where you started. Instead, pace yourself and find vegan substitutes for meat and dairy products that will keep you satisfied. Make the transition smooth rather than sudden, and you’ll be much more likely to stick to it.

2. It Can Lead to Eating Disorders

Diets promote unhealthy behaviors and relationships with food. What starts out as a desire to be healthier can develop into a compulsion. Many people find that they become obsessed with counting calories and checking the scales, and this can be extremely damaging, and sometimes even fatal.

3. It Doesn’t Tackle the Real Problem

Are you going vegan to become healthier or to lose weight? If so, ask yourself what the root of the issue is. It could be that you have a poor relationship with food, that you have an underlying health problem or a number of other things. Whichever one it is, dieting won’t solve it. That’s why most people who go on diets end up putting the weight lost back on later down the line. In fact, most people gain more, so they eventually become heavier than they were when they started.

Go Vegan the Healthy Way

The best way to look at veganism is not as a diet, but as a lifestyle change. The healthiest way to approach it is to have things in moderation. Your diet should be based on balanced, healthy meals, but not too restrictive. You should still allow yourself to have sensible treats now and then, and there are plenty of vegan options for those! If you prepare your meals ahead of time, it’s easier to stick to your regime. Learn more about why you should make time for healthy vegan meals.