39-Year-Old Explains How Attempting Veganuary Changed His Life

Every year as the clock strikes midnight on the 1st January, hundreds of thousands of people in the UK embark on a new challenge: Veganuary!
A whole month of plant-based eating — no dairy, no meat, no eggs, no fish. There are good reasons why, as going vegan has tonnes of benefits for the planet and our health. Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint or just get more veggies in, Veganuary is a great place to start.
Here’s what Shane found during his first Veganuary, and what made him stick to a vegan diet for the long-haul.
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“In the first couple of weeks I was definitely tempted”
Shane hadn’t dabbled in veganism prior to Veganuary 2020. In fact, he was a serious carnivore, eating meat every day. Some smells coming from the kitchen made the early days a little bit difficult.
But his stubborn nature pushed him through the cravings.
The Veganuary challenges didn’t end with the smell of bacon though. Going vegan can be a bit of a shock to your digestive system as a plant-based diet tends to have more fibre due to having more veggies. This is something that Shane definitely experienced.
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“I’ve got more energy now. I’m more focused”
Initially Shane’s goal was just to give himself a bit of a challenge and try something totally out of his comfort zone to see if he could do it. But as he became more and more comfortable and happy on the diet, his goals shifted. As he began feeling the mental benefits, he was able to set fitness goals and have the energy to achieve them.
“I don’t have any issues with hay fever anymore”
For Shane, the benefits of going participating in Veganuary and going vegan didn’t end with a clearer mind and less body fat. He also found symptoms of his allergies and eczema lessened following the lifestyle change.
“I probably wouldn’t have been able to do this 20 years ago”
If you’re feeling inspired to start eating a bit greener, Shane has some fantastic tips for anyone taking the plunge into a vegan diet. He says start small and focus on making your favourite meals vegan.
Planning is also key to making your plant-based life easier. For Shane, being unprepared was one of the toughest obstacles that came with being vegan.
“Just a dirty burger, it’s amazing, I love it.”
A lot of vegan newbies worry they won’t be able to eat their favourite cheat meals after making the change. But Shane proves that doesn’t need to be the case. He still gets his favourite ‘cheat meal’ and enjoys every bite. Even if it wasn’t that way from the beginning...
“I really like a nice burger. Vegan cheese is really hit and miss but there’s some places you can get a takeaway and the cheese is actually quite nice. Maybe it's just because I've gotten used to it a bit more because the first few times I had it I thought ‘this is disgusting’. But yeah, a nice burger, a bit of facon [fake bacon], a nice bit of sauce — just a dirty burger, it's amazing, I love it.”
Our fav veganuary "fakeaway" recipes
Take home message
Shane hasn’t looked back since Veganuary 2020 and has experienced some life-changing benefits from switching his diet up. Although everyone is different — it can’t be guaranteed that you’ll feel the same benefits as Shane —at the very least, eating more plant-based boosts your veg intake and is kinder on the planet.
If you’re going vegan this month, check out our vegan supplement routine from our nutritionist.
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