We all have heard about the benefits of veganism. But what no one tells us is how long does it take to adjust to a vegan diet. So we are here to tell you more about how your body adjusts to veganism.
So how long does it take to adjust to a vegan diet? It may take anywhere from 20 to 45 days. But it is important to know that it will also vary depending on the basis of your needs. Veganism affects various aspects of the human body and requires different amounts of time for visible effects on different aspects. If your goal is to just be accustomed to the new form of diet and lifestyle, then it should take you somewhere around a month to adjust to it. But if your goal is to treat or aid the treatment of a specific problem, then it will take longer.
Everyone’s bodies work differently. What may adjust to one in the span of a mere few days, may take longer on another. The most important thing is to be patient and be diligent. The food we eat is what our bodies are made up of. Eating clean and fresh will make our bodies clean and fresh. Be mindful of what we put in ourselves and the results that we have waited for years will show up in no time. Veganism is a form of self-care that makes our body a better version of itself and maintains its health and happiness.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Go Vegan
- Vegan Food Is Delicious
- It’s the Best Way to Help Animals
- Be Healthier and Happier
- Save the Planet
- Helps you Improve your fitness
- Lower your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes
- Boost your mood and makes your skin and digestion better
Debunking Vegan Myths
| Myth | Facts |
| It’s too expensive to go Vegan | Vegan food is cheaper than animal products |
| There is not enough protein | All plants provide protein and you can easily meet your needs |
| Vegans only eat salads | Vegans have delicious options to choose from |
| Vegans are weak | Vegans can perform in any sport or gym with the same energy |
| Dairy is essential for strong bones | Dairy plays no important role and there’s no study backing it up |
Veganism With Time
First Day
After having a vegan meal, your gut makes it known to the body about the calories that are about to enter the system by releasing hormones. This also makes you feel full due to the insulin released by the pancreas. People who have diabetes are either deficient or resistant to insulin. This causes the glucose levels to rise in the body resulting in various other problems. Having a plant-based diet will help you regulate and maintain healthy insulin levels.
There have been various studies that prove that consuming a plant-based, vegan diet causes insulin secretion to rise up to 20% more than consuming a normal diet would. For people with diabetes, this number is 30%, which is even better, for it will help one maintain their diabetes with ease. It is important to remember that it is essential to consult with your doctor before experimenting with diet plans or trying to manage your illnesses using diet and food. Make sure you follow your doctor’s advice and manage your health in a way that is most efficient for your body.
Few Days
One component of food that most of us don’t consume enough is fiber. It is one of the most crucial elements of having a healthy gut and having proper bowel movements which helps prevent any gut-related afflictions. Consuming a vegan diet will involve eating a lot of fruits and vegetables which are high in fiber.
Once you’ve started consuming a plant-based diet, you will find yourself walking to the bathroom more often and come out more satisfied with your bowel movements. Eating a lot of fruits and veggies will also alter the bacteria that are present in your gut and help keep constipation or other sufferings at bay. A healthy gut is a gateway to having a healthy body. You will start seeing visible results at the gym. Your hair and skin quality will also improve and you will thrive in the pink of your health.
First Week
Consuming a plant-based diet is very helpful when it comes to controlling your cholesterol. Plants do not have any amount of cholesterol in them, apart from the oils that you use to cook them in. You can see very quick results in your cholesterol levels, sometimes as soon as a week after shifting over to a vegan diet. You can manage your cholesterol solely based on a vegan, plant-based diet and physical activity.
A vegan diet has also been proven to be a useful tool in managing and decreasing your Blood pressure to a great extent. It is a good way to maintain good health and a way to reduce the number of medicines that you consume in a day. Avoiding junk and other “unhealthy” foods along with regular physical activity will assist in speeding up and making this process faster, sustainable, and more efficient.
Just bear in mind that any actions which are even remotely related to serious health conditions like mentioned above should be taken care of under a doctor’s supervision.
Few Weeks
The quickest and the first thing that you will notice is the increase in energy. Your body will thrive in the absence of processed foods like meats and dairy and the increased amount of fruits, veggies, nuts, etc. These will help you absorb a lot more nutrients from your food and improve your gut health. Shifting over to a vegan diet means consuming more fiber than usual. Which will bring a change in your bowel system for the better. But some people may also notice that they are taking longer to get accustomed to the new eating pattern which may cause temporary loose motions.
Once the purging process is over, which won’t be that long, you will see how it is for the better health of your gut and the good bacterias present which keeps it healthy and flourishing. This is when you will also start to see differences in your weight. A person who shifts over to a vegan diet will lose a pound per week on average. If you want a more significant result, then you will also need to stay away from sugar and simple carbohydrates. These make a person overeat and trigger their cravings.
This will hold you back from seeing the results that you have always wanted. It is advised to eat foods that are low in calorie density. This is a great way to trigger weight loss and reach a healthy weight. If you are able to follow this, then within a year you may be able to lose somewhere around 40 to 50 pounds. People who have any kind of heart disease may experience some chest pains. People have noticed that following a plant-based diet has not only helped them eradicate their chest pains but also has decreased the severity of their illness to a great extent.
You will also find that your other health concerns have decreased quite significantly. It is always advised to first consult with your doctor before changing up your diet because what suits some may not suit everyone, especially if you have a severe condition. Initially, you may find yourself hating your new diet, but it is just that, initial. You may miss your beloved cheeses or the junk from the mall food court. But within a span of just a couple of weeks, you will find yourself loving all the new, fresh flavors that natural and plant-based foods provide.
The more you eat it, the more you love it. After a while, you will start realizing how much better veganism is for your overall physical as well as mental health is. This will also help your gain and retain more energy than usual. This will make you more active and motivated to take on the day with more enthusiasm. This will also help you start working out more often which will, again, improve your health in all aspects.
First Month
Switching over to a plant-based diet can help one increase their gut health and eradicate molecules like TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide) which causes heart diseases. Eating meat or other animal-based products can increase the risks of increasing these molecules in one’s body. This can promote the arteries to clog and affects other organs adversely as well.
Canceling out animal products like meats, eggs, etc one can prevent these alarming diseases.
Animal products can cause various skin issues like acne and cause other inflammation. By cutting down or completely eliminating animal-based products like milk, eggs, meat, etc one can achieve better skin and complexion for it is equal to eliminating inflammatory foods from entering your body.
Few Months
During the first few months, you will see differences in your sex life. Sexual activity in the body increases in terms of frequency and duration. You will feel more energized and have a higher performance in bed. People who have other issues related to erectile dysfunction (ED) have seen effects in their condition by religiously following a plant-based, vegan diet. The research found out that a lot of them have completely reversed their ED. This happens due to the improved blood circulation all over the body, especially below the waist. It all comes down to your overall health and the fact that sex life is directly proportionate to how healthy you are.
Six Months
At the six months mark you may feel great about your clear skin and amazing sex life, but what you may not see is the dropping levels of vitamin D in your body. Since the main source of vitamin D is from fish, meat, and dairy, eradicating these from your diet may cause deficiencies. And the scary part is that these don’t make themselves visible until it’s late and your body has already started suffering from the consequences, resulting in risks of heart diseases, cancer, migraines, depression, etc. To make sure that this doesn’t happen to you, make sure to take your supplements and vitamins regularly.
A well-balanced vegan diet will help prevent a lot of serious illnesses and help your body and mind get better in all ways possible. Some people may and will be capable of adapting to the new routine and their bodies won’t need any extra push from the supplements. But we all are different and have different bodies. Just because one can adapt easily doesn’t mean we all can. Hence it is wise to visit a doctor and get checked for deficiencies and take supplements accordingly.
First Year
Being vegan can be great for your overall health, but this is when you will see a deficiency of vitamin B12. This is an important vitamin to have in your system for having a well-functioning vascular system. A deficiency will show symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness, weakened memory, tingling in the hands or feet. This is also a vitamin that is found only in animal products. You can easily consume supplements to fulfill this gap which is caused by veganism. It is very important to maintain the required B12 levels in your body. If not done so, you may have to face serious issues like permanent nerve and brain damage.
It is also important for you to keep in mind the amount of calcium that you get in your day-to-day diet. This will help you have stronger bones for your later years. It is important to keep in mind that our bones can’t absorb minerals after the age of 30 and in case of a calcium deficit our bones may become fragile. So we need to make sure that we get enough minerals. Make sure to consume veggies like broccoli, brussels sprouts, collards, kale, etc which are rich in calcium. Although, plant-based calcium is harder to absorb. This means that consuming a lot of fortified foods along with supplements is a wise move to make.
Balance is the key to veganism. You will benefit to a great extent from a well-balanced plant-based diet. Don’t let deficiencies make you fall short at the benefits table. All you need to do is to find the right balanced rhythm for you. Prioritize your needs and eat accordingly. Make sure to take all your supplements and you will be good to go.
Few Years
Veganism is an excellent way to treat and reverse your blocked arteries to a great extent. The more rigorous and the longer you maintain a vegan diet along with physical activity, the more benefits it will provide you with. Within a span of 5 years, your body is much younger than when you started; and that my friend, is motivation enough to keep choosing your health and making conscious choices towards healthy living. You should be proud of yourself for being able to be better than you were yesterday.
Let’s Learn About How Long Does It Take To Adjust To A Vegan Diet
Waiting For Results
So how long will it take for your vegan diet to show effects?
It depends on what effect you are waiting for, as some changes can be noticed immediately and for some, you have to wait months before seeing any effect at all.
If your goal is weight loss you will have to wait for a few weeks or even months, if you want to feel fresh and active a couple of weeks will do it. Keep in mind if you feel bloating, cramps, or gas you have to incorporate a vegan diet slowly over some days or a couple of weeks as your body will need time to adjust to your new diet.
Vegan diets do bring positive changes to your mind and body but that doesn’t happen overnight. It requires dedication and commitment to the changes you made and sticking to that for a long period of time. Also, pay close attention to what you eat and how it makes you feel.
Vegan vs. Vegetarian
Veganism means avoiding animal cruelty as much as possible, which expands beyond just diet. It means not consume any kind of products that come from or are tested on animals. This includes foods like dairy products (milk, ice cream, cheese, etc ), meat, eggs, fish, etc. It also includes cosmetics that are tested on animals, leading to animal cruelty; clothes, accessories, jewelry, etc which come from animals like leather bags and footwear, robes and jackets made of fur, etc. it also disapproves of circuses and zoos for they are big contributors towards animal torture.
Plastic is also avoided by vegans because it is non-biodegradable and harms animal life at large. In place of plastic, vegans use naturally available options like jute, cotton, metal or glass (in place of plastic utensils), etc
Vegetarianism is more about eliminating meat and fish from your diet. It is limited to food habits only. Some vegetarians also consume eggs. Vegetarians don’t avoid animal products as vegans do.
Although both often start with similar intent and similar reasons; vegetarianism is more about how you like eating, while veganism is much more than that.
