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Think ditching meat and dairy automatically makes you a healthy eater? Think again! To become the poster child for veganism, follow these simple tips from Kim Barnouin’s Skinny Bitch Book of Vegan Swaps.
- Take a vegan cooking class. Get savvy on cooking with herbs, spices, and vegetables. If classes aren’t your style, watch cooking shows; they are a great resource for learning how to cook or gaining fresh ideas on what to cook.
- Keep it wholesome. Your diet should focus on whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit, and veggies. If that’s tough to remember, your food should be in its most natural state—the less processed the better.
- Carry healthy snacks around. Keep healthy bites on hand at all times to avoid falling off the healthy vegan wagon. Nutrition bars, trail mix, whole-grain crackers, or sliced veggies and fruit are always winners.
- Set realistic goals when making the transition. Dropping meat and dairy cold turkey might not be the best way to ensure long-term success when adapting to a vegan diet. Gradually replace certain foods in your diet. Make a change once a week or once a month. You could also try being a “weekend vegan” (see chapter 4).
- Read food labels. Does it take you a few minutes to read through the ingredients? Do they look like they were written in a foreign language? Are the first five ingredients unnatural or unhealthy? If so, put the item down and slowly back away from the aisle.
For more tips on being a healthy vegan, check out Skinny Bitch Book of Vegan Swaps! Click here to order.
About the Author: Kim Barnouin holds a master of science in holistic nutrition. A former model, she is the author or coauthor of seven books and has successfully counseled models, actors, athletes and other professionals using the Skinny Bitch method. She lives in Los Angeles, Calif.
Found in: Healthy Recipes and Nutrition
