WFPB Eating: 3 Ways to Get Started
So you’ve seen the movies, read some of the books and have decided to try a whole-food, plant-based eating plan. That’s great! I’m happy for you. But what you may be wondering now is how to get started. What are the first steps? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s okay. It’s fairly normal. But I won’t let you get thrown into the deep end without teaching you how to swim first.
As with many things, there’s not just one way to begin. In fact, I will present you with three different methods to getting started on a WFPB lifestyle: the Progressive Method, The Cold Turkey Method and what I call The Extreme Leap. Which one you choose is completely up to you. Everyone is different and what will work for one, isn’t necessarily the best option for someone else. So read through this guide and then you do you.
Method 1 — The Progressive Method
The progressive method has you making this dietary change little by little over a few weeks or so. This is the most widely recommended method and you can accomplish this in a few different ways. You could start by changing out your usual breakfasts for WFPB options on week one. After a week of WFPB breakfasts, add WFPB lunches to your routine for week number two. Then by the third week, you’ll be completely WFPB. If you want a longer or shorter duration between steps, then by all means adjust the timeline a bit. As I said before. Do what works for you.
Another way to make this gentle transition, says nutritionist Julieanna Hever when interviewed by Forbes.com, is to do it recipe by recipe. Start with one or two of your favorite recipes and find WFPB replacements for them. For example, replace your dairy mac and cheese with a plant-based version. Have a veggie burger instead of a cheeseburger and so forth.
Now, this method may not work for everyone. In fact, it was a fail for me. There was too much room for backsliding. The animal-based foods and processed foods were still in reach so I’d be good for a few days and then I’d just give up and go back to my previous way of eating and not have to go any further than my fridge for the bad foods.
That being said, there is a benefit to doing it gradually. It gives you time to troubleshoot. According to Ryan, a personal trainer and proprietor of the YouTube channel, “Minus the Gym,” not everyone will do well on a WFPB diet. Some may have medical conditions that make converting and synthesizing certain nutrients difficult. If you are one of these people, Ryan says in his video “transitioning To Plant Based Eating (3 Ways),” you may not feel healthy on a 100% WFPB diet. He indicates that Making the change slowly will allow you to figure out how to correctly balance the plant-based and non-plant-based foods into a ratio that will make you feel your best.
Method 2 — Cold Turkey
This method, as the name implies, has you jumping in and going 100% WFPB all at once. You’ll do your research, pick which plan you’ll follow, research compliant recipes to create a shopping list to take to the store, stock up, and jump in with both feet. On day one, all of your meals will be WFPB compliant. Animal foods and processed foods will be a thing of the past as of this day.
With this method, you’ll fully restock your refrigerator and pantry and get all of the foods not permitted on the diet out of your kitchen. The benefit of this is that, at least when you’re at home, all temptations will be gone. If other family members won’t be going WFPB with you, then at least you can put these non-compliant foods out of your reach. It will make sticking to your new way of eating that much easier.
Of course, this method does have its drawbacks. Going cold turkey does make for a very stark and sudden change.
“This can be really challenging and it can shock your system and shock you psychologically,” Ryan says. You should make sure you’re fully prepared before your start day. Prepare a recipe or two in advance or just prepare some ingredients. Cook some grains or some potatoes in your Instant Pot, for example, and store them in the fridge. Make throwing together your first WFPB meals as easy as possible. This will make this sudden leap a little smoother.
Method 3 — The Extreme Leap
Now, there’s one last method I’m going to introduce you to and I call it “The Extreme Leap.” It entails following a very restrictive, short-term diet as an entryway into your WFPB lifestyle. As with other methods, there are several ways to do this.
Ryan, from “Minus the Gym” recommends a juice fast. You’ll, of course, need a juicer for this option. You continue consuming only juice until you have a day without solid bowel movements. The next day you break the fast with soft, water-dense foods. Starting with fruit is best, Ryan says. On day two you can move on to vegetables and by day three you can start your WFPB meals.
You can also start your transition with a smoothie cleanse. There are many options available. I found a plethora of books on the subject on Amazon.
You could also try a mono diet. This is where you eat only one food for a set number of days. Two weeks is a common time period. The potato diet was a popular mono diet for a while. Las Vegas magician, Penn Jillette, started his WFPB diet this way as did Jessica and Brian Krock, creators of the YouTube channel “Krocks in the Kitchen.”
“The one thing it really proved is that we actually do have the willpower to change our lives,” Brian Krock commented in the video that chronicled the couple’s journey. If potatoes aren’t your thing, then choose another food. Another YouTuber did apples and Ryan, from “Minus the Gym” did Bananas for a week. As long as it’s a whole fruit or vegetable, the choice is yours.
One last way to approach this method is with a Mary’s Mini diet. Mary’s Mini is a short-term diet created by Dr. John McDougall, creator of “The Starch Solution.” This is the least extreme of the options for the extreme leap method and would be the perfect way to start your WFPB diet if you intend to follow “The Starch Solution.”
This diet is designed to last for ten days. You choose one starch — a grain, a legume or potatoes — and for ten days you eat only that starch. Your meals can also include any non-starchy vegetables you wish and one piece of fruit a day. To make your meals tasty you can also use any fat-free condiments or seasonings you wish.
The extreme leap method works great to help you change your tastes. It will completely cleanse your pallet of all of the animal and processed foods you’ve been consuming and make you ready for the SOS (salt, sugar and oil) free recipes of the WFPB diet.
“My mind and my pallet have actually been opened and I eat more of a variety now,” Jessica Krock said after her two weeks of plain potatoes.
The downside to the extreme leap method is the energy issues it may create. You only get a few hours of energy and then you crash, says Brian and Jessica Krock. Also, eating only one food day after day for multiple weeks can be a struggle.
“It was probably the two hardest weeks of my life,” Jessica Krock said.
Conclusion
There are many ways to get a WFPB diet off the ground. You can take a quick leap all at once, test the waters little by little by going one meal at a time, or get extreme and cleanse your system and pallet first. The method is totally up to you. You’re changing your whole world of food here, so don’t rush it. Take some time, think it through, and make your start in the way that makes the most sense for you and gives you your best chance at success. Good Luck!
To follow my journey follow me here at wholefoodplantbest.medium.com and on www.pinterest.com/wholefoodplantbest.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a medical professional. The information provided on the site is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making dietary changes or using any advice given here.