Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet: Tips and Tricks
- Eiten
- May 10
- 12 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
It isn’t hard to find someone offering you an easy way out when you are considering transitioning to a plant-based diet. Many promise a fool-proof blueprint for eating better, and making the switch to a shiny new plant-based you. Social media is awash with profiles and blogs nudging you on, suggesting that with the snap of a finger you can make the decision and change it all in an instant. Our desire to align our daily actions with our values is genuine, and the promise of the imagery used is compelling. Gleaming bowls of meticulously arranged vegetables, serene kitchen scenes, and seemingly unwavering commitment. Supercharged wellness and calm peace of mind with each virtuous bite. Just. Like. That.
It looks so easy. But looks are deceiving. And that is the issue. If you are like me, you are a human being with a past riddled with habits and rituals that are playing out daily in your subconscious, keeping things on track and maintaining the status quo. That is reality for most of us. It’s the reason why we struggle with change. Despite our awareness of the need for change and our best intentions to do so, we struggle. Maybe it takes a few months, or maybe a year. Eventually we falter, we err from our perfect new version of ourselves, and we retreat. Perhaps we revert back to our old ways entirely.
The struggle has many guises: real budgetary constraints that show up while shopping for ingredients, only to realize that the locally produced vegan butter costs THAT much! Or a schedule that seems to think the day has more than twenty-four hours. Then there are the get togethers with friends at that restaurant that serves the wiener schnitzel that is to good to pass up. Quite often it is the simple fact that we’ve never ever done this before, and can’t figure out where to begin. You get the point. There are a myriad of reasons that making changes—especially major life changes like the ones to our diets—is difficult. But not impossible. Within the complexities of life, there is hope to be found practicing self-compassion and accepting that the path when transitioning to a plant-based diet isn’t always linear.
When I was in the last stretch of my training on Mount Hiei, I and the five other monks that I shared the small tatami mat room with were having a hushed conversation in the middle of the night to avoid calling attention to the fact that we were not asleep, despite the fact that “lights out!” had been called some hours earlier. After two and a half months eating a strictly plant-based diet, one of the younger monks asked us what we would like to eat the minute we left the temple and got back to the real world. Unanimously, the answer was meat of some sort or another. Guilty as charged, my response was yakitori. And that is exactly the first thing that I ate after dropping my books and robes off at my hotel back in Kyoto.
This isn’t a guide to achieving some mystical state of plant-based perfection. While offering plant-based diet tips, it's an invitation—perhaps even a beginner plant-based guide to establishing the necessary mindset needed—to navigate the space between our aspirations and our daily lives with kindness. It’s about discovering the joy inherent in the process itself, understanding that every imperfect step forward is a step nevertheless. Progress, rooted in self-compassion and a mindful connection to our values.
How to Avoid the All-or-Nothing Trap: Progress, Not Perfection
My teacher, Ryoei Sensei, told me something one day that changed the way that I understand effort:
There are some days when we can only give eighty percent. On those days eighty percent equals one hundred percent of what we are capable of. It is what is realistically possible.
It’s a common tendency to make absurdly unrealistic pronouncements to the world. Its on full display around New Years. Cold-turkey resolutions to hit reset and start over. Pure black and white thinking. “I am never going to [fill in your last resolution here] again from this day forward”. When figuring out how to start eating plant-based, failure can seem inevitable because of our desire to frame things as a simple choice between two options. Yes or No. Good or Evil. Success or Failure.
Despite the underlying noble intentions, this can quickly become our biggest obstacle. Striving for absolute perfection turns a single "slip-up"– a bite of the lasagna that tastes too good to be meatless because it isn’t, the cheese plate at the office get together – into a trial by jury, where we simultaneously play the roles of judge, jury, and executioner. A cascade of guilt and self-recrimination is triggered by the singular event. We fixate on our “crime”. We doubt our intentions, even our ability to stay the course. After all, if it happened this one time it will surely happen again, so what’s the point?
This all-or-nothing mentality can lead to burnout, discouragement, and ultimately, abandoning the journey altogether. It’s all too easy to see how far we’ve fallen short, while downplaying how far we’ve come. Life constantly throws us curveballs, fast balls and everything in between. Why is it that a baseball player is considered exceptional when they achieve a .350 batting average? That number indicates a sixty-five percent failure rate. Yet we hold ourselves to an ideal that even extraordinary athletes aren’t capable of. We need to learn to accept things as they are and simply do our best. There is progress in the process.
Putting it into Practice: Shugyō
If I learned nothing else during my training on Mount Hiei it is this simple truth: everything is shugyō. I know that most of you are now are muttering under your breath, “Well, what the hell is shugyō?” That is a great question.
Shugyō in its broadest context is simply practice. In particular it is practice with the intention of getting better at something. Note that it is about getting better at something, not mastering something.
In my training for instance, my shugyō is the practice of developing the attributes, such as wisdom and compassion, necessary to reveal the natural state of enlightenment possible at any given moment. The focus is on improvement and acquiring the skills necessary to get closer to the intended end result, not perfection or the achievement of the result itself.
What if we approach this journey that we are on in the same way? What if we simply replace the words “to achieve enlightenment” with “to follow a whole-foods plant based diet”? What sort of practice might need to be put into place in order to move forward?
A good place to start is the two attributes that I listed above as part of my Buddhist practice. I believe they are the foundation of any practice regardless of the intended outcome, whether it is enlightenment or en croute: wisdom a/k/a knowledge, and compassion.
Let’s consider knowledge. Often when we think about diet we think about elimination or restriction. The words establish a negative context from the get-go, and, as a result, a negative state of mind. Not a good place to start. What we really need is to look at it as the practice of making suitable substitutions. That starts with knowing what options are available. Its starts with knowledge and awareness. Then instead of eliminating Kewpie Mayo, we are able to switch it out for Kewpie Green Mayo: Born in the Field.
The example I just gave is decidedly not a whole-food ingredient, but it is a plant-based one—an example of the sort of easy plant-based swaps that can make the journey smoother. Remember what we said earlier: the failure rate of the all-or-nothing approach when transitioning to a plant-based diet is higher if not guaranteed. So don’t overcommit at the outset. Take a step along the path, and then another. If you stop somewhere along the way to smell the lavender blossoms (or eat a piece of Barely Buzzed lavender rubbed goat cheese) so be it. When you have had your fill, get back on the path and walk a bit further.
Central to any practice is the cultivation of compassion, starting with self-compassion. Imagine a friend embarking on this same path, encountering similar challenges. Would you berate them for a minor misstep? My guess is that your wouldn’t. What you would likely do is offer encouragement and understanding. Why don’t we offer the same understanding and patient acceptance to ourselves? It is a question worth reflecting on.
Instead of viewing "slip-ups" as undeniable signs of innate moral failing, reframe them as valuable data points, opportunities for insight into what works and what doesn't for our particular circumstances at the present moment. This isn't about achieving an arbitrary level of “plant-basedness,” marking it as accomplished on our to-do list and never giving it a second thought afterwards. It's about consistent effort over time, a willingness to learn and grow. It is about making this part of who we are, and the basis for our daily choices.
What we are doing is establishing a practice that we can use every to gradually grow our knowledge and our compassion, and live more in alignment with our core values day by day. Regardless of whether it is driven by personal health issues, a growing concern for the environment or the moral dilemma caused by the issue of animal welfare that arises from the selective application of compassion, it is a lifelong practice. Perhaps several if you believe in reincarnation. This isn’t a quick fix its a commitment. Don’t try to rush it.
Getting back to the Kewpie Green Mayo. I can personally attest that it is quite good. I bought some yesterday and made potato salad for dinner. My wife loves potato salad, and I love her. Was that a one hundred percent WFPB dish? Not at all. Is that any reason to throw in the towel? Not at all. I made someone happy by taking time to show that I care, by sharing my love for and skill in cooking with them. I did so by realizing the wisdom that Ryoei Sensei imparted to me, and accepted that that was enough.
Find Contentment in the Process: Mindful Eating
Eating is shugyō. It is an opportunity like any other to actively engage in the practice of mindfulness. The plant-based journey isn't just about what we eat; it's also about how we relate to food and the act of nourishing ourselves.
Even the simple kitchen of preparing ingredients for a recipe that we are about to cook is an opportunity to practice mindfulness. It can become a form of moving meditation, noticing the colors, textures, and aromas. Discerning what is needed for this particular recipe, and what can be set aside for another use. Taking a moment of gratitude before eating to acknowledge the myriad beings and conditions that makes each meal possible. This can transform a routine into a meaningful ritual. This opportunity to be mindful in the present moment is available to us all regardless of budget, schedule or current skill level.
It’s okay to order pizza for your family, just don’t order pepperoni. If you are just starting out and have a family, aim for half pepperoni to begin with. Heading home later than usual because of an unforeseen “situation” that arose at work? Fine. Stop by the supermarket and grab a prepared salad kit. Not constrained by your budget or time, but don’t have any experience in the kitchen besides boiling water for tea? Enroll in an online cooking class. There are plenty of courses available nowadays that teach vegetarian and whole-food plant-based cooking.
The point is to start wherever you are. Just begin the process. Once you get started, you are half way there. Now you have to just keep at it. To do that we need to take some time to celebrate the tiny victories along the way.
Did you try tofu for the first time this week? Or perhaps for the second time, but you noticed that you are starting to appreciate the fact that its bland taste is actually what makes it such a versatile ingredient, capable of taking on the flavors of anything that you pair it with? Did you pack a plant-based lunch instead of eating out? Did you grab mushroom jerky instead of your go to beef teriyaki flavored one when you impulsively reached for a snack while waiting in line at checkout?
Acknowledge the wins. No matter how small they may seem, they are huge. They build momentum and create positive associations that make it possible to find contentment in the process, however flawed the process may appear at times.
Learn to be thankful not only for the undeniable efforts of others, but for your own as well. The next time you sit down to eat, try reciting the following meal prayer before you reach for your utensils. It is the first one that I learned at the outset of my journey, and helped me grow my appreciation for just how much there is to be grateful for. There are variations; this is my personal interpretation.
I am thankful for the food before me, and for the efforts of the many that made it possible. Therefore I receive this food without judgement or complaint regarding the amount, or whether it is to my liking or not. I instead receive it for what it is, nourishment for my mind and body, allowing me to continue my practice.
How to Start Eating Plant-Based: 4 Practical Tips & Easy Swaps
Here are some actionable strategies and plant-based diet tips to help navigate the journey with more ease and less stress:
Tip 1: Start with One Thing at a Time. Don't try to overhaul your entire diet overnight. Focus on one meal type first, like mastering plant-based breakfasts. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing some simple recipes that I personally used to start exactly with this approach. The first one is for the staple of any temple meal regardless of time of day: steamed rice. You can try out my recipe for rice with hulled barley here. The beauty of starting with this recipe is that it can easily be prepared in bulk and frozen, which cuts down on time, and it is also extremely economical, filling and nutritious. I literally started there (and have eaten it daily ever since!), then added miso shiru, then homemade pickles. Once I had those three recipes down, I was able to start improving on them by adding different ingredients while keeping the base recipes all the same.
Tip 2: Focus on Easy Plant-Based Swaps (Not Restrictions). Don’t focus on what you're eliminating; instead look for easy plant-based swaps. Add plant-based foods to your existing meals by replacing one ingredient at a time. This is a perfect way to immediately turbo-charge your progress without the learning curve. Remember my Kewpie Green Mayo potato salad confession? That is what I am getting at here. Start with a dish that you already know how to make and start switching up the ingredients one at a time. Sticking with the potato salad example, perhaps yours is German Potato Salad. You’ve already swapped out the egg-based mayo for a vegetable-based one. Great start. Next? What can you replace the bacon with? There are plenty of options out there for plant-based bacon, but really the bacon is there to add a crunchy texture and saltiness. How about adding in some dehydrated capers or olives instead?
Tip 3: Be Flexible. Life happens. Keep some emergency plant-based staples on hand for those days when cooking feels impossible – that surplus of frozen cooked rice will come in handy at times like these. Have a "too tired to cook" backup plan that's still reasonably plant-forward, like store-bought hummus and some pita or a quick and easy homemade veggie wrap. You still need to eat something even when life seems to be trying to get in the way. With a little forethought, you can avoid having to potentially experience the existential crisis that a minor slip up might stir up.
Tip 4: Practice Mindful Reflection on Your Progress. Set some time aside each week to look back at what plant-based choices you made and what you’ve learned so far. This positive reframing can shift your mindset and reinforce your progress. You probably made some missteps along the way as well, but that is to be expected. What you need to do is find the learning opportunity that is waiting to be discovered. As a chef I have told almost every cook that has worked for me this one insight I have gained from thirty years of professional cooking: the only difference between me and them is the number of mistakes. I’ve made a thousand times more, learned from each one and kept going.
The Path Forward: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The journey of transitioning to a plant-based diet is not going to be a straight line. It’s going to a twisted path filled with learning curves, unexpected detours, and moments of both triumph and despair. But with more and more practice, the triumphs will increase in number. For now find comfort in the fact that they are both short-lived and will pass. What you will ultimately learn is that they are both the same experience viewed from different perspectives. All that is required is that we consciously make the repeated effort to shift our perspective.
That shift will take time, but will certainly come in time. Just remember: perfection is not the destination; conscious, compassionate progress is the true north. Find contentment not in spite of the imperfections, but within them. Embrace the learning process, savor the nourishment you provide for yourself and those around you, and look for ways to connect with the values that guide you with each imperfect step of the path forward.
If this resonated with you, or if you have tips or experiences to share from your own personal transition to a plant-based diet, drop me a message below or you can also DM me on Instagram. Share it all. The good. The bad. And the ugly.
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