Resolutions in 2018: Being a Better Vegan!

It’s that time of year again when we set off on a journey to personal development.  For many, New Year’s resolutions are an opportunity to kickstart a weight loss regime.  But for vegans, weight loss is less likely to be necessary.  What, then, are good resolutions for vegans? Below I list my top four, vegan-specific resolutions for 2018.  Feel free to adopt any or all of these for your personal goal-setting needs!

1. Muscle Gains – The stereotype about vegans is that we are all scrawny, protein-deficient weaklings.  I used to be much thinner with a BMI of 16.  Not a day would go by without some meddling stranger inquiring about my eating habits.  It didn’t take long before they would all conclude that I was underweight because I was vegan.  No, I was underweight because I ate very little.  Veganism does not automatically mean you’re going to be thin.  Since then, I made an intentional effort to gain weight to better represent vegans.  But I now realize that gaining weight is not enough – having muscles and being strong is also necessary to represent veganism well and not reinforce vegan stereotypes.  My dream now is to be on Ninja Warrior wearing a Powered-by-Plants t-shirt.  Muscle gains 2018!
2. Farewell to Oreos – Ironically, despite the fact that I am vegan and have been underweight in the past, I have a heavy reliance on processed vegan junk food.  Oreos? Yes please!  Swedish Fish? Heck ya! Spoonfuls of Hershey’s syrup?!… Well, you get the point. This year, I vow to reduce my reliance on these pseudo-foods to instead favor real, plant-based eating.  From my observation, many vegans could benefit from this. If you’re a vegan who doesn’t eat many fruits, vegetables, or whole grains, you know who you are.
3. Arguing with Friends and Family – As frustrating as it can be to have friends and family not understand and embrace veganism, at some point we need to let it go.  You can argue all day every day and your meat-eating – but paradoxically “animal-loving” – aunt will never see your point.  By focusing your energy on those most likely to change their beliefs and behaviors, you help animals more and save your sanity.
4. Comment Threads – I think we are all guilty of reading comment threads when we know we shouldn’t.  Mercy for Animals or Vegan Outreach will post something on social media, and then you start reading comments…  And then the rebuttals…  And then rebuttals to the rebuttals…  Before long, you lose all faith in humanity.  Non-vegans will post mean-spirited things about vegans being devil-worshippers.  Vegans will post things about how non-vegans and their families deserve to be eaten by bears.  And then there you are, jaded, depressed, and perplexed that these comments are posted by actual people who exist in the world.  For 2018, I am putting my foot down! No more reading comment threads!  

Those are my four vegan-specific resolutions for 2018. Have any helpful vegan resolutions you’d like to share?  Use the comment box below to let us know how you’re going to be a better vegan in 2018!