The enthusiasm of going vegan can sometimes lead us down paths that make the journey harder than it needs to be.
When I went vegan at 35, I thought my analytical mind would make the transition seamless. I'd spent over a decade in finance, crunching numbers and managing risk. How hard could meal planning be?
Turns out, pretty hard. Within three months, I was exhausted, cranky, and secretly wondering if my body just wasn't "meant" for this.
Spoiler: it absolutely was. I was simply making mistakes I didn't know were mistakes. Looking back now, I wish someone had handed me a list like this one. So here it is, from someone who learned the hard way.
1. Relying too heavily on processed vegan foods
I get it. When you first go vegan, the discovery of plant-based chicken nuggets and dairy-free cheese feels like finding treasure. And honestly? These products have their place. They made my transition easier, especially during those moments when I just wanted something familiar.
But here's what I didn't realize: building most of my meals around processed alternatives meant I was missing out on the whole foods that actually make veganism feel good. Legumes, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds became afterthoughts instead of foundations.
Ask yourself: are convenience foods a bridge or a destination? There's no judgment either way, but knowing the difference matters for how you'll feel six months from now.
2. Not paying attention to protein combining
Let me be clear: you don't need to obsessively combine proteins at every meal. That myth has been largely debunked. But you do need variety throughout your day.
During my first vegan months, I ate a lot of pasta with marinara sauce. Delicious? Yes. Complete nutrition? Not quite.
Plant proteins come with different amino acid profiles, and eating a range of sources, like beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, and nuts, ensures you're covering your bases.
I started keeping a mental checklist: Did I eat legumes today? What about nuts or seeds? It's not about perfection. It's about awareness.
3. Ignoring vitamin B12 supplementation
This one's non-negotiable, and I almost learned it too late. About four months into my vegan journey, I started feeling foggy and unusually tired. My doctor ran bloodwork and found my B12 levels were dropping.
Here's the truth: B12 isn't reliably available from plant sources. You need to supplement or consume fortified foods consistently. This isn't a failure of veganism; it's just biology. Even many meat-eaters are deficient.
Get your levels checked, find a good supplement, and move on. It's one of the simplest fixes with the biggest impact.
4. Expecting immediate physical transformation
Social media had me believing I'd wake up with glowing skin and boundless energy within weeks. When that didn't happen, and when I actually felt worse before I felt better, I panicked.
What I didn't understand was that my body was adjusting. My gut microbiome was shifting to accommodate more fiber. My system was recalibrating. This is normal, and it takes time.
If you're in those early weeks feeling bloated or tired, give yourself grace. Are you drinking enough water? Eating enough calories? Sometimes the answer is simply patience.
5. Not eating enough food overall
Plant foods are generally less calorie-dense than animal products. That giant salad that looks like a feast? It might only be 300 calories. When I was running 25 miles a week and eating like a bird, no wonder I felt depleted.
I had to relearn portion sizes. I started adding avocado to everything, snacking on nuts, cooking with olive oil, and actually finishing the whole container of hummus without guilt. Eating enough isn't indulgence. It's fuel.
Track your intake for a few days if you're feeling low energy. You might be surprised by how much more your body needs.
6. Becoming the "preachy vegan" without realizing it
I cringe thinking about some dinner conversations from my first year. My enthusiasm was genuine, but I didn't notice how often I was steering discussions toward factory farming statistics or environmental impact data.
My partner Marcus, bless him, finally pointed out that I'd become exhausting at parties.
Here's what I've learned: people change through curiosity, not lectures. When someone asks why I'm vegan, I share my story briefly and invite questions. When they don't ask, I eat my meal and enjoy the company.
Your choices speak louder than your arguments ever will.
7. Treating veganism as an all-or-nothing identity
Early on, I accidentally ate something with honey and spiraled into guilt for days. I questioned whether I was "really" vegan, whether I'd failed some moral test.
This black-and-white thinking nearly derailed me. Veganism isn't a purity contest. It's a practice, a direction, a series of choices made imperfectly over time. The Vegan Society's own definition includes the phrase "as far as is possible and practicable."
Mistakes happen. Hidden ingredients slip through. What matters is your overall trajectory, not your flawless execution.
Final thoughts
Going vegan changed my life in ways I couldn't have predicted. It reconnected me to my food, aligned my actions with my values, and honestly, helped pull me out of the burnout that had defined my thirties. But the path wasn't smooth, and it didn't have to be as rocky as I made it.
If you're new to this journey, be patient with yourself. Nourish your body generously. Supplement what needs supplementing. And remember that every long-term vegan you admire once stood exactly where you're standing, making these same mistakes and learning from them.
What would it look like to approach this transition with curiosity instead of pressure? That question changed everything for me. Maybe it will for you too.
