Veganuary is a global nonprofit and social movement that encourages people to try veganism for the month of January.
In 2022, 629,000 people from almost every country in the world took part in Veganuary. Afterward, 83 per cent of participants said they would permanently change their diets by either staying vegan, or at least halving their consumption of animal products.
Long-term ethical vegans like myself would prefer the approach to veganism to be longer-term than just four weeks, but it’s a good start. Approaching veganism as a “challenge” for a certain length of time hints at short-term “bootcamp” style weight loss programs that don’t often lead to long-lasting results.
Zoe Peled, who’s on my fitness coaching team, says, “Naming Veganuary a ‘challenge’ infers that it is just that: challenging! While it's important to acknowledge that folks have different levels of access and privilege, veganism overall is, in fact, not challenging. Perhaps there is a transition period, but it can be fun, full of exploration, new foods and lots of support. When we call it a ‘challenge,’ we are unfairly amplifying the naysayers who state that veganism is hard, inaccessible, and/or expensive.”
That said, this initiative is a great way to get support and helpful resources from a community of like-minded folks. Learn more at veganuary.com.
Karina Inkster is a qathet region health and fitness coach, author of five books, and host of the No-B.S. Vegan podcast.
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