Once you make the decision to remove meat and dairy from your diet, you are well on your way to achieving better health and hopefully dropping a few spare pounds. But first you have to actually make this drastic change happen—and that can seem very daunting indeed to lifelong carnivores.

Don’t worry: Going vegan (or near-vegan if you can’t quite commit) is way less difficult than you likely imagine. Below is a step-bystep guide to help you transition to a plantbased diet with as little pain as possible. Though the best time is the present, you can transition at the rate you choose. The power is in your hands, so grab a fork and get ready to change your life.

Do a 24-hour Food Recall
First, get an accurate idea of how much meat you’re currently eating. Instead of keeping a food log (which you’re prone to forget about after Meal One), do a 24-hour food recall. Write down everything you ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and drinks for the past 24 hours. For many people, seeing a typical day’s diet in black and white is eye-opening.

Even if you don’t think you eat much meat, consider the World Health Organization’s recommendations. Just 50 grams of processed meat, or a little less than 2 ounces daily, increases your risks. Bacon or sausage for breakfast, plus a deli sandwich at lunch, might put you well over 50 grams—and that’s not even counting supper!

Stop Thinking of Meat as the Main Event
Unless you grew up in a vegetarian or vegan household, chances are you were raised to think of meat as the main dish and everything else as “sides.” It can be helpful to mentally switch these designations. Consider meat a condiment that you can sprinkle over beans, whole grains, or vegetables, rather than the main dish.

Get Over Your Fear of Carbs
Are you afraid that stepping away from meat will inevitably lead to more carb consumption … and then to more body fat? This is a common concern, but I promise that it’s unfounded. There’s much more to a plant-based diet than bread, rice, and pasta. A balanced plate includes fruits, vegetables, fiber, protein, and more. And anyway, not all carbs are bad. You do want to stay away from simple carbohydrates (like those found in white bread and white rice), which are easily broken down by the body and quickly converted to fat— without leaving you satisfied. However, complex carbohydrates (like those found in whole grain products) will fill you up without filling you out.

Take the Transition Slowly
There’s nothing pleasant about quitting your favorite meats cold turkey (pun intended) – and anyway, this strategy is unlikely to be successful in the long run. If you’re currently a committed carnivore, start by eliminating meat from just one meal a day. After a few weeks, you can move on to having meat only once per day – and after that, to one or more meatless days each week.

No matter what kind of dietary change you’re making, the key to lasting success is sustainability. A slow, gradual transition gives your body and palate plenty of time to get used to more plant-based options and keeps you from feeling restricted and dissatisfied.

Stretch Your Culinary Muscles
As you cut back on the amount of meat you eat, you’ll want to add new plantbased recipes to your kitchen repertoire. (Sorry – eating more chips, French fries, candy, and other meatless junk food won’t do your health any favors.) Also, variety is important both for nutrition and your new diet’s sustainability.

Fortunately, finding recipes and learning new cooking techniques has never been easier thanks to sites like Pinterest and Epicurious, plant-based food blogs, YouTube tutorials, and more.

Look for Satisfying Substitutions
Instead of telling yourself, I can’t eat that, ask, How can I make it healthier? Your quest to eat less meat (or even go meatfree) won’t feel like a sacrifice if you can find a plant-based way to replicate the flavors and dishes you’ve always loved.

Before I cut meat out of my diet, I used to love making – and eating – Vietnamese pork bundles. I mourned their loss for years before I had the idea to substitute pinto beans for the pork. Turns out their creamy goodness, and even their coloring, mimics ground pork reasonably well. And bonus: Beans are consistently linked to high productivity and longevity. By choosing a bean over meat, I had not only found a way to extend my life, I was improving its quality, too.

The point is, you don’t have to look for an all-new repertoire of meatless recipes – just get creative when preparing your old favorites. In addition to subbing beans for meat, give meat-replacers like tofu, portobello mushrooms, lentils, and eggplant a second (or first) chance.

Start the Day Off Right
Many of us view cured meats like bacon, sausage, and ham as a breakfast staple. We may even have thought we were doing ourselves a favor by avoiding sugary cereals and carbs. But based on the WHO’s recent report that processed meats are linked to cancer, it’s wise to bid a farewell to these old meaty favorites – or at least enjoy them on a more limited basis.

Don’t skip breakfast altogether if your old go-to option is off the table. This meal is a great place to start incorporating plant-based substitutions. You can try vegetarian and vegan sausages and bacon if you prefer to start the day off on a savory note. And don’t forget options like oatmeal, fruit smoothies, and whole grain breads and cereals. All of these are healthy, and once again, will fill you up without filling you out.

Harness the Power of Association If you really want to get serious about saying no to meat, go on the offensive by associating something very yummy with something even more yucky. Every time you bite off a piece of bacon, for instance, picture a mouthful of chemical-laden smog. When you’re craving a hot dog, conjure up a mental vision of a sludgy, disgusting landfill.

During my own transition, I was frequently assailed by cravings for barbecue. So when I smelled or just started fantasizing about this dish, I would think about dirt. Sometimes I’d even picture a little pig on a factory farm, living his life in a crate, never getting a breath of fresh air and never knowing what it felt like to stick his nose in some nice mud. This tactic worked amazingly well.

Consider What Makes Cents Face it: Many types and cuts of meat are expensive. In fact, over 20 percent of the average American grocery bill is spent on meat. So if you’re motivated by a good deal, you may find it helpful to remind yourself of the money you’re saving by choosing plant-based options. You might object that fresh produce and other nonprocessed foods can also be pricey– and I hear you. However, if you’re no longer funneling one-fifth or more of your grocery budget toward meat, you’ll have a lot more to spend on these items.

Also, remember that the cost savings aren’t limited to what’s (not) on your plate. For instance, many of my patients find that they spend less on cosmetics because a plantbased diet improves their hair and skin. And, of course, by eating nutritiously, you’re avoiding piles of medical bills in the future.

Find Some Friends to Share the Journey It’s a lot easier to make healthy transitions when you’re working toward your goal with friends, old or new. Don’t underestimate the power of support, encouragement, and commiseration. If you can’t get your family on board with a reduced-meat or no-meat diet, maybe you can swap plant-based meal plans with a good friend or team up with a co-worker to make sure the break room is stocked with healthy lunch and snack options.

Waist Away: How to Joyfully Lose Weight and Supercharge Your Life, Doctor Doctor Press, 2014. Available from Amazon and other online retailers.

Mary R. Wendt, MD, is the founder of Get Waisted and the author of Waist Away: How to Joyfully Lose Weight and Supercharge Your Life. She is an expert on making the transition to plant-based nutrition and has 20 years of experience practicing internal medicine in private and hospital practice. When she’s not eating rice and beans from Chipotle, she’s searching for the latest healthy choices available all over New York City. www.getwaisted.com.