48 replies to this topic

[still--here]

i used to be vegetarian when i was in middle school simply because i didn't like the taste of meat that much, and i don't support the inhumane meat industry. i ended up having to stop though, because my mom wasn't willing to buy me separate groceries. now though, i buy my own groceries and decided to give it another try. the same reasons still apply really; i just don't like the taste of most meats and morally i can't support the meat industry. having an easy out for fast food, junk, etc. and losing weight is just a great side effect, i suppose. it also makes it harder to binge since there's less for me to actually be able to binge on.

 

soooo tl;dr: it's not the main reason i started, and if i didn't have an ED i'd probably still be vegetarian. but the ED benefits are a good plus and a reason to keep going with it

[lyca_stone]

I became vegetarian a couple months ago because meat wasn't settling well with my stomach  (I think processed meats cause inflammation in my body but I don't know) and because I was trying to save money.... and because I figured it was the only diet I hadn't tried yet. I liked how easy it was to restrict, on a budget, and not really get questioned about it. The transition to vegan came shortly after, I'm lactose intolerant and eggs are meh. Now eating meat just feels wrong, I actually feel better than I did before. I think meat products kind of triggered my binges, as well, like I'd eat a large meal if it contained meat but if it is just vegetables and beans I just can't bring myself to overeat.

 

My body is already feeling healthier. I have to high restrict because I work out and hike a lot, and I never get that sick, bogged down feeling from too much fat in my diet. I used supplements at the beginning, but I try to get it all from my diet, so I'm eating a variety of foods and learning to cook alllll over again. I'm satisfying my need to be really picky, and measure my food, and always look at ingredients, really micromanage everything, but that's okay, it is better than puking up a bunch of fast food and crying about it.

 

I know the meat industry is awful, and I think that being vegetarian/vegan is so damn easy now,  I'm glad I started doing it. I would have probably never done it if I didn't have my ED.

[chocolatewaif]

Yes and no. When I actually successfully went vegan, I was hoping it would be a route to my losing weight that I would get myself completely together, stop restricting and just eat healthy to lose weight. 

 

But I was also in the honeymoon phase of a new relationship and my boyfriend at the time went vegan as well so one of the things we bonded over was eating all sorts of vegan junk food and at vegan restaurants. 

 

I'd had a goal of becoming vegan since I was in grade school. Vegetarianism always fascinated me and then I was in about 6th grade when I found a book in the library that descried the different types of vegetarianism, which included veganism and I aspired to it from then. My ED didn't actually start until years later. And I would always cut meat/eggs/dairy out in accordance with various restrictions but I those weren't honest attempts at changing my eating style. 

 

I had about two solid attempts to go vegan before I actually did, but they also ended when I realized I ate something that I thought was vegan but wasn't. I did happen to be attempting restrictions at the same time as well.  

 

Had I not had the point in time where I was experimenting with the vegan versions of just about everything and wasn't focused on restricting, I don't think I would have stuck with it. 

 

I have backslid on my veganism, largely due to getting fast and loose with alcohol and various points where I was low on money. But I always come back because regardless of whether I'm in a binge mode or restriction mode I favor vegan food. 

[Powpow]

I totally went vegan to be still all up into planning what I ate and researching what was healthy and stuff: the first year of being vegan I ate extremely healthy and was happy with myself and my body, as well as a normal weight

 

so my obsession with eating as little as possible/losing as much as possible turned into eating as healthily as possible and getting a fit body

 

then later I also really resonated with the ethical side of it

 

its not about 8 years later and sooo much vegan junk food has been made accessible: I no longer have to bring my own food to places I visit/cook for just myself, so I am less obsessed with preparing food and this is one of the reasons why its not so healthy anymore lol

 

miss the high I felt the first year of going vegan ):

[oh2belovely]

yes lol but now that I am, I can't really ever imagine going back

[GloriousThorn]

I think I didn't admit it at the time, but my anorexia did play a big role in my decision to become vegan. I actually became vegan after 6 months of hard core keto. When I stopped keto I was so scared of ANY carbs, including fruits and vegetables and was sure I would gain tons of weight if I came out of ketosis. So I did research and found whole food plant based and that's what I switched to (cold turkey). I feel now that I replaced one form of restriction for another. But after making the switch I don't miss meat or dairy and feel like I have a clean conscience now that animals aren't dying for me and I'm not supporting that business. If I ever recover from anorexia (which I doubt will ever happen) I know that I will still be vegan.

[Phtisie]

No.

 

but

researching the health side of it (which i didnt really care about at first) did make me develop ortho tendencies that I didnt have before

[Bella1]

NO

Vegan for the animals 😁

[dumplin]

No I’ve been vegan for over 7 years. One day I looked at my plate of turkey and just threw it away and never looked back.