Any Vegans out there?!?

[dancer05]

So around Easter this past year I became vegetarian because I learned how they are mass produced in factories and it sickens me. Another reason that urged me to do it was because I was losing hair from starving myself so much, so I used my vegetarianism as an excuse for my hairloss and reduced eating. Then around August my vegan friend started to influence me a bit and I did some research about food production and decided to become vegan. With this decision, I thought I'd gain a few things (1) morals and growing compasion for everything living - and I did (2) weight loss (and 3) health. Health was the main one. I thought that veganism would magically cure my eating problems but it didnt. I'm pretty sure that it made them worse. I eat non vegan stuff when I'm by myself sometimes. I just have to hide more food. And now that I'm vegan my mom worries about my health even more and is worried that i dont get all of my nutrients so she makes sure that i eat which effing sucks. So yeah.. any other vegans out there? If so how are you doing, why did you convert and are you faithful?

[caisara]

In the US and Israel, yes. When I'm anywhere else, I'm usually just vegetarian. Veganism is great for animals and the environment, but it's really only possible in the West. Unless, of course, you're ana. (I'm mia.)

In my case, it's a moral/environmental issue and it predated my ED by a long, llloooonnnggg time. It actually started when I was very, very little (3?) learned that venison was Bambi's mom. I think it had more to do with the religious and quasi-religious schools I went to than anything else. I went to progressive Jewish and Quaker private schools. Modern interpretations of Talmudic kosher laws suggest that people should be vegan, and Quakers teach kids conflict resolution by taking cockroaches outside instead of squishing them. Put the two together, and voila. By the time I graduated, 40 out of the 55 kids in my graduating class were vegetarian or vegan.

If your hair's falling out, that's a bad sign. You may want to get your vitamin levels checked. (But in my case, it was my immune system attacking my thyroid and had nothing to do with my diet. YMMV.)

[mischa]

Yeah, I've wanted to go vegetarian since I was 12, I'm 16 now. I switched because I'm obsessed with healthy, whole food. And trees. And I'm slowly becoming vegan... it's actually surprisingly easy. My mom is concerned too. I turned her vegetarian, but veganism is too radical for her. I've been a very faithful vegetarian so far I feel so guilty eating cheese and butter... bleh. I wish she'd trust me. I'm more nutrition-conscious than she is anyway.

There are cereals out there that have 100% of every vitamin and mineral, like Total. A cup of that is approx. 100 cal and you're set for the day. Although... fortified foods are obviously not natural but where else are you gonna get B12? :P

[LiquidSunnshine]

I have been a vegetarian since I 10. Eating disordered since 11 - 12. I became a vegan about 1 1/2 years ago and it has actually helped with my nutritional balance.

I highly recommend the book Becoming Vegan... it will tell you (and your mom) exactly how much nutritients you need and how to get them. It also has the equivalent of a food guide done vegan style. It can be exceptionally helpful in trying to figure out what you should eat, even if you can't fully manage it.

I also highly recommend the cookbook Vegan Yum Yum, and 1000 Vegan Recipes. They are both amazing and I use them regularly.

I became a vegan for ethical reasons, it did not have to do with my ED at all.. at least I'm pretty positive it didn't. I know my vegetarianism didn't, since it pre-dates my eating disorder.

Anyways, I highly recommend checking out those books. They also come in a vegetarian format, which I had for many years and replaced with the vegan ones when I decided to make the switch.

[Pygmy]

I'm a vegan and ED-wise I find that if I binge eat, it's not half as bad as it used to be because we don't have vegan junk food in the house. Otherwise I think it's great to live on plants alone and it makes you feel awesome!!!

[existenz]

Yes.
I became a vegan when my flatmate of the time was doing the atkins diet (truly disgusting, and veganism is approximately the opposite...)
Was already a bit pro-vegetarian..
Really, honestly, I love it. Went through an egg craving phase a couple of years ago, ate shitloads of egg for a couple of months, farted like never in my life (total tmi sorry haha) and since then I don't crave anything at all that is non-vegan.

I eat marmite, which has b12 added...b12 is really the problem...
Also, i'm not convinced by veganism for weight loss. It's possible to eat plenty calories in carbohydrates and nuts.
Through being a vegan, I have learned to cook, and know loads about nutrition. I recommend, though entirely un-evangelically

[high_voltage]

I am getting there. I don't eat animal products that are mass produced- I generally only eat meat if someone has gone hunting, because the animal has gotten to live its natural life prior to being killed instantly. It sounds weird but that's just my philosophy on things.

Mass produced dairy freaks me out, as do eggs, etc. I'm getting them out of my diet step wise.