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“Iron Levels Got Too Low To Donate Blood”: People Share What Made Them Quit Veganism For Good
Given that we all have free will (depending on who you ask, at least) it’s little wonder that there are a lot of possible lifestyle choices. From belief systems to dietary choices, many people do choose to make sure their life actually matches the belief system they agree with. But sometimes it’s possible that your choices start to have a toll on you.
Someone asked “Ex vegans, why did you start eating meat again?” and people shared their stories. So get comfortable as you read through, upvote your favorites and be sure to leave your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
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#1
I was vegan for 3 years and had gone home to my community which is tremendously poor. To have cold cuts and a bag of Doritos is a luxury. My Aunt who was going blind made a family feast and everyone came, and she made a very traditional Lamb Stew. My heart broke when I thought of how much of her income she must have spent to make this possible and felt like a completely entitled outsider when I told them I was vegan. They couldn't comprehend when food is so hard to come by, why anyone would choose to not eat any protein available to keep from being hungry. Being vegan comes from a first world position of entitlement. It is a luxury to choose what you eat, when so many eat whatever is available, not out of an ethical decision, but out of necessity.
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#3
I was using veganism as a guise for an eating disorder for well over a year. When I finally realized I was in trouble, after losing 80lbs, I went and bought lamb chops and devoured them. Also therapy.
#4
Was vegetarian for 12 years. Had a mental breakdown after a death in the family and instead of drinking or getting high, I went out and got a steak taco. Life is too short to miss out on tacos.
#5
I was traveling in Africa (edit: this part of the trip happened to be in Zambia, not that the specific location really matters for the point of the story), and stayed in a small village off the beaten track. I had just arrived and as the matriarch of my host family was showing me to my room, and helping me get settled in, her boys were out back slaughtering a goat for me.
I couldn’t turn down that meal, because that goat represented a substantial part of the family’s assets.
The whole experience made me realize that the social constructs around sharing food are far more important to me than what the food is.
If someone is serving it, I will eat it with gratitude.
Edit: yes, my stomach did not handle it very well. That said, my stomach was having difficulty anyway. There were unspeakable things done to the pit latrine.
Edit: no, I would not knowingly eat human flesh. Fortunately societal taboos on this are much more universal than are taboos related to eating goat.
OnlySometimes 3 weeks ago
I really want to know how this went from veganism to eating human flesh.
#6
I was born into a Indian vegetarian family and never ate meat or eggs for the first two decades of my life. Home cooked nutritious food had me healthy so I did not have the need to eat meat.
Then I moved countries and it was impossible for me to home cook everyday and have a busy job. So I reluctantly started eating meat. And I have never felt so good! I feel very energetic and healthy. I don't regret starting to eat meat and I absolutely love it!
#7
I was a vegan for 2 years roughly, ended up in hospital more times than I can remember because it turned out I was allergic to a lot of things in vegan meals and I had no idea. I was taking tons of supplements and iron pills along with things my doctor gave me and pretty much just lived off potato products and water because I was too afraid to try anything else.
Then I got a new doctor who, funnily enough, is vegan. She straight up told me that I would be in hospital more than I was out if I kept it up. By this point I was constantly feeling exhausted, my skin was really itchy and a weird sickly colour, I felt very floaty all the time and just kept randomly passing out for no reason. My blood test results kept constantly bringing up more things I needed pill supplements for and honestly I just had enough.
So after that doctors appointment I thought f**k it and got an XL bacon double cheeseburger from Burger King on the way home. That was the best tasting burger I've ever had and I haven't looked back since.
Short answer - I missed cheese. Holy f**k did I miss cheese.
#8
Fairly stupid reason, because I broke up with my ex.
I begame a vegan to support her, and it felt weird eating meat while she was so against it.When the relation was over however, I no longer felt the need to support my ex in that way. Thus meat was back on the menu boys!!
*Edit: Holy s**t!! Thnxs for all the upvotes!!
#9
I found a lot of the community to be toxic. Being around a group of vegans seemed to always end up in some sort or "vegan-off" where people would try to outdo how good they were as a vegan, as an animal rights activist, etc. I was vegan for just shy of 2 years, and I had someone tell me to leave my then boyfriend (now husband) because he ate "flesh" and had "flesh lips", and kissing him essentially made me not vegan. Also, eggs and cheese are delicious.
keyboardtek 3 weeks ago
Sounds like born again Christians who become judgmental and righteous and start being obnoxious to be around at all.
#10
My aunt was a vegetarian for health reasons. The day she got diagnosed with cancer she went to In-n-Out
#11
I lost a lot of weight (to the point that people asked if I was ok). I was tired and had low energy. I ended up being anemic. I slowly ended up getting to a point that I started eating meat again.
Myoviridae 3 weeks ago
I learned the hard way about "complete proteins" (those with all the necessary amino acids). I have to be a gluten-free pescatarian and high protein helps a lot (long-covid stuff). I have a list of complete proteins on my fridge and I eat those as much as I can.
#12
Not vegan but vegetarian,
I was vegetarian for a good 4 years, once I hit the 4 year mark, energy was at an all time low, my whole body felt weak, and the kicker I had very, VERY frequent nose bleeds.
it was so often I was use to it for a while, eventually the nose bleeds came to be too much, and I started eating meat again, then the nose bleeds stopped all together I haven't had a single nose bleed thus far, mind you I quit being vegetarian 2 years ago.
CaliPanda 3 weeks ago
I didn’t eat beef, pork or poultry for about 10 years, and I became more sedentary due to low energy. Then I found out I was becoming vitamin deficient and my doctor recommended I add lean protein back into my diet. I eat poultry now and a little pork (still no beef) and I’m much more active. Feels better.
#13
I was vegan for a year when I lived in a big city that had lots of inexpensive options for what one could eat. When I moved to a small town in beef country, the cost of good produce quadrupled, as did the cost of meat substitutes. I quickly learned that if I didn't eat whatever I could get my hands on, I would starve, so I started eating meat again.
Some people say food deserts aren't real. They are.
EDIT : Holy cow steaks! This post got a lot of attention! I'm pretty sure this is the first post I've ever gotten an award on too! To the people who read this and flat out deny that food deserts and the like don't exist and feel like they need to attack people who claim that they're living in one, please get well soon. Educate yourselves and live outside your bubble.
I'm going to once again talk about my personal issue with eating vegan. There is a Walmart in my town that I can reach within 15 minutes as I thankfully have a car. That produce is somewhat affordable, but we don't get a lot of it and by the time it gets put on display it is either rotted or damaged by frost, which makes them not worth the investment. We have two other grocery stores, which tend to have fair to amazing produce but prices are well outside of my price range. Produce recalls also hit this area pretty hard because what you could once get for under $2, you can get for $4 at other stores not affected by the recall (like bags of shredded lettuce and salads).
Meanwhile, most of my town are hunters, including my partner. It is far less expensive to get a couple deer to feed you for the year than it is to buy meat from the grocery store, and MUCH less expensive than trying to live on vegetables, rice and beans in the long run. Other people also buy whole cows to slaughter which winds up being cheaper in the long run and you're getting local beef. I vastly prefer wild game over beef for ethical reasons, but I also prefer the taste.
Stacy Bender 3 weeks ago
Yup, food deserts have always existed. I remember as a kid there was no corner store in Raber/Gotezville. One hour highway drive to either Cedarville or the Soo.
#15
I became vegetarian specifically to fuel an active eating disorder. When I got on the path to recovery, I started eating meat again.
#16
Sure you have to know what you’re doing, but some people’s bodies just can’t absorb plant based nutrients as well. It’s known as bio-availability, I believe. I am vegan and I have been for 3 years, I’m even a strength-training athlete, but it does not work for everyone. If you want to try out veganism, get your blood tested beforehand, and then once or twice a year once you’ve made the switch.
#17
I still eat mostly vegetarian food and have done all my life. However my husband was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and coeliac which means that a high fibre/lower iron diet is not an option and a lot of the substitutes aren’t gluten free. More often than not when he has meat I’ll leave it or have the veggie equivalent but there are just not enough hours in the day to make 2 separate lasagnes and sauce etc.
Huddo's sister 3 weeks ago
I never really liked meat unless it was in a dish like curry etc (even though not liking bbq/sausage sizzle is un-Australian) so didn't eat much meat when I started living on my own. My iron levels have fluctuated since I was a teen, but in the last few years even taking supplements and trying to eat meat once or twice a week hasn't been enough. Today I got my first iron infusion and since I am now coeliac, I really hope it won't be a common occurrence, though I didn't have any side effects. I will be trying to eat meat everyday now I guess.
#18
I was a pretty strict vegetarian for about 6-7 years. I lost a ton of lean muscle mass. I was bones with a bit of fat and skin. I saw a photo of me where it looked like my bicep was a rope.
Then I started eating a lot of carbs and got fat. A friend of mine bought me a few sessions with a trainer. After a few sessions, I bought a lot more. She explained that the lack of protein and fat in my diet was causing me a lack of satiety and that's why I always wanted to eat huge piles of pasta.
Once I started working out with the trainer and following her diet recommendations, it became really *really* difficult to get the specified amount of protein so I started eating chicken breast and from there I just became a proper omnivore again.
#19
I was traveling around and staying with people a lot for a while. They cooked me meals and I decided it was more important to be able to graciously accept what someone had made me, than to stick to a certain diet.
#20
Not me, but my brother-in-law went vegan for a stretch. One of his pet causes is donating blood. As soon as he's able to, he's down at the blood clinic donating again.
Anyway, on a vegan diet, his blood iron levels got too low to donate blood. So it was back to meat for him. But his daughter (my niece) is still vegan, and it's driving them nuts, because she'll only eat those vegan chicken nuggets, and they're getting pricey.
#21
I'm still as veggie as possible but I moved to a country where is is 10000% harder to be vegan (Japan). This is mostly due to not knowing a ton of Japanese and the fact that there is fish or meat in soo many restaurant foods and the culture here isn't like in America where you can ask for items to be removed or substitutions... Not that my Japanese ability would allow me to do that anyway.
Paul Jayne 6 days ago
The basic ingredient of ramen is usually pork fat. I have a plant based diet. It can be difficult.
Patrick Linnen 3 weeks ago
Yeah, no. There are plenty of all vegetable meal choices in Japan due to number of Buddhists and other religious orders. Almost all of the Japanese dishes that are made with animal protein or fish can also be found made with tofu only versions. Some dishes are tofu only. It might be harder to avoid fish, but not all of Japan is on the coast. Until the past couple of decades, animal protein was a luxury and fish was maybe only once a day.
Ripley 3 weeks ago
They didn't say impossible, just much harder, which is true. Dashi, the absolute building block of Japanese soups and broths, usually contains the dried benito flakes. It's pretty ubiquitous. Anything is possible - but that doesn't mean easy or straightforward.
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Mia Black 3 weeks ago
I thought that as an omnivore I could cope with eating so much fish and meat with mainly rice in Japan, but during the three weeks I was there I quickly had a very strong craving for fresh apples and vegetables and it was really very difficult to find something that wasn't exorbitantly expensive. (I understand, however, that agricultural land is limited and this leads to a lack of choice)
#22
Hair loss and health issues got worse. I’m fine now.
I was vegan for a year due to wanting to eat clean and it back fired.
Petra Peitsch 3 weeks ago
Vegan food is highly proccessed ... "eating clean" as a vegan, is the biggest lie, what food-industry is telling to you
#23
I realized that hunting for meat is way healthier, humane, and more sustainable than relying on global big agriculture. I’d rather eat locally harvested venison than alternatives made with ingredients grown on land that was deforested for a privileged Whole Foods shopper half way across the world.
Edited to add: I was also completely turned off by the culty hive mindset that most vegans have
Edited again to add that I was a vegan for 5 years and was Vice President and then president of our university’s vegetarian/vegan club. So yea, I was pretty passionate lol.
#24
I was vegetarian not vegan cause of religion.
Never tasted meat my whole childhood.
Tasted meat for first time when 11 years old.
Never vegan again.
#25
I was on a diet for health reasons. When I was told I was allowed to eat meat again my fridge started looking like a Mexican fever dream.
#26
I became homeless and couldnt afford to be picky about my food.
My life is stable now finance-wise and i now eat a balanced diet with meat, try to eat a lot of veggies, and i sometimes eat fast food and candy, which i didnt do when i was vegan.
Reason i became vegan was i thought meat is gross, and i still think it is so i still dont eat it too excessively.
#27
I went from fat, to extremely skinny and I hadn't strength. I wanted to have bigger muscles, so I started eating protein from veggies. It wasn't enough, I needed a lot per day to increase my muscles, so I started eating two eggs everyday. And now, I eat 200 grams of meat two days a week just for easy protein.
I still eat fruits and vegetables everyday, I love it. The eggs and meat are just because I want muscles lol.
#28
Not ex-vegan, but ex-vegetarian.
I was a vegetarian back in 2011-2013 as I found myself eating a mostly plant-based diet with small amounts of fish or chicken. Was never a huge fan of red meat. I was warned by my doctor in 2012 that my protein levels were too low so I increased my eggs, nuts, beans, and grains. Still wasn't enough though. Ended up being hospitalized in March of 2013 due to my blood pressure dropping way low, as well as my iron levels.
Decided to slowly incorporate meat back into my diet which ended up helping almost every aspect of my health. My nails were stronger, my hair grew faster/looked healthier, and I was better able to maintain muscle mass without struggling to actively keep up my protein levels.
I still don't eat a ton of red meat, but man do I love a good, juicy steak on the occasion. I truly believe eating meat again saved my life. Kudos to those who are able to live a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle, but based on my experience, it's not for everyone.
Stacy Bender 3 weeks ago
I have a friend who has similar issues. She can only eat meat and veg. She's had poop transplants that help, but when she gets sick, one dose of antibiotics sets her right back to the beginning. Her one dream is to be able to eat fruit
#29
I gave it a shot for a time. Even with supplementation, which is pretty well mandatory, it was difficult to stave off fatigue, low libido, etc. I expect some people can fare ok with their body type, but it wasn't a positive experience for me. Not all vegans are very understanding of this. Everything is politicized to an absurd degree.
Which is not to say I now consume a ton of meat. I keep my consumption moderate, effectively in tow with a Mediterranean diet. Lots of vegetables. I feel great and that's what matters.
With ethical consideration I like to rely on homemade yogurt, animals low in demonstrated consciousness (e.g. mussels, fish), or organic poultry from trusted sources (but I won't always shell out for it).
As I see it considering the issues with palm oil, almonds, etc land encroachment is mostly a function of population increase, which is driven by poverty. The choice of some consumers forgoing meat will not put a dent in that, but eliminating global poverty will. There, I snuck in my soapbox.
#30
1. I was tired of every meal with other people devolving into an argument over ethics (because THEY wouldn't just let me eat my f*****g food)
2. I started dating my (now wife) and I didn't want her to think I was weird
3. Disagreements with the larger "vegan movement" over some Ethical considerations.
Number one was the big one. If you think Vegans are insufferable try being one. Don't even preach. Just exist. Shocking how many f*****g nutritional experts come out of the woodwork. Every meal was exhausting.
It was the most healthy I've been in the past 10 years.
Transitioning back to a plant based diet ATM because I've grown older to the point I no longer have that many f***s to give.
beryl_m_green 3 weeks ago
No 1 seems to be a common trend with any effort to improve a diet. I haven't tried ging vegan but have periodically tried to increase my veggies intake by having a salad for lunch. No-one comments when I eat chips and chocolates for lunch, but just let me drizzle a bit of salad dressing on my salad and in half an hour 3 - 4 people will stop and tell me how unhealthy the salad dressing is. Within a week week I'm usually back to chips & chocolate just to be able to eat in peace.
#31
I was vegetarian for 5 years and vegan for 3 years. The last year of being vegan I was tired, constantly bloated and had many digestive issues.
I also wanted to stop eating highly processed foods like vegan foods like vegan meats", cheeses, yogurts and soy in general.
Now I get my meat, eggs and dairy from local producers and find it more sustainable and ecological.
I do miss hummus and falafels but can't eat them anymore because of digestive issues I got from being vegan :(.
#32
I have other dietary concerns that take precedence over a moral prerogative, including several allergies that severely limit my diet. I can eat meat, so I do.
I also aim for "sustainable veganism", which means I don't limit myself with an unreasonable hardline stance like some do. If I go out for the sake of the rare social outing and my options are limited, I'll have the meat option; simply reducing your meat intake is almost as good as cutting it and I'm contributing to deforestation with my soy consumption anyway. "Sustainable" in this case simply means you're less likely to break and abandon the diet altogether by not giving yourself a simple pass/fail mentality.
#33
Vegan for a year. Mom made the special ham recipe my great grand mother used to make when she was still with us. Took a bite to taste. Ate the whole thing and said f**k that.
And to everybody saying veganism made them weak and exhausted: go get checked for nutriment deficit. I was vegan for an entire year and ive never had any issue health wise. Blood tests were all good. Yes, I was taking B12 and Omega3 supplements.
#34
I was a vegan for about 6 years. I started eating meat again for social reasons. It was a pain to date, go out with friends, travel, exploring different cultures, etc.
That being said, I still think the meat and dairy industries are cruel and terrible for the environment.
Now I try to eat vegetarian as much as possible (which works out well now since my gf is a vegetarian), and when I purchase meat, I shell out a few more bucks for meat that was raised more humanely (I'm aware this isn't as clear cut as it seems).
From a health perspective, I feel much healthier now. I was still working out and active when I was a vegan, but my progress rate shot up once I started eating like an omnivore. It truly was a drastic difference.
Ultimately being a vegetarian/vegan to me is a philosophical position. You are against the meat industry either from a humane standpoint or an environmental one. For most people it is actually worse for their health to go vegan/vegetarian, of course you can manage it, but it becomes a huge juggling mess of supplementation.
Realistically most people will continue to eat meat. This will only increase; as developing nations develop, meat consumption rises. The idea that we can end factory farming through converting omnivores to vegetarians is a pipe dream. When taking this into account, I realized that staying a vegan was really just making my life harder, and would never have a meaningful impact on global meat consumption rates.
I'm really just hoping for lab-grown meat to take over, or for meat-alternatives to become good enough to compete with meat.
I truly believe that once we figure that out, future generations will look back in awe and disgust at what we have done with factory farming.
#35
I got diagnosed as celiac after being vegan for 2 years and vegetarian for 6 years before that. I had a breakdown about the whole thing which sounds dramatic but imagine you could no longer eat any of your favourite foods ever again.. I was really depressed about it and was so restricted in what i could eat that after a few months I started eating meat and dairy and eggs again.
my take on meat since coming back: bacon is overrated, sausage is the true king of meats.
#36
Got a genetic illness which makes me permanently anemic. My body only absorbs a tiny amount of iron from food and that amount is “burned” pretty fast. Turns out it doesent help to cut that tiny amount aswell. Also i didnt replace the meat, i just left it out so i basically ate less food.
Edit: The genetic mutation i have is called Thalassemia (specific type: Thalassemia Beta intermedia) Its pretty common especially in mediterranean people usually only severe cases are properly diagnosed since you cant really do more than iron infusions blood transfusions etc.
Edit: Since some of you dont get it, Iron supplements dont work. I get a LOT of iron infusions. I need meat to get a lot of iron in me so i can absorb that minimal amount because my doctor wants me to absorb as much as i can from food. I avoid processed meat its usually just a rare beef steak for me!
Edit: since some people wonder why i have thalassemia and am iron deficient. I have no idea about the details i just know i have thalassemia (99% sure) and doc says i need iron infusions.
(If anyone reads this now turns out me not being able to absorb iron from food has nothing to do woth thalassemia or some s**t recently found out that it has to do with the kinds of microorganisms in your digestive track which for some people disrupt the absorbtion of certain vitamins and/or minerals. Yes you can get treated for this BUT its kinda expensive and u needa get the bacteria n s**t in ur digestive track analyized first and the “medication” which is called biotin is quite expensive aswell and usually not covered by insurance).
Green Tree 3 weeks ago
Clams are really high in iron. I've eaten plant based for going on 20 years. About once a month I'll have some clams or clam chowder to help with iron levels. I also cook near daily in cast iron.
#37
Despite what the militant, ignorant and evangelical vegans will tell you - money, time and location play a huge role in whether you can effectively be vegan. I'm vegan again now since I've moved to London but a few years ago I could only afford and really have access to "vegan days" rather than an entire diet. As such - I understand it's engrained culturally and has several hurdles attached to it so I'm not going act like an a*****e and "educate" everyone I come into contact to.
#38
Just a heads up, as both a vegan and a doctor here - most doctors have little idea of how nutrition works outside of a few modules they learned back in med school. If you want proper advice on a substantial diet change see a dietitian (not a nutritionist).
Your own doc is going to know your medical results and labs of course, but their diet advice is often (not always) fairly broad and not even remotely comprehensive or up-to-date.
The best thing to do is see a doctor and a dietitian where possible, and have them work together to get things sorted.
#39
Still veggie. I moved country and it was hard to eat anything but home made (no takeaway, only restaurants were vegan only which our friends and family didn't want to eat at). We ended up choosing to eat and cook vegan at home but not when out with others. Been back in England 6 months, and no longer with my partner, but I still follow the same rule. Makes it easier to go out with friends/work/new people. Feel less guilty of I see something I want to try that has milk or egg in it. Makes it easier when I visit r my parents especially.
I am 100% healthier since going vegan, though it does take more work to make sure I'm getting everything I need, so no issues with health. It's all down to convenience to others, and the occasional craving of something that contains dairy.
#40
Was a vegetarian for about a year and a half. Went vegan for about 6 months after watching some documentary. I love kimchi and tofu, ate a lot of grains and pasta, I'd bring whole cooked red potatoes around and eat them like apples. Cooked a *lot* of ~~vegan~~ (duh) *indian* and thai recipes - the whole experience did make me a better cook.
But in the end it was just too goddamn inconvenient. You have to put a lot of thought into your food, and a bunch of things have weird prep times so I'd get home from class/studio at 8pm, do my dinner prep, and realize something has to soak or cook for an hour *before* it can be added to the recipe, which means it's now 8:30pm and the earliest I'll be eating is 10pm so I'd say f**k it and have a salad. Plus you've gotta find all these weird alternatives to things, and they're only at the weird hippie market where everything costs 20% more.
Went back to what I called bar-fly vegetarian, where I'd be vegetarian (and even then, lacto-ovo, because eggs for breakfast are convenient AF) Sunday through Thursday, and Friday and Saturday we'd go out and I'd usually eat meat for dinner or...4th meal from the kielbasa street cart. Left to my own devices, I still don't eat a lot of meat. I'd be perfectly fine going back to sweet potato tacos 3 nights/week, and these Beyond Burgers have changed the game up.
#41
When I had a work from home job preparing and cooking was a lot easier. Had a job change - it was far more active and I no longer worked at home. I wasn’t able to eat at work, and I didn’t have time to prep and cook like I used to. Started getting fainting spells, feeling lethargic, and overall s****y.
#42
There is an art to meat that you do not see with veggies.
Hamburger patty vs veggie patty? No big deal, you can still make a burger delicious without meat.
But smoking and babysitting a rack of ribs for 4-6 hours in your backyard? This isn’t happening with an Eggplant bud..
#43
I wasn't vegan, but I was vegetarian for 12 - 13 years. Basically I just got tired of it. Eating out was always a hassle because I either had to modify an existing menu item or get something plain that I've had a million times before, cooking for me and my boyfriend just had an extra step of me trying to decide what protein or extra side I was going to have with my meal when he had meat already. Scouring ingredient lists became tedious.
Basically I just went back to eating meat because I was sick of making it harder on me to be able to try new things and go out to eat. I didn't really go vegetarian for the animals in the first place, it was kind of an afterthought. I never really loved meat to begin with so being vegetarian was almost second nature at first. But now that I re-gave myself the option to eat meat, I've been able to try a lot more different foods that I wouldn't have been able to.
#44
A friend had to abandon it when they finally got treatment for their eating disorder. They were already malnourished, and 15 years ago in the Midwest there werent a lot of good vegan options around. Their therapist also kind of insisted, because it was somewhat being used as an excuse to not eat or not eat anything substantial. Over time they just transitioned back into eating a normal, non vegan/non vegetarian diet. Now its kind of a mindf**k that they can go just about any fast food restaurant and get Beyond or Impossible, various nut and soy milk is sold everywhere groceries are available (including some well stocked gas stations), and no one looks at you funny if you ask about the ingredients in a dish.
#45
I wanted to see if it made me sick. I've since eaten it here and there but it's not often. I was vegan (food and otherwise) for near a decade. I'm planning on going back because I can honestly say that I've not been missing out. It's possible to veganize about anything these days.
Oh, also. No it didn't make me sick at all.
#47
I had been vegetarian for 10 years. I became pregnant and was concerned that my baby wouldn't get all the nutrients she needed to develop in a healthy way. I still don't eat meat very often and honestly the alternatives have come such a long way from when I tried my first veggie burger 20 years ago!
#48
My reasons not a particularly interesting one. I was vegan years ago for a bit, vegetarian for even longer. One night my mom made a dinner that I always really loved (skirt steak I think?) and I said, “Wow that looks good, I wish I could eat it.” She responded with, “Well, you can?”
“Huh, you’re right.” Those skirt steaks never tasted better.
Realized that the only thing stopping me from eating foods I enjoyed was myself. Years later I’m now at a point where meat isn’t my priority, so if I can enjoy a particular meal without it then I will. But I know myself well enough now to recognize that there are just certain “favorite foods” I’m not willing to part with (like boneless hot wings or sushi).
#49
Not a vegan but a vegetarian for almost 3 years for environmental/social issues (never had a problem with eating meat, but the industry behind it) despite loving it. Feel like I should add that I never chose meat but would eat it only in situations when it would be thrown away and no one else would eat it (some people say I wasn’t a vegetarian because of it but letting food go to waste just to keep a title isn’t worth it).
Then early last year I lost my father (24 at the time) and I was devastated, stopped caring about being a vegetarian (and other stuff) so I ended up going back to eating meat. Now, a year later, I’ve started cutting back again but honestly if I really want to I’ll probably just eat it every now and then, maybe once every couple of weeks.
#50
I went vegan (plant based) to help with my skin condition. It went well for the 1 year I did it, then my skin started getting worse. My dr prescribed a medication that worked very well for me. I started eating eggs again, and then i was feeling faint a lot, found out i needed iron, and well, a nice piece of steak was full of it.
#51
I’ve been a vegetarian for 10 years (and still am), but I think my veggie days are numbered. I’m married to a meat eater, and currently pregnant. I’m not going to force my kids to be vegetarian. So if I’m already buying and cooking meat for my family, I’m not exactly ‘not supporting’ the meat industry. And at some point cooking separate meals for myself is going to get old.
Being vegetarian has always worked for me though. I’m healthy and fit. If I lived in my own bubble, I’d stay veg forever.
#52
I was a vegetarian for like 17 years. I'm super anemic now and started eating chicken again last year. I still have a heavy vegetarian diet most days and dont eat a lot of chicken, but my anemia isnt as bad as it was. I have some guilt about it still, but I'm not damn near passing out everyday anymore. I was also really bad at substituting for this diet since I was so young when I stopped meat and options weren't available like they are now. I didnt know about soy and estrogen and developed ovarian cysts that went away in 3 months from now more soy too. Funt times.
#53
I hadn’t eaten meat in a year and a half in college. One day I was hungover and looked out the window and saw McDonalds having a sale on Big Macs for 69 cents.
I ate 5, puked, and never looked back.
#55
I was vegan for a bit over a year and stuck to it pretty well. I never counted honey and stuff like some vegans do so not the most strict but I did it. My wife is still doing it and she's a lot more strict than I am.
I just have poor willpower. I honestly felt better and had more energy when I was strict about it. My stomach hurt less and I think overall I was just healthier. I only took vitamin B12 and D which I did before the vegan thing and never had any nutritional issues.
I just kind of got sick of being that guy at work functions and stuff so I started making exceptions. I still eat vegan at home with my wife and tend to prefer vegetarian or vegan food when eating out, but they do like BBQ days at work once every month or two and I participate.
It's not better for you, and as delicious as meat and cheese is the vegans are right I think. We're not really cut out for eating the stuff and we definitely don't need to, but if you have s**t willpower it's hard to combat the urge to occasionally eat it.
What do you think ?
Tempest 3 weeks ago
Been a vegetarian since I was 8/9 years. Tried to be vegan once but found it really tough. Vegan products are nearly nonexistent in my country so the few that are available are super expensive. Also I found it impossible to give up cheese and chocolate. But I’m still a strict vegetarian (for over 15 years now). I’ll admit that it is quite tough. I lived in China for several years and it was so hard finding meat free food. Rarely if ever did I eat from outside. Had to rely on home cooking which I barely had time for so ended up becoming severely underweight. On the other hand I visited India once and loved the vast range of vegetarian options there and it was the best part of my trip. Being able to follow such a diet and stay adequately healthy depends a lot on your access to ingredients.
Mia Black 3 weeks ago
I like the basic idea of a better life for animals and that we modern people should generally eat more vegetables. However, I don't see the vegan path as the right one for everyone. I think that a person who very rarely consumes animal products, but does so with respect, has found the best path. Because one thing often seems to be forgotten: if we stop using animals, then we humans have less space for them. Species conservation through use is a concept that I grew up with. The animals are doing well and their breed (unusable for industry) is being preserved. Meat and fur are used. If more can be used, all the better. The hunter is also important so that there are not too many animals in the area, because that can harm both the animals and the plants. Furthermore, animal products are usually more durable as a material for clothing and the plastic alternatives are already polluting our environment. At work, I have to reupholster faux leather furniture much more often than real leather.
Paul Jayne 6 days ago
At 68yo I have been vegetarian for most of my life. Now plant based/vegan for 10years. After being recently diagnosed with a severe vit B12 deficiency I had a course of treatment to rectify the levels however the damage is done. The peripheral neuropathy has improved but is not totally reversible.
Michael MacKinnon 3 weeks ago
They have an entire castle in Scotland for people like this: Dunvegan.
Sarah Matsoukis 3 weeks ago
It just didn't do anything for me, not more energy or anything, I actually gained weight from eating more carbs and I missed all my favorite foods.
Guess Undheit 3 weeks ago
"Vegans" are poseurs, fakes pretending to have moral superiority. The problem with meat and the environment is NOT ~~~what~~~ people are eating. Rather, the problem is ~~~how~~~many~~~ people are eating. If the population were two billion instead of eight billion, there wouldn't be the same stress on the land for farming nor overfishing in the seas. Childfree people and societies giving birth "below replacement level" are solving the problem in the safest, least harmful way, not "vegans".
Auntriarch 3 weeks ago
Harsh, but you make a good point. A dear friend of mine is vegan, for the planet he says. I tell him he's done more for the planet by only having one child than he'll ever accomplish by being vegan
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Lori T Wisconsin 3 weeks ago
Meat is filthy and a major source of food borne illnesses and deaths. If you were to visit a real slaughterhouse, you would NEVER eat meat again. Packing plants are also disgusting sources of animal flesh contaminated with feces and dirt. People who become anemic while vegetarian are plain dumb! Study the nutritional content of your food and take a supplement when needed.
Tempest 3 weeks ago
Been a vegetarian since I was 8/9 years. Tried to be vegan once but found it really tough. Vegan products are nearly nonexistent in my country so the few that are available are super expensive. Also I found it impossible to give up cheese and chocolate. But I’m still a strict vegetarian (for over 15 years now). I’ll admit that it is quite tough. I lived in China for several years and it was so hard finding meat free food. Rarely if ever did I eat from outside. Had to rely on home cooking which I barely had time for so ended up becoming severely underweight. On the other hand I visited India once and loved the vast range of vegetarian options there and it was the best part of my trip. Being able to follow such a diet and stay adequately healthy depends a lot on your access to ingredients.
Mia Black 3 weeks ago
I like the basic idea of a better life for animals and that we modern people should generally eat more vegetables. However, I don't see the vegan path as the right one for everyone. I think that a person who very rarely consumes animal products, but does so with respect, has found the best path. Because one thing often seems to be forgotten: if we stop using animals, then we humans have less space for them. Species conservation through use is a concept that I grew up with. The animals are doing well and their breed (unusable for industry) is being preserved. Meat and fur are used. If more can be used, all the better. The hunter is also important so that there are not too many animals in the area, because that can harm both the animals and the plants. Furthermore, animal products are usually more durable as a material for clothing and the plastic alternatives are already polluting our environment. At work, I have to reupholster faux leather furniture much more often than real leather.
Paul Jayne 6 days ago
At 68yo I have been vegetarian for most of my life. Now plant based/vegan for 10years. After being recently diagnosed with a severe vit B12 deficiency I had a course of treatment to rectify the levels however the damage is done. The peripheral neuropathy has improved but is not totally reversible.
Michael MacKinnon 3 weeks ago
They have an entire castle in Scotland for people like this: Dunvegan.
Sarah Matsoukis 3 weeks ago
It just didn't do anything for me, not more energy or anything, I actually gained weight from eating more carbs and I missed all my favorite foods.
Guess Undheit 3 weeks ago
"Vegans" are poseurs, fakes pretending to have moral superiority. The problem with meat and the environment is NOT ~~~what~~~ people are eating. Rather, the problem is ~~~how~~~many~~~ people are eating. If the population were two billion instead of eight billion, there wouldn't be the same stress on the land for farming nor overfishing in the seas. Childfree people and societies giving birth "below replacement level" are solving the problem in the safest, least harmful way, not "vegans".
Auntriarch 3 weeks ago
Harsh, but you make a good point. A dear friend of mine is vegan, for the planet he says. I tell him he's done more for the planet by only having one child than he'll ever accomplish by being vegan
Load More Replies... Lori T Wisconsin 3 weeks ago
Meat is filthy and a major source of food borne illnesses and deaths. If you were to visit a real slaughterhouse, you would NEVER eat meat again. Packing plants are also disgusting sources of animal flesh contaminated with feces and dirt. People who become anemic while vegetarian are plain dumb! Study the nutritional content of your food and take a supplement when needed.
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