You're Vegan? But You're Fat!!!
- msveganastic
- Apr 5, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 27, 2019
Why going on a vegan diet does not always mean that you will be slim.
Becoming a vegan was truly the best decision I ever made. I noticed that after omitting dairy from my diet, I fell sick less often and if I did fall sick it would only last a day or two. I also found that on a vegan diet, I had more energy throughout the day. I honestly just felt better after going vegan. I guess to some extent the saying 'You are what you eat' started to prove to be right. Now although I love being a vegan there is just one phrase that drives me crazy. Whenever I tell people I am a vegan, nine out of ten times I get the reply, 'You're vegan?!?! But you're fat!" I guess, to some extent I can see how this question arises but on the other hand it gets slightly irritating. Truth be told, I was fat before I became a vegan and many including myself thought that I would lose some weight being on such a clean diet. To me it does not bother me that I have not lost any weight even after going on a vegan diet but it does seem to cause concern to those around me. I guess it only leaves me to explain why I am fat.
So, why am I fat? Honestly, I do not know the exact cause for me being overweight, however, I will tell you what I do know. What I know is that from the age of nine, I have always been on the high end of the weighing scale. Maybe in my younger days I was more proportioned, but I was definitely never considered thin. I did a lot of sports in school and I was very active. I could hardly sit still. When all my friends were busy with ICQ back in the day I was running around my house with my dogs like a crazy woman. In high school I ran track, played volleyball, swam four to five times a week, roller bladed, walked my dogs and even hit the gym after school with my friends on Wednesdays and Fridays. I was an active overweight child. My parents made me see various doctors to find out why, but there was no specific reason to why I was overweight. And I guess because the doctors could not find a reason why, I was left to be bullied by classmates who used to tease me when I ran, played volleyball, swam or walked. It was hard, but I dealt with it as best as I could and continued being as active as I could. In college I tried to go on many crash diets, but my weight never budged. After a while I gave up trying to lose weight but continued to do my part to keep healthy. I guess to some extent, I am happy, as doctors are very surprised to see my annual medical reports. I always get the "I'm so shocked to see these results. I thought I would have to prescribe medications for diabetes, high blood pressure and/or cholesterol, but I don't!"
If I look at what I eat today as a vegan, I believe that I do eat healthy. Although, I post recipes with carbs I am not always stuffing my face with them. A lot of you by now might have your own opinion to why but let me tell you what I have tried in terms of food...
1. Taken carbs completely out of my diet for 6 months; was still the same weight and dress size 6 months after.
2. Gone on a completely raw diet for 3 months; I gained 10 kg.
3. Cut carbs out on weekdays and allowed myself to have only one meal that contained carbs over the weekend.
4. Juice cleanse
5. Diet pills that were prescribed by a nutritionist
6. Did the monk diet where I only ate one meal a day
7. Salt flushes once a week
8. Cinnamon diet (before I became a vegan)
The above are just some of what I have tried, and trust me when I say that I have tried a whole lot more. My weight just does no budge! Also trust me when I say I have done these diets with the most vigorous of exercise plans and also have hired personal trainers, but nothing. So, yes at the end of the day my weight and dress size has not changed since I became a vegan and I have no clue why. I cannot explain it and nor can doctors. So, I have come to the conclusion that not everyone looses weight on a vegan diet. But what I can say is that I feel healthier and I enjoy being a vegan.
Comments