Former anorexics becoming vegan

[Anonymous]

If you have a problem with disordered eating, strict veganism is a more socially acceptable cover, and some will even find it admirable. You can pretend it's for your health, but it's just a way to control and restrict what you eat.

Which is not the same as people who choose to eat vegan, but don't have disordered eating tendencies, and eat normal amounts of food.

[Anonymous]

A lot of vegans are either unhealthily thin and obsessed with limiting food, overweight, or extreme yo-yoers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else notice this? I know a few women that used to be anorexic and now they’re vegan. Hosts go out of their way to provide lovely vegan dishes and they still barely eat. I’m wondering if this is a new way to hide your anorexia? One of my friends who was anorexic in high school and college went vegan several months ago and she’s getting very, very thin. Anyone else notice this?

just trading one disorder for another more socially acceptable one.

[Anonymous]

OP, it’s a HUGE red flag. My daughter was just released from inpatient treatment. She nearly died. Her kidneys, liver, and heart are damaged. We’ve been fighting this battle for five years. She is home now and in a partial hospitalization program. ANY kind of restrictive eating is disordered during treatment. People with eating disorders are manipulative. They’ll use Vegan, Vegetarian, fake food allergies, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, .... They’ll try everything to reduce and restrict. Don’t fall for it.

[Anonymous]

This is absolutely a thing. I have 3 younger sisters and 2 of them are vegan. One of them is definitely an ethical vegan and the other almost certainly has an eating disorder. She's also a high fashion model and has lost about 30 lbs since she started doing that. Looks very sick and makes me so, so upset. The modeling world is so toxic.

[Anonymous]

nMy brother is vegan and his longtime gf is pescatarian. Neither of them have a history of eating disorders-brother just feels better (and feels his ADHD is better) when eating this way, and she has environmental concerns.

They are also fairly private about it, certainly not posting about it on Instagram, and are gracious at family gatherings about food served.

[Anonymous]

At least they're eating something, however scant the calorie count. My dear friend is a vegan. We met in adulthood, but I suspect she had/has an eating disorder. I think this because she was a ballet dancer, she is extraordinarily thin and she is a vegan. Her partner packs her lunches, which consist of greens and nuts. When we eat together, she just sits there and barely eats. There are some days where she appears obviously anorexic and then there are others where she simply looks like she's as thin as she could safely be. Fwiw, she has energy and stamina.

[Anonymous]

My rheumatologist suggested going gluten free and vegan. I have a history of disordered eating, which she didn’t know. I was a complete wreck within a week of starting the suggested diet.

[Anonymous]

I live in LA and gluten free/vegan is just another word for eating disorder and acceptable non eating. It’s sick.

[Anonymous]

Even non-disordered people do this. I usually only eat vegetarian or seafood dishes at restaurants as a way to limit calories. And on international flights I'll check on my profile that I require hindu vegetation meals (I'm a white chick from the midwest) because I can eat the veggies (and they actually taste good) and then toss the rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even non-disordered people do this. I usually only eat vegetarian or seafood dishes at restaurants as a way to limit calories. And on international flights I'll check on my profile that I require hindu vegetation meals (I'm a white chick from the midwest) because I can eat the veggies (and they actually taste good) and then toss the rice.

I'm not sure this is a healthy relationship with food.

[Anonymous]

The excuse used by my coworkers is food allergies. They say they cannot eat a lot of food. I actually believe it until on woman made a comment that after eating an almost normal portion of food that she would have to skip dinner so she did not get fat (she is severely underweight). This is why people do not believe those with true allergies. I find this more offensive then using vegan as an excuse for limited eating.

[Anonymous]

Almost all the very well-known vegan YouTubers and social media influencers all say that they came from a past of disordered eating/eating disorders when discussing their journey to veganism. They say this to argue that veganism freed them from disordered eating, but you have to wonder if they were just jumping from one form of disorder to another.

As another PP mentioned, there’s a trend of lots of vegan YouTubers (who were well-known in their prime ~ 2014-17) coming out and saying that they are no longer vegan. They often cite numerous health issues as the reason, and say that integrating even just small amounts of eggs and fish back into their diet saved them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. This is/was me. In “recovery” from anorexia and became vegan. It allowed me to restrict my calories sort of naturally without having to count/measure every bite of food (behaviors that had to go because I was recovering, right?). Did I mention I was also training for a marathon and running 80 miles a week?

A funny thing happened though. Gradually as I began to eat more (vegan) food, the idea of food in general became a lot less scary and little by little I felt comfortable enough to add in dairy products, then eggs, and finally chicken and fish. (I’m still working on beef and processed meats which are a huge huge fear food for me.). I had a delicious dinner last night that included some baked chicken, and tonight I ate a grilled cheese sandwich with my kids.

I am a year into recovery now and I have reached a healthy weight for my height. I still struggle with certain behaviors (timings of meals is a huge issue) but I am much much better. I have my period back and I no longer worry my heart will fail in my sleep.

Good for you! I sincerely mean it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The excuse used by my coworkers is food allergies. They say they cannot eat a lot of food. I actually believe it until on woman made a comment that after eating an almost normal portion of food that she would have to skip dinner so she did not get fat (she is severely underweight). This is why people do not believe those with true allergies. I find this more offensive then using vegan as an excuse for limited eating.

THank you. I have true food allergies and swear people don't believe it. I end up eating whatever on the menu doesn't look like it will contain allergens. That said, I am not at all underweight. Fun fact: I maintain my weight without thinking about it simply by avoiding the foods i'm allergic to and then suffering the allergic reaction when a restaurant exposes me to them.

It's also given me a deep respect for those who suffer disordered eating. I eat "disordered" sometimes because of a medical condition and it drives me crazy/I hate it. I would hate it even more if it was my mind rather than my body driving this !@#$.