Hi, I'm new here and I'm interested in becoming a Vegan. I have done research over the last couple of years and have come to the conclusion that I would like to become a Vegan for the following reasons:
Animal welfare
I have issues with farming practices (again animal welfare, environmental impact)
health benefits
However, I have struggled with anorexia for 12 years and been hospitalized numerous times. The only thing that has kept me from becoming a Vegan is that so many of the foods that Vegans eat (nuts, beans, lentils, etc.) are scary for me because they seem to have more calories and fats for the volume of food compared to lean meats, and lean fishes.
As a Vegan, I would only be interested in eating foods that are not processed and have as few ingredients as possible (i.e., no preservatives, extra sugars, strange chemicals, etc.) so I would really have no choice except to eat the foods I fear.
I am genuinely trying to recover. I want to become healthy, putting only the best things in my body and I want to live my life to the fullest. However, I am in a bad spell and I'm having a G tube (a feeding tube that goes into the stomach) inserted in mid-May after my semester (finishing up my bachelor's degree) is over. I am ready to get better, but I have been only eating about 300-700 calories a day for many months. I know this is not healthy and it's certaintly not treating my body well. As I now only eat protein and dairy a few times a week (b/c of the anorexia), I would like to eat a Vegan diet, slowly increasing the amount for my health, as I begin to get better.
I guess I'm wondering if there are any other Vegans out there who have anorexia (or are on a diet) because I need to gradually go from few calories (to eventually more). What kinds of foods are 'safe' or how do you be a Vegan on a reduced calorie diet?
Again, I want to reiterate that I truly want to become a Vegan for very good reasons. One more benefit, for me specifically, would be that I would have to 'challenge' my eating disorder and eat foods that are scary and that I avoid.
Thanks all.
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