Since becoming Vegan
earlier this year, a lot of people have approached me and tentatively asked
whether they can lose weight by going vegan? Does being vegan make you thin?
Well I'm afraid the
short answer is NO. Vegan does not automatically mean Thin.
Don't get me wrong
here, I love being vegan and I really enjoy my food. I cook all my meals from
scratch as far as possible and use all kinds of exciting flavours, and I have a very healthy and nutritious diet.
Yes, it is
very easier to avoid saturated fats, and you tend to gravitate towards fresh fruit and vegetables which helps you to make smart choices, but it's not a quick fix for being overweight.
I find it incredibly sad that almost every woman I
know is unhappy with her weight or appearance for some reason or other.
However gorgeous she
is, most women think if only they could lose a few more pounds or have fuller
lips or a smaller waist... Sound familiar?
The
"beauty" industry seems to do everything it can to make women feel
inadequate in order to make them buy their products.
Air brushed models
grace page after glossy page of every magazine, pushing an unrealistic and
narrowly defined image of female beauty. Sadly, women and girls are coerced
from an early age into trying to achieve this unrealistic target by TV,
magazines and the so called "celebrity" culture that is shoved down
our throats.
At the same time, we
are surrounded by ever more restaurants and fast food outlets selling us
unhealthy lifestyles as "cool" and "fun." Are you lovin'
it?
It's no wonder that
the Diet Industry is so huge in the Western world & we're all so obsessed
with size.
At the same time
depression and obesity are at all time highs - a coincidence? I think not.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that I get asked this question so frequently, because I am vegan and pretty thin. Everybody's looking for an easy way to feel better about themselves, but going vegan probably isn't going to do that.
I became a vegan on ethical and moral grounds, because it felt right and authentic for me, not because I wanted to try yet another faddy diet and lose weight.
So I'm afraid that I
have to announce that no, going vegan isn't a magic diet to make you thin,
despite the hype.
It may help you to
adopt a healthier lifestyle, but to be honest it's very easy to be an unhealthy
junk-food vegan, and I know plenty of vegans who are overweight.
Being vegan will not
make you skinny - only you can do that.
