I was talking to someone recently about the things that people say when someone they know becomes vegan. Let me say this first -- what I'm about to say is not meant to offend anyone. But it is meant to begin a thought process and a dialog about veganism, lifestyle changes, and how we respond to other people's decisions.
1. I joined Weight Watchers in April 2011.
2. I became a vegetarian in January 2013.
3. At some point around 2006-7 I developed an nut/seed allergy.
4. Since I was 18 years old, I have had a milk allergy.
Surprisingly, the 3rd and 4th statements are things that most people understand and respect. Most people who know of my allergies are super protective about the foods around me. They make sure that I don't accidentally eat something with nuts or seeds, mostly because they reaction could be serious and life threatening. I am grateful for people's concern and protection in this area.
When it comes #1, most people who haven't known me long can't believe that I'm on Weight Watchers. Since joining Weight Watchers, I have lost about 35lbs. However, I decided to start the the journey to a more healthy life style before joining Weight Watchers. At my heaviest, I weighed close to 230lbs. I was able to get down to 190 lbs and stayed there about four years. In December 2010, I was ending one of the longest years of my life. I saw a photo of myself and realized that I had become complacent. A change was needed. To be fair, I needed to change a number of areas of my life. But my weight was the one area where I would have 100% control. So I signed up for Weight Watchers.
That decision caused me to lose out...to lose out on aches and pains...to lose out on being the slowest one walking anywhere...to lose out on feeling less than and not worthy of the best life. I have to confess that I didn't mind giving up those things. The draw back was feeling like the freak in my circle of friends at times because I had changed my lifestyle. I didn't eat a lot of the junk that I previously eaten. I can't even tell you the last time I went to McDonald's and even if I thought about going, my friends and family are quick to say, "can you eat that?" Or "how many points is that?" I know that they are looking out for me and I appreciate that.
Decision #2 -- this was hard one to make. Not only was it hard to make, but it was hard for other people to accept. To decide to become a vegetarian was a decision that I thought about for a while. But as soon as I was ready to make the change, things seemed to shift. The people who watched my journey to health and wellness understood that this was a natural evolutionary step. I was eating cleaner than I ever had. In fact, my body was starting to reject meat, in particular, red meat. I just couldn't eat it any more without feeling sick for days.
Don't get me wrong, the way animals are treated in this country in some places is disgusting. While I'm not an animal rights advocate in one sense, I do believe that they should be treated better than we humans have been doing. That's all I have to say about that.
What I find is that it's important to other people to know why a person would decide to become vegan or in my case vegetarian. If I say that I don't eat foods with milk or nuts because I have allergies, that's perfectly acceptable. My body physically rejects that food, sometimes in a most unpleasant way. However if in my mind and heart, I decide that eating meat doesn't fit into my life style, people are concerned about my protein intake and they wonder if I've joined some kind of hippy cult. I hear "oh, I couldn't do that" a lot in my food travels. The thing is that each of us has to decide what's best for our health, physical and emotional. For me, a vegetarian lifestyle puts me in the place that I want to be physically and emotionally.
So, the next time you meet a vegan/vegetarian, just relax. Ask her what she likes about the lifestyle and be open to the lifestyle. Don't think of that person who "can't" join in. Instead, be open to something new. Just be supportive. It'll go a long way.
