I completely missed this story last month, but then again… I don’t follow any of the late-breaking news in the vegan blogging community. Apparently, there was a popular food/lifestyle blogger who went by the name “The Blonde Vegan.” Her real name is Jordan Younger. And last month, she wrote a post on her blog about how her veganism became an eating disorder called orthorexia, which is defined as “a fixation on righteous eating.” Younger’s description of her disorder details how she “was spending the entire day obsessing about eating only vegetables, green juices, fruits and occasionally nuts and grains.” You can read her “coming out” essay here. Some coverage, via People:
Younger says: “I restricted myself from certain foods – even some that fell under the vegan umbrella – because they were not 100 percent clean or 100 percent raw. I was following thousands of rules in my head that were making me sick.”
Adhering to a strict plant-based vegan diet that included juice cleanses for up to 10 days at a time, Younger dropped nearly 15 lbs. from her 5’4″ frame.
At her most restrictive, she weighed 105 lbs. and had low energy, bad skin and an injury that wouldn’t heal. She even stopped getting her period. After talking to a close friend who was in recovery from an eating disorder, Younger says, “I realized that a lot of my health problems could be attributed to veganism.”
Soon after, she went to one of her favorite macrobiotic restaurants and forced herself to order wild salmon – her first piece of fish in 18 months. “I brought it home and ate it all alone, so no one could see me,” she says. Two days later, her period returned. That was all the convincing she needed. She started seeing a nutritionist who said she was deficient in vitamins and protein. “My hormones were out of whack because I has damaged my biochemistry,” says Younger, adding that she realized she had to eat fish and eggs to become healthy again.
“When I made that decision I knew I was going to share it on the blog. I knew I would alienate tons of my followers, but there was no way I could live a lie.”
When she posted her story on her blog, her website crashed, she lost a thousand social media followers and she received DEATH THREATS from “hardcore vegans” and animal-rights people. Hello Giggles did a story about what happened to Younger and how important it is for young women to not mask their eating disorders under the guise of “healthy eating.” Now Younger is transitioning her branding away from veganism to “The Balanced Blonde.”
Personally, I think this is probably WAY more common than people believe. I think there are so many women in real life and women in the celebrity world who mask disordered eating with (what I see as) extreme “healthy lifestyle” diets. CoughGwynethPaltrowcough.
Photos courtesy of Instagram, The Blonde Vegan blog.
sad. “coughGoopcough” is right.
And Stacy Keibler….
No. Stacy is talking a big game about her diet right now because that’s what she’s got going on. EAting healthy for pregnancy. She doesn’t appear to take it to that extreme though. More like she’s a tryharder gisele
Goop is a great example though.
But they both only proclaim “healthy diet” because they actually are just trying to stay thin. I don’t beleive for one moment that either Goop or Kiebler are truly interested in maintaing their health. Kiebler has implants and that’s not healthy. Goop gets regular colonics and has been known to get skeletal skinny. That’s not healthy. You both just wanna be skinny – even when you’re pregnant. Admit it!
I’m not suprised. If you read a lot of vegan recipe blogs nearly ALL of them have had anorexia, bulemia or some sort of disordered eating in the past. For some, going vegan helped them to get back on track but for most, it just seems like a new way to control their bodies, their weight, their sense of self worth etc.
I’m not knocking veganism. I’m not one but I do try a lot of recipes because of my dairy intolerances. I stopped reading the blogs after making the above observation and just knick recipes when necessary.
I think most of these bloggers (vegan or not) have eating disorders.
Serioulsly, except if you’re a cook, you should’nt spend that much time thinking about food.
I have a food blog that I run just for fun. I don’t have an eating disorder. So let’s not generalize. Cooking is something that I enjoy and it’s a creative outlet for me after the daily drudge of my highly scientific field.
ETA: I also write posts about restaurants that we go to because we love having a new food adventures. We love to try new things. It’s what we enjoy so don’t get all judgey.
I agree with Steph. I have a food blog. I love food. I love to cook and bake. My blog is just a place for me to share my recipes (and sometimes cooking mishaps) with my friends. I found a t-shirt once that said “There’s a 99.9% chance I’m hungry.” My boyfriend laughed and said I’m not that bad, but there IS a 99.9% chance I’m thinking about food. Which is very true.
There are periods during the year when I eat vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan. I just base these decisions on how my body feels and is telling me what it needs. Now that I’m 51, I think a lot about food and what is going in my body. It’s not obsessive, it’s health. When I was 25, I could go to Burger King and eat a whopper, a chicken sandwich, large fries and a shake and did almost every day and still only weighed 96 pounds and thought I was healthy. I can’t do that anymore, nor do I have the desire to do so. I love reading food blogs to see what other people are trying/making.
I think a lot of us are cooks, no? Maybe we don’t get paid for it, but we all have to eat. I’m being bombarded with advertising and aisles of products, not to mention all sorts of delicious smells from restaurants and goodies brought to work on a daily basis. I cook to avoid those temptations in my everday life. The relative scarcity of affordable meat, fish, and poultry that is responsibly sourced and doesn’t go through some sketchy processing plant is what led me to a mostly vegetarian diet. I love fish, but as the waters become more polluted and more of the wild caught fish is exported, it makes it cost prohibitive to eat it every day. So I’m mostly meatless, and it does take more time, effort, and thought to eat a balanced diet and make good tasting food. I have thought about juicing, but a lot of the recipes are high in sugar and I’d rather just have solid food.
I disagree that most vegan/vegetarian/etc. food bloggers have eating disorders.
There is a big movement, which I support, of Americans taking a break from processed food and investing more time in quality ingredients and preparation. I think this is a GREAT thing. If a person learns to make their own homemade spaghetti sauce, with far less sugar and chemicals than store bought, and decides they want to share their discovery/accomplishment with people of similar interests, why not? If a person stops eating as much meat/sugar/dairy/etc. and it changes theif life for the better, why shouldn’t they share it with people?
When processed food first came out, it was seen as the godsend that would allow women to have a career and still feed their families. Now people are taking a step back and realizing that processed food is harmful. No need to shame people who are trying to live a healthier life, especially with such extreme blanket statement about eating disorders.
@Rae. Since you mentioned that you like to share recipes, take a look at the CopyMeThat Web site. You can copy any recipe on the Web just by clicking a button and store it in your online recipe box. Plus you can share any recipe with any other active user (or visitor) to the site. You can modify the recipe to your taste or upload new ones from scratch too. It’s really cool!
I genuinly don’t get the need to have a BLOG at all. What makes u want to write down for all to see every little decision u make in your daily life?? It strikes as so ridiculous – first she puts lots of effort to promote her specific lifestyle (why??) then she puts lots of effort to explain the reasons she changed it (why??) then it gets all dramatic because some other strange people care about it and write mean things to her! :))) That’s what I call mental disorder in the first place. Like, eat whatever u choose, who cares! Why not keep your life to yourself? This is all just really funny.
I suppose you’re on Facebook….I read a lot of blogs, this one included, that aren’t about writing down “did new scrapbook today!” or “my dog did the cutest thing”. They are educated and interesting opinion pieces about current events, social trends, culture, history, whatever. Perhaps her blog has helped her work out the eating issues she was struggling with and wanted her readers to know that it’s very easy to fall into the trap of eating disorders. I should know, my sister died of them.
So don’t paint every blog with the same brush, it’s called sharing knowledge.
I agree Lana, and something about blogging about ones daily life seems narcissistic to me.
I can’t speak for all bloggers, of course, but it’s just fun. It’s not to share every single thing I do. I only post about food and cooking and restaurants. I like to share my food finds with people. It also serves as a recipe library for myself. I Think that’s why people do it. It’s fun, interactive, and sort of social. I’m sure there is something you like doing that would make me say “I don’t get it”.
Sometimes food / recipe/ fitness blogs are helpful. I run out of ideas on what to cook, eat, and like to try new things. I have learned both good and bad from the blogs — some really good ideas on working out or trying a new food.
maybe for some of u guys it’s an innocent time killing, but as i see it, when u write so much about yourself, it just naturally promotes narcissism and obsession. I notice it on myself as well – this itching desire to share some hot picture of yourself on fb etc – the longer u r online the crazier u get)).
ps. The blogs that dont have to do with self-promotion and self-glorification are innocent enough i guess
Blogging is a way for these women to get all of the accolades and compliments needed to feed their egos daily. These women are in their 40’s and older yet they do not feel secure enough to go a day without the ego boost.
GOMI-get off my internets is a fave site of mine. they snark on a lot of bloggers and their need for validation.
I read a lot of DIY/Decorating blogs. I actually hate read. Anyway they have all these fan girls who compliment them on anything. These crazy bit*** post selfies constantly, talk about their struggle to keep the house clean while their maid is on vacation, and spray paint junk from thrift stores.
@Lana – I agree. For the most part, it seems like social media is just here to fuel narcissistic behaviors. There have even been psychology studies that have backed this up. I understand personal blogs with a defined purpose that allow people to form a community such as dealing with health issues, working through a divorce, blogging your travel experiences in a different country, but everyday personal blogging just seems weird.
I have an exercise blog! But I’m not on Facebook. I found FB to be a fake community. I had people on there I thought I was genuinely friends with, those I’d sometimes hang out with. Guess what? When they could no longer communicate through “likes” or short comments, they disappeared.
Blogging is just sharing in a way that’s less sound-bitey, and unless you’re a pro blogger, it’s smaller & more personal.
I’ve never blogged, but there are plenty of great blogs that I enjoy reading. I’m more into writerly/essay type blogs but do dabble in the beauty/lifestyle blogs on occasion, which are a minefield. I agree there are also some terrible, awful blogs, from the banal to the cash cow beauty/lifestyle bloggers who are just shills. It’s a fine line, but the more sort of “branded” a blog becomes the more it turns me off. I don’t think it’s fair to tarnish them all with the same brush, though I tend to agree food bloggers are often really the worst culprits of a sort of banal “Eat Pray Love my life is so pretty and everything tastes divine” yawn-dom.
I’ve never read this Blonde Vegan because tbh it’s the kind of thing I would avoid, but good on her for being honest, maybe now her blog will attract people who are interested in something besides being smug vegans (I kid – I was a veggie for yrs). Seriously though good for her for finding the strength to be honest when she has such an established brand, I totally believe that the GOOP style extreme diets are a gateway drug for many recovering eating disordered people, or as is the case here can lead to problems themselves with their extreme restrictiveness.
@kcarp I discovered GOMI recently, mainly because I was sort of boggling at the popularity of certain tedious (to me) blogs, it is indeed a snarky haven for people who like reading good blogs/can’t bear the cr*p ones!
Why are you so judgey with blogs? I also have my own blog where I share my thoughts on politics, news and world events. It’s an avenue to exercise my creativity and solidfy my opinions.
I just like to have a venue to document my thoughts on current events.
I also used to have a blog to document portrayal of women in resistance movements which was pretty cool (it was an anthropology blog you can say).
Blogs are just another form of journaling or keeping a diary. From what I understand, some weight loss organisations even recommend keeping a food journal to keep track of what you eat. That strikes me as a little excessive, but whatever works.
One of my friends is into a blog called 100 Days of Real Food. It stated as a woman trying to get processed food out of her family’s diet, so she set a goal of 100 days and chronicled her recipes, challenges, etc. After she hit 100 days, she kept going. It is a good resource for families who are short on time and cash but still want to feed their kids and themselves quality unprocessed whole food.
I don’t see blogs as being about an ego boost AT ALL. It is a way for like-minded people to come together and share information!
If you don’t think a blog is an ego boost you aren’t seeing or reading ones I see. Lots of bloggers rival Kardashians in the amount of selfies they take.
The diy blogs are so sponsored you can’t believe anything they say about a product. They will have the dumbest tutorials. –when painting a chair you will definitely want to use a drop cloth to catch any paint overage. Then the fan girls will comment. Omg thanks u are so smart who would ever think to use a dropcloth.
For real there is a whole blog world out there with internet fame whores.
The same thing that made you want to make a blanket comment about bloggers you don’t know and have never met having mental disorders. You do realize you’re reading and leaving unsolicited comments…. On a blog… Right? If blogging is a mental disorder, what then, do you call that?
FTR, I find the comment section on any blog far more disturbing than any subject material on a blog itself. If judging, dissecting and ripping complete strangers to shreds based on half truths & assumptions isn’t a mental disorder I don’t know what is. At least, for the most part, blogging isn’t done with the intention of hurting someone else.
The same thing that made you want to make a blanket comment about bloggers you don’t know and have never met having mental disorders. You do realize you’re reading and leaving unsolicited comments…. On a blog… Right? If blogging is a mental disorder, what then, do you call that?
FTR, I find the comment section on any blog far more disturbing than any subject material on a blog itself. If judging, dissecting and ripping complete strangers to shreds based on half truths & assumptions isn’t a mental disorder I don’t know what is. At least, for the most part, blogging isn’t done with the intention of hurting someone else.
The same thing that made you want to make a blanket comment about bloggers you don’t know and have never met having mental disorders. You do realize you’re reading and leaving unsolicited comments…. On a blog… Right? If blogging is a mental disorder, what then, do you call that?
FTR, I find the comment section on any blog far more disturbing than any subject material on a blog itself. If judging, dissecting and ripping complete strangers to shreds based on half truths & assumptions isn’t a mental disorder I don’t know what is. At least, for the most part, blogging isn’t done with the intention of hurting someone else.
@Steph I don’t know you (so I don’t know if you have or have not an eating disorder) or your blog. I don’t know how often you update it, but I stand by my opinion about those cooking/lifestyle blogs that are way too much time consuming to be honest (at least in my eyes). That’s not being “judgey”, that’s having an opinion, deal with it 😉
Maybe it’s not being judgey but it certainly is generalizing which is wrong whether we are talking about bloggers or cultures or anything else. To say someone has an eating disorder just because they like to blog about cooking is pretty low and immature.
I read this blog daily and I usually like what you have to say, Ivy. So much respect was just lost. That’s my opinion of you. So you can deal with that, too.
Well, on the flip side Steph, I totally *get* food blogs and really appreciate all the work bloggers put into them. It’s so nice to be able to go online and get some new ideas rather than have to go out and buy a cookbook. I’m a ‘live to eat’ kinda gal and I can spend hours browsing through online recipes, not because I have disordered eating, but because I’m passionate about food. Keep up the good work!
I really like food and travel blogs Steph. Some blogs can be a bit self obsessed, but if people are writing about something specific then blogs can be great. I use travel blogs a lot as a reference for work and they’re often fascinating.
Ivy, if you don’t like food blogs, don’t read them. It’s really, really easy not to.
Lady
I know someone that 2 years ago ate dairy, meats, eggs, etc… Then they developed a fixation on weiht and quite suddenly they had a gluten and dairy allergy. Another friend that does have a severe gluten allergy had a meltdown over this when the person unknowingly ate gluten and was completely fine.
Eating healthy is so great! Just don’t take it to that extreme!
You are right, Florc. That’s it in a nutshell. Moderation in all things. If you truly have food allergies, then deal with them accordingly, but beware of jumping on every gluten, dairy, whatever allergy train that happens to be popularly blowing through. Certainly if you have a propensity towards having an eating disorder, becoming a vegan is a convenient way of masking what you are doing. I do not have an eating disorder, but I have an addictive personality. In the past I found my self in the midst of dieting, start obsessing over food. I’ve seen it happen with friends too (who do not have an addictive personality)– begin to take a diet too far. It is a very easy trap to fall into. You kind of have to be obsessive about a diet in the beginning to be successful, but you have to back off at a certain point to find moderation, or it goes too far.
I think it is commendable that this woman has come out and shared her experience. We have seen this kind of behavior in celebs such as Goop, so we can all testify to the truth of it. My concern with some of the hard core vegans that I know, is that they are raising their children vegan. This particular family I am referring to all look pale, haggard, sickly, and grossly underweight. I’m not saying this is the case with all vegans, but it is so easy to slip over into obsession…
I have no opinion on blogs. I don’t read any, and don’t write any. I don’t use facebook. I’m guessing the world is really not interested in my thoughts. I guess I’m forcing you guys to hear them though, so there’s that.
FLORC so glad you mentioned the fake allergy/intolerance. My son really did have food allergies – the testing alone cost thousands of dollars – and we were always running into people who were never tested but just “knew.” So they would claim to have nut allergies but then eat muffins with nut toppings, or claim to be allergic to dairy but eat grilled cheese. We could always spot the fakers, who make it so much harder for the people who really do suffer from intolerances & allergies.
The gluten thing is a mystery to me. A lot of people who avoid it don’t even know what it is. In one study subjects rotated their diets (without knowing which was which) and it made no difference if they ate gluten or not.
I’ve known several girls who used “health” as an excuse to severely limit their food choices and make every meal torture. The end game is not “health” that’s for sure. I admire this woman for changing her eating habits – although it would have been easier to take her blog down than get death threats!
I don’t see anything wrong with cutting things out of your diet if you choose, but when you make up allergies while doing it, its just a way to get attention. Just own it for god’s sake.
I try to stay away from dairy because I don’t want to eat it. Its really that simple. I’m a little lactose intolerant if I eat too much, but nothing major. I just don’t want it most of the time, I personally don’t feel its good for you. But I don’t make things up as to reasons why. And I couldn’t give a shit if other people want it. It just bugs me when people say they can’t eat something for phony reasons.
And FTR – I sometimes indulge in ice cream because, well, ice cream.
I’m medium lactose intolerant. Cheese is ok. Milk and ice cream will give me an upset stomach. Half n half will put me in the bathroom for an hour or so. Heavy cream or milkshakes-hours of agony. But I still have milkshakes sometimes, because…what is a life without milkshakes?
The red flag went up when she said that she was doing 10-day juicing clenses! Unless you’re being supervised by a nutritionist, this sounds irresponsible. I hate it when people conclude that veganism is unhealthy because they themselves made irresponsible (read: DANGEROUS) dietary choices, almost as much as I hate these radical vegan loonies who give the rest of us a bad name.
I’d also like to add that she probably got her period back after having eaten the fish because it was the first real fat that she permitted herself to have in a long time. I hope she’s doing better.
@Kcarp See, I’ve checked out GOMI and to me, those users seem as pathetic as the bloggers they’re making fun of. How sad does your life have to be to spend hours micro-analyzing the ins and outs of some nobody blogger?
Sometimes I feel that way about celeb gossip too, but that’s a little more understandable because at least most celebs are somewhat attractive.
A lot of the big ‘vegan’ recipe blogs aren’t written by actual vegans. These bloggers still buy leather and silk products, use beauty products and toiletries that are tested on animals and contain animal products etc. Many of them don’t go further than avoiding the really obvious stuff eg. milk, so they’ll regularly mess up and recommend a product with gelatine for instance. Their diets are nothing like an actual vegans diet, because along with animal products they cut out gluten or carbs or sugar as well. It’s annoying that they get lumped together with actual vegans when really they’re just slowly ditching all major food groups and replacing them with Luna bars and crap like that.
thank you
i hate the way people throw the word vegan around and clearly dont know what it means
I don’t follow blogs but I think that orthorexia is a problem that is very easily masked by the big focus on healthy eating that saturates public discourse. Sadly, I know a few people who have used vegetarianism to mask their easting disorders. It is just important to remember, that an eating disorder is very much a psychological problem that manifests in relation to food.
If you need to knick a recipe, you should download the CopyMeThat app from its web site. You can copy any recipe on the Web with a click of a button. So handy!
So those extreme vegans don’t want animals to die but they have no problem threatening a human life? Lol, that’s awesome. Good for this girl, I’ve never heard of her, but it sounds like she’s on the right track to getting healthy again.
+10
Some people are absolutely ridiculous!
that’s very akin to anti-abortion “activists” who want to kill doctors to defend life.
Took the words out of my mouth! Extremism is extremism, no matter what your intenions may have been.
For the record… Pro choice.
You are oversimplifying a very complex issue. Your association doesn’t hold up.
The Fundie Vegans/Animal Rights types are pretty much all hypocrites. PETA puts more animals to sleep a year than most kill animal shelters. And while she bellows her self righteous BS about being vegan ect one of their execs is an insulin depended diabetic…last I checked that shite was made from pig pancreas.
Then again people who are ‘fundamentalist’ in anything are usually huge ass hypocrites in general be it religious or this crap.
Unfortunately if you are insulin dependent there isn’t much you can about it being vegan or not it is what it is. No artificial pancreases coming this way yet.
It’s more than likely recombinant insulin, not purified from pancreata.
Ouch. That shite keeps my husband alive thankyouverymuch. A little bit of sensitivity would not hurt you.
I’m pointing out that if the woman was such a valiant believer in animal rights – to the point of being opposed to pig implants because of the ‘animal cruelty’ and that medical testing on animals is so darned horrible then why does she in particular choose to take her insulin. Banting & Best killed a shit ton of dogs figuring that shit out.
Not calling out all diabetics. Just the PETA hypocrites
Agree Jess. And I hate that there are people out there that care more about the rights of animals than they do about the rights of babies/children. I have personally witnessed this.
Why would you hate the fact that some people care more about animals?
The truth is that the vast majority of humans care mainly about furthering the human race and protecting our own interests–it’s pretty self-serving (and pretty logical) if you think about it.
Personally I find it heart-warming that there are people who care so deeply for living things that can’t give them anything material, can’t grant them political favors or offer them positions of power, or honor them with awards for their good deeds. Animals can’t really offer anything in return for human’s help other than unconditional love.
The truth is that people have a vested, inherent interest in taking care of one another, not so much when it comes to animals.
Finally, you really shouldn’t waste time being upset at people for caring about something more than you do-that seems really backwards to me.
Nice post, O’Kitt.
You do know it’s not mutually exclusive, right?
I believe every life has value, human or otherwise. I don’t believe animals are BETTER than humans, but I also don’t believe I have the right to exploit or kill or harm anyone or anything for my own personal gain.
Do you really think the world needs LESS people like that? People who value the world around them, and empathize with others’ pain, and choose non-violence, and are careful about making selfish choices? Because I’m pretty sure it’s the opposite mentality that’s causing the majority of the world’s problems.
Agree, OKitten. I also don’t get it when say, people get together to save a beached whale and there are always people screaming why don’t they get upset over human lives?!? One doesn’t preclude the other.
Good post Orig. Kitty.
@OriginalKitten
Helping babies/children/people in need is in no way less altruistic than helping animals as you implied. I get no material benefit, honors, political favor (?), or anything else for my charity work. I can assure you my “vested interest” lies more in Netflix marathons and chocolate than propagating the human race. What seems “backwards” to me is when people combat judgment with even more judgment-under the guise of being openminded.
@vilebody-Whoa, girl. You took my comment WAY too personally and you missed my point entirely.
My comment was simply to say that people caring is a good thing, whether it be caring for animals or caring for humans.
There was no judgment in my comment, simply facts. Judgment would be me saying that humans are only motivated to help others by the promise of accolades or awards and I said nothing of the sort. I used that context simply to emphasize that on an anthropological level, within the act of humans helping other humans, lies an inherent and basic obligation to sustain our species. It’s way more biological and much less emotional than you make it out to be. This biological need does not exist between animals and humans, however.
It doesn’t have to be a contest of which is the more noble endeavor. I was simply saying that it seems bizarre to be angry towards people who care for living things that need our help, simply because they are not the same species as us. We’re all sharing the planet together, after all.
@vilebody. I don’t think O’Kitt intended judgement at people who want to perpetuate, or otherwise help the human race. Her point was that there is a natural, biological imperative, to continue the species, which there is truth in. I think helping other people is altruistic, especially those with no familiar, cultural, geographic, or race lines. At the same time, you can care deeply about other living beings, who don’t benefit the species directly.
If everyone was unilaterally behind the same causes it would leave some without advocates. Isn’t there a place for many different passions with big open hearts? I think that was probably the larger point.
You, TheOriginalKitten, have won the Internet today 😀 !
Plus 500 Kitten. Plus 500.
The Original Kitten is right!!!!!!
Plus a zillion, OKitt.
That people care about animals is a great thing, and I’m glad for it. But our values are skewed when people value animal life more than human life.
@Zwella Ingrid, That depends on the word ‘value’ and ‘values’ and whether one group of sentient beings trump another group. If so, why? Because they are the same? That is something to contemplate. The obvious imbalances, extremism or immaturity behind the death threats in this case shouldn’t preclude a thinking person from evaluating that.
Even those which don’t fall under sentient beings. For example, bees. Their value, in some aspects, is greater than human kind, for without them, there is a loss of pollinators, a loss of food, which benefits not only humans, but a host of other plants, animals and insects.
After spending my entire adult life advocating for animals (through money and/or volunteering), I’ve noticed a definite pattern to those who want to argue about my “priorities” (meaning don’t put animals before humans). This is what they all have in common – they do not contribute money or time to ANY charities. So they contribute absolutely nothing to their fellow humans, yet want to dictate to me how I spend my own time and money.
Don’t assume that those who are passionate about animal rights care nothing about humans. I’ve always contributed to my local food bank, homeless shelter, and to St. Judes, along with my animal charities. Also, I’m a nurse. Yes, I get paid to take care of people, but I chose a field of caring for humans when it was a whole lot more enticing to go into the much higher paid business field.
those aren’t vegans or animal activists, those are idiots.
Death threats are always about bullying someone into silence because you don’t want their message to get out.
It’s also the mark of the person who can’t frame an intelligent argument about the thing they believe.
Kudos to this young woman who took steps to get healthy and came out about it. There is so many aspects in our lives that can become cult like. Not only diets but also exercise regimems such as crossfit. I think that there are many people who have obsessive disorders that border on fanatism. Just look at the political climate and the religious fanaticism that is in our country. I am glad that this woman broke free.
I hear you about Crossfit.
I don’t want to start a flame war, but does anybody here actually do Crossfit? I’m an avid exerciser and am constantly changing it up, but Crossfit seems fairly insane to me. As in, massive potential for injury insane.
You didn’t start the fire..
Lol blue marie, I’m going to pretend I didn’t read that.
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
Crossfit scares me. God bless anyone that can do it but it just seems like a lot to me. I went on my Facebook page for the first time in about a year over the weekend and 2 of my college roommates had pics of themselves doing it. Again, if you can do it, then no judgement from me, I just don’t think I could.
I’ve never tried it only because I’ve heard from several people that those who feverishly participate in Crossfit are cult-like in their obsession.
Weird because I’ve never heard that said about any other exercise regimen.
eh – I’ve never tried it, but I have three friends who “dabble” – so it is possible to go without becoming consumed.
(Also, while I love those three friends dearly, I wouldn’t consider them exercise fanatics. More like regular Joes who work out.)
I’ve a few friends who crossfit. It’s a big time commitment – more than I could handle it. They seem to really enjoy it, but it’s something you have to keep doing. One of them moved to another town for a year and quickly gained back the weight and then some. She was all about protein shakes and I think she was eating more on Crossfit, but didn’t curb it when she was somewhere else…
I saw Crossfit & Rhabdomyolysis mentioned together in the same sentence, and that was enough to turn me off. But perhaps I’m generalizing, in a thread full of sweeping generalizations.
I know a lady who did it obsessively and would regularly vomit in the middle of workouts. I’ve read a lot about people getting hurt doing it (like, to the point of having their kidneys shut down). I’m really intrigued but I’m so competitive I’m afraid I’d wind up hurting myself trying to keep up. I’ve heard Orange Theory fitness is really well liked, too.
I do Crossfit, and my husband is a coach. It’s not a cult, and those broad brush comments are hurtful. Sure, there are gyms who promote a more hardcore approach, but they tend to be owned by people who want to compete in the Games, and the people who join also probably want to compete. While they seem extreme to the average gym goer, that’s because it is extreme to the average gym goer. But to them, it’s a perfect fit and they are excited they found like minded people. Your average Crossfit gym is full of people in all different shapes and sizes and with different abilities, and coaches who care about your health and safety. If you have any competitive streak and are bored by solo workouts in the gym, Crossfit may be a good fit. Working out in a group setting with what is similar to personal training is enough to get you to try harder. Not always in a, I want to be better than her, but in a wow, I can’t believe I kept up with her and she’s badass! Your workout buddies cheer on new PRs, every person to finish the workout, and the new person who stuck it out but only finished part of the workout. If you don’t like working out in a group setting, then Crossfit isn’t for you. If you don’t like having the workout of the day (WOD) planned out for you, and having a set time to complete it, then Crossfit isn’t for you. If you don’t like feeling gassed by the end of your workout, then Crossfit isn’t for you. But if any of that is appealing, do some research and check out your local gym and give it a try.
Everyone I know who has done Crossfit has 1. become a Fundamentalist Crossfitter and 2. Had an injury. An elite American female runner missed most of her season this year because of injuries when she added Crossfit to her XT.
*I didn’t start the fire, but threw gasoline on it!
I tried it. In NYC there was one where you did 6 lesson classes & then had 3 weeks to take as many beginner classes as you wanted. This was for a slightly reduced price over a regular month.
I wanted to like it. Gym was chock full of dudes, and not the wimpy metrosexuals that fill up asthanga studios, but DUDE dudes. Unfortunately I hated it. And the power weight lifting moves they use… I was really conservative because I’ve got a lot of old sports injuries on my right side (hand & wrist included). I’ve been working out for years & have no problems doing zillions of push-ups & handstands, but I’m only familiar with lifting my own body weight so I was very careful. Even so. I strained up my right wrist in only two of the power lifting type of classes & it took about 3 months to get it back to normal.
It was also a very noisy gym. I hated it. I went to the six trainings, two of the beginner classes, noted the strain to the right wrist & that was that. Never went back.
You have to be really careful when choosing a Cross fit gym. There are many that are great, welcoming, and run by competent fitness pros… and some that are run by crazy people that want you to attend 5 days a week, go full Paleo, and dont understand proper form. But that’s the same with any fitness class: make sure you’re with someone that knows what they’re doing.
I will say one little thing though: it might be good to mix up Cross fit (which primarily works just the major muscle groups) with something like Pilates which also balances ou some of the other, smaller groups. Otherwise people tend to be prone to overuse injuries over time.
@tarheel wow, Fundamentalists? So people you know got excited that they were seeing progress, started talking about it a lot and taking steps throughout their life to see even more results, and now they are fundamentalists? got it. And yes, let’s pretend that professional athletes never get hurt while training. It’s their job to push themselves. Accidents happen, and the rate goes up with frequency. I also know plenty of people who get hurt training for a marathon, playing soccer, tennis, gymnastics etc. and I don’t call them crazy for sticking with it. I’m happy they found something they enjoy and just wish them well.
@Boodiba. Thank you for trying it for yourself. Power lifting is difficult to learn and even with great coaching, it might not ever come naturally. Add old injuries into the mix and it is not something to be attempted without significant monitoring. Unfortunately, there are crap trainers throughout the fitness industry, and when they end up in the Crossfit world they can cause a lot of damage. I hope your wrist healed up.
…..we’re still talking about an exercise class here right?
I have friends who do Crossfit, and the reason they love it is because it gets results. One friend raved about how they work with you during your first few classes to give you an individual strategy. Like, if you have a previous back injury, you are going to do these moves differently from the rest of the class, etc. She loved it because the way they mix up the routines gave her incredible results. She has had serious knee injuries in high school and college, multiple surgeries, etc. and Crossfit worked WITH her body to make it stronger and prevent future injuries by building up the supporting muscles.
I don’t think people are being extremists when they find a workout routine that really works for them and makes them happy. I don’t understand why people seem to find this threatening.
Hey Tiff 🙂 I don’t think the reference to “extremism” and “fundamentalism” has anything to with the workout itself but rather a reference to the people who are hardcore CF fanatics and the prevailing attitude of superiority. The CF slogan “Your workout is my warm up” is pretty condescending if you think about it.
Workout classes are kind of like religion to me–great that it works for you, but no need to shove it down my throat because what works for you might not work for me.
Oh, and obviously I’m not referring to the above posters–just something that I’ve heard about *some* hardcore CFers.
I think there is a lot of similarity to the discussions vegans/vegetarians have with meat eaters, in the way that CF’ers are discussed.
I think it is two pronged: sometimes people who do Crossfit are so excited they end up lecturing people about it, but then I also think there are people who hear someone speaking about themselves , and people hearing it take it as an insult or a condemnation of their lack of exercise, etc. Some people are overly aggressive, but some people also hear judgement when there is none.
*deleted*
I tried crossfit. It wasn’t for this 50 year old. I cross train, though – swimming, biking, running – because I do triathlons on occasion.
My stepson does crossfit and enjoys it immensely. My daughter has gotten into parkour lately.
Apparently there is an annual naked crossfit event in Denmark. I have a friend who crossfit and she agonized over whether she was to shy to go or not.
Just a little factoid to lighten to conversation.
TheOriginalKitten: In answer to your question,” …..we’re still talking about an exercise class here right?”
apparently so.
you’ll find me on the fence over here eating popcorn as i watch. 🙂
I know a girl who does crossfit. Her coach keeps her on a strict paleo diet, and she’s always complaining about ‘feeling like shit’ (every day) and she’s frequently injured (at least twice a month), especially after competitions. She doesn’t seem to notice the correlation, and I don’t want to say anything to her, because I know it’s helped her through hard times, but the way she does it at least is not healthy or safe.
I’m not vegan, but she says she restricted herself from foods that even fell under the vegan umbrella, so it’s difficult to say how healthy she might have been had she not been so restrictive, due to her own emotional issues. If she feels better with more dietary options, then I guess the structure and limitations of the diet were not good for her.
She noted on her blog that she has multiple food allergies, so even if she was vegan, large portions of the traditional vegan diet were off-limits to her anyway. I am the same way – I have a particularly nasty deadly nightshade allergy, which eliminates a sizable chunk of veggies from my diet. I’m a vegetarian, but veganism would likely not be possible for me at all.
I couldn’t be completely vegan because I know I don’t have the determination and commitment to adhere to something like that. It’s crazy how many things fall under the category of ‘nightshade’. I feel for you.
I gave up all nightshades about 7 months ago (and gluten long before that), and although there were various improvements in my health thereafter, the most obvious thing is that I no longer have “fat”, swollen legs. The water retention was horrendous before this change and I could never understand where it was coming from. Apparently, the nightshades were 99% of that particular problem. My legs actually look *slender* now, whereas before they were just really thick.
Good morning Kiddo, I love you. 😍
Okay back on track, I totally agree with you. I think with orthorexia it wouldn’t matter what diet regimen you were following; once you go down that wormhole the only certified organic apple you can eat has to come from a feng shui apple orchard.
feng shui apple orchard is a rad name for a band. I don’t know why I always think of band names, since I have no musical talent, but there it is.
I love you too.
My next band is going to be called Rad Kiddo.
Yeah, I don’t know why I said rad. Where the hell did that come from?
As long as you don’t drop a “totally tubular” you’re fine Kiddo. Now where did I leave my Electric Youth perfume. (I use it to cover the Teen Spirit smell)
@blue marie, Come as you are, as you were As I want you to be As a friend, as a friend As an old enemy
I had to look up the totally tubular. (Shame).
Jeez
What a weird world.
Disorders for everthing.
Word. This thread is exhausting.
For real, and I am not frequently exhausted on CB, even in the most complex of threads. Here, we have bloggers offended at non-bloggers for not liking blogs, Crossfit people offended at non-Crossfit people for not “approving” of Crossfit, volunteers pissed that other volunteers don’t volunteer for the same things. All of this and I am not even half way through!
Totally exhausting.
To be clear, the bloggers were offended at the non bloggers for calling it a mental disorder. It’s a little different. To be even more clear: I’m not a blogger. Don’t have the patience or discipline for it. But I do appreciate that whenever I don’t know the answer to something, all I have to do is google to find the answer. Some blogger, somewhere, usually has the answer.
I digress. I can’t with the weird turn this post has taken. Was interested in the business aspect of it all, and found it interesting the Celebitchy was covering it, but the comments killed any interest I might have had.
She looks radiant in that picture of her running, I hope she recovers well.
But hey, here’s a crazy idea; instead of sending criticism and death threats *FREAKINGDEATHTHREATS* to a person who was brave enough to confront her own demons and then *share* them with a huge community of followers, would it really be so radical to praise her instead?
*grumbles*
Stupid, ignorant, anonymous internet-morons…
/rant over.
+1
Exactly. Good on her for being honest. I tried going vegetarian but was always so hungry or weak needing to eat every couple of hours. Thinking about food all the time and gaining weight. Started eating fish and lean meats again and problem solved. Some if us truly need animal meat in our diet.
+126
+100000
These people (her former followers) give vegetarians and vegans a bad name. I used to tell people I was a vegetarian on occasion to avoid meat. I’ve always been extremely picky about meat and not eating it when going to parties/Restaurants was easier than saying yes and then not liking it. These days I sometimes make sure to say I’m not a vegetarian, I just very rarely feel like eating meat because with this vegan/raw food craze, people have become obnoxious and vegetarian/vegan has become synonymous with “militant a**hole”. There is so much animosity between vegetarians/vegans and meat eaters, it’s ridiculous. People need to calm down.
I’m glad she stopped before it got completely out of hand and even more glad that she decided to come clean. Food is such a personal thing. Live and let live.
I used to be a vegan and I remember once my sister saying how my being a vegan wasn’t making a difference because I wasn’t out protesting. I thought, why do I have to be out protesting? I can’t just live my life a certain way, make my own choices? I still try to avoid meat as much as possible but it’s hard because my family eats meat. I try to restrict us to one meat meal a week (I haven’t told them this, I just do it and so far no one has noticed it or complained…)
Stef, your way is absolutely the sensible balanced way. I wish more people thought like you. I’m all for a better environment but I read a book years ago detailing how the produce industry is just negligent and polluting to the environment as the livestock industry. We can all do little things to make a collective difference but when it comes to carnivore vs. vegetarian/vegan, I don’t think anyone has the right to claim one is wrong. Personally, I don’t care much for meat, but I find that when I include meat in my diet, it’s easier for me to keep weight off. However, raw fruits and veggies give me more energy. Just pay attention to your body and your conscience and do what makes you feel right, but respect others’ free will to do the same.
I couldn’t agree more. I’m not a vegetarian but I love vegetarian food. I also don’t like all kind of meat and I think that for meat (and fish) to be really yummy they need to have superior quality. For those reasons I avoid most of the times to eat meat out of home (and specially at the work canteen) because is really not worth it and makes me feeling unhappy most of the times. Just today I picked some Tofu and vegetables for lunch and the first comment of one of my co-workers was “are you on a diet?”. I had this conversation so many times in the last weeks and it’s impossible for some people to understand that actually vegetarian food might just be amazingly tasty for a lot of people (opposite to a lot of meat). I find that an equilibrated diet is the best for me, without forced restrictions. I think that in general people eat way more eat than they need and for health and moral reasons that is something I don’t want to support. Anyway, most of the times I don’t engage in that conversation either with vegans or with “convinced meat eaters” since it’s very difficult to control the animosity.
I’m glad she shared her experience and I think it’s great she could accept it and overcome it. I’ll probably follow her blog 🙂
Lol, you like vegetables?! YOU MUST BE ON A DIET. I think the current general mindset about food is skewed, regardless of how you eat.
I feel ya, minime! I love vegetarian food, but am not a vegetarian. Currently, I am eating a lot less sugar than I used to. The other day at work I had 3 people yelling at me to eat a cupcake! “EAT IT!!! It’s just one, your birthday was last week! EAT IT!!!”
I really didn’t want it, sugar is like crack to me, and I am off the addiction right now. It didn’t sound appetizing to me, and I didn’t understand why these people wanted me to eat the damn cupcake so badly. Sometimes I can’t believe how much other people care about what other people eat.
Something similar happened to me when I went off processed sugar, chocolate and dairy for a while in my early 20s to sort my sinuses (worked a treat). People adjusted to the soy milk handy enough, but you would swear that my being off sugar was *such* an inconvenience, despite them all getting hooked on carob drops.
@ Stef Leppard: Ha! Yes, that’s something I don’t understand. So someone avoids meat or even all animal products but it’s not enough. You need to be a frickin’ activist to count. Please.
@ minime: I get that as well. Are you on a diet? Ooohh, you’re one of THOSE people, the granola faction! Or the other way around: Oh but you eat dairy? That’s really unhealthy, do you even KNOW what’s in cow’s milk???
For the love of God. Yesterday it was Keibler telling pregnant women not to have a donut and today it’s militant vegans threatening a girl with an eating disorder. When did food become such a huge issue? Are we THAT bored? Eat whatever you want (in moderation if you can manage) and just be happy you even have access to food. Every choice beyond that is personal.
I’m with you, I rarely eat meat but I don’t let most people know that because there is such a stigma attached to it. It also has nothing to do with my morals over eating animals, I just started to find it gross a few years ago, but once a month right after “shark week” I devour a medium rare steak lol, my body craves it so I eat it! You’ll never find me lecturing people over their food choices, it’s ridiculous.
OMG – my teenager started calling her…special time …Shark Week! I thought it was the funniest thing, ever! Where did you hear that? I thought it was something she had made up. Shark Week has a totally different meaning to me now – can’t see a shark without thinking of a tampon!
I’m not vegan, but I thought it was misleading for her to say that her problems could have been caused by veganism. I think she was just speaking off the cuff, and what she (or her friend) really meant was that that kind of restrictive diet is a breeding ground for an eating disorder. But you could say that about paleo! Eat strictly paleo, but not enough, etc. But I know people are going to jump on that.
She wasn’t vegan. I have lots of vegan friends, including an elite athlete, and I myself am a long-distance runner and a vegetarian. What the Blonde Vegan was was a woman with an ED making believe she was vegan. Veganism is a healthy lifestyle. Eating fish didn’t make her healthy again, eating healthy did.
Also, being vegan isn’t the same thing as raw eating.
I recommend runner and sports nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald’s book “Diet Cults,” which talks about this and so much more.
No, that’s the “No True Scotsman” fallacy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman
Well, right. She was both a practicing vegan and a person battling an eating disorder — the latter doesn’t cancel out the former. Veganism is not a collective state of mind.
But isn’t that my point? Tarheel’s comment was a classic example of the fallacy – since she went back on veganism, deny she was ever vegan to begin with. Which is logically ridiculous. Of course she was eating a vegan diet. We don’t say that conventional anorexics were “not omnivores, but anorexics.” Of course they’re both.
Well, no, it isn’t a classic example of that. I am quite aware of the “No True Scotsman” fallacy, and that wasn’t it. What I said was true. She has an ED, and would have destroyed her health no matter what her diet was.
Tarheel, you’re really not getting it. The fallacy pre-supposes that anyone who behaves in a way contrary to a pre-set idea of behavior is excluded from the definition of that behavior, making it seem more virtuous than it is.
Did she adhere to the rules of the vegan diet? Yes? Then she was vegan. Would you say that somebody with an ED who ate meat was “not a omnivore?” Somehow, I doubt it. One could consume nothing but potato chips and Coke and be very much vegan. Healthy? No. Smart? No. But vegan? Yes. You undercut your own credibility by trying to argue she wasn’t vegan.
And nobody is arguing she did not have an ED. She obviously did. But she was a vegan with an ED. Just like my friend who recovered from anorexia was an Omnivore with an ED.
Your point was “She wasn’t vegan.”
Or more detailed: I know healthy vegans so this unhealthy person IS NOT A VEGAN.
So yeah, it’s a classic example of “No true Scotsman” fallacy.
A person who is abstaining from the use of animal products (in diet) is a vegan. In this case a vegan suffering from an eating disorder, but still a vegan.
Maybe she would have suffered from an ED no matter what her Diet was, but:
1. That wasn’t the point
2. Nobody can say that for sure
Does that mean that veganism is wrong? No
Does that mean that veganism was wrong for this Blogger? Apparently
This is the first time I’ve heard this term, and it’s tickling my Scottish funnybone.
Oh no I was actually totally agreeing with you, Sam (I’m the worst at commenting clearly!) What I meant was that I think you’re right: as veganism is a practice, I don’t believe a person’s intent or motivation behind living a vegan lifestyle (unconscious or not — that’s not to say she jumped into veganism to deliberately nurse an ED) has any bearing on whether he or she can be considered an actual vegan. She was a vegan, full stop. So basically everything you said, but a million times less articulately.
THANK YOU.
My thoughts, exactly. There are many healthy vegans, some of whom are professional athletes.
I know super healthy vegans and really unhealthy ones. I also know super healthy paleos and unhealthy ones. I know super healthy omnivores and unhealthy ones. What I got from Jordan’s blog is that she was WAS initially a fairly healthy eating vegan. But somewhere along the way she began to further limit herself and developed an eating disorder. Just the very act of eating an entirely plant based diet was a trigger for her ED, so she needed to take a step back from a diet that is already somewhat limiting and change her eating patterns. That is what she needed to do for her. It’s not wrong, it was her decision and it was a decision that was right for her. She didn’t feel better because she ate salmon, per se, but because she probably got the omega 3 fatty acids that she was lacking because she limited herself out of the plant based omegas.
She refused to eat products coming from Animals? She was a vegan! Now she is’n anymore.
She never said that you can’t be a vegan and be fit and healthy.
All she said is that it didn’t worked for her, she makes that very clear in her essay:
“Vegan diets can absolutely work if you’re eating a balanced diet. One example, my friend Katie has been vegan for 12 years and lives an extremely healthy lifestyle. She is balanced, and has not experienced the restrictive aspects of the diet like I did. I know countless other people who thrive off of a plant-based diet. I did, for quite some time. And I absolutely respect anyone who chooses that lifestyle. I still think it’s amazing. But sometimes, in some bodies, things change and we have to pay attention to that.
That’s the point… we are all different!”
Yeah I didn’t take away from the article that veganism is “bad”, more that her orthorexia was a huge problem. Health comes in all forms! Check out Marni Sumbal, 8x Ironman finisher and a devout vegetarian. She’s a registered dietician to boot and has an awesome blog.
But she wasn’t a “real” vegan, that’s the point. She had an ED. She admits she didn’t eat a proper vegan diet. She would ahve had the same results if she had claimed she was Paleo, was on WW, a junk-food addict, or whatever. She used the cover of “being a vegan” to hide her ED.
“But she wasn’t a “real” vegan, that’s the point.”
Well, it’s an absurd point.
If you refuse to use/eat anything coming from animals, you’re a vegan.
If you obsess about healthy vegan food the way Jordan did, you’re a vegan with an ED.
Doesn’t mean she’s no true vegan, whatever that’s supposed to mean.
Tarheel, that’s another fallacy. There is no defined “proper” vegan diet. There are only diets that adhere to the rules of vegan eating – which is a diet devoid of animal products. If you ate nothing but Coke and french fries, guess what? You’re vegan. You’ll be a miserable unhealthy piece of work, but you are a vegan. Full stop. People who bloviate about “proper” vegan diets are the ones who are usually trying to shield veganism from any critque. Can a vegan diet be super-healthy? Sure can. But it can also be unhealthy. There is nothing magical or superhuman about it. The healthiest vegans are the ones who tend to load their diets with fresh fruits, veggies, healthy fats and whole grains. But are they the only vegans out there? Hell no. Vegan junk food is a cottage industry, for crying out loud. Read a lot of vegan blogs and you’ll eventually see a post rhaspodizing over some “super-cheesy” or super-sugary junk concoction. Vegans are people too, and they love their junk same as anyone else.
@ tarheel: Your argument is not “She’s not a vegan.”, your argument is “She did it wrong.” Well, yes and no. She ate an unhealthy (albeit vegan) diet. There is no diet in the world that cannot be unhealthy if you a) cut out enough food groups or b) take it to an extreme in general.
Vegan does not equal healthy. You can be healthy or unhealthy on any diet.
So basically, what Sam said. 🙂
Death threats because someone decides to have a piece of fish (and be honest about it). Nothing quite like extremists to get me going in the morning.
Good for Younger for listening to her body and doing what she felt was right for her health.
People issue death threats if the wind changes course. One thing it tells me is that there is a heaping load of immaturity and mental imbalance in our culture.
Good for her for coming clean. What a crazy world we live in where she would get death threats over what she eats.
Petty point – I’m blonde, naturally and with some highlights. I think it’s weird when women identify so strongly with their hair color. The balanced blonde. The blonde vegan. I’m not sure why it irritates me.
You MUST change your name at once: GoodNamesAllTakenfromthenaturalblondewithhighlights
I see no way around it. GNATFTNBWH is your new acronym. Now it will take a half hour just to respond to you.
Lmao Rad Kiddo.
Lol kiddo!
My name is already too long, but thanks for making me laugh, you crazy Kiddo.
LOL!
That reminds me of something I read in Tina Fey’s book- how she made it a point to change the word “blonde” to “yellow,” whenever reading her daughter a story, because she didn’t like how this extraneous adjective seemed to imply something special, or better, than the regular color words all the other hair colors get. 🙂
I loved that part of the book- and in an episode of Parks & Rec, Amy Poehler’s character describes herself as yellow haired.
I agree that it’s odd, IMO, to have that be such a part of your identity.
I don’t get why people are so fanatical about what others put in their stomach. Everyone can make their own choices. Sheesh.
I’m a brunette and I thought the same thing.
I see a name change in your future, too.
I have not read her blog but I will now out of curiosity. I have been following some vegan vloggers and bloggers recently. I have changed my diet in past couple months to a vegetarian one, high on fruit, with very minimal dairy and seafood and largely raw, to help resolve health issues and lose some weight, as well as eating animals has just not sat well with me lately mentally. I had been a vegetarian for many years when I was younger in my 20s but actually reintroduced moderate amounts of meat because it maintained my weight better for me. While I think veganism is an amazing lifestyle and can have great health benefits, I have noticed that there is a lot of judgement, “fighting” and striving for perfection in the community. I also noticed many of the women admit to coming from an eating disorder background before becoming vegan. So her story and backlash is not surprising to me at all. It does seem like many people obsess about their food choices and truly dominates their life. I think it’s awesome to stay healthy and protect animals and environment, but it is shocking some of the negativity I have seen in the community.
She talked to a doctor. She talked to a nutritionist. She wasn’t getting her period. For those militant vegans to come after her for making a well-informed health decision is what gives vegans a bad name. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Hopefully she continues on the path to wellness and good health.
I know a lot of vegans irl who are healthy and do not have disordered eating, but so many I see online and meet casually, or people who do the “omg clean eating! it must all be clean!” or even paleo path strike me as having or being heading towards a disordered eating situation, esp when they start getting super unhealthy but think it’s a good thing (said the person who is in no way a medical professional).
A long, long time ago, I read this about addiction: If you create rules about your behaviour, you have a problem.
At the time I thought that was a bit of an overreach, but now it rings true. If your behaviour is so out of control that you have to constantly self limit or have elaborate rules around eating, drinking, working out – anything… it really is a problem.
So simple but so true. Thank you for sharing, I think I needed to hear those words.
Absolutely. Having elaborate rules and rituals for everyday actions is basically OCD in a nutshell.
I can see that happening to someone. When you first start a new diet or new way of eating (as a life change, as I did) and you see results, some people will take it to the next level. I did that, not to this extreme, but I still have to catch myself from going off on tangents about running, diet, etc. to my friends and family. Its not as exciting to others as it is to me. And I also have to give myself permission to take days off if I need it. I haven’t run since Friday because I was getting some, ahem, personal irritation…my friend who is a former hardcore runner had to convince me that I’m not going to put all the weight back on if I take a few days off to heal. I’m still feeling anxious though. I feel much better so I’ll be back on the road tomorrow. The point is, sometimes you need to have your body slap you back to reality. Hopefully you’re smart enough to recognize it when your body is trying to tell you something.
tl;dr – Obsessing over health and diet is very easy to do. I hope this girl has found the right balance for her and I wish her all the luck in the world.
I feel for her. I stopped having my period for three years when I was deep in my ED. Too bad it was so unhealthy because it was kind of nice not having my Monthly Visitor.
Anyway, I’m happy she has enough self-awareness to see that she had a problem. Good for her for taking control of the situation.
Oh, kitten. Three years is a long time. Hugs. It sounds totally wrong, but I am glad you got your period back. 🙂 It means you are healthier!
I do think the media has missed an important point – she wasn’t just vegan, she was RAW vegan. She is not the first person to fall to such a restrictive diet. Plenty of raw foodists have gone back on it. Hell, Even Ani Phyo (who wrote some of the most comprehensive raw foods books out there) eventually scaled it back, going from 100% raw to about 70-80% (last I heard).
So I guess the question is why this woman didn’t try to modify the vegan diet. Well, from what I gathered, she was never an ethical vegan, but a health-based vegan. It’s a lot harder for ethical vegans to give it up, since they believe that eating meat or dairy or eggs is a moral wrong. But if you’re health-based, it can be easier, since there isn’t a moral question about consuming that stuff. The problem happens when the two come into conflict. An ethical vegan would have probably fought to maintain the diet (if you want to read about an ethical vegan with basically the same issues, read Bonzai Aphrodite). But this woman seemed more health-invested and less concerned with the ethics of the diet. That doesn’t make her wrong, btw. It just means she was a different type of vegan.
Matt Fitzgerald’s book “Diet Cults” has a great chapter about how harmful raw diets are. Our ancestors’ brains “exploded” and their development did as well when they started cooking their food. We aren’t bunnies, we are supposed to cook our food.
Eh, that’s a partial truth. SOME foods benefit from cooking – others do not. I’ve read the Fitzgerald book and while he makes some good points, he also ignores research that would undercut his thesis. That ain’t exactly good science. Whether you eat something raw should be determined by that particular food, not some pre-planned diet.
As an aside, too many vegetables are not good for wild rabbits. Their digestive systems can’t handle it. The healthiest meals for them include grasses and greens like clovers, etc.
+1 @Sam
I think it also has to do with the fact that she has an ED. The problem isn’t just that she was eating an unhealthy selection of foods. She has a mental health problem that makes her view food and likely her body in ways that aren’t rational and that wouldn’t make sense to someone who doesn’t have an ED. The seeds of it were probably there long before she became vegan.
So, while other vegans with unhealthy diets might be able to modify the way they eat to get the proper intake, she might not be able to cope with following a diet with any real restrictions, especially this early in her recovery.
I think that’s an important point. It’s easy to forget that EDs are classified as cognitive disorders – meaning, at their root, their about disordered thinking, not food. I think we’d be playing “chicken and the egg” to try to figure out if she had an ED first or if the diet pushed her into it.
But one thing I often dislike about vegans is that many of them insist “there is no medical reason to eat meat.” While that might be true on a physical level (although I’d argue that some people may have an actual physical need to consume meat), I think veganism might not be right for people with mental conditions as well. If somebody is prone to EDs or disordered eating behavior, veganism might be a diet that could trigger them into bad habits, and those people should avoid it. This blogger sounds like one such person, and I hope the backlash doesn’t push her back into the disordered behaviors.
I hope she’s ok. I have plenty of healthy vegan friends so I think she’s part of this “fear of food” culture that seems to be pervasive in EVERY diet, not just vegan.
There’s a book called Fear of Food: A History of Why We Worry about What We Eat. that I saw at my university bookstore a few months ago. It was on a really high shelf so I couldn’t flip through it (short women unite!), but I want to read it.
There used to be a Playboy centerfold archive (not on their actual site) and I started noticing in the mid-60s, this trend toward health food and exercising. One woman even said something like, her biggest turn off was lazy women who sit around and get fat! There were still women who said their favourite foods were ice cream sundaes, but a lot of them started talking about whole wheat toast and eggs for breakfast and that their ideal date was getting outdoors. So I think the attitude started to shift thereabouts, and then the low-fat craze of the 70s pushed it even further.
Not all vegans have eating disorders or are unhealthy. Not all people who have eating disorders or are unhealthy are vegan.
My personal observation is that some people who already have eating disorders or have the personality type where they are prone to developing an eating disorder take on diets under the guise of health, that way people won’t question why they aren’t eating pizza etc. I say this as someone who has been vegetarian for 16 years and vegan for 2. And trust me, I ain’t a skinny minny.
I would have preferred it if she said “I have an eating disorder” instead of “being vegan made me unhealthy.”
This exactly!
Thank you! You said it better than I did upthread.
“I would have preferred it if she said “I have an eating disorder” instead of “being vegan made me unhealthy.””
But she never said that being a vegan made her unhealthy and she openly admits to heaving an ED and getting help about it.
She never said that there was something wrong or unhealthy about veganism.
All she said is that it doesn’t work for her (anymore) and a non-vegan diet will help HER better on her way to a healthy life.
Just like many people she knows live a happy and healthy life as vegans.
She said “I realized that a lot of my health problems could be attributed to veganism” which I interpreted as “being a vegan made me unhealthy” but perhaps I’m just being defensive 🙂
I had an eating disorder for about 20 years. I still do obsess over food. I don’t use it as an excuse to not eat, though. The fact that I think about it so much is not good, for sure, but I don’t think it is a disorder at this point. I wear an American size 4 and eat at least 3 times a day, protein, veggies, some fruit. It’s a fine, dangerous line I think.
I’m in a recovery from an eating disorder, and I agree with what you’ve said. That being said, she’s only just started recovering, and I can excuse her mixing up “my eating disorder made me unhealthy and I used being vegan as a way of masking my eating disorder” with “veganism made me unhealthy.”
Sending death threats is simply despicable and although I respect those people who adopt a vegan lifestyle based on their compassion towards the animals, the environment and resistance to animal cruelty, I find the extremism of some vegans very disturbing.
A strict vegetarian diet – for me a vegan is a person that doesn’t eat animal products or uses animal products – leather belts, shoes, wool etc – can be healthy for some, but not for everybody. I am not a doctor or nutritionist but from what I read/talk to other people, including doctors sometimes, each individual has his or her own (genetic) needs when it comes to nutrition. Some people can live a healthy and active life without eating meat/dairy/eggs etc, other people can’t (of course, the vegans I met totally disagreed with me and they got all superior).
She looks AMAZING in the last pic
As a vegan, the people who “get all superior” on me are ALWAYS the omnivores. I still don’t understand this stereotype, because I don’t even discuss my veganism unless it comes up because of a meal. And when it does come up, people’s defensive reactions border on violence sometimes. They’re so ready to be lectured — or so eager to dismiss the idea of giving up anything tasty — that they jump down my throat about a very personal choice.
But I agree with you; it depends on the person. And it also depends on the availability of nutritious, affordable, plant-based food; I would never, ever say the whole world needs to go vegan, because it’s just not feasible or possible.
+1
I’m not vegan—–I love me some steak and burgers—–but I have a lot of vegan friends and I know the reaction of which you speak.
I also have a lot of friends who are heavily involved in environmentally-conscious, green living and I often see the same reaction from people when said friends talk about their lifestyle.
I think the backlash stems from fear of change.
People get defensive in lieu of having to be honest with themselves about their carbon footprint. It’s easier to hastily dismiss than to be proactive and make changes that might involve some sacrifice.
I try to balance things out– I’m not vegan but I take public trans or walk every day, I live in a modest apartment and I recycle–all small things. But I want to be better and I’m not threatened by people who encourage me to do more or lead by example–quite the opposite actually.
*shrugs*
I know what you mean about omnivores and I am sorry you got such reactions. It happened to me too when I was “just” vegetarian and I got used to be at the receiving end of insults, which I can take sometimes, because I realized people who lecture like that are either ignorant or they don’t have manners or both. But let me tell you that I have never-ever patronized other people, not when I was a vegetarian and not when I was an omnivore and talking about food with vegetarianism or veganism. If anything, I try to learn from them as much as I can. The worst thing that has happened to me though – actually to me and to a friend who was at that time vegetarian for 18 years, was at this environment camp – we were the only two vegetarians. We told the “kitchen manager” who was also the cook that we didn’t eat any meat. Surprise, one of the two main courses was a soup and the “kitchen manager” acted so coy and told us it was vegetarian and that she cooked it separately from the meat and veg soup she prepared for the others. It turned out the she only removed the meat – I spotted something looking like very, very small pieces of meat but didn’t tell anything to my friend because I wasn’t sure. My friend threw up the whole night. See, I would never to that to anybody.
I think that the most important thing is to be respectful or at least polite when it comes to such topics. But unfortunately – this is not aimed at you – I have 0 expectations based on my experience so far. If I am vegan, I do something wrong, if I am vegetarian, I do something wrong, if I am an omnivore, I do something wrong, depending on the people I get to speak to. As far as I am concerned it’s a bit tiring to keep defending my choices and I find it really and inappropriate to discuss “controversial” (sarcasm) food topics when people are out for a meal.
@Pumkin Pie, your story is not an uncommon one. I watch many cooking shows and competitions, and across the board – top chefs despise vegetarians/vegans. Gordon Ramsey jokes about sneaking meat or animal products into “vegetarian” meals he prepared – he’s proud of it.
This sounds the road Stacy Keibler is going to take . The way this young woman sounds and what was written about Keibler sounds
and reads the same type of personalities.
I went vegan a year ago, and my cycles are finally regular, my hair and skin have never been healthier, and I’ve never felt more energized and happy.
I don’t judge her choices, and I don’t want to assume I know anything about her experience, but it really doesn’t sound like veganism was the reason for all her problems. She even says it herself: she was depriving herself of things that were actually vegan. I’m not a doctor or scientist or nutritionist, so I can’t say with 100% authority that every human body can sustain a vegan diet. But I do think it’s very dangerous to blame veganism and tout a carnivore diet as the cure for all her problems.
There’s a right way and a wrong way to eat vegan, just like any other diet, and it breaks my heart that people will undoubtedly use her story as an excuse to avoid making more ethical choices. People are already so disconnected from their food sources, and so ready to believe that we “need” animal protein because they’d rather not have to think about the barbaric methods used at slaughterhouses.
I don’t judge anyone for being vegan, it’s your choice how you want to eat, i do however take issue to you calling out those who eat meat, as if we should all be vegan. There are plenty of ways to get your animal products from good sources and be informed about what’s in them. I participate in a farm share, make sure my chicken is pastured, etc.
Just like there’s a right and wrong way to be vegan, there’s a right and wrong way to eat meat. I do not think I am unethical or barbaric for eating healthy, organic, locally grown animal products.
I do like to point out though that these products are expensive so I try not to judge those who don’t use them because they can’t afford them. Some people are more concerned with putting enough food on the table and don’t have the time or money to put as much thought into where it comes from.
I didn’t call out those who eat meat; I called out those who don’t think critically about their dietary choices, and who are using her story to justify their opinion that meat is necessary for health.
If you scroll up, you can see that I already made some comments that acknowledge exactly what you said in the last paragraph: that it’s not easy or practical or possible for everyone to be vegan, and that I would never say the whole world needs to convert. And in the comment to which you replied, I certainly didn’t say anyone “should” do anything; you inferred it, but I didn’t imply it.
I’m sorry if it sounded like I was generalizing (I realize that “people” was the wrong word choice, or at least not specific enough), but please don’t assume I’m judging omnivores when I’m not. If you go out of your way to choose the sources of your meat and other animal products, then you already obviously understand that some slaughterhouses are more barbaric and cruel than others. I was talking about people who don’t question it at all; people who don’t stop to think about the animals that were killed, or who refuse to believe that a plant-based diet can be sustainable. You just proved my point; you also proved that you’re clearly not included in the category I mentioned.
Well put Kat. Thank you.
“it breaks my heart that people will undoubtedly use her story as an excuse to avoid making more ethical choices. People are already so disconnected from their food sources, and so ready to believe that we “need” animal protein because they’d rather not have to think about the barbaric methods used at slaughterhouses.”
Don’t you see how this would come off as judgy and preachy? It sounds like you’re saying if you eat meat you’re not ethical. If you’re simply commenting on people making better choices about where their meat comes from, then fine, but I would be careful about throwing words around like “ethical” if you don’t want people to get defensive.
I didn’t tell anyone they weren’t ethical. I didn’t say anything to anyone at all, actually; I simply expressed my opinion, which is this: many, many people don’t actually care about their food sources. That’s THEIR prerogative, but instead of admitting that they don’t think there’s anything wrong with eating animals, or that their own personal ethics don’t include the rights of cows/pigs/etc., they tear down the very idea of veganism and claim it’s unhealthy, unsustainable, or can never be as good as an ominvore’s diet. Many, many people have proved this in conversations with me, or behaviors that I’ve observed, and that’s the mentality I was addressing. I didn’t phrase it as well as I should have, but that’s what I was talking about: the act of looking for examples like this blogger’s story, and applying it to veganism as a whole in order to justify their own choices.
I do understand why it came off as preachy, though, and I appreciate your comment. That’s a fine line I try very hard to walk every single day, so this has been an educational experience for me. I don’t discuss my veganism unless it comes up, and I don’t explain the reasons I’m a vegan unless I’m directly asked. But when it comes up, and I’m asked, and I answer, people immediately take it as an indictment of their choices. When I say that I don’t eat meat because I don’t want to support animal slaughter, the majority of people immediately start grilling me about the specifics of those ethics.
“I don’t get why people can’t just do what’s best for them and leave others alone. I really don’t.”
And that’s not judgy? My veganism isn’t just a personal choice or opinion; it’s part of my many efforts to reduce animal suffering. I don’t do it just because it’s best for me; I do it because I believe it’s best for animals, and for the future of our planet.
And I avoid bringing it up too, even in food-related settings, because I want to be a good ambassador for veganism. I want more people to be vegan, yes, but I never once said that anyone SHOULD be vegan — not here, not in social settings, not ever. Yet people intentionally upset me anyway, after they find out; they wave plates of steak under my nose, or pretend they’re going to eat “extra meat” forever to “make up” for my choice, rendering my “statement” useless. That’s how defensive they get, and that’s why I get so upset about the fact that so many omnivores don’t question their dietary choices at all.
Your definition of “leaving others alone” seems to be never, ever discussing or attempting to dismantle the thought process that leads people to eat meat or animal products without a second thought. I ate meat as a kid; I ate animal products until last year. If it hadn’t been for activists and good ambassadors and thoughtful conversations with vegans, I would still be eating animals, and I’m so glad I’m not. I believe that animals DESERVE my support. My mother is a vegetarian because I challenged her reasons for eating meat, and she realized she couldn’t justify it.
I also believe that our species has a responsibility to the planet we share with so many other species, and that if I sit back and keep quiet for the rest of my life, I’m complacent in an industry that is very environmentally destructive.
Well said Brittney
@Brittany –
Wasn’t trying to be “judgy” with my statement and frankly it wasn’t directed at you personally, so I apologize that I didn’t better word my comment so it didn’t come off that way. I try not to make attacks on anyone here and I did not mean to sound like I was putting you on the spot.
I am vegetarian, not vegan, and I do occasionally have fish and (certified humane) eggs. However, I get the idea of not wanting to talk about it and I have gotten to the point where I really don’t unless, as you said, I have to in relation to a meal. I’ve never had people do to me what they did to you, its extremely rude and I’m sorry you had to endure that. But I do get a “vibe” when I mention why I’m having salad only at a BBQ, so again, I get why you’d be gun shy.
You (and me and everyone else) shouldn’t have to justify your eating habits to anyone, and that’s all I meant when I said people should just eat what they eat and leave others alone. Not that your reasons shouldn’t be discussed, if asked. You have made a great decision for yourself and they way you eat makes you feel good physically and psychically and no one should make you feel bad about it. The proper response when you mention being vegan should be “Really? Cool, can a throw a portobello on the grill for you?”
As far as discussing it further, you should absolutely feel comfortable talking about your ethical decisions in a safe environment and not feel hostility. I agree that people SHOULD pay more attention to where their food comes from. I made my diet decision due to health reasons, but as an animal lover, I felt good about not eating them (except fish, ha) so that was just a bonus for me. I HAVE seen vegans (not you) get judgy and preachy though, so I guess my radar pinged when I saw the word “ethics”.
Again, I apologize if I made you feel anything other than comfortable. That was not my intention.
@Kate 2 — Thank you for clarifying; my comment also came out the wrong way, so I totally understand and also apologize.
This is part of why I love Celebitchy (and have eliminated all other celeb gossip blogs from my daily online ritual)… the comments can get heated without getting petty or vicious. Misunderstandings can happen, but then they get cleared up. Sexism is never cool here (BALLS comes to mind), and animal cruelty is largely condemned (the fur posts come to mind).
I really appreciate the civil and open dialogue we’re all having because of Kaiser’s post. I know she anticipated it, and that’s why she wrote this, and to be honest it only restored my faith in my fellow readers. I would never judge you for eating fish or eggs or anything else, and I’m always elated to hear about someone who stops to consider the source of their food, whether they end up eating meat or not. If I had my own goats and chickens, I would be okay with consuming their milk (if they had it; no forced pregnancies) and eggs… but I don’t, so I’m a vegan for now. So I totally understand walking a fine line between two worlds, and I applaud you for being so understanding.
Brittney, I totally believe that veganism can be great, I do. But you have to remember… these new vegan bloggers think it’s evil to have a cooked potato. This is the “raw” craze – whole different thing from straight veganism. Look up Freelee The Banana girl on YouTube. This craze shouldn’t even really be lumped in with veganism, which as far as I know is almost a political movement.
“I don’t follow any of the late-breaking news in the vegan blogging community.”
That is one of my favorite lines, ever.
Haha, I’m a vegan blogger and I laughed out loud at that line too.
A friend of mine is a major player in the raw food community. When she publicly announced that she was returning to eating more cooked foods, due to health issues, some people were just NASTY to her. Some told her that she wasn’t “doing it right” and then proceeded to instruct her on how she should eat. Others berated her for returning to eating animal products. It was astonishing to watch strangers tell this woman how she should live.
We are all biochemical individuals. What works for one person doesn’t work for the person next to her. Veganism does benefit the biochemistry of some people but not all people. It has nothing to do with what you believe about eating animal flesh. Dr. Weston A. Price did say, after his extensive travels, that he never found a vegan society who thrived nutritionally, though.
I think that we ALL NEED to be more plant-based. And I think you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t agree with the premise, “eating lots of things from the earth is good for you!” You can promote being primarily plant-based without that “VEGAN OR DIE!” BS. I love having a plant-based diet, But I also love my Saturday night cheeseburgers. What the heck ever happened to moderation?!
But… so many diet gurus are “all or nothing.” If it’s not raw veganism, then it’s keto/Atkins. Are there any diet gurus who just promote eating healthy??? So annoying.
What’s more sad is that people who followed her believed that this lifestyle would give them healthy body and happy mindset. Guru’s like her, who do not disclose everything while giving advice to other should be responsible for their actions.
While I can see where you’re coming from, she’s a blogger not an expert in anything but her own life. If I were taking advice from her, I’d do my own research and consult the opinions of those who have accreditation from reputable institutions before I pranced off to do anything. Those who read her blog, also have the responsibility of doing their basic due diligence as well.
I disagree! If you are publicly giving an advice you should take responsibility for your actions. Any adult should do their own research before taking anybody’s word, but that does not excuse crooks and liars. She was making a living giving out false advice and misinforming others, she knew exactly what she was doing.
Death threats? Don’t kill a cow or pig or fish but come on, gang, let’s go kill that young blonde blogger!!!! (Pick up your pitchforks at the door.) Jesus!
I believe Stacy Kiebler, Goop, and Bethenny all have eating disorders that are masked by an unhealthy obsession with a healthy lifestyle. What’s crazy about this story is that she received death threats because she spoke her truth. I hate it when others are so extreme about a certain subject like ‘being a vegan’ that they would think it a good idea to attack someone. If just one of her followers and animal rights activist that went after her would have just simply realized that the young lady learned something valuable from this whole experience that saved her life then maybe they wouldn’t have behaved in such a bizarre way.
People aren’t upset that she is obsessed with cucumber. People are upset that she lied and misinformed others, claiming her lifestyle makes others healthy and happy while it was obviously bogus. It’s the same with Photoshop that creates an illusion of something that others believe in.
Wow, as both a blogger and a plant-based eater (notice I didn’t say “vegan”…I wear leather and it freaks out the “true” political vegans), I guess I am a double-offender.
Interesting debate about both narcissism in blogging and nutrition that this thread has opened.
Is there an element of narcissism in my blog (in any blog), as pointed-out by previous posters about lifetyle blogs? Of COURSE there is. You can’t take photographs of yourself day in and out in clothes and not be a least a wee bit of a narcissist. But you know what? There are a LOT of us out there; we like clothes (or food or whatever), we like to look at ourselves in clothes, we like to share beauty tips, recipes, and lifestyle stuff. I guess if you find it tiresome you don’t read it. And yet here we all are on an internet Celebrity gossip site…a BLOG….so I’m calling Shennanigans on y’all who are decrying the narcissism of social media and the blogosphere. We are all here as voyeurs. Maybe the question is (or should be), why does this “lifestyle blogging narcissism” bother you so much? Narcissism in and of itself is certainly not new. This is just a modern method of delivery.
And the vegan thing. Despite having been asked to do so, this is something I never talk about on my personal blog…for reasons which should be obvious to everyone who has read the above commentary. Nutrition is an area where everyone thinks they are right, they’ve found “the path”, etc. It’s exhausting. What’s “real” veganism….who is not political enough, not protesting enough, weak, insipid, eating-disordered, self-righteous vegans……yada, yada, yada.
Plant-based diets and eating disorders are an easy association to make, as many on here have done. But what you have done is proven correlation, not causation. As any good scientist will tell you, the two are not the same. As many with eating disorders have probably dabbled in veganism, likewise have they probably tried Atkins, South Beach, Beverly Hills, and any other “diet” that may have struck the fancy of the public. This is a highly-contentious issue, and there’s just no winning.
The one thing that I will say, however, is that it is not traditional eating disorders that are filling the hospitals with patients suffering from the diseases of affluence; heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc… these are the things that have become the real health issues of modern life. Vegan-based eating disorders fuelled by narcissism? Probably not so much.
On your last point-I agree that it’s much more likely that you’ll end up in the hospital from eating too much red meat, refines sugar, or processed foods than from eating too many baby carrots.
On your first point, I too was very surprised to read the mean-spirited comments about blogs. I don’t have a blog myself but I really enjoy reading cooking blogs and a lot of the DIY blogs helped me to cheaply decorate my new apartment and figure out how to fix some things that needed fixing.
In short, this thread is further proof that everyone should smoke more marijuana.
I love your conclusion, TOK. People need more plants in their lives, especially the green kind!
And great point, Highland Fashionista. The greatest cause of illness and medical costs are all related to food: high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
TOK –
I like the cut of your jib, girl.
HA! PLUS 500 again Kitten. That’s twice. Keep it up and you’ll break the internet.
I find your conclusion admirable, sound, and full of merit.
Yeah, I don’t know where the snark about blogs came from. If you can do one and have good content and its something that you enjoy doing, what’s the harm? I wish I could figure out how to do it and whether or not I was interesting enough, lol.
Kate2, like the old Nike commercial says, just do it. It is always a work in progress, and if you frequent this site, I’m guessing you have a pretty decent head on your shoulders and a lot to say.
I actually incorporate raw/vegan principles into my diet. During the week I try to eat really clean and will do entire meals that are entirely plant-based. But lemme tell ya somethin… I have anemia and it’s awful during my TOM. When I’m having THAT time, I need a practically still-mooing steak and an entire bag of spinach sauteed in butter and cream. Sorry, vegans. I LOVE having a heavily plant-based diet, but a girl needs her meat and dairy.
I’m similar. I’m primarily plant based, but my body kind of tells me when it needs something else. Sometimes it tells me I need salted caramel gelato.
Her story has some gaps – such as getting period 2 days after eating fish. It takes longer than 2 days for your body to ovulate and trigger bleeding phase of cycle which I assume is what she refers to. Maybe she improved her diet before the fish by adding healthier vegan options?? Not sure.
My thoughts exactly.
I hate her story for how irresponsible it is in providing fodder for ignorant masses.
I was wondering about that, too.
I think that was a coincidence,
What is unfortunate about this story is that the death threats shifted the focus from an obviously unhealthy diet to vegan extremists. Death threats are never okay (although I wouldn’t have blinked if someone made a death threat to Hitler, North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un or Syria’s al-Assad). This woman was not engaged in a healthy diet — 10 days of a juice cleanse? Your body needs healthy fats and protein in addition to fruits/veggies, which are incorporated into a *healthy* vegan diet (nuts, beans, etc.). But when she gets off her extreme diet, which was not consistent with a balanced vegan diet, she illogically attributes her health issues to a vegan diet. That’s ignorant and unfair.
There can be an intelligent discussion about a vegan diet. But the death threats take away from the real motivation for most vegans — compassionate (and healthy) living as it relates to both animals and the environment, based on facts and science. That’s honorable. I believe in that message, but I haven’t yet had the will power to go there completely.
On this blog, there is a lot of judgment about veganism, like when Emily Deshanel said she was raising her child vegan. People assumed it was unhealthy, without any research on the issue, and judged her for imposing her beliefs on her kid (which is strange, because parents are supposed to help their children develop values, their moral center, etc.). “Give the kid a hamburger” was one of the comments. Aside from any philosophical issues, it’s not necessary or healthy.
It’s sort of like the Matrix — do you want to know the reality or live in ignorance? I think people should know the facts and then make whatever choice is right for them.
I agree with your comment that there’s a lot of judgment here regarding vegetarianism/veganism. It surprises me because this site is filled with (what I consider) educated and open minded people. In the Emily Deschanel thread you referenced, somebody actually said that raising your child vegan will drive them to eating Doritos out of a gutter.
the spicy sweet chili Doritos are vegan.
Id just like to say- my bmi is 28 and Im vegan
hi, i’m a thick vegan.
Veganism is such a hot-button topic, as demonstrated by the lengthy and plentiful comments on this post. It’s hard for me not to feel strongly when the subject of veganism comes up. In no way am I knocking veganism, let me say that first and foremost. If it works for you, that is fantastic. But I have always been horrified and fascinated by vegan extremists (the internet has taken to calling them militant vegans). For example, those people who chose to send this woman death threats because she had to make a personal choice to STAY ALIVE. Who has the right? It hurts my heart. It’s so hard to have a conversation about veganism because of these extremists who have coined the adorable terms “bloodmouth” and “carnist” and compare eating meat to rape and the holocaust (again nothing is LIKE rape except RAPE and nothing is like the holocaust except THE HOLOCAUST). These people are on their soapboxes, and on the other side, people get offended when someone tries to tell them how they should be living their lives–which extends to how they should eat. It becomes difficult to actually calm down and have a conversation. In no way am I saying veganism is the problem– there are extremists in every group. It’s people who are hateful enough to send someone death threats in the first place that make me über sad.
It’s funny that people are bitching about blogs ON A BLOG.
But where else can one bitch about blogs?! Riddle me that. It’s a first world conundrum!
Sounds so similar to how Goop talks, it’s an obsession rather than an attempt to be healthy. Extremism never ends well. Glad this girl is doing what works for her and makes her healthy now.
This isn’t really about veganism. This woman has an eating disorder. She was likely predisposed to disordered eating before she ever thought about being vegan. Choosing a restrictive diet interacted with that and triggered or worsened it, an effect that doesn’t happen when people who don’t have eating disorders follow these diets. It’s a bit similar to a person who has risk factors for addiction drinking alcohol compared to one who doesn’t. There’s also nothing particular about veganism that’s worse in this respect than other restrictive diets. I know lots of women with eating disorders (I have one myself), and some of them have eaten nothing but fast food or nothing but chocolate milk.
Veganism also tends to be an easy excuse for consuming fewer calories or not eating with others. But that’s it being used as a tool the same way baggy clothes and after lunch meetings and pretending you’ve already eaten do.
In any case, I hope Jordan is doing well in her recovery and that she manages to block out the hateful voices and embrace people who support her.
I said that up thread and was told I was wrong! I agree with you.
I know someone who is vegan and further restricts herself by cutting out all root veggies, wheat gluten, brown rice, quinoa, oats, of course all bread and grains. She also cut out ALL sugar incl. fruit sources. I do believe it is disordered eating and a large problem among the yoga-fitness-outdoor-vegan obsessives.
Once, she came to my home for dinner and asked that I only boil her some broccoli and cauliflower for her meal. She added a tomato and some balsamic and that is what she ate for the meal. I think that is healthy occasionally but to eat like that every single day, with no protein or fats, is unhealthy.
Not to be rude, but what the hell does your friend eat? How is she not fainting? Like I said up top I have lots of vegan friends and root veggies, quinoa, oats and fruit are all staples in their diet.
She ate lettuce, avocado, tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, coconut oil and other vegan oils. Many teas and other drinks. I’m sure there was more but I didnt ask because I didn’t want to feed into the obsession. She bragged about how great and young she felt. She isn’t actually my friend but my mothers friend.
That isn’t a vegan diet. A vegan diet restricts animal products and nothing else. I think your friend is like the blogger: she is using the term “vegan” incorrectly, in order to mask disordered eating. I wish her well.
I think, the key word here is “obsessives”. It is self-explanatory.
Being vegan is a perfectly healthy lifestyle sans eating disorder. Legumes, seeds, leafy green, grains etc provide the nutrition our bodies need. There are also plenty of sugary, salty, booze soaked options for splurging. Plus it does promote a healthy weight so I’m not sure why one would also take additional dramatic steps to lose weight.
Yes, exactly! The lengthy juice cleanse was serious eating disorder’s ville, when she weighed 120 to begin with and only ate “pure” from the start.
Goop doesn’t have an eating disorder. She eats fish and poultry, for starters.
I agree with you that non-conventional eating habits do not equal an eating disorder, necessarily, but I don’t think eating fish or poultry prove that someone is a healthy eater, either. The proof is in the diversity of foods/nutrients one consumes. A diet consisting of just fish and lean poultry, for example, would not be nutritionally sufficient.
I don’t know why so many articles report that Goop is a vegetarian. Vegetarians do not eat fish or poultry. Fish and poultry are not plants, they are meat.
Veganism in itself is NOT an eating disorder.
Ughh. I have plenty of friends that are vegan and would never go on a juice cleanse for 10 days. If you are vegan, you have to be super careful about getting your proteins. Also, most vegans I know will go off strict veganism once and a while and eat fish or eat cheese/dairy and then go back to their full vegan diet.
^ This!! A well balanced vegan diet really isn’t that different than anyone else who eats a healthy diet low in refined/processed foods. And if you are fortunate enough to have access to tons of Asian & Middle Eastern ingredients, it’s not a stretch at all. But a juice diet is low in nutritional diversity and high in sugar (natural & unrefined, but still something that should be consumed in moderation). Why do that to your body?
Sitting for days on green juices and rarely allowing yourself to eat some grain – isn’t veganism, but a slow suicide that also compromises the concept of veganism.
Eating disorder is a psychological illness that has affected her choices within the enormous world of quite impressive possibilities of veganism.
If she will only be eating salmon, she’ll end up vitamin deficient, too.
Don’t like labeling, but she called herself specifically “The Blond Vegan” and did show the level of understanding that is traditionally attributed to “blondes” in anecdotes.
But I also happen to know a super smart blond vegan girl.
Meaning, this Blond Vegan girl doesn’t represent any group, but herself, and, thus, can’t really speak on behalf neither blonds, nor vegans, nor vegan blonds.
But I wish her to get better, and be healthy.
Her veganism is not representative of all veganism, isn’t she just stating her personal case? So either those who unfollowed her mistakenly took her comments as an indictment of veganism, or they were pro-anas looking for thinspo.
I see no other reasons to send death threats to someone voicing their personal experiences and issues.
How many people read blogs such as hers or any variety of others, and assume that the person (blogger) is speaking from a position of knowledge and/or authority, and thereby strive to copy their plan/ideas? I think there are lot of people out there that assume that the blogger they are following is on the right track, and are easily led astray. I would venture to say that the majority of bloggers are just sharing their opinions and are in no way someone to be emulated.
Lierre Keith (20 year vegan, radical feminist and author of the brilliant book “The Vegetarian Myth”) also received death threats for her comments on this subject sometime back. Actually, she probably still does and will continue to get them for the rest of her life. Sad.
I’ve known quite a few people who adopted vegan or vegetarian lifestyles without understanding nutrition and that lead to health issues. People need to understand their dietary requirements before they start eliminating food groups.
“I realized that a lot of my health problems could be attributed to veganism.”
Ugh no, that was your orthorexia.
the vegan stories always bring out the comments, “i need my protein” and “how do they get protein.” if you really think that vegans are hard up for protein, maybe you should look up some sources of protein. maybe you dont like any of them, but that is a different scenario. it is not difficult to get protein from plant based sources.