Are they looking for a Vegetarian diet or anorexia?

Question

I've noticed to many posts on this forum like:

"I wanna be a vegetarian but I hate fruit and vegetables."

"I wanna be a vegetarian but I hate beans, and soy."

"Can I loose a lot of weight on a vegetarian diet?"

If makes me wonder if some young people are using a vegetarina diet to mask an eating disorder.

BTW: I'm a 52yo vegetarian myself.

Answer 1

I worry about that a lot as well. I usually check someone's Q and A history. You can spot someone with an eating disorder very easily - they ask questions like, "How many calories in two grapes?" or "Am I fat? Pic inside". I never advocate a vegetarian diet for weight loss, I specifically state that vegetarian diets are great but that the only healthy way for weight loss is a decrease in calories and an increase in exercise.

I think other V&V contributors should also take the precaution of not advocating a vegetarian or vegan diet for weight loss. Mentioning how much weight you personally lost might seem innocent to you or I, but to someone that suffers from an eating disorder it is triggering - they immediately see it as a challenge or a promise. Another problem is that it gives eating disordered people another excuse to avoid meals or to restrict meals - it's a lot less likely to draw attention for them to say "I'm a vegetarian, so I can't eat that" instead of them just sitting through a meal and poking their fork around in iceberg lettuce the entire time.

Another warning sign is people that want an instant fix or cure, a rapid weight loss, a magical presto-chango. Life doesn't work that way, especially not weight loss. Besides, any weight loss that is faster than 2 pounds a week signifies that fat is not being burned at all - rather, water weight is being lost and internal organs are slowly being devoured. Muscle mass is being reduced, and muscle weighs much more than fat, and a pound of muscle is much tighter and leaner in size than a pound of fat. When someone wants to lose 10 pounds in two weeks or anything else that extreme, they're just looking for trouble.

Answer 2

I don't see how they expect to be a vegetarian and hate fruits and vegetables...will they live on Boca 'hamburgers'?...they want to be a vegetarian because it is trendy right now...

Answer 3

Many people grow up on processed foods and have not developed tastes for it yet so one hears a lot of statements like the ones you mentioned. It takes time to sort things out. There really is a lot to learn about how and what to eat because the market is flooded with unfit foods. The other problem is the confusion out there which respect to advertising. I don't think there is any association between vegan and vegetarian lifestyles with eating disorders as the changes and ways are healing things and healthy ways and not destructive. Many people with eating disorders would actually benefit from the changes to healthy food choices, for so many reasons they would be more occupied with that then where to purge or how to lose a few pounds. Maybe happiness can be found there somewhere, acceptance for sure if nothing else.

Answer 4

by atleast the top 2 it seems that they are, if not they just want to loose weight and arent being vegetarians for real resons

Answer 5

That definitely could be the case. But I think many young adults are just wanting to get healthy, but not go overboard and like go vegan. My cousin is a vegitarian and she is doing that because she realizes the global effect of the meat process and the harms it is causing. She also just wants to get healthy. But some people really are using it as an excuse for an eating disorder.

Answer 6

There's a difference between eating disorders and wanting to lose weight. Personally, it disgusts me when people try to use the vegan/vegetarian diet as another fad weight-loss plan. It's a lifestyle. You do it because it's what you believe in. You do it for your health. Not a temporary diet just for weight loss.

Anorexia isn't really like that. Yes, it does have to do with a strong desire to lose weight, but most girls who are really anorexic would go further than a vegetarian diet. There ARE fat vegetarians.

My guess is the girls who ask these questions are trying to go veg feel sorry for the animals but are confused on how to go on about a veg diet.

Answer 7

*Some* people do use veg*nism to mask eating disorders because it's a socially acceptable way of avoiding certain foods.

However, when I read those questions, I usually chalk it up to either picky eating or just having very narrow horizons.  I think a lot of people who "hate beans" have only tried a couple of kinds of legumes a couple of ways.  I think a lot of them are quite young and I know when I went veg as a teen, it was hard because I thought there were a lot of foods I didn't like.  My horizons have expanded over the last two decades and I now eat things I'd never even heard of back then and it turns out that I like a lot of foods I thought I didn't like.

Answer 8

Yeah I've answered a question or two just like that last one you listed. They're really uneducated about vegetarianism I suppose.

Answer 9

Yes, I strongly believe countless young girls cover up eating disorders with being a vegetarian/ vegan. Girls that are trying to lose weight in my school mysteriously become vegetarians. They won't eat lunch because it has meat in it. So I ask "uhm, well, why won't you pack a lunch then?" then they awkwardly say   "ahhh. I don't have time." I'm a vegetarian. I became one because I feel horrible for animals that are slaughtered each and every day. I find it sad that people are more concerned about their bodies.

Answer 10

they probably are its sad how they wont eat!! i would like die after 1 day! and its sad cuase ppl think i am anorexic and oxiously im not

Answer 11

well i love fruits and veggies and would give up meat, but i dont get full from them and i DONT like beans and soy. so i try to eat free range-organic when possible. if so, can any one help me, im also worried about my nutrient intake. I do love Tofu though!

Answer 12

Um, there's a HUGE difference between an axis I mental health disorder and being a picky eater.  Many young people who lived on animal-food-centered diets have a weak relationship with vegetables in the first place, and heck - nobody likes soy before they know how to cook with it and become accustomed to the flavour and texture.

Barnouin and Freedman's recent book "Skinny *****" along with the myths and stereotypes of the "skinny vegan" has (unfortunately) connotated veg*nism with trendy weight-loss.

So no, I don't think people seeking to adopt veg*nism are looking for an eating disorder.  I think they're looking for answers on how to be satisfied with veg*n food given their individual taste preferences.

Answer 13

yeah i know it makes me mad!!!!

Answer 14

Some might.  not all.

Answer 15

Self image is a huge problem with girls these days. After I had my son, I went veg to get rid of the baby weight. It worked pretty well.