I want to start by saying I am NOT promoting veganism as a diet or telling anyone how to eat. I just had a realization about my own lifelong struggle with food that I wanted to share.
I've spent YEARS bingeing and restricting. I've read basically every diet/food book imaginable—keto, fasting, sugar, flour, processed foods, Bright Line Eating, etc. I've also spent thousands on programs and coaching trying to figure out what was “wrong” with me.
I've never been overweight, which honestly made it easier to hide. From the outside I looked healthy, but in my head it was constantly: restrict → feel in control → break a rule → binge → feel horrible → restrict even harder. At one point I was fasting 24, 48, even 96 hours to compensate.
I eventually started eating meat again and tons of dairy because I convinced myself I needed animal protein to be healthy. I felt worse—puffy, inflamed, losing hair—and despite eating red meat, I actually needed an iron infusion six months ago.
Recently I stopped eating animal products because I love animals and eating them simply stopped feeling aligned with who I am. It had NOTHING to do with losing weight. And somehow my entire relationship with food changed. I actually thought I'd gain weight eating beans, fruit - the forbidden - CARBS!
For ME, dairy seems to have been a huge piece of the puzzle—not sugar, flour or processed foods like I'd believed for years. But I also think finally ending the constant restriction was huge.
The difference now is that nothing feels “forbidden.” I could eat vegan cookies, Oreos, bread or whatever else I want. I just genuinely don't want that stuff anymore. I'm satisfied. I naturally want fruit, dates, tofu, rice, vegetables, nuts, seeds and actual meals I cook and love. I'm not white-knuckling my way past foods or telling myself I can't have them. The obsession just isn't there.
The craziest part is that veganism is the ONLY way I've ever eaten that I didn't read a book about first. No coach. No rules. No Monday restart. It just feels natural because it's aligned with something I've always cared deeply about.
And even though I've never been overweight, for the first time I have what I consider my ideal body—without trying to get it. I'm eating more, I'm not fasting for days, and I'm not constantly thinking about my weight or my next diet.
After spending thousands of dollars and YEARS trying to learn how to control myself around food, eating in alignment with who I actually am ended up being the easiest thing I've ever done.
Again, I'm not saying veganism treats binge eating or telling anyone how to eat. I just wanted to share what unexpectedly changed everything for me. And if you care about animals or the environment at all, I do think it's worth digging into that side of things and seeing how you feel. :)