Thoughts about "Vegans are Not Annoying"

I've now been home three days and I am exhausted. I cleaned out the refrigerator yesterday and part of my room on Sunday. I gained a little weight when I got sick and wasn't excercizing, so I'm going to try to eat healthier. I love so many of the vegan "junk foods" that it is sometimes hard to remember to eat my green leafy vegetables in their natural form instead of covered in fatty cashews (kale chips, you know I'm talking about you).

I wanted to share an interesting article that I found on Facebook.

It's called Vegans are Not Annoying

I think many people do think than I am annoying because I choose to have a "restrictive" diet. (I don't agree that it is restrictive, because I no longer see animals as a viable food source, but others call it this.) They think that I am trying to make them feel bad about not eating healthily, or something. That's not what I'm doing. I don't eat meat and dairy because the thought of eating it makes me sick. I don't judge my family for eating their steaks and cheeseburgers. They can eat whatever they want, as long as they don't force me to eat it. I just make lots of my awesome vegan foods to share with them because they usually like them and eat most of it because it is tasty!

The tenth point in the article is my favorite: We can take a punch without releasing drama.

I find that most of the vegans and/or vegetarians I know are pretty laid back, pacifistic, and really don't care about what others think of them (at least not about the food they eat). And when others decide they need berate them for being vegan, most vegans just say, "I don't agree with (insert non-vegan thing here) because..." and don't get mad about it.

The article pointed out the people who will make fun of vegans for being "too skinny" and tell them they need to eat some protein. See this picture from the Vegan Sidekick to understand what I'm talking about. There are also people who point out to larger people that veganism obviously "isn't working" for them, since they are still fat.

Why do others feel the need to point out other people's physical appearance and criticize them for their life choices because of it? I think every time we do this to others, we are enforcing a negative body image on ourselves (because we obviously have some body image issues if we have to insult others to make ourselves feel better). I like to hope that people don't make judgments about me just on my appearance, but on how I live my life and how I interact with others.

I know my mom has been on the receiving end of nasty comments about her hair color and physical appearance. My mom has dark brown hair that is slowly getting a little grey. I think her hair is beautiful (I think grey hair is beautiful in general, but that's just me) and I don't understand why so many people think they have to point out to her that her hair is going grey like it is a bad thing. Or that she should dye it blonde. She's also had people tell her that the scars on her face where she has had skin cancer removed is ugly and that she needs to have surgery to make it look better. WTF! She just healed from having someone dig cancer out of her face and you are telling her that the scar is ugly and needs to have MORE surgery to make it look pretty? Or that her nose is going to fall off? (She literally had someone tell her that her nose was going to fall off from skin cancer once, because they had met someone with no nose. What a wonderful thing to say to someone who had to sit in a room and have their face carved on FOR HOURS. Not a nice thing to say!)

I know there are people that judge me for my weight or look at me funny when I say that I am vegan (because people still think that all vegans eat is celery and kale juice and that we are all skinny). Vegans are all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. Vegans are from all ethnic groups, religions, professions, countries, and ideologies. What unifies vegans is that we don't eat animals, whether for their sakes or ours, and we try not to add to the suffering of the world.

So, I agree with this article. Vegans are cool and happy and want to feed you because eating food is awesome (and believe me, some of the vegan creations I've made have been amazing!) and we like to eat food that doesn't make us hurt the next day. Spread the vegan message and eat some fruits!

I hope you enjoyed this post. (I apologize about the "protect mom from mean people" rant.) I would really love to hear what you think about it in the comments.

Ranting About Audience Members

Afternoon All! This is a rant post. You have been warned!

I know that I have been MIA for a few days, but I'm back to tell you about some of the fun things I've done recently.

Two days ago my parents and I went to a concert (Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and Mahler's Fourth) and I ended up sitting next to some very rude people. This seems to happen to me all the time. I'm not sure if most of you know this, but I can be really shy around strangers and I don't like to cause confrontations or get into arguments if I can help it. I also will stand my ground when I am in the right. Well... we were using my aunt's tickets to this concert and she has one seat front row center. I LOVE sitting there because I can really see the details about the performance. We don't always use my aunt's tickets, but we do use them at least once a year.

The couple on my left remembered me and we had a lovely conversation about what I had been doing over the year. The couple on my right decided that it wasn't my seat and they didn't want me sitting there. First, I had to tell them that it was my seat twice before the woman's friend would move. Then, the woman complained for fifteen minutes that no one usually sat there (because my aunt usually sits in her other seats that are on the end of a row because she doesn't like sitting by these people). THEN, after the intermission, when I came back from the restroom (which housed the giant water bug of DOOM, but that is another story) she had put all of her stuff in my seat and I had to ask her to remove it. Then she asked me if I "was sure" that it was my seat. Multiple times.

I was furious.

This sort of thing happens to me all the time because I am young (I'm 25, but I tend to look a little younger to most people because I am heavier and have a rounder face). I've been shopping when people won't help me or ignore me when I ask them questions. I don't like shopping. I HATE shopping for clothes because it is ridiculously hard to find clothes that fit and look good when you are my size and height. When I go shopping, I buy things. I buy things I know will last and are usually pretty expensive (since I usually am looking for a recital dress and shoes and those can be ridiculously expensive).

I've found that people who work in the women's sizes are generally nicer and more ready to help. When I go to the regular sizes, I'm ignored or dismissed. (I'm in that strange gap between regular sizes and women's sizes and it is hell to find clothes).

So... at this performance, I was livid. My aunt gave me the ticket. She paid for it. It is MY SEAT. Just because I am young, does not mean that I don't deserve to sit in a seat or that I can't appreciate music. I would argue that I appreciate it MORE because I have analyzed these pieces and I can tell you all about the form and background of the pieces.

Also. I am tall. Well, really, I'm not that tall. I'm 5'9". That is average for a man in America. Not that I am a man, but I am pretty average against the general population. But I'm pretty tall when I sit because I have a long body. I can't change that. I will not slouch because you can't see. That makes my back hurt. When I sit in a chair for over 2 hours, my back is going to be hurting anyway. I can't change my height to accommodate your sightlines. I will not apologize for that.

So. I ignored the people to my right and enjoyed the concert.

THEN

Yesterday my mom and I went to see Miss Saigon. It was a really great show (except the music was way too loud and my ears were ringing by the end) and I loved watching the lighting and set changes. However, there was a woman in the row behind us that screamed after Every. Single. Song. She was the only one in the theater who did it. I was over it after the first six songs. After the 2.5 hours of the show? I wanted to murder her. It was so frustrating!

I have decided that I need to ignore people. This is the only way I won't go crazy.

On a lighter note, I found out recently that one of my best friends from college is going to be moving really close to me and I'll be able to see her more often. I am super stoked! Now, if all of my friends would just figure out that New Orleans is awesome and they would all move there, my life would be much more fun!

That's all folks! Talk at you tomorrow!

Protein

Hey guys! This is a rant. You have been warned.

I wanted to get something off my chest that's been bothering me for a little while. I have been eating vegan exclusively since last July and on and off since last February.
One of the biggest questions that I get is: are you getting enough protein?
This is one of the most frustrating questions that I have to deal with on a nearly daily basis. It really frustrates me and angers me that almost everyone I come into contact with decides that they become a nutritional expert as soon as I tell them that I am vegan. Before I became vegan, I never had people commenting on my food or how much food I ate besides my mom and my dad. As soon as I became vegan, people decided that i'm either not eating enough food, I'm eating too much food, or I'm not getting the proper nutrients to live.
I got really angry today when my therapist asked me if I was eating enough protein. I really don't like feeling angry. It makes me want to lash out and do rash things. I am a control freak and I don't like feeling like I'm not in control of my emotions. Therefore, constantly being asked if I'm getting enough protein makes me feel very out of control. I'm eating enough. I track my calories, my protein intake, my fat intake, my carbohydrate intake, my water intake, my exercise output, and how much sleep I get every night. I don't need someone else telling me that I'm not eating correctly and that I'm harming myself because I choose not to eat animal flesh or other animal products. It frustrates me because the people who are asking me this have seen what happens to me when I accidentally eat these foods. My body has grown used to not eating them and when I do, I feel horribly ill, I break out in pimples, and I have horrible nightmares. When I was in college the last 2 years I had horrible nightmares almost every night. I would only get three to four hours of true sleep a night because I would wake up at 3 o'clock in the morning after having had nightmares. I'm talking about the ones that leave your heart racing and your skin clammy for half an hour. I have only had 3 nightmares since I stopped eating dairy. The only times I have any sort of digesting issues are when I eat out at restaurants and the food is very salty and full of grease. I feel much happier, I feel stronger, and I enjoy eating more than I have in a long time.
Part of the reason my therapist was commenting on my protein intake was because of a bruise I have on my leg. I bruise easily... I always have. Ever since I was a small child. I'm also rather clumsy. I walk into walls and tables and beds and bathtubs and exercise equipment at the gym. If you repeatedly run into the same piece of equipment 3 times a week you will develop a bruise eventually.  I am also very pale. therefore, my bruises show up vividly and last a long time. I remember I got this epic bruise on my shoulder and upper arm from carrying a bookcase up the stairs into my dorm at school . It lasted for a month. This is when I was eating a diet that consisted of eggs, cheese, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, grains, and a lot of processed food. I ate out a lot at restaurants but served typical "well balanced" meals like pasta with salad and bread or barbeque with fries and coleslaw. I was unhappy, depressed, anxious, and constantly tired. I kept gaining weight no matter how much exercise I did or how many times I tried to go on a diet. I even went through a week were all I ate were mandarin oranges, bananas, and celery. I was not in a healthy state of mind.

I have not gained weight since I went vegan. I haven't lost weight either. I just stay floating around the 270 mark, sometimes a little over and sometimes a little under. I am eating more fruits and vegetables now than I've ever had. I'm trying new foods and experimenting in the kitchen. My acne is better. I have more energy throughout the day. I feel so much better.  So why is everyone ganging up on me to tell me that I'm going to get sick if I don't eat eggs and meat?

The thought of eating meat or eggs again makes me feel so sick. I don't want to and if I am forced to I would probably throw it up involuntarily. The last time I accidentally ate dairy my stomach was upset all night long and I broke out in pimples for several days. How is this supposed to be making me healthier? I'm obviously gaining muscle from my strength training, as you can literally see my muscles growing and strengthening and changing over time. I don't go around commenting on what people eat. I don't tell people I'm eating with that their food is making them sick. I even have to repeatedly turn down offers to try other people's food when they say, "a little bit won't hurt" or "it's just a taste". Whenever I offer my food to people they like it and say how tasty it is, but they go on to say how much better it would be with some hamburger in it.

WTF

I'm done with putting up with this constant bullying (because that is what it is when you feel threatened and constantly on the defensive) and I am tired of constantly defending myself to others. I eat what I eat because I want to eat it. End of story.

Yes I am seriously overweight. I know. I'm working on it. Yes I know that I'm not as healthy as I could be. I'm working on it. But I take three 1.5 hour minimum ballet classes a week. I go to the gym at least twice a week and sometimes more. I have set goals for myself and I will achieve them.

So yes, to answer the question: I do get enough protein.

I try to eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, and fats. I eat tofu two to four meals a week. I LOVE beans. Red beans, black beans, Lima beans, pinto beans, lentils, field peas, and more. I eat them all the time. I had lentils yesterday for lunch and red beans for breakfast. Because red beans and rice is my favorite Louisiana food so I eat it all the time. News flash: proteins can be found in many plants, not just animal muscles.

Constantly harping on someone about what they eat, how much they eat, and why they eat it is a great way to help someone develop an eating disorder. So, shut up, eat you own damn food, and don't worry about my protein intake. I have got it covered.