Why Going Vegan Didn't Work for Me

About six months ago a relative of mine introduced me to some research suggesting that plant based nutrition is a great option not only for people battling with disease, but for everyone in order to stay healthy.

I changed my entire diet and in all my enthusiasm I bought all kind of stuff to support my new life style. I got myself a great juicer, made all kind of smoothies as meal replacements, ate tons of avocados, and stopped eating dead animals.

However in just four months, I'd steadily gained 11 pounds, and experienced other side effects, such as digestive problems, excessive sweating, bloating and constant cravings.

It is well known that when people gain weight from a vegetarian diet, it’s because they've replaced meat with refined starches, processed foods, and sweets. But I'd been careful to not do that. Not only was I uncomfortable, but I also became terribly embarrassed and insecure about my appearance.

I realized that maybe overhauling my entire diet was not a great idea.

Before drastically re-introducing meat back into my diet, I did some research on vegetarianism. Having read various articles and speaking with people who'd had similar experiences, I decided to safely add meat back into my diet.

Within two weeks I lost seven pounds, felt much less bloated and had a lot more energy.

A difficulty was that I by that time was totally convinced about the health benefits of plant-based diets. How could I stick to my new beliefs while also making sure that I was giving my body the nutrition it was craving?

What I took from my five month veggie adventure is that going raw vegan raw was not the right path for me personally, but I learned how to apply some of those philosophies to a lifestyle that is healthier for me. 

However, I learned an important lesson: It is very hard to eat enough protein in a vegetarian diet and this macronutrient is essential for growth and repair in your body. Moreover, vitamin B12 deficiencies in vegetarians and vegans are a serious risk. Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal products. A lack of vitamin B12 can have all kind of negative effects like anemia and blindness. It can also cause muscle weakness, tingling, and numbness.

I’m not a nutritionist or a doctor, but I do like to make educated decisions regarding my mind, my body and my impact on the environment. I’ve found that keeping myself open to the suggestions of others, reading up on nutritional trends, and making smart, safe, and manageable decisions is the best way to go.