Why did you go vegan?
Because I’m asked this question daily, you would think I’d have an definitive answer by now. But in reality, my reasons get more numerous and more complex each day.
Ethically, just as I’d want my clothes not to come from the mercy of a starving orphan kid on the Ivory Coast, I would prefer for my food to be humanely made as well. Though a 15-year-old like me can’t easily impact the factory economy, I choose to eat humanely to make some difference.
An appreciation for animals also drives my decision: eating vegan also saves over 100 animals’ lives each year, as many vegans like to brag about, and I love having a part in something so positive as Veganism.
I wasn’t the first of my family to turn vegan – my sister, junior Abby Fuller, had a huge influence on my choice. As she journeyed through her vegan diet in October of 2015, I had constantly told myself, “You are an athlete. That diet is great for her, but just not for you.” But I was completely wrong. In fact, being an athlete is the very thing that should have pushed me towards veganism.
Our bodies are meant for fruits and vegetables, and they want what they are made for. As an athlete I work to improve my physical health, build muscle, and perform well, and what you put in, you get out.
Many believe that it’s impossible to get protein, and for some time, I did as well. But vegan protein is actually delicious and abundant; my personal favorites include tofu, seitan and tempeh. Just like meat, if you season it correctly, it’s delicious. I promise!
Having made the switch, I don’t see why I didn’t go vegan sooner. As a meat eater, eating vegan had always seemed alien, almost weird, to me, but looking back, it was actually the natural thing for me to do. There’s a huge variety of foods to eat that don’t involve harming something to get it.
No one ever really believes me when I say I like the foods I eat. When I tell people my favorite foods, they usually just gag. Personally, taking a bite from an innocent creature makes me gag.
Before I became one, I thought of vegans as hippie-anarchists and liberal-wackos who ate weird foods – now, I know they really just want to help. Not to say I am any better of a person than you or myself four months ago, but it sure does make me feel nice to know I am making a difference.
– Emily Fuller – Video Editor –
