Why I'm no longer vegan (after 6 YEARS)

[@kneestaycold]

YES! People’s food journeys are NOT linear! They change throughout our lives and I appreciate you so much for being transparent because sometimes it’s hard to be open about our relationships with food. Thank you for being open about it even though we aren’t entitled to know! Much love to you!

[@amberalexander]

Yes 100%!!! Thank you so much!!❤️

[@sola_a]

But that's just the thing....veganism is not (just) about food. It's an animal rights movement. She didn't stop being vegan, she stopped being plant based. There's nothing wrong with that but being vegan (animal rights) and EATING vegan is not the same thing and yes, the difference is very very important.

[@heman4448]

@@sola_a watch the rise and fall of vegan influencers

[@sola_a]

@@heman4448 watch dominion

[@heman4448]

@@sola_a watch the rise and fall of vegan influencers

[@soym1lkg1rl]

It feels so wonderful to finally hear someone put my exact thoughts and emotions towards veganism into words. I love vegan food and its positive effects, but I have also suffered from an ED in the past and just cannot be monitoring all of my food intake the way I’d have to if I were 100% vegan. I completely understand where you are coming from Amber, and I am happy that you are able to prioritise yourself and your mental health like this! Being 100% vegan is just not meant for everyone at every stage in their life, and that’s okay!

[@amberalexander]

YES so true!!! Love u🫶

[@sola_a]

This is not true. Every major dietary organization has said that you CAN be vegan at aby stage of life. Her issue isn't veganism, it's having an eating disorders. Which you can have regardless of being vegan. You don't have to restrict yourself as a vegan, that's such an annoying stereotype. I feel like she lacked so so much education on the diet part on veganism. And yes, you can lack education despite being "vegan" for so long. If she wasn't then she would know you don't have to restrict yourself the same way she claims. Especially if you actually cared about animal rights. Its very sad how quickly these people can make excuses to eat products born of suffering. I wish she had better supportive environment of other vegans to cheer her on. Because objectively, veganism IS the best thing you can do for the environment. It absolutely is that simple.

[@soym1lkg1rl]

@@sola_a I’m not talking about dietary needs though, I’m talking about mental health. Veganism can feel more restrictive because it forces you to mimick a lot of eating disorder behaviours, simply because it is still not completely accessible everywhere. If I were to eat 100% vegan all of the time, I could not be able to challenge spontaneous treats, or eating out together with my friends without checking the menu beforehand, or just being flexible in terms of food, all things that scared me when I was in my eating disorder. In a perfect world there would be just as many vegan options as non-vegan, and it wouldn’t take as much conscious effort and involvement to choose to eat 100% vegan. But the reality is that vegan foods are still not as common as non-vegan foods, and being vegan still means you have to say no to a lot of options and often find yourself with a sad salad when others can have a proper meal out. Non-disordered people can deal with those kinds of situations, but when you’re trying to recover it just adds another dimension to the struggle. So no, not everyone can be fully vegan at any stage of life, and choosing to incorporate animal products into your diet again to heal your relationship to food is a personal choice that has nothing to do with lacking education or willpower.

[@sola_a]

@@soym1lkg1rl my point still stands. Veganism doesn't have to feel restrictive, it's a matter of educating yourself sufficiently. I say this as someone who had a difficult relationship with food before going vegan. So I think I know what I'm saying when I say veganism is only as hard as you make it hard. For example, I'm the only vegan in my friend group but my friends are actually supportive to the point where we only eat at places where all of us can eat. We cook together a lot. Good friends will look out for you. You can have a difficult relationship with food with any diet, that doesn't make the diet the issue necessarily. Us vegans aren't going about life restricting ourselves to unhealthy degrees and I'm so so tired of non-vegan (including the girl in the video) claiming that to denounce veganism for their own short comings. There is nothing personal about a "choice" that involves harming another. Your choice ends where it directly harms another. At that point its no longer a choice but a violation

[@heman4448]

@@soym1lkg1rl watch the rise and fall of vegan influencers

[@PaoloQuispe]

It’s interesting how similar our experiences were at the beginning. I went vegan a few weeks before my 14th bday and it was basically my last attempt at losing weight bc I had already tried many diets prior to that. As I was listening to you, I genuinely almost felt like you were talking about me 😅. I’m still vegan, but just like you, my reasons changed as I matured. Now I’m actually majoring in nutritional sciences, working on becoming a registered dietitian. My relationship with food has changed quite a lot and I’ve learned so much more studying nutrition. I think you worded everything very well and I’m glad you were willing to be open about this even though some people can definitely be judgmental at times. The idea has been created that vegan = healthy automatically when that’s just not the case. I’m glad to hear you’re prioritizing your health and feeling better about yourself! I think for anyone trying to improve their relationship with food, going to a dietitian is a great first step (shameless plug for my future self). Unfortunately, not everyone has access to those resources, but at least obtaining your information from the right people/places such as (again) registered dietitian accounts and not from people who just want to spread misinformation and fear. Keep doing you Amber!

[@craftasticYT]

9:52 perfectly worded🥺 Amber!! I didnt know you went through this. Thankyou for being so honest & so brave❤ I really wish you all the besttttttt ily

[@lunchablecheese5931]

I’ve never seen a “no longer vegan” video, I recently gave up on being vegan in November and I felt so guilty but I’m glad you’re saying this queen

[@amberalexander]

Omg sending u a hug!!🫶

[@ponnamy]

Proud to be an animal abuser again?

[@ayinke4551]

There are hundreds of "no longer vegan" videos ☺👍🏽

[@cammieklund]

Yeah, there is hundreds, if not thousands, of them. I was vegan for about 10 years and it helped so much to see that I wasn't going through this alone...

[@tinknal6449]

@@cammieklund When did you stop?

[@kindredmcguire]

I just hit three years of being vegan and I know I definitely didn’t start for the right reasons because I was also restrictive and hyper focused on food, but now I intuitively eat and am in a way better relationship with food. Overall, I really related to this video and try not to worry about what people think and do what’s best for you! ❤

[@amberalexander]

Awe yay!! Thank you!!!❤️

[@armdoor8346]

fFr any new starters the best option to start vegan diet is to try indian food. I have been vegeterain my whole life(not eggs) and i have never felt the need to eat meat becuase there just so many options but the problem is a lot of people don't know how to start and they end spending and stressing a lot it. The most stressfull is protien intake but if you start right with all the beans and dals then its a no brainer.

[@kaepiper]

@@armdoor8346 i’m vegetarian as of october 2022 and i want to try indian food so bad! i know a decent chunk of the population in india is vegetarian which makes me happy. i feel like i’d have a great time visiting there and trying different foods. i don’t live near any indian restaurants right now, but hopefully i’ll be closer to some when i go to college in august.

[@veganix6757]

It’s not about u. It’s about your victims. They don’t need to suffer and die becuase of u. But u r selfish and harm others for a taste preferences. For animal testing, fashion, entertainment. So selfish so self absorbed. Think of you victims

[@realbonbonbon]

Maybe we shouldn't always think of ourselves only. Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude-as far as is possible and practicable-all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.

[@yagadoob]

i love how you’re super honest on how you became vegan to show both negatives and positives on changing your diet up like dat!! mucho love on whatever journey you follow💟😊😊

[@amberalexander]

Ah thank you!!🥰🥰

[@jonjonwp]

Veganism is not a diet.

[@Commonclaus]

Super honest about wanting to eat humans

[@lap9]

Journey?

[@tinknal6449]

@@jonjonwp Right, it's a CULT.

[@leah-fk7yd]

i know 100% your transparency means a lot to everyone! amazing video amber :D

[@amberalexander]

Ahhh thank u bae!!!

[@Commonclaus]

Transparency of eating humans again

[@dariahester4798]

I’ve been a vegan for about 3 years. I started doing that because I wanted to be more healthy and consume more veggies and fruits. However I’ve developed some bad digestive issues due to mineral deficiency. Now I will try to slowly incorporate fish, meat, eggs in my food. I’ve had a craving for meat and fish before but completely ignored it due to my commitment not to eat any animal products. It is always crucial to listen to your body and don’t overlook it !

[@chrishyde5903]

veganism isn't a diet

[@tinknal6449]

@@chrishyde5903 Right, it's a cult.

[@mdivine5644]

Same here. This was my 3rd year being vegan, just quit. Spent the last year battling GERD, other issues. The moment I started consuming meat, fish and eggs my body came back to life. I didn't know how truly stressed my body was until that moment.

[@aaronmerkel5216]

You were never vegan

[@tinknal6449]

@@aaronmerkel5216 "yOu WErE neVEr VEgaN". Typical cult response. Cope harder.

[@yazminevi]

i’ve been vegetarian for about 7 years now too and it’s started to become apparent to me that i do the same thing of using my diet as an excuse to eat or not and i’m proud of u for sharing this side of it that nobody talks about

[@oatmeal1380]

ive been vegetarian and never ate eggs my whole life, im 14.

[@Commonclaus]

I’m proud that there are not dead human beings, animals, chicken periods or lactations on my plate

[@cjiv93]

Wow this such a great video. I relate so much despite not being vegan. I was a young kid looking into veganism for the sake of losing weight and developed an eating disorder which I still struggle with as a now sophomore in college. I also still struggle with eating in public. It’s really crazy how much the internet warps young minds this way. This vid really comforted me about my own eating habits. I’m really glad ur bettering yourself tho!! Xx

[@amberalexander]

Awe omg sending u a hug!!! We got dis💪

[@jessefung9688]

My Spanish teacher was a jaramillo. Cool to see the name haha great teacher

[@realbonbonbon]

You've never been vegan because you've never understood: Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude-as far as is possible and practicable-all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.

[@tinknal6449]

@@realbonbonbon "sHe WaS neVEr VEgaN iN tHe fiRSt PLace", right?

[@mawiewamos]

As someone who is way older than you, I want to say that this video was beautiful. You will inspire so many young and older vegans, nonvegans, those who are going through eating disorders with this video with how important food is! Although I’m not vegan myself and never been, I respect all type of diets, cultures. Thank you so much for sharing!!! Btw!!! NEW WHAT I EAT IN A DAY!! I know you’re gonna be so experimental with new food and would love to seee!!!

[@amberalexander]

Thank you so much!!! And YES def gonna make an update what i eat in a day soon!

[@MrAllmightyCornholioz]

You know what isn't beautiful? Seeing animals being murdered for trivial taste pleasure.

[@realbonbonbon]

As someone who is older than you I can say that this is not inspiring. It's excuses only. You never understood: Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude-as far as is possible and practicable-all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.

[@mawiewamos]

@@realbonbonbon you’re very inspiring, although unfortunately not everyone can follow this type of diet. Kudos to you! Thanks for helping the environment. I’ve been using cruelty free products as much as possible so that’s all I can do for now. I work out, am a new grad nurse, and need as much protein for my energy and muscle. Also don’t have the right financial needs right now to buy anything high protein that’s vegan cause canadas been tough with high prices on food and I also live with in a Filipino household under my parents. So unfortunately I won’t be able to maintain a vegan diet. But awesome how you and others do so!

[@mariotom2484]

Veganism is good,but is hard to keep cause the food industry is a big mix of ingredients, and is far more healthy than a omnivor diet.I had two friends who died, meat lovers,42 and 46 years...heart and brain failure .Medical clinics are full of people with heart disease , and trust me ,not for eating salad.I have gout for 13 years , I do not eat meat(and other things) anymore.

[@gigirose3954]

I never realized how I always assume that people choose vegan diets based only on personal values about animal products so its really eye opening to hear you talk from your perspective of restrictive eating. As someone who has dealt with an E.D. in a different way, I love hearing how far you've come and how a casual relationship with food can be so freeing!! Love you as always

[@EvelynnEndgame]

Your reasons for not being vegan anymore make a lot of sense, from the inaccessibility at college to the restrictiveness feeling like an ED. That was also such a good point about how it's not all or nothing, you can still make a difference while not being completely vegan. It's awesome to see that you have a new love and enthusiasm for food! I've also had a fear of eating in front of people for a long time but for me it wasn't really about WHAT I was eating, it was HOW I was eating, i.e. just wanting to eat neatly and not chew oddly and stuff like that 😄 I also went vegan in high school and have been for a little over 7 years. I did it purely for animal-related reasons and not for weight/diet so maybe that's why I still feel comfortable with being vegan? It does get tough sometimes with the social aspect, and the convenience of just being able to grab whatever quick. I love my favourite go-to vegan brands of oat milk, oat ice cream, and other desserts, and I never really had an appetite for eggs, meat , or fish, so maybe my taste buds are just weird or something lol.

[@amberalexander]

Omg thank u so much for ur sweet comment!!! I’m glad we can relate LOL and I’m glad that being vegan is so enjoyable for u after 7 years!!!❤️❤️

[@susi5586]

What about the animals? Apart from one tiny mention at the beginning and saying you “know what animal welfare means for you”, you do not mention them. Veganism is NOT about the environment. Veganism is about animal rights. The victims on your plate are not just “food”. What you eat IS a big deal when it entails death and suffering for innocent animals. Even if as you say you are not eating meat, there is still great suffering in the egg, dairy and fish industries. Baby male chicks are ground up alive as they are unnecessary in the egg industry. Dairy cows are forcefully “artificially inseminated” (raped) in order to fall pregnant and then have their babies taken away from them at birth so that we can steal their milk. Plus when they are no longer “productive” where do they go? Straight to the abattoir. Dairy cows will be murdered at around 6 years old when naturally they could live for 20-25 years. Fish are sentient beings who suffer as they are suffocated and often cut open alive. Veganism is NOT about restricting what you eat. I’m sorry you had a bad experience with the HCLF cults but veganism doesn’t have to be like that! You can eat perfectly normally (and accessibly, if as your accent suggests you are somewhere in North America) without animals or animal products on your plate. If you take this as some kind of personal attack you are really not getting the message here - you seem like a sweet girl and this is the first video of yours I have seen so nothing against you - but I would urge you to really rethink the ethical consequences of your decisions and the real victims here - the hens, the baby chicks, the cows, the stolen calves, the bulls whose semen is stolen from them, the fish.... and not the minor inconvenience of having to check a food label or say no to a marinated egg.

[@Assassin99584]

Typical vegan cult nonsense and hypocrisy

[@susi5586]

@user-xu2yz5ee9v where’s the hypocrisy bro

[@pythondrink]

@@Assassin99584 typical of you to say. I bet you didn't read

[@illusory-seeker]

I noticed that too. The vibe I get from her is that she was plant-based for dietary and environmental reasons, and probably never had a strong moral conviction about exploiting and harming non-human animals. This seems a common thread among "ex-vegans"

[@susi5586]

@illusory-seeker very common unfortunately!! If you actually make the ethical connection you will never feel “restricted” because you cease to view animals and animal products as food which is there for our consumption. No one (in the western world) feels “restricted” because they can’t eat dogs or cats or because they can’t drink horse milk. Unfortunately a lot of “vegans” still have a fundamentally speciesist mindset

[@lesleee3891]

Growing up during the rise of critical vegans on YT was truly difficult as a young girl . I remember eating such unbalanced meals during HS I felt miserable 😞Thanks for sharing your journey Amber. it truly takes a lot for one to repair their relationship w/ food

[@amberalexander]

UGH that was such a crazy time😭😭

[@nicktheveganchick]

You can eat balanced meals while being vegan. Just like you can eat unbalanced meals while not being vegan. Restricting isn't veganism.

[@romanhoax9014]

@@nicktheveganchick *A vegan diet can never be a balanced diet. You are deficient in at least 15 micronutrients ONLY found in animal products. You are MALNURISHING yourself. You have an eating disorder. GET HELP*

[@Randomhandlename]

There’s a reason why majority of vegans quit veganism due to health issue not always because “they did it wrong”

[@ES11777]

Same here

[@Acutekid]

I’m so proud of you for making such a hard decision! You are so amazing and strong.

[@amberalexander]

Tysm!!!🥹

[@lenorabarclay275]

A hard decision to start abusing animals again. Proud of that really wow 😢

[@susi5586]

Amazing and strong to not bother taking 30 seconds to read a food label... yep...

[@Acutekid]

@@lenorabarclay275 I support this decision because she made it. It’s her body, her choice. If that counts towards murdering a human baby, it counts for this. Where do you think they grow the plants that y’all use for your oat, almond, soy, cashew, (and whatever other plant) milk? They grow them in places where they cut down whole forests. They destroy the habitats for SO MANY ANIMALS. But now, because she made a choice that is completely her own, and un affects you run every way, you’ve decided to hate on her, and the ones that support her decision. Get your liberal but off your bed and do some real research, for both sides. You clearly have read the vegan side, now find something that disproves it and go into it with an open mind.

[@7kooklaid]

@@lenorabarclay275 😑

[@AnaS-of8ri]

Tried the vegetarian diet which had some vegan meals included and I honestly kept it up throughout the summer and then winter came and I had developed such a weird fear around eating food which had never happened to me because I was and still am the biggest foodie on earth and it scared the sht out of me which made me stop immediately with the vegetarian/vegan diet. Because everytime I would eat food with a dense structure I’d get panic attacks out of fear not being able to swallow it?? Like wtf? Still don‘t really know where that fear came from but changing my diet definitely triggered that a lot which again, made me change back to my old diet. Now I listen to my body and eat what my body craves. It took me half a year to heal my relationship with food again and since then I never looked back. So thank you sm for sharing your story! It‘s so important that we honor our bodies and listen well when they talk to us❤

[@kaepiper]

i’m so grateful to have found kind youtubers like spencer barbosa, nutrition by kylie, and fitgreenmind who make body positive and health positive content. younger me needed that really badly. though, my mindset was awful and even though i was aware of the right things to do in regards to weightloss and insecurities, i was still horrible to myself. thankfully i’ve gotten out of that and i treat myself better. i’ve become healthier not only through food but by speaking kindly to myself. i’m not vegan though i’d love to be closer to one some day. i’m actually vegetarian as of october 2022. the social aspect and the money aspect of veganism is definitely a deterrent for me as of right now. being vegetarian, i have access to more things. i appreciate your transparency. as viewers of other’s content, you never know what goes on in someone’s life no matter how l things appear online. i’m happy you’ve decided to step away for your own mental health. you deserve to eat! from what i do know about you, you’re such a beautiful and hilarious person, you deserve to feel good about yourself!!

[@ohsugarblitz]

This is not meant to disrespect you or invalidate your experience, but I really wish people in general would stop seeing veganism as a diet or a meal plan to lose weight. Veganism is a sociopolitical movement to stop animal explotation, cruelty, and to see them for the intelligent, sentient, worthy of respect and compassion beings they are, what you eat in consequence to those ideals is just part of it, so when someone says "I am no longer vegan", were they really vegan? Does it mean they stopped caring for animals? Does it mean they no longer respect their lives? Probably not. What they really mean is that they stopped eating a plant-based diet, which is totally valid, because one can choose to have a plant-based diet for reasons other than animal liberation, such as health, the environment, to treat a condition, etc., so when it no longer works or feels right, you can change your diet to something that makes you feel better. Having said that, I'm happy you're in a place where you feel better and more comfortable with what you eat, and that your relationship with food and self image is improving.

[@Assassin99584]

No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy Typical vegan cult nonsense

[@ohsugarblitz]

@@Assassin99584 Think what you want, I stand by what I said 🤷‍♀

[@eliasshakkour2904]

@@ohsugarblitz This!!!!!!!!!! "I'm no longer vegan" is an oxymoron. It doesn't make any sense!

[@JamesW81]

Vegan is literally a diet. It's a choice of what you eat.

[@eliasshakkour2904]

@@JamesW81 You can call a plant-based diet that does not contain animal products a "vegan diet," but that's only one use of the term "vegan." This use only came about because the most OBVIOUS example of living out veganism is food. At its core, veganism is not just about food: it's about refraining from using ANY product and supporting ANY practice that causes unnecessary suffering to animals. This includes things like wearing wool or fur, going to zoos, going to bullfights, practicing hunting as a sport, etc. If you care about animal rights and animal suffering, you can't just all of a sudden stop caring about those things. That doesn't make sense, does it? So while you can certainly stop eating a plant-based diet (or a vegan diet, if you'd like), you can't "stop BEING vegan." There's a difference between BEING vegan and EATING plant-based (or vegan).

[@tiffany3255]

you were one of the people that helped me become vegan. other animals deserve liberation from suffering and needless death. they aren’t a food group like you see them as. they are individuals like you and me. i’m sorry that you felt like it restricted your eating and that you needed to feel socially normal and mentally well by paying for other beings to suffer and die. i know that the world isn’t perfect and there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism, but animal products always have a victim unless they’re lab-grown. it’s intentional and unnecessary harm. hopefully, someday we’ll have lab grown flesh, body parts, and breast milk that everyone can enjoy soon. i also struggle with disordered eating and feeling like i can’t eat with everyone around me. i grew up in a culture with a lot of animals served as food, roasted whole pigs on tables, and all that. but culture can change and evolve. i can’t live with myself knowing that i’m eating the body parts and secretions of nonconsenting beings who can’t escape from their pain.

[@Assassin99584]

Future ex vegan cope

[@pythondrink]

@@Assassin99584 go away troll

[@pythondrink]

@PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) get a new trolling method

[@pythondrink]

@PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) look at your chanel name and ask yourself that question lmao

[@DM........]

​@@pythondrink for once I am with the troll because the farmers protecting the vegetables are just killing every single animal near there vegetables scientist find more farmer kill animal near there vegetables than slaughter house

[@KrispyKael]

Thank you so much Amber. This video, and your precious, genuine words of your experience really hit smth in me. I've noticed that I'm really cautious of what I eat and find that I'm punishing myself for eating and feeling guilty for the things I eat. I also have this idea that (similar to what you mentioned,) I want to have a 'healthy girl' look in front of my friends and so at school all I eat are fruits, veggies and other nutrient foods, and so when I see my friends eating chips or chocolate or smth, I just don't understand how they can be so thin and happy eating all of that (did that make sense?) Sorry for oversharing, but I think my mindset about food and my body has changed now because of you. I know that sounds silly, but it's true. Thank you Amber

[@briannabohland3692]

I’m tearing up watching this. Vegan for 6 years and starting to question being more lenient. The mental freedom and joy that could come with stopping over analyzing food. Thank you for this ❤️🙏

[@amberalexander]

❤️❤️🫶

[@romanhoax9014]

@francescatreharne3419 *Your diet is deficient, human health comes first. Humans must eat animal foods to be healthy. Do you want to die for the animals? LMAO*

[@candylishx3527]

Even as a 31yr old, I struggle with disordered/restrictive eating and I think without the help of the internet, I would've never known that I had an eating disorder. Personally, the hardest part for me was getting to the age where we as women, often can't tolerate carbs the same way we used (simple carbs, not complex). I also just found out that I have an illness where it is better for me to eat lower carb. I guess after years of trying to make small and healthier swaps, I still feel stuck as ever. How does 1 eat intuitively while also still technically "restricting"?! I will probably eventually work with a nutritionist if I can't find a way to manage my POTS symptoms on my own. Nourishing your body is SOOO important, especially during your younger years and this is why intermittent fasting really isn't the way to go unless a Dr recommends such. Look at professional gymnasts, they usually don't even start their periods until they are past the age of 14 because we NEED carbs for energy. I still see so many YTers claim they eat intuitively but still restrict, restrict, restrict and as women, we shouldn't be encouraging other women to eat less but eat to nourish our bodies instead. It's hard to know the right balance between what is healthy and what is not enough. ps; have you tried sushi yet? ^-^

[@alexshannon4352]

This is why veganism is not a diet. When framing the topic of veganism as just your diet, you're shielding yourself from the ethical issue. It makes "leaving veganism" feel like a backslide on eating healthy or just a natural growth in your preferences as you mature. The reality is that you're now participating in a global holocaust of over 100 billion sentient animals a year. None of the problems you experienced are exclusive to eating plants and can be solved without slaughtering people. We do all deserve to eat, but no one has the right to take your life from you to make themselves feel better. If it's not okay to do to you, it's not okay to do to someone else.

[@Assassin99584]

Holocaust tho Hypocrite

[@alexshannon4352]

@@Assassin99584 where is the contradiction in what I said?

[@alexshannon4352]

​@@anti-militantvegan 😴

[@drakevaughan2626]

You aren't vegan. You weren't ever vegan. You're too old to not have a basic understanding of what it is to be vegan. Stop confusing basic concepts. Veganism is a way of life - NOT A DIET. Please educate yourselves.

[@ogorek11]

she brought her disordered eating tendencies to her "veganism" and is now blaming the vegan movement on her own mental health issues. she was never vegan because she views it as simply a diet. now she makes this video painting veganism in a negative light when the real issue here is that she has restrictive ed tendencies.

[@lersraa]

you don’t know how big impact this video has on me. i’m so proud of you amber!!!! thanks for opening about your feelings and it’s really great to see you feeling good, ily so so much and thanks again

[@amberalexander]

ILY!!!❤️❤️

[@Eric_G65]

Hi Amber, I decided to become a Vegan about 5 months ago after getting negative results from a recent medical exam. I also decided to go very low oil and very low carbs and sugar. A restrictive diet was never a big deal for me because I come from a Kosher home which is already very restrictive. In fact, being Kosher in many ways is way more restrictive than just being Vegan. So far, I really love being Vegan. For most of my life, I already ate Vegan a few times a week so the transition wasn't that difficult. I don't really care about organic, processed foods or GMO, so I probably had more options than you did in some ways but less in others because the Vegan products I buy also have to be certified Kosher and you would be surprised just how many aren't. You would think all Vegan products are certified Kosher and I am sure a lot more of them could be but the manufacturers probably don't want to spend the money on certification. Many others also produce their Vegan products on the same production lines where they make other foods that are absolutely not Kosher so they could never be certified. I don't count calories and of course, I rarely eat out but my favorite thing about being Vegan now is that I can eat a lot more food and I seem to be losing weight even though I am eating more. I found a lot of foods I really love and really don't miss meat or dairy all that much. I don't know if I will remain a Vegan for the rest of my life but so far, I really like it. Did Ashley give you a hard time when you gave up being a strict vegan? Do you cook non-Vegan foods now that you're living together? I guess you would because she lived in a content house with many other non-vegans and she never complained, at least not on camera.

[@futura4eva]

i honestly appreciate you so much for sharing what you’ve gone through with food, it gives a much needed perspective in the vegan yt space! i started watching you and ashley, and i think the trader joe’s haul made me look into veganism😭 i watched the documentaries and did some research too. my mindset was focused more on the health aspect cutting out processed foods etc. but i can see why for many people it leads to harmful restrictions. i actually didn’t eat meat other than chicken so it wasn’t that different. i actually never saw it as a restriction for myself, but just for the animals mostly. the idea of meat/ and meat industry started to gross me out tbh. i was vegan for three years but i stopped in 2020. i was vegetarian up until recently, i realized something similar that it wouldn’t make me a bad person if i ate meat again. i was conflicted for a while but i desperately wanted a chicken taco one day and i stopped lol💀 i think i’m seeing it as i can have more experiences through food like you said being with friends or trying foods from other cultures. i still only eat chicken and still enjoy some vegan/vegetarian options but i honestly wasn’t eating balanced so i felt pretty tired most of the time. i can tell i’ve improved some energy wise. and honestly it kind of seems like we can’t win even if we are vegan or vegetarian when there’s billion dollar companies polluting the earth every second😔 but anyway thank you for sharing your story!! i know it’s helpful for a lot of people that went through the same thing❤

[@Cha_rdrg]

Je suis venue ici exprès dans un vidéo en anglais. Car ici en France rare sont les vidéos de ce genre, je suis en pleine lutte pour remanger de la viande, cet vidéo et votre commentaire m’a profondément émue,je me rend compte qu’en voulant faire bien je me faisait énormément de mal sans m’en rendre compte, je rêve de manger du poulet, comme vous c’est la seule viande que je mangeais avec du poisson, comme dit dans la vidéo être plus décontractée dans la vie c’est beaucoup mieux ❤

[@filipgurl]

Clicked on this so fast! I Lowkey noticed but also figured that it’s your business and your decision! Appreciate these girl talks ! ❤

[@amberalexander]

Awe thank you!!!🫶

[@robbiekeith3528]

I've been old school vegan for 60 years. It's not a diet. It's having compassion for animals and ot eating them and causes so much suffering. It's up to you to find a healthy diet . You have to figure it out yourself, that s if you cate about the planet and animals. I'm a gourmet Italian cook. I eat really great. I'm 70 years old and have 0 health issues. Run marathons Run 2 hours every morning. Bike hike. Again there is no such thing as a vegan diet. You are doing the animals a disservice and the planet by making these videos. I can run circles around most carnivores and aim 70 years old. There is 0 restrictions being vegan if you create a healthy diet.

[@matthewwilliams3827]

Bruh how you still alive?

[@fabiofernandes9122]

youre crazy

[@matthewwilliams3827]

@@collapsingruins yeah I suspect that as well.

[@SteversChed]

It is a diet. It's also a person. You're attributing the lifestyle to a different noun. When you drop the 'ism' it's not longer a lifestyle. It becomes a word that describes what they are. Care to show a healthy plants only diet study? We both know you won't. Why do you use animal products needlessly (that means possible and practicable to avoid) while only pretending to be against it?

[@ms.soapii]

social media was def the main cause of my disordered eating habits. it’s so sad how you, me and so many other young people develop bad eating habits bc of influencers at such a young age. i remember under eating starting from the age of 12 and i got super restrictive and got depressed bc i wasn’t looking different (thinner). I even told my parents that I wasn’t gonna eat meat for a month to “try it out bc I was curious” but in reality, I just heard influencers and social media saying cutting meat will help weight loss. uGHHH I JUST RELATE TO THIS VIDEO SO MUCH AMBER, tysm for being so open and honest :,)

[@_leni]

10:50 I am very happy for you for finally developing a healthy realtionship with food and your body! But this is simply "excuses". 0,000001% of all animal products are made like that (sustainable, backyard chickens, ethical leather (which doesn't exist at all)). This gives thousands of people watching a good feeling about eating animal products (which simply means abusing and torturing animals, as harsh as this sounds but this is simply the truth). These "excuses" give a wrong understanding of the animal industry because people then think leather is okay or organic eggs come from happy chickens. When in reality 99,99999% of all animal products _inevitably_ go hand in hand with animals suffering. Anyways, again, I am happy you prioritize your mental health and were able to get out of this disordered eating spiral, that isn't easy for sure!! But you always need to be careful about how you put things, especially if you have such a big impact

[@sarathesimmersarathesimmer1300]

Thank you for this video! I’m vegetarian for almost 7 years, but have started to have the rare nibble of salmon. I’ve been thinking of going back to eating meat, but every time I feel that way something just sets me back (the icks I get thinking of meat). I initially became vegetarian when I was 13, and just like you for the wrong reasons 😅 It was a light sense of “maybe I’ll loose weight” so I became vegetarian. Eventually after 2 or so years, I became passionate about veganism and craved being vegan but relying on my parents for meals allowed them to tell me I cant be vegan until I’m 18. After a year or so, I wasnt as passionate anymore and just remained vegetarian just because I’ve been it for so long and that’s where I’m at now. I’m 19 & am indeed missing out on the social aspect because I would LOVE to try Korean BBQ without worrying about the vegetarian options knowing I wont be full. Even a simple pho soup will taste flavorless because of the broth being vegetarian instead of pork (or so, which I imagine to be flavorfullll). I also am more “restrictive” to where I dont eat dairy yogurt & dont eat dairy milk, but I still eat eggs and cheese. I would love to just casually have sushi without thinking about “do they have avocado rolls?” or without spending way more money on a speciality vegan sushi restaurant. I love vegetarism but I know I’m not doing it right. I dont eat beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc. and I occasionally add tofu. I thought I’d forever be vegetarian and even go vegan at one point, but now I’m just continuing it because I’ve done it for so long :-/ I appreciate this video so much 💗💗

[@kate7369]

I hear you. I'm 5 years vegan and i dont want to change it, but I also got into it for the "wrong" reasons. Since then, I have mended my food obsessions and I hope to be vegan forever, but I TOTALLY hear you and I am so proud of you for explaining your journey.

[@Commonclaus]

Do it for the right reasons then and stop looking for affirmations to go back to eating humans

[@AngyOwusu]

This KZbinr has definitely proved to me that I can be strong with meat instead of Boring Vegan Foods. I wish i knew that from the start because as a person who never liked diets at all, i was so naïve to eat, And due to that I never drank or ate anything and that became a problem for me, until 2009 when i started eating and that became a life changer for me. It helped me to be more cautious about not eating, and why It causes me to be hungry everyday. With meat, I knew that it made me who i am since 2011 when the first time i tried spaghetti bolognese and i fell in love with it instantly and to this today i never felt sorry for eating it 😂. All Jokes Aside, you definitely know how to explain the reason why Vegan food is terrible without being disrespectful and im proud of you because of that. Continue the kindness that you share with your videos everytime you film it and post it online on youtube ❤😊.

[@helenalevin8811]

i also stopped being vegan last year after being vegan for 6 years. so literally the same thing. i cant explain how good it is to hear you say the same exact reasons why i made that decision :)

[@amberalexander]

OMG that’s insane!!! We’re totally in this together🫶

[@fruitsalad7611]

@Helena Levin You were never vegan, just plant based. I could never imagine going back to supporting animal exploitation because i'm an actual animal lover and not a fake vegan. XXX

[@jeezpill7951]

@@fruitsalad7611 nobody ask xx

[@heman4448]

@@fruitsalad7611 watch the rise and fall of vegan influencers

[@leonardodavinci7425]

@@fruitsalad7611 People with eating disorders often use a plant based diet to mask their disorders, same thing with keto and various types of intermittent fasting etc.

[@MARTINLOUISR]

Veganism is often misunderstood as being overly restrictive, but in reality, it’s about making conscious choices to avoid animal-derived products. Many people with dietary restrictions, like allergies to milk or gluten, live fulfilling and varied lives by finding alternatives and getting creative with their meals. Similarly, vegans enjoy a diverse array of plant-based foods, and there are countless delicious options available. Veganism isn’t about restriction-it’s about finding abundance in ethical and sustainable choices while aligning with personal values. The perspective often shifts once people explore how rich and varied vegan cuisine can be. 😊. and not sure about your friends but my friends not vegan and they love vegan food and have no problem going to places where i can eat too. but not everyones friends are thoughtful or considerate

[@riizeboyz_]

proud of you for doing what you needed to do to heal and grow!! ❤️ i relate so much to everything you said. i was extremely restrictive a few years ago to lose weight, then found out ab veganism. i would tell ppl i went vegan bc i cared ab animals & the environment but i knew deep down it was also bc i wanted an excuse for a restrictive diet. about a year later i got extremely sick and couldn’t heal quickly bc i hadn’t been nourishing my body. so i went back to eating fish and eggs. and recently i’ve been wanting to just eat whatever i felt like eating. it’s so hard to eat out w friends & family and there’s so many foods that look so damn good but can’t eat bc of my diet 😭 i love how you said eating whatever you want is a way to heal from the restrictive mindset you’ve had in the past. i think thinking in that way can help me heal too! ❤ (sorry this is so long 😭 i just related so much and felt like sharing)

[@lynvrse]

you’re amazing amber, im so proud of you for talking about this and for making this decision

[@36ELRIC]

What you are describing is you had a food disorder, that has nothing to do with Veganism. Veganism is against animal cruelty and exploitation. You were a poorly informed plant-based eater, not a Vegan.

[@Assassin99584]

Cruelty tho exploitation tho No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy

[@premg062]

your video popped up on my feed, maybe because I'm vegan (i'm from india). here is my take on your video amber, science is very clear that vegan diet (planned as every diet should be) is healthy and nutritionally adequate for all stages of life. Veganism is not a cult, fad or diet (whoever says it is, is not in it for the animals). Veganism is a social justice movement for animals. we recognize that non-human animals, deserve our moral consideration and basic right not to be exploited or killed by humans for 15 minutes of taste pleasure. animals are not commodities; they are sentient beings who can feel pain, suffer just like us. When you view animals as just food, it's very easy to be disconnected from what really happens to animals (unnecessarily inflicting pain, suffering & ultimately death). I hope you revaluate your position on veganism. you are young and have lot of influence on people too with your KZbin channel. True Vegans (ethical) don't support animal welfarism, we only support animal liberation. I recommend you watch slaughter footage (or) dominion(2018) (or) Earthlings (2005) and make up your mind whether what we are doing to animals is justified? highly recommend you check out 'Earthling Ed' KZbin channel and his talks. "You Will Never Look at Your Life in the Same Way Again" talk by earthling ed.

[@naominaomi6508]

I used to agree with you, but after 14 years of detoriation on plant based diet, I don´t agree at all. Yes, I was eating balanced. Legumes, quinoa, buckwheat, plant sources omega, a ton of veggies, fruit, berries, nuts, seeds, all whole foods. Even "true vegans" as you call it, detoriate. You can keep on detoriating if you want, but believing that plants only is the healthy and natural way of living, is a load of crap. No need to eat farm raised animals.

[@offlicense6097]

This video is literally my shared vegan experience. I went vegan at 12, and acc got quite sick from how restricted my eating was(was watching alot of raw vegan videos)in the end I ended up in the hospital and I'm nolonger vegan I love vegetables now but I feel more free eating food now🤷🏿‍♀️

[@user-vi9vf2bu4q]

literally the exact same for me except im 25 and went vegan at 17 when i started college, initially it started with looking up easy recipes and turned into an easy way to restrict. like you said, it was so nice to just say “i cant eat that, im vegan”. still trying to heal from those years. thank you for making this video, it seems like so many others can relate. i loved the bit at the end, there’s so much nuance involved with being sustainable and taking care of yourself should be a #1 priority. proud of you 💕

[@00chychy00]

The honesty in this video is so appreciated. As someone who has struggled with similar things, and I'm sure a lot of others has as well, seeing someone with a big platform talk about these topics so openly and honestly really helps with the stigma around these things and is helpful for people like us. You're so loved Amber! Thank you for this video and thankful for you!

[@amberalexander]

❤❤❤ LOVE U!!!

[@veganix6757]

I feel restricted to. I wanna eat dog and dolphin etc u ok with that?

[@veganix6757]

@Mickey Dude neither will some humans but I still defend their rights as well as children and other people I’ll defend their rights

[@veganix6757]

@Mickey Dude ur fine with killing and eating dogs too?

[@veganix6757]

@Mickey Dude what about humans

[@emilyb192]

This video was so refreshing and honest… I am really proud of you, Amber! You are such an insightful person, and I really feel like I’ve learnt a lot from you, as someone similar to you in age who has been watching your family’s content for over 4 years now. Not only are you endlessly funny, you are also massively wise and in-tune with yourself. Thank you for sharing these parts of your life with us, because it really does help me to check in on myself, too

[@ryanwelsch9384]

Why are you proud of someone that chooses to harm others?

[@retroscenery]

Freelee now lives in the jungle of Northern Queensland. She’s mellowed out over the years. Still posts on KZbin tho not as active. 2016 vegan KZbin was very orthorexic and I can see how it would trigger eating disorders for some. It’s a shame overly restrictive vegan diets exploded in popularity because vegan diets can be balanced and healthy

[@kimss7299]

I literally cried with the last part, I never went vegan but I tried to be plant based/ “healthy” and made a lot of unhealthy diets that just make me cry when I think about them and about how much I was torturing myself back then. Thank you for this video Amber, I wish I could meet you, I basically related with everything you said, and just like you I’m glad to say I’m now in a really good mental health state since my relationship with food improved so much. Like you said food is food, it can be delicious and bring lots of happiness, it can be more or less nutritious but it has no moral value. that’s it 💛

[@tiffany3255]

Nonhuman animals don’t have to be viewed as food though just as you probably don’t view other human animals or some other nonhuman animals like maybe a cat as food. We can evolve and grow as a society to not exploit and kill defenseless, intelligent, and emotional beings who can’t escape from the suffering, commodification, and exploitation of their bodies, breast milk, and eggs. I thought I couldn’t be happy without them either, but nothing hurts my mental wellbeing more than knowing how much the wellbeing of other animals had to suffer for my choices. If enough of us cared, then we could help them, too.

[@ciara7172]

I'm sorry that you went through that. There are a lot of vegan youtubers who push crazy restrictive diets that have nothing to do veganism as philosophy. A vegan diet doesn't have to be restrictive or like a crash diet. There's more than one way to be vegan and get the nutrients you need without hurting yourself or obsessing over health/weight. It's hard to overcome that kind of thing. I used to obsess over eating whole foods only. Now, I don't overthink my diet. I eat a variety of foods and it's comforting to know that I'm not hurting any animals.

[@bazza5699]

so you weren't vegan then.. just using a plant based diet as a control mechanism for something else. veganism isn't a cult, there are millions of vegans not on youtube or social media. i'm glad you're feeling better in yourself. please try to understand that your issues were not to do with veganism, but your own self esteem. you don't seem to appreciate that veganism is about the abolition of animal exploitation, in the whole of this 13 minute video you mentioned animals 3 times (in passing) the rest of it was me me me me me me me me.. how you feel, what you experienced, your journey.. well boo hoo.. check out the journey of a chicken.. or a cow.. or a sheep.. i'm happy you're feeling better, but animals aren't food. they are sentient beings like you are on their own journey... enjoy your eggs.

[@Assassin99584]

No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy Abolition tho exploitation tho Animals are food facts don’t care about vegan cult feelings

[@bazza5699]

@@Assassin99584 sorry, purely discussing someone's diet isn't vegan, it's plant-based. not once was mentioned boycotting of animal based materials or cosmetics etc.. purely concentrating on food. veganism is about ending the exploitation of animals.. not sure how you can deny that. lol.. animals aren't food.. unless you eat all animals? do you? or is it cultural to just eat some? the ones bred into existence maybe? veganism isn't a cult. look up the definition of cult

[@Assassin99584]

@@bazza5699 cry harder cult drone

[@bazza5699]

@@Assassin99584 only crying tears of laughter at you :)

[@ogorek11]

she does not seem to have an understanding of what veganism means, or what the definition of a cult is. so much misinformation in this video.

[@themillenialwordsmith8022]

People need to divorce being vegan from their identity. Being vegan is a moral position hinging on humans being able to be or remain healthy doing it. While this seams like this is the case, in the coming decades long-term studies of vegan population might prove that it is not. If you´re doing it only for weight management, borderline orthorexia or aesthetics reasons, it´s your job not to make important decisions based on what people on the internet say. I think it´s silly when people are no longer vegan and they do an entire 180; it´s like they didn´t really believe the things they were spouting before. As a vegan of 7 years, I´d simply say I was wrong and keep it pushing

[@aminadurakovic3862]

It is sad that we are living in a world, where the surfice has such importance, to the point it can ruin the lives of so many young people... I say, think of animals, think of other people, we are not alone as individuals on this earth, we have to live and cooperate together and killing and abusing animals is not the solution for the wellbeing of anyone. And Americans, please ditch the sick ,,all about looks,, and ,,love yourself first,, mentality, it is slowly getting old.

[@emd4wg]

aw amber i’m so so glad that you’re comfortable with being transparent with us!! will forever support you in all that you do 🫶🫶

[@IsaacWale2004]

11:56 I liked that Beatles reference, nice touch :)

[@jenniferms3605]

You're just like me fr, lmaooo. Brooo, we had a similar experience with veganism! I went vegan for a few months in spring 2016 (around April or May, I believe. I remember because it was my freshmen year and it was during the outdoor track season). I was introduced to veganism by the KZbin algorithm or something. Obviously being in a sport, I was trying to figure out the best foods to put in my body to nourish it and get energy/perform better at practice and on the track. So naturally, looking up healthy meal ideas, veganism-related videos showed up. I remember the Freelee the Banana Girl, the vegan couple (Mr. and Mrs. Vegan--I don't remember their name), and that one dude who would make videos and would only feed his dog vegan food (smh, feel bad for that dog). It was a weird time for the vegan community on KZbin and for the KZbin algorithm. Anyway, clearly I was interested in the diet (somewhat the lifestyle as well) because I wanted to eat better, but also, the documentaries and videos made me want to go vegan to prevent animal suffering on my end, at the time. A key reason I even adopted the diet was because I had high cholesterol and high triglycerides at one point after some annual bloodwork in middle school and the doctor presented and explained what that meant in a way that made it seem very life-threatening (like I would get a heart attack/heart disease soon, even though that was not the case at all). I adopted the diet almost blindly for those reasons. I obviously did some research, but it wasn't sufficient as much as the approach and diet wouldn't be sustainable for me. Eventually, my iron level was very low during that summer/fall. I eventually went back to eating an omnivore-based diet (majority plant-based and like at most 20% animal-based----I'm pretty sure it was a similar diet to the one I had prior to adopting the vegan diet). But yeah. I definitely felt better going back to my normal diet around late fall of 2016 (my sophomore year of high school). I'm 22 now and I will say my iron level was low this past January, but I took iron supplements daily as instructed by my doctors and now my iron level is within the healthy range! It was most likely low to begin with because of my PCOS and if not that, the fact that I don't really eat iron-rich animal proteins, specifically red meat. Like I said, by nature, my diet is pretty plant-based or even vegetarian at that. Anyway, if anyone read this, you're for real a G. Lol. It's somewhat comforting to know I can relate to someone my age and someone who had a very similar experience, especially in terms of being introduced to veganism.

[@jenniferms3605]

Also, LOL, the MyFitnessPal thing was so real. I started using it in spring 2015 (I was finishing 8th grade, lmao). I didn't have an ED or anything, but definitely some form of body dysmorphia because I thought I was fat, when I really wasn't, and it was during that tumblr era and shit where people where the "thigh-gap" agenda was so present...abs too. LMFAO. Crazy. I was literally 14...using MyFitnessPal to try and get a thigh gap. Crazy. I didn't do restrictive eating though, I was just counting my calories within the range someone my age with my goals should be intaking. It's still bizarre to reflect that I lived that moment in my youth, lol. I always think about how sensitive and vulnerable young children and adults are when they have access to the internet and misinformation. It's definitely a thought I think to myself, especially when I think about having kids in the future, not gonna lie. LMAO. Deep.

[@kelseylelei]

bruh amber i related so mcuh it was literally painful. i used to do gymnastics cheer tumbling etc. and that's when my restrictive eating started and I remember it even messed up my relationship my my mom bc culturally foods we eat literally do not agree with veganism, vegetarian, etc and it is such a painful feeling to have to put so much though into something that more or less does not matter. thank you for this video

[@amberalexander]

EXACTLY OMG!!! We live the same life😭😭 love u bae!!

[@IsaacWale2004]

I'm sorry that veganism didn't work for you, but you had the wrong mentality a lot of the time...

[@lykakatrash]

amber!!!!!!! thank you for being so transparent with us and voicing out your whole thought process!! every time you have these sit down videos i get smacked in the face ( in a good way ?) with how thoughtful, well spoken, and intelligent you are! thank you for using your platform to truly speak your mind and share your experiences to reinforce + promote positive habits and self care!!! you tell things how they are, and word it in such an inspiring way .. i have so much appreciation for you and am so happy that you’re happy! i barely follow along with any youtubers and rarely comment but whenever i see you post SUM PART OF ME HAS TO VOICE MY ADORATION!! i can see just how much you care about the message that you send and AGH!!! i just love when people talk so passionately about anything and the way you are so self aware ... YAS! BUT YEAH!! U R SO AMAZING!! thank you so much for updating us even though u absolutely didn’t have to!!

[@gdaves5257]

I love when you touch on how you’ve already made an impact from the many years. Everyone should celebrate the impacts big and small people have and accept that 100% 24/7 isn’t the only option :) even one meal or one week is something and no one should feel that it’s all or nothing

[@vxnus_0]

Thank you so much for opening up, i find this video so relieving and important! In the past few years i watched a lot of your sister's videos, especially the "what i eat in a day", i used to be obsessed with those type of videos during quarantine, because i was trying to find new recipes that could be healthy, vegan but still good; i tried to make myself enjoy some things, especially the desserts, but in reality i didn't like some of them at all. It was only last year that i realized how much control i was putting on the food that i was eating, forcing myself not to eat the desserts that my boyfriend's mom was making because they were containing eggs or cow milk, feeling nervous and frustrated when i was eating outside or at someone's place because i didn't have the control. I was being so hard on myself on so many levels, and i decided to break this circle and i finally feel free to eat whatever i want; i haven't eaten meat in 4 years and i'm happy with this choice, i try to eat mostly plant-based but it makes me so happy to enjoy a sushi date with my boyfriend from time to time or baking a cake that actually tastes good.

[@amberalexander]

Awe yay!!!! That’s exactly what I went through ahhh, so glad we’ve both given ourselves the freedom to eat little treats every once in a while!!

[@heaven_11_forever]

veganism isn’t a diet it’s an ideology

[@Assassin99584]

Brain dead vegan cult drone cope

[@tina1989era]

you cannot just “stop” being vegan. because then you were never vegan to begin with🫠

[@Donatoni_Andrey]

A cult, I would say

[@bittasweet]

Diet=restriction Veganism=restriction (you're literally restricting what you can and cannot eat)

[@alansamuel2454]

@@Donatoni_Andrey It often tries to guilt trip those who leave it as we can see in the comment section here. Very characteristic of a cult. You were never a real vegan, what about the animals being murdered...etc etc.

[@haytonthomas]

Not sure how someone who claims to have been vegan can post a video like this with so little reference to the cruelty to animals...i.e. what veganism is actually about. Sounds like you did it for other reasons...i.e. missing the whole point of veganism. Anyway, hope you find the balance you seek.

[@Assassin99584]

Cruelty tho No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy

[@Isabel-ro7ls]

Agreed :( im disappointed

[@luammerces2461]

I've always loved eating veggies as a kid, never really liked meat but I loved fish and I didn't eat healthy at all, then I saw a bunch of documentaries about veganism and decided to become vegan and along with that I started eating only whole foods and pretty healthy, I was lucky enough to start my vegan journey knowing about nutrition and strategies you need to be healthy and in the first year I felt AMAZING, I felt like I could run forever and never get tired, until recently. After being vegan for almost 4 years I started feeling bad, low motivation, I dragged myself throughout the day, I struggled to do the basics, I started experiencing brain fog, it did NOT matter how strategic I was w my diet, I swear to God I was making sure I got more then enough protein and calories but I still felt bad. Then I decided to eat eggs and dairy and some fish every now and then too, I remember the afternoon after eating fish it was as if I was on drugs, the world was lively and colorful, it was immediate, I remember I even cried out joy and excitement. And as a swimmer, my performance at the sport improved a lot, today at practice my coach even asked me to slow down lol cause I was going too fast and I was pretty excited. I think w the vegan diet, specially if you're starting ur journey coming off of a junk food diet you'll feel amazing but with me at least it started falling apart no matter what I did. No judgements at all, everyone is different, some ppl may thrive for years as a vegan but I think I was luck to snap out of it as soon as I started feeling horrible and don't get me wrong please, I TRIED in every possible was

[@spirituallysafe]

Your comments reflect other ex vegans' stories I have heard. Stay healthy!

[@kelseyelizabeth01]

You could just….watch the video of the animal getting its throat cut in the slaughterhouse….and listen to the sounds and watch what happens and how the humans treat the animal……..what’s even the point of being alive if we unconsciously consume torture when the videos are on the internet……as an intellectually capable adult…….please don’t follow the flock just because the solution to Health is not mainstream.

[@CD-ju4vv]

I was VEGAN for 5 years. I started getting health problems not regular in my menstrual cycle HORRIBLE PMS due to impaired ovulation and low progesterone. I also was always upset all the time and pissed off. LOL I was not fun to be around with. I stopped my VEGAN DIET because I hated wasted money on taking 12 capsules a day just to supply my zinc and Vit B12. Now, I am the healthiest as can be primarily my menstrual is regular and I just feel ALIVE now. I DID ALSO HATED ALL THAT VEGAN FAD SNACKS AND JUNK FOOD. NOPE I AM DONE WITH THAT. VEGANS EAT WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR AND WHEAT. WORSE THINGS THAT ARE HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY. I also i just watched a podcast that miley cyrus had to quit vegan diet due to brain functioning very slow... I can attest that is true! Now I eat 70% vegetarian/30% fish and meat and I slim and happy as can be!!

[@ciara7172]

I'm sorry that you went through that. There are a lot of vegan youtubers who push crazy restrictive diets that have nothing to do veganism as philosophy. A vegan diet doesn't have to be restrictive or like a crash diet. There's more than one way to be vegan and get the nutrients you need without hurting yourself or obsessing over health/weight. It's hard to overcome that kind of thing. I used to obsess over eating whole foods only. Now, I don't overthink my diet. I'm still vegan, eat a variety of foods, and it's comforting to know that I'm not hurting any animals.

[@Ailuj13di]

I am about 90% vegan and the rest vegetarian. This fits well for me, because when I cook for myself I find it easy to eat vegan but sometimes for example when I visit my grandma I don‘t wanna have her make an extra dish for me, or if someone gifts me chocolate with milk I‘ll eat it anyways.. I think just do what‘s best for you without trying too hard to fit in a box 😌

[@brendasalcedo9949]

Thank you for sharing your story! When I was younger I struggled with body image as well. Which led to unhealthy habits. Once I started college, I became vegetarian and eased my way to becoming vegan. Throughout that process I started to discover myself and grew a healthier relationship with food. Got to experiment with different foods. It made me become more connected with my food than I had ever been. For me, it was life changing and definitely worth the journey! You had a great influence on me a few years back because I would rarely get on YT but when i did, I found you and your sister, which were similar to by age and were vegan. I was like woah I’m not the only one and a POC vegan. Made me feel reassured, but it’s saddens me that you had to go thought all that! But I’m proud of you for searching your journey & gained a better relationship with food! Thanks again for putting yourself out there because it is not an easy task! I hope to someday spread body positivity and holistic healing as a POC vegan as I approach my degree in Nutrition!

[@MaffyTaffyHaffy]

Eating meat is not unnatural. The only way we were able to evolve and have enough caloric intake was because we ate meat. It is only in modern times where people try to guilt you to change. I was pescatarian for a couple of months and recently broke it. I did it for me because I love animals so much but I’m literally skinnier. And unhealthier. And I typically don’t have as many food options so it leads me to eat, unhealthy things when if I could eat meat, I could eat something that had more minerals, protein, nutrition. Like where I work the only option I have if I want to eat is pizza. Or a salad. You cannot tell me that is more nutritious than a full meal with meat. I also tried to be vegan and vegetarian years ago and also after a couple months had to stop because I also got skinny. I already struggle with eating enough and honestly for me personally I don’t think it’s the smartest thing to make it even more of a struggle to eat. I love animals with all my heart and definitely will eat only read me occasionally, but I don’t think it’s bad if I eat chicken and turkey here in there because it is so hard for me to eat in the first place. I hate those that sit on their pedestal because they have the privilege of being able to be vegetarian vegan. And when I say that I’m talking about The fact that there are people who are working 60 hours a week and don’t have the time to pre-plan things. Or have families. It’s really difficult and you also have to have the money to eat healthy. There’s so many factors to this conversation and I really wish some vegans would get off their pedestal and realize that some people have harder lives in them and they cannot do what they are doing. It does not mean they’re they are a bad person it means they are a different person

[@b_un_boxed]

Very brave to speak up, as I know people seem to get a kick giving backlash. I’m glad you are recognising what is good for you mentally and physically, that’s a huge step and progress! I hope you find lots of new foods that excite you, and recipes that bring you joy - and even posting them! Keep true to you, not what others project onto you! 💜💫

[@realbonbonbon]

You never understood veganism. Within six years. That's crazy! Hint: It's not about you losing weight. Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude-as far as is possible and practicable-all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.

[@Assassin99584]

No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy

[@PeiPeisMom]

You weren't vegan, you were plant based. There's a big difference between the two, as I'm sure you know.

[@Assassin99584]

No true Scotsman fallacy

[@PeiPeisMom]

@@Assassin99584 No, it's not an appeal to purity. If you look up the definition of veganism, it has mostly to do with the reason one is plant based, not the practice. One doesn't suddenly wake up and decide the sentient beings they so cared for previously no longer matter. People mix up veganism with being plant based all the time. Anyone who acts on a craving for flesh may have mistakenly thought they were vegan. This isn't a judgement, merely a clarification.

[@Assassin99584]

@@PeiPeisMom she was vegan now she isn’t You are committing a no true Scotsman fallacy

[@tinknal6449]

"yOu WerE neVEr VEgaN iN tHe FIrsT PLacE" Classic vegan gaslighting.

[@jiroaoki8]

she’s still learning and she was a kid what makes her till the different

[@krist.23]

Thank you for creating such a positive and healing space around food! Just hearing someone say “you deserve to eat” means so much ❤

[@swiftie.forever]

amber this is so good omg.!!!! like seriously the thing u typed out and read was so well written even tho it was so simple😭 it was just perfect and i am really happy for you. i came from the podcast and i can just tell how much you’ve learned and how educated you are on eating issues in general and it makes me so 😊😊😊😊. in a world where everyone thinks they know everything and they’re usually wrong or being triggering, it is seriously such a freaking breath of fresh air to watch you and listen to someone that genuinely knows what they’re talking about. OH MY GODDD I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW MUCH I WANT TO SAY TO YOU like genuinely i wish i could speak to you one day bruh i just can’t fit it all in this comment section seriously.

[@amberalexander]

AW thank u so so much!!!🥹 sending u lovee!!❤️

[@steve.santiago]

What you failed to mention was how much discipline it took you (and any vegan) to stick to a vegan diet! Don’t short change yourself for being so disciplined. That trait is an admirable one. It’s no wonder you are so successful. Great video. I’m sure a lot of people needed to hear your journey, Amber. Keep doing what you do.

[@SteversChed]

It doesn't take much discipline to be deceitful. She is still doing it.

[@ΘάνατοςΧορτοφάγος]

Sounds like you had disordered eating, not a vegan issue. Also, veganism is about the animals. Nit about health, not about journey, etc.

[@Assassin99584]

No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy

[@shalenah]

disrodered eating triggered by veganism

[@Shannon-uh6zm]

I had such a similar experience with veganism during college! When eating was already difficult to stay on top of, veganism acted as another barrier. I would simply not eat dinner even if there was readily available, easy to prepare non-vegan food because I felt as though eating it would make me a "terrible person". I have a much healthier relationship with food now, and I'm so happy to hear your experience and how much better you're feeling ❤

[@lizziarellano]

aww this is so wholesome in a way. the social aspect of sharing foods with your loved ones is so cute. also, the bangs and your makeup in this video are so gorg. proud of you amber 💞

[@amberalexander]

AW thank you!!🥹

[@niamhadairia2956]

I really feel you on this. I have been vegan for the last 4/5 years (mostly, I still eat honey and in later years have eaten some eggs from my aunty's hens and mussels from my Dad's farm), but recently I have started being less and less restrictive with it. We are opposite in the way that I did not start veganism at all with the idea of losing weight, but it eventually grew to that point. I don't know that I could ever eat beef, pork, venison or chicken again (personally), but i've been afraid to potentially start eating eggs, dairy and maybe even fish again as I am afraid of gaining weight as I now have a slightly slower metabolism than when I first started with veganism (where I was legit a stick). I am now very much conciously considering whether I should try going back to being just veggie and even then not be too stressed about if I slip up. I really wish I could eat meat cause I do think that humans are mostly meant to be omnivores, but we'll just have to see what happens! Thank you for posting this Amber

[@jasminevdh6375]

Not gonna lie I always compared myself to people on the Internet, also to you and Ashley. I always analyzed what you ate in the videos to a point I thought this is the only way I should eat, so that I will also have amazing skin/body etc. Especially since you were vegan and I always thought I have to be vegan to have good skin. But hearing you talk about your struggle with food/veganism just helped me so much!!!!! Not that I am happy to hear that you didn't feel great for a long time, it just made me realize that so many people have a complicated relationship with food, and we never know what's going on in their life and shouldn't compare ourselves. I've always struggled with restricting/under eating and I am still not at the point where I am ready to give up my old bad eating habits lol BUT I have to admit that your video really changed my perspective on my diet/comparison to other girlies on the internet. I am very proud of you for taking care of your body, you deserve to be happy and healthy and I really am excited for you to try sooo much other amazing food in the future!! I can't stress enough how amazingly mature you are for your age, I am not even half that wise yet lmao you always find the right words to express your emotions, and I've been really enjoying your sit down and talk videos lately. Your growth is honestly so inspiring, love ya x

[@kimrenoo3085]

difficult topic... yes, of course your health comes first and you deserve to be happy and I am sad to hear that you and so many people in this comment section had to deal with disordered eating. However, those extrem vegans that you mention aren't extrem because they are vegan but because they themselves struggle with and promote disordered eating. Veganism does not have to be restrictive at all. Nowadays there are so many vegan options and food diaries that are refreshing and promote a truly healthy and balanced plant based diet (I am consciously using the term "plant based" because veganism itself isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle). I am also aware that it is difficult if almost no one else in your environment is vegan. It is dangerous however to promote eating animal products since they do have a huge negative impact on the environment, on animals etc. Saying that "eating that egg felt freeing", "maturing out of veganism" or promoting leather products (?) just feels wrong to me. Btw I am not saying that you can never eat animal products again. It is still your choice what you fuel your body with. But please be aware of the impact that you as KZbinr have on other people. This is in no way meant as an attack, Amber... rather cunstructive criticism or food for thought. You are not a bad person and I appreciate the transparency.

[@Unmasking_Viandalisme]

'Veganism does not have to be restrictive at all. Nowadays there are so many vegan options.. '. Vegan 'play dough' fakery adds nothing but the unhealthy rubbish found in all, processed food but you seem to be okay with such. Why are you not promoting a WFPB diet? Is it that human health doesn't rank highly on your list of priorities?

[@emmanagy6475]

!!!!

[@kellyreyes7409]

I love how open you are with us amber! So proud of you amber baby!! ❤️

[@simplynia8316]

THIS WAS SO WELL SAID AMBER!! I love how honest you are and this is so true!!!!! TYSM :)

[@Commonclaus]

Journey, journey, journey, journey, journey, journey. All I hear about is journeys. If your journey encompasses exploiting and murdering animals that are similar in intelligence to your cats or dogs, you may need to rethink your journey. She clearly did a plant based diet. And you all just believed her at that, that her diet was in fact “vegan.” Vegan means you are for the animals. She was for her self. A selfish journey to lose weight. A WELL PLANNED, BALANCED DIET is the healthiest diet. Regardless of whether or not you eat plants or animal corpses. You guys all assumed her intentions were eat a well planned balanced diet. Am I the only one who who noticed how obsessed she was with personal motives like weight lose, eating clean? Do it for the animals. Educate yourself on how to eat healthy and balanced. Stop blaming your personal problems on the vegan lifestyle. Vegan is for the animals, not to be self restricting. You are misusing any ways of consumption if the point is to be self restricting. You can eat very healthy or very poorly on a plant based diet, same as an omnivorous diet. I’m getting sick of nobody taking a moment to think to themselves that not everything on a KZbin video might be real.

[@Mil21M]

I relate so much and I'm only vegetarian, not even vegan. But growing and living in Italy where food is such part of the culture and social life it's really a struggle and sometimes I just feel like I'm missing out or making my life very difficult. I wish the restaurant and bars were more inclusive in that sense. One thing that is also part of my experience was giving up all the traditional food from the Philippines (where my parents are from) that all contains meat (with Italian food you can still get away with it if you are vegetarian). I really feel like losing part of my culture identity and unfortunately there are not many recipes on the internet that try to replace the meat proteins in Filipino food (and of course I'm no expert in that sense to know how to do it). Thank you for you honesty and for sharing your story. It's nice to hear some real life thoughts about it instead of those kind of video that just make you feel guilty about not saving the planet and the animals enough.

[@lizy3005]

Wow this was so well spoken and thought out 💕Thank you for articulating the struggles that can come with being vegan. I’m the same age and have been vegan since I was 14 too. Thinking back to when I brought like 6 bananas to school for lunch in high school is crazy to me 😂 Although I don’t share many of the restrictive experiences and habits you mentioned, I’ve had a very similar journey and sympathize with how it can be a lot to handle when trying to not restrict yourself and especially in social settings as well. Hearing someone else have the thoughts I have too is sooo validating. My way out of my restriction was fitness so I’m still going strong w/ veganism🌱but I'm happy you’re so aware of the effects it was having on you and have found freedom too in your own way❤️

[@sarai7389]

the way I could sit and listen to amber talk abt anything for hours

[@modernluvr1109]

the fact that you’re now sharing your story with us after a year of being vegan free just shows how careful and aware you are of your viewers. absolute queen amber!!! thing about this life journey thing, whether it be food or whatever else is that we’re all still navigating trying to find what works for us and what doesn’t 💛

[@lynnguyennn]

Omg I did not expect my reaction…but I straight up cried after you pulled out your laptop. I’m so happy you’re in a better place now with your relationship with food. 😭💕

[@amberalexander]

AWE ily!!!🫶

[@Zane749cat]

I have been vegan for 2 years now and I love it and will never go back, but I do hear your reasons. Personally, I think it is really easy to be vegan, especially in Los Angeles and NYC where there are so many vegan options. It is also really simple to make modifications at restaurants. Ashley eats out at restaurants in all of her videos with her friends and family. Plus, I don't know about your college dining hall options but my dining hall has lots of vegan options. I would rather put in more effort to my food choices than contribute to climate change and suffering of so many animals everyday. I also do not want to develop health issues in the future. I also feel like I am not really missing out on anything by being vegan because of so many new products and substitutes now available. You are not a bad person for not being vegan anymore this is just my perspective. I understand your story is different as I have not suffered from ED, but I just want to share my views. I personally feel happier eating this way and I believe animals are not food! I do agree you can sustainably eat eggs if you have chickens but not meat and other products. I developed a fear of oil from freelee too lmao luckily I got over that

[@wyntersoleil]

Finally someone level-headed and not just an agreeable commenter promoting more vegan slander. Thank you!

[@anamm3351]

Never say never

[@alansamuel2454]

I'm not vegan and likely never will be, but just wanted to say thank you for "You are not a bad person for not being vegan anymore". Even from a strategic point of view trying to guilt trip people who are facing genuine issues, sometimes even health issues while being vegan is totally counterproductive. It's basically telling them their health issues are what they must be willing to live with for the rest of their life or else they're evil people etc. Wish you a good day!

[@fede_doro]

U know Amber I am happy that u chose to open up about this , even tho u do not know me personally still I want u to know that I am proud of u and ur journey 💖

[@amberalexander]

AW thank you🥹🫶

[@ryanwelsch9384]

Why are you proud of someone that chooses to harm others?

[@TheKingsDaughter3]

This made me cry due to health issues I’ve recently implemented eggs and certain foods with dairy but never straight up dairy like cheese however for me it’s an inflammatory so I’m going to have to cut it out but now if I cut that out I’m thinking of implementing fish but I’m so scared to, you really helped me realize throughout this video, it’s okay, I have been vegan for about 6-7 years as well and I’m 22 years old ! Thank you! This is so special to me! I’ll be rewatching this as an encouragement!❤

[@ladybird491]

You don't have to eat eggs so that is not an excuse to go vegan

[@romanhoax9014]

*You need to prioritise your health and start eating animal foods*

[@MammothMorals]

​@@romanhoax9014you dont need to abuse animal's to be healthy

[@jonjonwp]

You were NEVER vegan. You were a on a plant based diet. There is no such thing as a vegan diet. Veganism means avoiding animal cruelty , nothing else.

[@Assassin99584]

No true Scotsman fallacy and hypocrisy Cruelty tho

[@AbianahTheGemini]

😂 I’m convinced it’s a cult. Btw you’re not avoiding animal cruelty by not eating meat.

[@jonjonwp]

@@AbianahTheGemini Is doing your best to avoid animal cruelty a cult? Well I never! must be a good cult then. Nobody can completely avoid some harm but not contributing. and paying for farm animal abuse and leaving them off your plate is a very good start.

[@Assassin99584]

@@jonjonwp cruelty tho abuse tho Nice buzzwords hypocrite still no arguments try again

[@Patrick-yc3tf]

Vegan shouldn’t be a social identity. People should simply focus on the WHY’s and not being too hard of themselves and others. Accepting imperfections and dealing with social situations should be more talked about. People can reduce harm and unnecessary suffering in many ways, just do whatever that you can. You can fall forward and get back up and try a different path and still reach your moral North Star. Although I don’t identify as a “Vegan” while not eating animals, I don’t see it as a restrictive diet. People who are having trouble physically, mentally, and spiritually should get help.

[@bhtruongify]

Seems like you were a plant-based dieter and not actually vegan. Veganism is about reducing suffering and exploitation as practically possible which includes diet but also in many other areas. In the two or three times you mentioned anything about aninal welfare or ethics it was so casual and non genuine. There is no way to consume animal products without being implicit in animal abuse.

[@jellyi7391]

Proud of you Amber for doing what's best for yourself💓 thanks for opening up about this🥺 love yaa

[@ryannt]

According to vegans... You were never a vegan to begin with

[@dresserknobs]

That's correct. You can ONLY be vegan for the animals. The second you hear "journey" you know it was for health. These people need to stop stealing words and mutilating them.

[@cakes271]

Being vegan is not something you can change as it’s not a diet and is an ethical lifestyle… I have dealt with eating disorders so I definitely sympathize with you. I just don’t want people to get the wrong idea about veganism because if you’re really vegan you cannot stop being vegan..

[@cakes271]

P.S. diet culture is so scary, I’m glad you’re doing better 😭

[@Unmasking_Viandalisme]

TBH, I was expecting more "You were never vegan!" comments. Veganism comes with disordered eating inbuilt!

[@wyntersoleil]

fr plant based sounds more true, i'm so bummed about all of the vegan misinformation in these no longer videos

[@heman4448]

@@wyntersoleil watch the rise and fall of vegN influencers

[@graphilaa]

I get your points and I am happy for you that you feel better now and that you stopped over restricting yourself... But once again the cruelty against animals is completely overlooked in your last words. Food is not just food when there are sentient beings involved that do not want to die or be exploited. I wish this world was more kind to animals in general so that people would not have to make choices hurting their values like this.

[@performingwith_purpose]

So proud of you Amber!! I'm curious as to how Ashley feels since you and her did veganism together for so long? I'm sure your family is so glad to see you growing into a healthy woman 🥺❤️

[@kierstenclaire]

i was vegan for 3 years and definitely feel the same on SO many levels. thank you for making this video 💕 i know it must have been scary to post, but you've helped so many people!

[@Commonclaus]

No you were not you eat humans