Hello!
My name is Rebekah and I'm from the UK. I've been vegan for around 8 years now, but I've always struggled with my weight. Looking back, I've never looked as big as I thought I was, but now, after weighing myself after returning from my first year at university, my BMI makes me technically obese (30.4).

A stressful year of work, making new friends and drinking - a LOT of drinking - has resulted in a year I will never forget... and some impressive love handles.

So after my sister had showed me some inspirational stories on this website, I thought I would join. I have been on a diet for 2 weeks now and have lost 5lb, but I still have a long way to go!

Becky x

I can completely empathize with you on the school aspect - Ive been experiencing the same issue. My BMI is at 29 at the moment and is considered obese. Though I look nothing close to it, I don't feel great about my health . I"ve never been this size and all the stress from junior year kind of reflected itself on my weight and eating habit.

I've always thought "oh its fine because I can dress myself well to cover it up" but that attitude has caused me to not realise the damage it has done to my health. I ran up the stairs the other day and was really out of breath, that was a bit of a wake up call!

I've lost some weight in the past two weeks but I can't help but worry that I will fall into that pattern when I return in September.

I am a vegan and overweight, too. I am reading 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Dr. Neal Barnard and it's all about a vegan low-fat diet. No calorie counting. It's really good and inspirational.

I think you should quit drinking :P I'm sure you're already pretty aware, but you can't hope to drink so much and lose weight healthily. I'm vegetarian, so I understand the stereotype that vegans/vegetarians are skinny is false, because "chocolate is vegan" etc lol. But alcohol + stress = bad bad bad for health. And the alcohol is easier to control obviously, haha

I'm sure you already know all this but I wanted to be that guy who puts everything out on the table LOL.

Welcome to 3FC

Hi! I'm new, too, and newly vegan (my whole family) thanks to the Engine 2 Diet. So easy!! weight is FALLING off of me. I've been trying to lose weight for a couple of years w/ little or slow success, some illnesses caused by an attempt at paleo (stupid...), a vegetarian recovery period, and now vegan as I eliminate the rest of animal products from my diet. I don't drink, tho.

Good luck! There are a lot of fat-free vegan resources out there: Happy Herbivore (who has weekly 1200 cal menu plans), Post Punk Kitchen (who has a book Appetite for Reduction (plus a couple non-diet books), Fat Free Vegan Kitchen website, Vegan Dad, Unethical Vegan, just to name a few. A lot of vegan athletes have websites and blogs, too.

Jacki