Famous ex-vegans

[Second Summer]

I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of famous/notable ex-vegans.

Here's an article that talks about Anne Hathaway and Bill Clinton.

What do Anne Hathaway and former President Bill Clinton have in common? They both vetoed vegan diets and voted for animal protein-powered low-carb diets. Hathaway’s decision to shift to a Paleo-diet style food plan occurred just before she turned 32. Anne celebrated her birthday with husband Adam Shulman, revealed the Daily Mail.

Although Anne and Adam famously insisted on vegan-only reception food for their wedding, Hathaway recently confessed that eating endless meals of tofu and garbanzo beans seemed to be sapping her energy. She told the Insider that when she was filming Interstellar, the action-packed scenes overwhelmed her.

Read more: Ex-Vegans Anne Hathaway And Bill Clinton Praise Paleo-Style Low-Carb Diets For Energy And Weight Loss (17. Nov. 2014)

 

[Clueless Git]

An ex-vegan never was a vegan, imho.

 

[Blobbenstein]

An ex-vegan never was a vegan, imho.

then how could they be an ex-vegan?

surely they are an ex-non-vegan....

 

[ledboots]

If they weren't so worried about their weight on the scale, they could get plenty of good nutrition from vegan food.

I wonder when bill switched. I saw him on television lately and mentioned to my husband that Bill Clinton looked cardiac-ish again. He had been looking so healthy!

 

[Ann Chovie]

“It’s hard being a vegan to eat enough good, quality protein and not have too much starch. I know a lot of fat vegans." Dr Hyman

Strangely I do not Dr Hyman. In fact I am the only fat Vegan I know.

As a Vegan I have lost two stone, taken up Karate and reduced my Cholestrol levels, and blood pressure to a level that has astounded my GP after my historically raised levels as an Omi.

A diet of processed foods, crisps and chocolate made me a fat Omni.

A diet of tofu and beans (oh and fruit, veg, pulses ) is turning me into a healthy Vegan.

 

[shyvas]

If they weren't so worried about their weight on the scale, they could get plenty of good nutrition from vegan food.

I wonder when bill switched. I saw him on television lately and mentioned to my husband that Bill Clinton looked cardiac-ish again. He had been looking so healthy!

How is that ? You certainly must have an expert eye as I haven't noticed anything in particular with the way he looks.

If I rightly remember, Clinton was never a vegan as he used to eat fish whilst doing the plant based diet.

 

[Blobbenstein]

A diet of processed foods, crisps and chocolate made me a fat Omni.

A diet of tofu and beans (oh and fruit, veg, pulses ) is turning me into a healthy Vegan.

but you can get vegan crisps etc. Being vegan doesn't mean you automatically eat healthily. You could live off mashed potato, pasta, rice, and things like that....as I sort of do...!

 

[shyvas]

but you can get vegan crisps etc. Being vegan doesn't mean you automatically eat healthily. You could live off mashed potato, pasta, rice, and things like that....as I sort of do...!

True. I never used to indulge in junk food except for the occasional snack, when I was an omni.

 

[Second Summer]

An ex-vegan never was a vegan, imho.

I disagree. Besides, such statements make no logical sense. What is more, it's in the league of North Korea-style photoshopping to remove undesireable persons from official photographs and erase history.

That said, yes, Bill Clinton never was a real vegan, as far as I know.

Speaking of Bill Clinton and North Korea-style photoshopping, it's funny to read Wikipedia's Veganism article again these days and compare it to previous versions that praised Bill Clinton as an example of those so-called dietary vegans. (A term that makes no sense, btw.)

 

[ledboots]

How is that ? You certainly must have an expert eye as I haven't noticed anything in particular with the way he looks.

If I rightly remember, Clinton was never a vegan as he used to eat fish whilst doing the plant based diet.

I saw him giving a campaign speech on tv, and he had blueish around his mouth, he was moving more slowly, and his breathing and speech patterns seemed more choppy than usual, more breaths per sentence. I'm a nurse so saw through my nursey eyes.

 

[Dedalus]

Hopefully Cory Booker doesn't end up in this thread. I am skeptical, but hopeful. Cory is admirable for many reasons - this is really topping the cake for me though.

 

[flyingsnail]

While I have no trouble believing that many vegans end up failing to thrive due to a diet based on poor nutritional information I often find the stories of ex-vegans strange. They always seem to involve a radical shift rather than a measured response.....why would that be? How do you go from caring about animals, etc to eating a double bacon burger? One issue, I think, is that the vegan community is very polarizing....and the minute someone adds some dairy, etc back into their diet they are outcasted at which point many people will side with mainstream society rather than some sort of semi-vegan lifestyle which puts them at odds with both vegans and general society.

But when people go from vegan to paleo.....I tend to think of eating disorders or borderline.

 

[flyingsnail]

Being vegan doesn't mean you automatically eat healthily. You could live off mashed potato, pasta, rice, and things like that....as I sort of do...!

The categorization of starchy foods, like the ones you mentioned, as something less than healthy I think is one reason you have a lot of failed vegans. Nothing wrong with potatoes and pasta, rice, bread, etc are all healthful so long as they are whole grain. Its all about preparation, for example mushed potatoes made with soy milk, a small amount of olive oil, garlic/salt/pepper can be eaten frequently......on the other hand mush potatoes made with a tub of butter (or earth balance) cannot.

European men, until recently, use to eat 1~2 pounds of whole grain breads among other starchy foods without becoming overweight.

 

[Moll Flanders]

It's annoying when a celebrity says she wouldn't be vegan anymore because she couldn't stomach eating a plate of chickpeas again when you know she could afford to hire a chef to cook wonderful vegan meals for her.

Hopefully Cory Booker doesn't end up in this thread. I am skeptical, but hopeful. Cory is admirable for many reasons - this is really topping the cake for me though.

He seems like a good guy.

 

[Blobbenstein]

It's annoying when a celebrity says she wouldn't be vegan anymore because she couldn't stomach eating a plate of chickpeas again when you know she could afford to hire a chef to cook wonderful vegan meals for her.

to be fair to them, maybe they are talking about eating at events, and there isn't much choice except some chickpeas and some lettuce...?

 

[shyvas]

to be fair to them, maybe they are talking about eating at events, and there isn't much choice except some chickpeas and some lettuce...?

I agree and think it is just the usual case of contextomy.

 

[KLS52]

to be fair to them

Nah, let's not. [emoji12]

J/K...it's 4 am and I've been awake since 2:15. I'm bored.

 

[Moll Flanders]

to be fair to them, maybe they are talking about eating at events, and there isn't much choice except some chickpeas and some lettuce...?

She can't make a packed lunch to take with her? It's her decision and if she isn't motivated she isn't motivated, it's just annoying having to read about it as because she's famous what she says will have an influence on people. It's like Angelina Jolie saying being vegan nearly killed her, I have had non-vegans repeat that to me as proof that veganism isn't healthy.

 

[Clueless Git]

I disagree. Besides, such statements make no logical sense. What is more, it's in the league of North Korea-style photoshopping to remove undesireable persons from official photographs and erase history.

That said, yes, Bill Clinton never was a real vegan, as far as I know.

That was the point, IS.

You become a vegan when you become against, and refrain from, animal exploitation.

Someone who tried a vegan diet and missed their pate fois gras too much never a vegan was.