Why I’m Not Vegan Anymore
Over the last year I’ve been asked more than once: “Why don’t you call yourself vegan anymore?”
It’s a fair question. I spent years building a podcast, a YouTube channel, and a blog around vegan life.
My content was full of grocery hauls, recipes, and motivation for anyone who wanted to eat fewer animal products.
So, when I stopped calling myself vegan, I knew people would notice.
The truth is, there wasn’t a dramatic falling out. I didn’t suddenly turn against veganism or reject the community. I just realized, after more than a decade, that the label no longer fit the way I wanted to live.
How I Got Here
I became vegan in 2010 after being vegetarian for two years. The funny part is that I didn’t even set out to go vegan. I read a book called Skinny Bitch, not realizing that it was about veganism, and by the end of it, I decided to give it a try.
For me, veganism was never primarily about health. It was about ethics. The health benefits were a nice bonus, but I’ll be honest: I wasn’t exactly a healthy vegan. I could have happily lived on french fries and vegan ice cream.
What kept me vegan for so long was the sense of purpose and community.
It felt good to be part of something bigger than myself.
When Things Started to Shift
Eventually, life caught up with me.
I went through a tough season of burnout and mental health struggles, and suddenly the label that had once motivated me started to feel heavy.
Veganism wasn’t the problem. The problem was that I had tied so much of my identity to being vegan that I felt like I was failing anytime I didn’t live up to it. Food labels became one more stressor when I was already overwhelmed.
It wasn’t a quick decision. I battled guilt for a long time. I felt like I had let myself down, and I worried I had let down the community I had built. But eventually I realized that forcing myself to hold onto a label that no longer fit wasn’t sustainable.
Why Plant-Forward Fits Better
These days, I use the term plant-forward. It means plants are still the center of my meals, but I no longer pressure myself to be “perfect” if every plate isn’t all plants.
This shift has been freeing. It gives me room to focus on what actually matters: eating in a way that fuels me, supports my health, and feels sustainable for the long haul.
When I first shared this publicly, I lost over 4,000 YouTube subscribers. That stung. But it also clarified something important.
My work was never meant only for the vegan community.
My real mission has always been to help everyday people eat more plants in ways that are affordable, approachable, and real.
And I still believe that deeply.
What I Want You to Know
Here’s what I hope you take away from my story:
You don’t have to let a label define you.
Perfection is overrated. Progress is what counts.
Doing your best each day is enough.
This is about food, yes, but it’s also about life. We are allowed to reset, to change our minds, and to move forward without shame.
Want to Expect Going Forward
I will continue to share recipes (it’s so important to me), grocery hauls and tips to help everyday people eat well… but you will also see more posts and videos about MONEY…my journey, paying off debt (taxes & student loans), saving, and how we can all make more of it. lol
I’m excited to be on this journey with you.
Thank you for being here.
