Why do people think that vegetarians are supposed to be skinny??

[Anonymous]

Stupid question, it p*sses me off!

Am a vegetarian and people are always assuming that am supposed to be skinny as hell!

If this concept is true id have the perfect body but I don't! I have a lot of extra meat.

I always get that question, Oh you re a vegetarian? but you re not skinny! Okay where did that concept come from?

Am not saying am a vegan so that means I eat a lot of crap as much as everyone does!

Seriously, Why do people assume that vegetarians are supposed to be skinny!?

[Anonymous]

Most people assume vegetarians actually eat healthy, like lots of fruits and vegetables. Personally, the way I have seen some eat, I call them junk-food-etarians. They actually don't eat healthy at all, they just don't eat meat. It's not really what being a vegetarian is about.

Anyways, sounds like you are very sensitive to people commenting on your weight. I am kind of shocked you know that many people that think it is okay to make these comments.

[Asker]

Well no I don't eat junk food, I eat everything except junk! I rarely eat out anyway! am not sensitive about people commenting on my weight am not fat its just p*sses me off whenever I hear the you are enot skiing comment cause people assume vegetarians to be skinny so I was wondering why!!!

[Opinion Owner]

So you don't eat pizza or ice cream or french fries or salads with salad dressing all over them? When I eat vegetarian I get pretty skinny but probably because I eat like apples and salad with hardly any dressing and not many desserts. I will eat pasta and bread but in smaller portions and not much fried food at all. I understand what you are saying, I do typically think that eating vegetarian will result in being fairly slim but not always true.

[bringing_sexyback]

because they assume you only eat fruit and veg since meat is outy of the question. plus meat can be v fatty so people think that it's an easy way to keep the extra pounds off. I read ina magazine that being a vegetarian is a great lifestyle change to lose weight - crap I know as you can still eat cakes and stuff but it doesn't help people stereotyping

[Asker]

I eat a lot of dairy and desserts and that's what makes me gain weight actually and as a matter of a fact when I used to eat meat I lost weight much faster. its weird how people assume that vegetarians only eat fruits and veggies!!

[palek]

I know what ya mean! I'm a vegetarian and I'm homeless, and people act like I'm Charlie Manson's gay lover when I tell em. It's always the same thing, "You live in box and take a bath twice a year, but you'll only eat vegetables? What kinda freak are you!" What's the big deal. I live in back of a health food store, and have the dumpster all to myself. Now that ya mention it, I've never seen a fat vegetarian. You must really pack away the Tofu!

[Asker]

Am not fat at all, I do not eat Tofu, Am a lacto ovo vegetarian! But am not skinny either! But its weird how people are so judgemental when it comes to this matter!

[jtj25m]

I think many people are under the impression it's all fruits and veggies. Granted fruits can, but most vegetables contain very few calories, and since your weight depends on your calorie intake a great deal, they're going to assume you'll be skinny and possibly malnourished.. I have pleasantly plump vegetarian friends though XD

[jtj25m]

Also many think vegetarians are as such for health reasons, and if you're a health nut you'd be watching your weight.

[Asker]

Well I do watch my weight, I have the average kinda thick type of body! I always try to cut back on desserts and try to work out but am not a health freak! I just happen to be a vegetarian for so many reasons.

Its kinda annoying, people are always giving me the weird looks for being a vegetarian then the second question is YOU RE NOT SKINNY! lol seriously it gives the impression that am too fat!

[jtj25m]

I'd take comfort in the fact the 'skinny' they are referring to is probably an unhealthy extreme hon. They most likely think you look healthy and are surprised because they are under the impression vegetarians starve themselves and don't get what they need. I wouldn't worry too much about it=D

[jtj25m]

As far as the being vegetarian, that is your choice not theirs, don't let them get down on you for it. I could never be one myself, I love meat too much=P But as I said, I have quite a few vegetarian friends, even one vegan O.o

[Asker]

Yeah but since I have little extra weight am not saying am obese nor skinny am just normal! people get shocked of the fact that am a vegetarian. If I were a vegan perhaps id have the skinny body type but people usually mistake vegetarians and vegans and think its the same thing!

[jtj25m]

Lots of misconceptions floating around aren't there? =\ Oh well, there is nothing you can do but educate those who make misinformed assumptions about you, assuming that is, you care enough to change their minds=P

[Asker]

Well, honestly I couldn't care less if they know what's the difference between vegetarians and vegans! am just p*ssed that people assume that am supposed to be skinny it makes me feel fat that's all! if they don't understand the difference they should educate themselves a bit but am just p*ssed of the assumption!

[jtj25m]

I didn't mean educate them on the difference between vegan and vegetarian, but rather educate them on their misconceptions about you. Thought I was clear on that. o.o You said it yourself, it bugs you they assume you should be skinny, simply tell them that isn't the case.

[jtj25m]

Maybe you can prevent this frustration for someone else along the way XD by cluing these people in on such things, plus you get the added benefit of clearing up the misconceptions about you and your lifestyle.

[lc1522]

I know what you mean. But I think after being a vegetarian for years your body slims down. That's what happened to me. I didn't lose a lot of weight but I used to be 5'5" at most 135 and my lowest I could ever be was 130. after two years I'm normally about 125 without dieting. I'm also a picky eater so I don't eat a wide variety of food.

[Asker]

Yeah I did slim down a bit.. like lost 5 to 7 kgs! but still am normal!

[GIntrovert]

The human mind eats too much of our energy and a person would stave to death, if they did not cook some of their food. Thus, those who only eat raw foods, usual look like they are staving. Somewhere alone the line, people have associated people who eat raw foods, and people who are vegetarians.

[Asker]

I did not say that I eat raw food, I said am a vegetarian. plus I look healithy and I have extra weight so that obviously means am not starving myself, its not like vegetarians have a certain look! a lot of healthy people are vegetarians.

[GIntrovert]

I thought that's what I said...

[here4you]

its because MOST vegans are skinny

therefore human stupidity leads to ALL vegans are skinny

but looking at it in a scientific way it makes sense

because you are no longer eating any meat therefore no protein or carbs or fat

and protein builds muscle

I'm not saying you don't get any protein/carbs/fat but there is a lot more protein in a steak then there is in those morning star steaks

or you could just be over loading on the chips or something

or just started being a vegan

[Asker]

I do have carbs, dairy, desserts, veggies, fruits. except for meat! anthing with a head! so am a lacto ovo vegetarian! all these stuff have fat and calories so its weird that they assume that!

[here4you]

Yea people are stupid

you can't fix people's iggnorance

they prob think you are a vegan and don't touch anything with dairy or eggs either

so just tell them I'm not a vegan I am a Lacto Ovo Vegetarian

[Anonymous]

Unless you're eating buttloads of beans to substitute for meat, how exactly are you maintaining extra loads of meat? Are you loading your salads with dressing?

Every vegan I know are skinny. I doubt you're obese, because I don't know of many people who will go up to a fat girl to tell her "you're not skinny." Maybe you're thick? Maybe you're perfect. I don't know. I just know that this is one of the very few valid stereotypes.

[KERMlT]

This post is worthless without pics. I'd like to see the proof. I have only seen skinny vegans and vegetarians.

[Asker]

This isn't about how my body looks like, I know am average, not skinny nor fat! But it was just a random question that I was wondering about.

[KERMlT]

Average for a woman in the US is a 14 waist. Send me a message or a friend request. I'd like to get to know you better. :)

[Anonymous]

Probably because when people think of vegetarians they think of fruit and salad foods which basically contain no calories. They would then assume a person eating only these foods would/should be skinny.

[Asker]

But fruits actually contain sugar. And am not vegan so dairy also contain calories. Not to mention carbs makes people fat so yeah! Makes sense to me.. Am not fat but am not skinny I got little bit of meat here and there

[Opinion Owner]

Haha, thanks for a reply wasn't expecting one for being over a year late. I don't usually make those assumptions, I just take the fact their vegetarian as their diet. I don't associate it with weight.

[Asker]

hehehe no worries thanks for your answer

[Anonymous]

LOL it p*sses me off too I'm a vegetarian too and people always look at me like wth as if I'm lying like seriously like we're all suppose to eat grass and be stick thin...I'm glad I'm not the only one who has this problem:)

[Asker]

I know!!! It weird, But its not a problem its just something I was wondering about! I was that p*ssed!

[Anonymous]

b/c people assume that you eat healthy food and wouldn't be eating food that makes you fat. no offense but I don't get how people won't eat meat but will eat junk food. you might as well

[Asker]

I don't eat junk food!

[EddyMetal]

Of all the vegetarians and vegans I've met only one hasn't been skinny. Most vegetarians are skinny, so chill. It's not a radical assumption.

[Anonymous]

It's true for me. I lost about 15 lbs when I stopped eating meat...which is a lot for me because I don't weight that much to begin with...so now I'm about 100lbs

[Asker]

I lost weight but am still not skinny and still that doesn't mean taht we should be! there is no rule about meat eaters that they re supposed to be fat or whatever! its the same thing

[Anonymous]

Protein is the word

[Asker]

Alot of veggies have protein, plus protein actually will help people to lose fat and weight much faster than vegetarians. When I used to eat meat and go on a healthy diet I would lose weight much much faster than right now!

[Opinion Owner]

It's called ignorance. Most people think otherwise