The Holistic Holiday at Sea Experience

Holistic-Holiday-At-Sea-2

I’m back from a week aboard the MSC Divina on the Holistic Holiday at Sea and am bringing home tons of great info and experiences to share!Holistic Holiday At Sea

Let me start by saying that it was one packed week. My good friend Anne came with me on the trip and we both agreed that the experience was a perfect mix of fun and education. One of the hardest part about the trip was deciding which classes and lectures to attend because there were so many to choose from. I couldn’t ask for a better problem to have! 

I could go on and on about the details but photos do a great job at telling the story…

The Ship:

Holistic-Holiday-at-Sea-Photos

The MSC Divina is a classy ship with great service, and our room was very comfortable. 

The Dining:
Holistic-Holiday-At-Sea-Dining

For breakfast and lunch, Anne and I went for the vegan buffet because there were so many activities we were trying to squeeze in during the daytime. We went for the sit-down dinners though, which included a 5 course meal every night! It was refreshing not to have to question the servers about how the food was made. For once, being vegan was the norm not the exception. So cool!!! Dinner was also the time we met the most interesting people from all over the country, everyone with a unique story about how they came to be on the cruise. I definitely recommend attending the dinners every night, and sitting with new people each meal.

The Excursions:

Holistic-Holiday-At-Sea-Excursions

Book your excursions early! We made the mistake of waiting until the last minute and many of the excursions were booked, especially the ones that came with a vegan lunch included. This year we went to Saint Thomas, Nassau, Bahamas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. We have a good friend who lives in San Juan so were lucky enough to have a personal, local tour guide on that stop. 

The Classes/Lectures:

Holistic-Holiday-At-Sea-Lectures

There were inspirational classes and lectures of different topics offered over the course of the week by some of the world’s leading experts on nutrition, cooking, and fitness. It was hard to pick which ones to attend because I was interested in so many! I even tried a qi gong class one day, which is something I’ve always been curious about. I was thrilled that one of my all-time favorite speakers, Dr. Greger, was there, and after his last talk, I ran up to the stage to say hello and give him a copy of my book. He was so thankful and we agreed we needed to team up because, as he put it, “The paleo people are killing me!”  

The Amenities:

Holistic-Holiday-At-Sea-Gym-SpaI managed to make it to the gym early most mornings. The gym is at the very front of the ship and give you a gorgeous view of the sunrise over the water. Yoga and other classes were also offered every day at 7am as well as throughout the day as well. The ship also has a nice spa where Anne and I got an amazing massages after loosening up in the steam room and relaxing for a bit. 

The Book Signings:

Holistic-Holiday-At-Sea-Book-Signing

There were book signings every evening. I felt so honored to be there among such inspirational authors.

A big thank you to Sandy Pukel, the dedicated founder of the Holistic Holiday at Sea for inviting me on the cruise. I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of such a special week.

Stay tuned for more info on next year’s cruise including early bird specials!!!

 

 

Vegan Cuts Snack Box Review

Vegan-Cuts-Snack-Box-Review

I was thrilled to receive my first ever Vegan Cuts Snack Box the other day. I knew it was a great concept, but I had no idea if this vegan snack bundle would live up to my hopeful expectations…

It did!

First of all, it was exciting to open and unpack the box, 1 item at a time, since I had not even looked at the preview of what was coming. Ok, so maybe I get excited easily… but I’m sure many of you would have felt the same way. It takes me a long time to go through the isles of the grocery store, looking for new products to try, reading ingredients, and making the decision to try one new product over all the others. It’s much easier and safer to stick with what you know. That’s one of the main reasons why this box was so satisfying… I got to try new products without spending the time or energy at the store. Many of the products in the box are snack size, which are often unavailable in stores.

Here’s what was included:

  • Upton Naturals Bar-B-Q Jack Fruit
  • Protings Protein Chips (sample size)
  • Betty Lou’s PB&J Bar
  • Theo Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
  • Perky Fruit Bodies Fruit Roll Up (sample size)
  • Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Infused with Cranberry, Orange & Cinnamon
  • Follow Your Hear VeganEgg (sample size)
  • Nutpods Dairy-Free Creamer
  • El Pastry Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix

After getting over the initial enjoyment of unpacking the box, the next test was to find out if I actually liked the snacks.  It was definitely more sweets/chocolate than I typically buy during a month period, but the deal is so good, I would feel fine about giving away an item or two to friends or clients (anything I didn’t want to keep in my kitchen, tempting me in the middle of the night)!Uptons-Naturals-BBQ-Jackfruit

So far I’ve tried the first 6 on the list above. The Bar-B-Q Jack Fruit is by far my favorite discovery thanks to this vegan snack box. All I can say is WOW! I’m not sure how long it would have taken me to have bought and tried that one on my own. I plan on giving it a full review on my blog soon because I liked it so much. My second favorite was the PB&J Bar (amazing on-the-go snack), followed by the Peanut Butter Cups. The Chocolate Bar was incredible too. The Fruit Roll-Up was so tiny it was hard to judge (I have a feeling even a full size one wouldn’t make enough of a snack to be worth it.) The Protein Chips were the only snack I didn’t enjoy… they tasted like crispy cardboard. veganegg Follow Your HeartI had been eager to try the VeganEgg since it came out months ago so I was thrilled to get this sample. I scrambled the VeganEgg as directed and it came out with the look, feel, and I think taste (it’s been 20 years since I’ve eaten egg) of scrambled eggs. The creamer will be opened when my mom comes to visit soon (she is a coffee and creamer person. And last, the chocolate cake is something I’ll make when the spirit moves me… I’m psyched it’s so easy to make though!

A little about Vegan Cuts: It’s a 100% vegan company and online vegan marketplace. They carry a monthly Snack Box and Beauty Box, and feature special boxes like one for athletes/fitness freaks (lots of vegan proteins), and a Vegan Starter Kit box.

The ​Vegan Cuts Snack Box ​in brief:

  • 7-10 vegan snacks
  • Sweet and savory: Chips, cookies, bars, chocolate, crackers, tea, and more
  • Mostly gluten-free snacks
  • Mix of full and sample size products
  • $19.95 a month
  • Cancel anytime, though they doubt you’ll ever want to
  • Free shipping to the U.S.
  • The Vegan Cuts Snack Box ships worldwidevegan cuts snack-box

Since I was so pleased with the Vegan Snack Box, I recently accepted their invitation to become an affiliate/ambassador. This says a lot because I only agree to affiliations with companies I truly believe in and would promote regardless.

I hope this post was helpful and I’d love to hear what you think if you try one of the boxes!

 

A Great Plant-Based Bodybuilding Resource

vegetarian-bodybuilding

When it comes to vegan athletes, up until now, the spotlight has primarily been on endurance athletes like Rich Roll and Brendan Brazier.  But now there is a quickly growing community of people getting into vegan bodybuilding, and more and more resources are popping up to help those who want to give it a try.

Let me start with a little story… As you may or may not know, I was named Trainer of the Month in November 2013 on the world’s most popular bodybuilding and fitness website BodyBuilding.com. Over a year went by and I realized I had not taken advantage of that opportunity to connect with readers through the comments on the post or on the forum. So I hopped on the forum, introduced myself, and basically said I’d love to connect with anyone interested in eating more plants and would be happy to answer any questions. The response was overwhelming, but unfortunately not in a positive way. I discovered people have a much easier time bashing me from the other side of a computer screen than in person! There were few people who commented who had any interest in learning more about plant-based eating. It takes a level of open-mindedness for there to be a chance of change, so I decided my energy would be better spent elsewhere.

That’s when I started checking out other websites and forums that were specifically for people interested in moving toward a vegan diet plan or wanted to take their vegan diet and performance to the next level. It was exciting to see that there were some awesome sites to explore.chris-willitts-vegetarian-bodybuilder

One site I want to tell you about is VegetarianBodybuilding.com. This one is particularly special to me because the creator, Chris Willitts, contacted me not long ago to ask if I’d be interested in participating in his interview series. I took a look and saw the quality and depth of the interviews he had done with inspiring people. Robert Cheeke, founder of VeganBodyBuilding.com was a recent interviewee for example. I was honored to be included and agree to the interview. It was a written interview, so I wrote my answers to Chris’s questions and sent them back to him. His reply was brilliant,

“Although this is well written, sometimes this feels surface deep and “safe” – it has been my experience that when we get vulnerable, specific about personal details, and cite emotions is when we have the best opportunity to pull people in to our story and engage them. This is especially important for us because we want to connect with our tribe and all of the would-be plant-based warriors.”

I took his constructive criticism and ran with it. I re-wrote my answers without holding back. I was thrilled with Chris’s response.

“This is one hell of an interview and you should be proud, way better! This feels real, and I personally connected much better – I have, we
all have, a part of our lives that is sensitive/dark, etc., and it’s always refreshing to see and hear people share their journey of
overcoming.” 

You can check out the interview HERE. While you’re on the site check out the rest of what Chris is doing to bring vegan bodybuilding and fitness into the mainstream. All very cool! His blog is also fantastic. He has thoughtful, useful, well-written posts, with info that can benefit everyone.

I asked Chris to tell us his story and what his work is all about in a nutshell and here’s what he said,chris-willitts-vegetarian-bodybuilder-golds-gym

“I’m passionate about reshaping bodybuilding into a healthier lifestyle. My name is Chris Willitts, and I’m the founder and owner of VegetarianBodybuilding.com. A few months after our launch back in 2013, I realized that there was a great need for a vegetarian bodybuilding system that made plant-based nutrition easy. This was the premise for creating the V3 Bodybuilding System.  VegetarianBodybuilding.com also discusses “non-bodybuilding” methodologies that focus more on strength, flexibility, functionality, and mind-body fitness.

This site is for anyone (not just vegetarians) who has the desire to eat more plants and less meat. Bodybuilding has been passion of mine for over 20 years. Although, I’ve never had a desire to be a professional bodybuilder, I’ve always wanted to be as strong as hell, and I have a deep respect for the discipline. Also, my commitment to fitness played a huge role in my recovery from a debilitating drinking problem years ago. Meditation has been a passion of mine for almost 10 years. Seven years ago, I founded Mindful Muscle, a website that advocates meditation and mindful living, fragranced with the scientific method (Eckhart Tolle meets Sam Harris meets William Tiller).”

I want to thank Chris for the opportunity to not just do an interview, but also for challenging me to push past my comfort zone. I will never go back to “safe mode” again… I’m excited to share my life on a much deeper level with the world. This goes to show what kind of person Chris is and validates his ability to encourage others to overcome challenges and take their lives to the next level. Keep it up Chris!

 

th

Detox From the Inside Out With Kaeng Raeng

Kaeng Raeng Vegan

I was recently introduced to a line of nutritional and skin care products that are not only certified vegan, but also unique and effective… Meet Kaeng Raeng.

I was fortunate enough to be able to try all the Kaeng Raeng products and was impressed by everything! The body care line, which was actually developed as a supplement to the nutritional line, is now part of my every day routine. Every product is part of a total body detoxing system. The idea is that we need to detox from the inside out. This is a philosophy I believe in, and realize that the convenience of making a shake can make this cleanse do-able for even the busiest people. Plus, with the cleanse, the directions mention that you can eat all the raw veggies and fruits you want, which means keeping up with your workouts and not being hungry (and grumpy) for the entire span of the cleanse. I think this is a huge bonus. 
 
The other fact that attracted me to the company is that Kaeng Raeng’s nutritional and body care products are all 100% vegan and cruelty free, gluten free, non-gmo, caffeine free, soy free, peanut free, and contain NO artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. They are also hand made in small batches right here in the USA with only locally sourced ingredients. They are even certified vegan by Vegan.org. This is not something that many companies can claim, and if you are like me, I want to support ecologically sound, cruelty free, local companies as often as possible.
Here is information on each individual product…

The Kaeng Raeng Cleanse:

Kaeng Raeng Cleanse is a nutritional meal replacement cleanse program that delivers you results without sacrificing taste, convenience, quality, or your sanity.

A short-term cleanse is a great way to reset your health, jumpstart weight loss, bolster immunity, improve digestion, and enhance skin and hair quality. Flush toxins and impurities and start feeling incredible!

Choose your timeline – either 3 or 6 day. The 6-Day program is ideal for those trying to lose weight. You’ll receive 3 packets per day (9 or 18 total) of the detox program you choose. The program is simple and straight forward: just drink one pouch per meal time (3 times per day). You can also eat as many raw fruits and veggies as you want! There’s no fasting, no starving yourself.Kaeng Raeng Cleanse Detox

How to drink Kaeng Raeng Cleanses:

For the Health Novice:
Mix Kaeng Raeng into your favorite smoothie adding at least 24oz of water plus juice, non-dairy milk, and raw fruits and veggies.

For the Health Conscious:
Mix Kaeng Raeng with at least 18oz of water plus 4-8oz of juice.

For the Health Nut:
Mix Kaeng Raeng with just water.

Cleanse Ingredients:

Kaeng Raeng Detox Cleanse Ingredients

Daily Green Energy:

Kaeng Raeng Daily Green Energy is an all natural, organic green superfood + protein powder drink mix with probiotics and energizing B vitamins. The Daily Green Energy is a great way to ease in or out of a Kaeng Raeng Cleanse and is safe for daily use. With caffeine free energy, 12 real fruits and vegetables, stomach-settling ginger, organic pea protein, and vegan probiotic cultures, the Daily Green Energy is a great way to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle. Use it for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or before or after your daily workout. Safe for use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

kaeng raeng Daily Green Energy

How to drink Kaeng Raeng Daily Green Energy:

For the Health Novice:
Mix one pouch with your favorite smoothie adding at least 12oz of water plus juice, non-dairy milk, and raw fruits and veggies.

For the Health Conscious:
Mix one pouch with 6oz of water plus 2-6oz of juice.

For the Health Nut:
Mix with 8-12oz of water only.

Daily Green Energy is certified organic, certified vegan, and certified gluten free and made with only non-gmo ingredients.

Daily Green Energy Ingredients:KR-ingredients

 Kaeng-Raeng-Green-Nutrition-Label

Kaeng Raeng’s Body Line

Cleansing Clay (Activated Charcoal Face Mask):

Kaeng Raeng Cleansing Clay Mask
 
Our amazing, best-selling mask has been reformulated and made even better with a longer shelf life and smoother finish!
 
Draw out impurities and revitalize your skin with KR Cleansing Clay: your facial in a jar! Life & Style Weekly calls our clay a “Miracle in a Jar”! KR Cleansing Clay is a unique formulation of two highly absorptive clays and activated charcoal, an absorptive carbon that can attract and hold 200 times its volume in impurities, making it the perfect ingredient to help draw out toxins. High end spas charge several hundred dollars for these specialty masks, but now Kaeng Raeng has brought the spa to your home! KR Cleansing Clay contains powerful botanical healing properties, mineral rich exfoliation, and luxurious essential oils which help to improve circulation and calm irritated skin.

After Glow Facial Serum:

 Kaeng Raeng Facial Serum

When you’ve finished your cleanse, you know your skin looks incredible. Keep up your new glow with After Glow, a daily nighttime moisturizing serum.

KR After Glow is a special, 4-way blend of antioxidant rich organic oils, handpicked for their abilities to brighten and renew skin. These luxury oils make our blend exceptionally rich in essential fatty acids, tocopherols (vitamin E) and phenols, carotenes, and squalene. These are all vital elements that defend against free radicals damage, brighten skin, and minimize fine lines for deeply hydrated, glowing skin. This must-have lightweight serum smooths on and absorbs quickly and deeply to make even the driest skin feel amazing. Lavender, Frankincense and Neroli Essential oils provide anti-bacterial properties to treat and prevent breakouts as well as powerful healing properties to help regenerate skin, fighting age spots and acne scars. Best for normal to dry skin.

How to Use: Apply a dime-sized amount to clean, dry skin daily at nighttime. One 1oz bottle lasts approximately 30 days.

Ingredients: Organic Grapeseed Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Rosehip Oil, Organic Argan Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Neroli Essential Oil, Frankincense Essential Oil, Rosemary Antioxidant (Extract)

Detoxfoliant Scrub:

 
 Kaeng Raeng Body Scrub

Our new luxurious body scrub, the first in our natural body care line, exfoliates impurities and replenishes your skin, leaving a silky smooth finish you’ll have to feel to believe. Use it during a cleanse to extend detoxifying benefits, or enjoy daily. Don’t forget: what goes on your body goes in your body, so we kept it all natural and chemical free.

How to Use: In the shower or bath, stir contents of jar with stirring stick or finger then apply to wet skin. Massage gently, exfoliating dead skin cells. Rinse well and pat dry.

Ingredients: Himalayan Pink Salt, Dead Sea Salt, Organic Virgin Shea Butter, Organic Apricot Kernel Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Vanilla Absolute Essential Oil

So there you have it! You can buy products individually or choose one of their many different packages based on what you need (such as the “Beauty Package,” “Super Cleanse Package,” and “Bridal Party Package.” Give Kaeng Raeng a try and let me know how you like it!

Join Us On The Holistic Holiday At Sea Cruise 2016!

Holistic Holiday at Sea 2016

When I found out about the Holistic Holiday at Sea cruise I was ecstatic… A cruise that is BOTH healthy AND fun?!

I couldn’t believe I have lived in Miami 13 years and have never taken advantage of this cruise. The 2016 Holistic Holiday at Sea will be my first year on board this ship and I’m rounding up friends and family to come with me. (The dates are February 27th-March 5th so it’s time to get on the ball and make it happen!)

I’m especially excited because some of my favorite nutrition experts (like Dr. Michael Greger), plant-based chefs, and fitness pros will be on board presenting and teaching. I’ve found that most health or wellness-focused cruises offer yoga but not strength and conditioning type classes. Not true for this cruise! There is a class for everybody and every mood, so in addition to yoga and pilates there are also boot camp and body building type of classes from some of the top names in the fitness world. And the other part about this cruise that makes it different than other health cruises is that it not only gives you the opportunity to detox and relax, but also is upbeat with a wide variety of things to do from cooking classes to snorkeling to cocktail parties… how appealing does that sound?! Then there are the awesome plant-based meals, catering not just to people eating vegan, but also those who eat gluten-free or oil-free. I just find this incredible, and I want to experience it with you all! Holistic-Holiday-at-Sea-Photos

Here is a description of the experience:  

Holistic Holiday at Sea presents the ultimate gift for your mind, body and spirit. Share the experience and wisdom of some of the world’s leading authorities and experts in holistic living and natural health. Cruise the Eastern Caribbean on one of the world’s premier Italian luxury liners, the MSC Divina, which combines the style and sophistication of Europe with American comforts and convenience. Visit exciting ports of call as we sail from Miami, Florida to natural paradise Charlotte Amalie/St. Thomas, USVI; historic and vibrant San Juan, Puerto Rico; and sun-soaked Nassau, Bahamas. All this and more while you dine on specially prepared vegan natural foods and beverages prepared by our own chefs. Lectures and workshops included.”

When they say, “health experts,” it’s the real deal… the line-up includes Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org (one of my all time favorite speakers), Dr. T. Colin Campbell, co-author of The China Study” and featured in Forks Over Knives, Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Dr. Michael Klaper, long-time radio host and acclaimed health educator, Chef AJ, inspiring speaker and author of Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight… and this is just to name a few. You MUST see the line-up. It’s crazy! And 95% of ALL the classes, workshops, presentations, and lectures are included in the price of the cruise, including the big names guests. Plus, these presenters are not all quarantined off in their own VIP areas, they eat and hang with everyone on board. 

I’m honored that the bookstore will also be carrying my new book, The Six Weeks To Sexy Abs Meal Plan! I will be doing a book signing as well 🙂

As I mentioned above, there are also daily yoga, pilates, fitness, running, meditation, and body building classes. Food options for everyone, including vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free. There will be vegan pizza and ice cream parties and other social events and parties. We’ll have opportunities to swim, snorkel and kayak in the beautiful Carribbean waters.  On top of all that, this is all on an award-winning environmentally friendly ship!

I’m all booked and am psyched to get a good group together so we are ensured the BEST time ever!!! So please check it out and scoop up your tickets before it’s too late. Right now, you can also get a $50 on-board credit just by mentioning Sexy Fit Vegan 🙂

Learn more about the 2016 Holistic Holiday at Sea Cruise HERE.

Let me know if you have any questions and/or you are coming aboard – would love to meet you all in person!!

Holistic Holiday at Sea Sexy Fit Vegan

Vegan-Friendly Gift Guide 2015

Cruelty-Free-Gift-Guide

If you’re like me, the holidays creep up so fast that I’m always doing at least a few last-minute gift shopping, which can be seriously stressful.

That’s why I wanted to throw out a few ideas for all you conscious shoppers out there. There are so many awesome, cruelty-free companies and products popping up, but here are some of my favorite gift ideas (so far). I gave a wide variety of products and with a wide range of price tags to suit different interests and budgets 🙂 

Adopt Farm Animal Gift (Farm Sanctuary): 

This one is especially heart-warming. To know you are helping save a life and be responsible for a rescued animal be able to live his/her life out safely and happily. There’s no better gift than that! Upon receiving your donation, Farm Sanctuary will send your gift-ee information about his/her OWN special farm animal friend, including his/her story, photograph, and details about your year-round visitation rights.adopt a farm animal program

Gunas Handbags:

For the fashionista in your life! If you’ve never heard of it, Gunas New York is an independent high fashion label with a cause. The company was started in 2008 by designer and animal lover, Sugandh G. Agrawal who believes that animals are NOT meant to be a part of Fashion. Gunas’s belief in the importance of cruelty-free fashion is totally in line with the Sexy Fit Vegan philosophy that we can look and feel good (and be sexy) without harming other living beings. Gunas also won the Best Green Bag at the Independent Designer Handbag Awards, and their Flamingo nabbed one of the featured spots in the September Issue of InStyle Magazine. They are a high fashion label so the prices are not cheap, but the quality and style is worth the price tag. Take a look HERE.

gunas vegan hand bags

Powerootz Superfood Nutritional Shake:

This is such a great gift because it is seriously the tastiest super food protein supplement I have EVER had. (My clients totally agree so I know it’s not just me.) Plus it’s one of the least processed (probably why it tastes so good), yet smooth textured powder on the market. I wrote a whole blog post on it if you want more info why I like it so much). If you have someone in your life who’s in need of breakfast or snack foods that are convenient and will help them be healthier and get in better shape, this is an awesome choice. Just enter the code “ELLA” at checkout to receive an extra 20% off your order too (click HERE to go to the site)!

powerootz Feature-product-

Lookie Lou:

I discovered this cruelty-free company on Happy Cow’s list top vegan-friendly gift ideas. It’s amazing because it’s got such a wide variety of products and prices. Seems like there’s definitely something for everyone here!

Lookie-Lou-vegan-shopping

The Six Weeks To Sexy Abs Meal Plan:

I couldn’t go without including my brand new book! I’m psyched because The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan is available for pre-sale now, and will be released December 15th in time for the holidays!!! It really is a great resource for losing a few pounds and learning how to adopt a diet plan (different than “dieting”) that will serve us well both short-term AND long-term. Unlike most diets this one is convenient and totally do-able for anyone, even the busiest of us. It has easy-to-follow guidelines and a hundred simple, delicious recipes to go with it. I’m quite the perfectionist and critical of myself, and I’m incredibly thrilled at how it came out and have no doubts it will make a big difference in a lot of people’s lives. If for noone else, definitely get it for yourself to start the New Year off right! (Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble).

Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan

Vegan Cuts Box:

This is just such a perfect concept I had to include it. To be introduced to new, healthy snacks, dropped right at your door, every month is like a dream come true! They do a really great job of including a wide variety of great products. They have both a snack box and a beauty box. This is a fantastic gift and definitely a company you can feel good about supporting as well. 

vegan-cuts gift box

I hope this helps in your pursuit to please your family and friends as this year comes to an end. Feel free to make suggestions as well. Good luck and happy holidays!!!

The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan

Six-Weeks-to-Sexy-Abs

I’m INCREDIBLY excited to share with you all the launch of my new book, The Six Weeks To Sexy Abs Meal Plan!

John-Salley-and-Ella-Magers

My inspiration for the book came from hearing the most common complaint, “I workout and eat healthy, so why can’t I lose these last few pounds?” over and over for the last 12 years as a fitness professional! Now I finally have my answer in writing to help people answer this question. Having a structured plan is essential to help us give up old, bad habits, and form new, healthy ones that you will be able to enjoy for a lifetime! The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan gives you that structure. It’s basically an easy to follow formula for a lean, strong, sexy body. This six week meal plan comes with over 100 simple plan-based recipes that I created. They are all both healthy AND delicious. I designed the plan to be practical and do-able, no matter how busy you are, and no matter if you are vegan or not. There is also a supplemental workout routine that goes along with the meal plan.

Before I continue I want to first thank everyone who has supported me throughout the book-writing process over the last 14 months. I want to send a huge thank you to John Salley for writing the forward. And I also want to thank everyone who busy the book during the pre-sale period going on right now – I didn’t realize how important pre-sale numbers are for rankings and the possibility of getting book of the month on Amazon which would be incredible. We’re almost there so your purchase will make a difference (and you will receive the book before anyone else, on the release date of December 15th, in plenty of time for the holiday/New Year!)

Here are some examples of recipes in the plan:

Meal-Plan-CollageFrom left to right: Cinnamon Bun Smoothie, Polenta Pleaser, Chia-ocolate Pudding, Tahini-Topped Roasted Cauliflower Florets, Lusty Lentil Mint Salad, TKO Tofu Omelet with Sweet Potato Hash, Tex Mex Cauliflower Couscous, Bella Broccoli Soup with Quinoa Side, Marry Me Mango Avocado Salad

Believe it or not, these are ALL very simple, whole foods-based, quick and easy dishes to make. Plus they are super satisfying!

The other cool thing about the Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan is that I give you specific guidelines to follow, so you can go out to eat, order in, or make your own recipes, as long as you are following the guidelines you are sticking to the plan and will have success.

If you are using the recipes, I make things even more do-able by providing you with a grocery list at the beginning of each week so you don’t have to figure out what you need. It’s right there for you to take to the store. I also give a description of any food you may be unfamiliar with, along with the best place to buy or order it. Most of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery and/or health food store, but often they are much cheaper to buy online, so I give you those suggestions throughout the plan.

Last, I provide you with a supplemental workout regiment to go with the meal plan. It consists of a combination of cross-training, cardio, and yoga. I mention that if you already have a balanced workout routine you enjoy, you do not have to follow mine in order to get results from the meal plan. If you don’t have a regular exercise regiment, or if you want to try something new, efficient, and effective, give my plan a try! Just remember, what we put in our mouths is what’s going to make the big difference when it comes to changing our bodies in a six-week period of time.

So there you have it, the book in a nutshell. I am excited for it to be in everyone’s hands in less than two weeks!!! (It also makes a great gift :))

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (paperback and kindle editions).

Thanks again for all the love and support!!!

Six-Weeks-to-Sexy-Abs-Meal-Plan-Book-Jacket

 

 

No Meat Athlete Fitness Bundle

No Meat Athlete Fitness Bundle

I want to share with you all that Matt Frazier from NoMeatAthlete messaged me a while ago asking if I’d like to join his 2nd annual NoMeatAthlete Plant-Based Fitness Bundle, and I, of course, said yes… I was honored!NoMeatAthleteBundle

The gist of it is that it’s a whole bunch of online veg-friendly fitness and food products (lots of great eCourses and eBooks) available for a big discount for just 5 days.

Click HERE to check it out, but first, here’s a quick run-down…

The list of products and contributors is HUGE! It consists of:

Matt Frazier – Wake Up (eBook + audio), 100 Minutes Faster webinar series, and a ticket to his upcoming live Online Goal-Setting Seminar
Heather Crosby – The YumUniverse 5-day Test Drive Kit 
Robert Cheeke – Shred It! eBook + MP3 audio bonus with Matt Frazier
Thomas Tadlock’s – Vegan10 Day Tummy Tightener
Chef AJ – Ultimate Weight Loss Package: 21 Day Recipe Guide + 4 MP3 audio coaching lessons
Doug Hay – Busy Runner Routine eCourse
Jeff Sanders – The 5AM Miracle eBook and The 5AM Blueprint eCourse
Ella Magers – How To Go Vegan A Beginner’s Guide eBook
Scott Shetler – Plant-Based Performance eBooks (A Compassionate Approach To Fitness and Know Your Strength)
Rich Roll – Jai Seed eCookbook and Jai Meditation program 
Sid Garza-Hillman – Approaching The Natural eBook
Karen Ranzi – Raw Vegan Recipe Fun For Families eBook
Derek Tresize – The Vegan Muscle & Fitness Guide To Bodybuilding Competitions
Whitney Lauritsen – Healthy Organic Vegan on a Budget eBook
Dreena Burton – Plant-Powered 15 eBook

All told that’s $400 worth of products for just $49… crazy! I’m so thrilled to be a part of this awesome offer and to be able to bring such valuable resources to my readers for such an affordable price.

Here are some examples of a few of the products you’ll get:

100-minutes-faster No Meat Athlete BundleYU5daykit5amMiracle

EllaHowToGoVegan  RawVeganRecipeFunforFamilies RichRollJaiDerekVeganMuscleFitnessApproachNatural  Scott02

I’m be sad if you missed out on this special Plant-Based Fitness Bundle, so remember, it is going away forever on Wednesday (Dec 2) at 10am EST. (I got the word that there will be no exceptions.) So if this sounds like something up your alley get it now right HERE!

ENJOY!!!

Delicious Super Food Shake for Super Human Health

Powerootz-Superfood-Shake

Recently, I was lucky enough to get an email from Lisa Hunt, founder of FedUp Foods, asking if I’d like to try a sample of her new Powerootz Superfood Nutritional Shake.

I’m a sucker for trying new plant-based protein and nutrition shakes even though I’m super picky about the flavor, taste, and texture of these powders. I usually end up trying them once and never again.

I seem to always return to my favorite shake I make myself with whole foods. I make it with unsweetened flax milk, frozen banana, almond or peanut butter, flax meal, amla powder (a super food) and sometimes a couple dates and/or vanilla extract. I love the flavor, taste, and texture. Wow, my mouth waters just thinking about it!Drinking vegan protein shake

I couldn’t imagine having this same feeling about ANY protein powder…. until the day the sample of Powerootz Superfood Nutritional Shake came in the mail. I blended it with the same flax milk and frozen banana and poured it in my glass. When I took that first sip I couldn’t have been more delighted and surprised! It actually tasted as delicious and satisfying as my favorite recipe, and it didn’t scream, “I’m a powder!” PLUS it has a ton of superfoods that the shake I make doesn’t contain (AND it contains the amla powder I use).

I was thrilled to learn more about the ingredients of the Powerootz shake. It’s made with a bunch of powerful raw superfoods. In her blog post that gives a thorough account of the superfoods her shake contains, Lisa says, “I went on a hunt for the most powerful and possibly superhumanizing superfoods on the planet and you might be shocked by what I found! I researched the top 15 most powerful superfoods and I think there might be something more than coincidence going on here… Could plants actually make you perform beyond your current capacities? Were herbs, roots, and plants designed specifically to heal, empower, and restore us?”

Powerootz superfoods

In addition to the 1500 mg of raw superfood blend, it also contains detoxifying minerals, has 23 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, and only 3 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fat.

Powerootz Nutritional Label

It comes in the flavors Peanut Butter Bliss and Chocolate Peanut Butter Madness, both of which are fantastic. I get the Peanut Butter Bliss knowing I can always add some raw cacao powder if I’m in the mood for chocolate.

Check out Lisa’s website, awesome blog, and of course order some Powerootz shakes for yourself! All Sexy Fit Vegan fans get 20% off your order… just use code “ELLA” at checkout and you will be hooked up 🙂Powerootz-10-percent-off-Coupon

Let me know what you think!

 

Vegan-Friendly Tattoos

Vegan Tattoo

I have been itching for a new tattoo lately, but I want to do it right and make sure it’s vegan-friendly (and share my research with you of course)!

I would say I have two and an eighth tattoos now.  Yes, an eighth lol… I had 3 that I got done between the ages of 17 and 20. The first was a tribal design on my lower back which would in later years be labeled a “tramp stamp” (I have come to embrace my tramp stamp over the years)! The second some Chinese characters on my ankle meaning “peace, light, and secure.” And last a female symbol with tribal art right below my bikini line. Well, I don’t know if the guy was nervous or what but he royally screwed that one up and I ended up getting 6 laser sessions to remove it. It’s almost gone, but I can still see the remnants so I consider it still an eighth there. I will finish the removal process eventually! 

In the mean time, 10+ years have gone by (if I want to totally date myself), and I’ve been craving a new tattoo, one that truly represents who I am and what I stand for. I’m playing around with tons of ideas and as soon as I decide on the right one I will be ready to get it done. That’s why I want to go ahead and get the research done to make sure I end up with a truly vegan tattoo. Especially since the tattoo itself will have the word “VEGAN” in the design and I want it to spark vegan-related conversations with anyone and everyone I come across.

So here’s what I found out…

Finding a vegan tattoo shop would be the best case scenario… There’s one in Portland for example, called Scapegoat Tattoo Company. Then you have nothing to worry about! But since vegan tattoo shops are fairly few and far between, it’s important to at least find a shop where the owners and artists are understanding and helpful dealing with your request to have a fully vegan tattoo experience. In Miami, Gauntlet Tattoo for example, is one shop that uses vegan ink (they even advertise it on their website).

Some tattoo inks are made with animal products like bone char, glycerin from animal fat, gelatin from hooves, or shellac from beetles. So it’s important to ask if the tattoo shops/artists if they use vegan inks or if they can order some for you. 

Some vegan brands of ink include:

  • Eternal
  • StarBrite
  • SkinCandy
  • Stable Color
  • Electric Ink USA
  • Dermaglo
  • Intenze
  • Fusion Tattoo Ink

It will be smart to take along your own razor, since the ones they have in-house may have a gel strip made from glycerin. Green soap, which is often used, is not vegan, so using a soap like Dr. Bronner’s is safe. Also, petroleum jelly is a vegan alternative to some A&D Ointment which can sometimes contain cod liver oil or lanolin.

And of course, We’ll want the tattoo-care products to be vegan as well.

Some vegan after-care products are:

  • Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Tattoo Balm
  • Black Cat Vitamin Infusion Serum
  • Ohana Organics Tattoo Butter
  • Dr. Bronner’s Body/Tattoo Balm
  • Jojoba oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Shea butter

When it comes to the safety of the ingredients in tattoo ink, we can’t rely on the FDA to help us out. They do not regulate tattoo ink. Beyond the ink, the other ingredient that carries the pigment into the skin is known as the carrier. Non-toxic versions of the carrier include purified water, glycerin (vegetable-based), and ethanol. White and black (iron) are the most toxic colors of conventional tattoo ink, and red pigments cause the most allergic reactions due to the iron oxide (rust), cinnabar, or cadmium red content. Bright and neon pigments often require plastics or chemicals so are best to avoid.

Some non toxic (and Vegan) ink ingredients include:

  • Black – carbon and logwood
  • White – titanium dioxide
  • Yellow – turmeric
  • Green – monoazo, a carbon-based pigment
  • Blue – sodium and aluminum (is that really safe?), many that contain copper are safe.
  • Red – Naphthol which can still cause a reaction
  • Purple – dioxazine and carbazole

Here is some vegan tattoo inspiration I got from Veganmarks.tumblr.com

Vegan Tattoo Vegan Tatto Animal Liberation Vegan Tattoo Black Vegan Tattoo Freedom Vegan Tattoos Hand and Wrist

I hope this helps… Please let me know if you have more suggestions and share your experiences!

Featured Image Photo Credit: Being Vegetarian on Tumblr