Vegan Tri Guys on Veganism, Chronic Fatigue, & Following Your Passion (EP 40: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

In this intriguing episode I sit down with James Aubry, aka @VeganTriGuys and we chat it up about a number of topics that a ton of our listeners will relate to.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.


James is a plant-powered cyclist and triathlete with an inspirational story of resilience. We talk about his battle with chronic fatigue, his journey into veganism, and the courageous step he took away from the corporate world to follow his passion.

Here’s a little bit about James, in his words…

In James’s own words:

I’m James, from London, England. I have been into endurance sport my entire life, it runs through my veins. It’s been a rollercoaster ride though in terms of health. After getting onto the British Cycling Youth Development Programme at 16 years old, I was on my way to fulfilling my dream of becoming a pro cyclist.

At the age of 17 however, I was struck by chronic fatigue, which plagued me on and off for 12 years. I eventually discovered veganism which helped me manage these symptoms, which haven’t returned since.

Veganism wasn’t without it’s challenges though, I learned first hand that a vegan diet isn’t necessary healthy if you eat a lot of refined/processed food, and you cannot out-exercise an unhealthy diet.

Coming from a history of disordered eating, I overcame food-restricting patterns by adopting a whole food, plant based diet, which is what I eat and recommend.

I have recently quit my engineering job in the corporate world to start Humble Hedgehog Productions and pursue my passion for videography. My mission is to use my talent to create content that will motivate and inspire people to make a positive impact on the Planet.


MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!  (Plus an opportunity to book a Discovery Session with Ella!)

@VeganTriGuys on Instagram

Vegan Tri Guys on Facebook

Humble Hedgehog Productions on Facebook

Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary

Gary Yourofsky‘s Talk

Live Ultimate (the supplement I mention in the intro)


CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

Hacking Your Happy Chemicals (EP 39: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Think you can’t hack happiness? Think again!

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Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify |  YouTube

*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.


Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins are neurotransmitters in our brain that are responsible for our happiness. 

We have the power to activate these neurotransmitters in order to access happiness… We simply have to get intentional about it.

In this fun and empowering episode we help you discover the ways you can dial into your happy chemicals on a daily basis. A little effort can produce a lot of joy… We show you the way and give you plenty of personal examples!

Dopamine: Reward 

Dopamine is a motivator that gives us positive reinforcement when we achieve goals and meet our needs.

We can activate dopamine by things like…

  • Checking off an item on your to-do list (breaking big goals into smaller manageable goals is therefore helpful)
  • Self-care
  • Celebrating a win (the reason we do so much celebrating at Vegan Life Coach Academy!)
  • Feel-good music
  • Exercise

Serotonin: Mood 

Serotonin flows when you feel valued and worthy. Depression is a side effect of low serotonin production.

We can activate serotonin by things like…

  • Meditation
  • Visualization exercises (Our brain doesn’t distinguish what’s real versus imagined, so it produces serotonin in both cases)
  • Gratitude practice
  • Sunshine
  • A walk in nature
  • A massage
  • Exercise

Oxytocin: Love 

Oxytocin facilitates intimacy and helps builds healthy relationships. 

We can activate oxytocin by things like…

  • Being compassionate (living a vegan lifestyle!)
  • Playing with a dog
  • Interacting with rescued farm animals
  • Cuddling
  • Having an intimate conversation with a close friend
  • Giving a gift
  • Sex

Endorphins: > Painkiller 

Endorphins decrease pain and boost pleasure by acting on the opiate receptors in our brains.

We can activate oxytocin by things like…

  • Uncontrollable laughter 
  • Donating to a good cause
  • Exercise
  • Watching comedy
  • Dark chocolate
  • Sex

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!  (Plus an opportunity to book a Discovery Session with Ella!)


CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

Q&A: Overeating (EP 30: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Episode #30 starts out with fun conversation and celebrations, and then we move into the topic of overeating.

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Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify |  YouTube

*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.


At Vegan Life Coach Academy, we have #ThirstyThursday Power Hour Q&A every week. Members grab their fresh juice, smoothie, or Clean Machine’s BCAAs (lemonade is my favorite), and join me for a Facebook Live event.

We have a blast sharing celebrations, playing plant food trivia, announce upcoming happenings, and I answer questions that members have submitted. 

Recently, we had two questions come in about portion control and overeating… A common struggle for a ton of our podcast listeners as well, hence why we decided to also answer the questions on this episode!

Here they are:

Question #1: I really appreciate the mindfulness and intuitive eating. I think that’s how I was before becoming vegan and now I struggle with portions. Sometimes I’m hungry in 30 minutes and then I feel like I overeat too often. I feel uncomfortably stuffed. What’s going on?

Question #2: Why do you (referring to me) only eat half a can of chickpeas for a meal versus a whole can? Is it because half a can fills you up? How do we know we are not overeating?

Check out this week’s full episode to hear our answers!

We’d love to hear your feedback and questions in our Empowered Life Group on Facebook (free), and of course in Vegan Life Coach Academy for our Academy members. 


MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Vegan Life Coach Academy

Clean Machine and Other Recommended Products 

Episode #3: Hogs & Kisses Farm Animal Sanctuary

Episode 7 (Self-Empowerment Coaching System)


CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

A New Approach to Goal-Setting (EP 29: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

When people set a goal, the reason they set that goal is usually because they are unhappy with where they currently are.

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Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify |  YouTube

*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.


People often believe that happiness is on the other side of reaching certain goals. “Once I reach that goal of losing 20 pounds, then I’ll be happy,” or, “When I get that promotion, then I’ll be happy.”  

Setting goals in the traditional way comes from a place of scarcity and unfulfillment. In this episode we offer a different perspective on goals… The idea that goals are fantastic tools for progressing on our life’s journey in a positive and powerful way, but only when they come from a place of abundance and acceptance.

On last week’s episode we discussed how happiness is not created in the past or found in the future. Happiness is within all of us right now. It’s a matter of developing the tools that you need to unlock or unleash the joy that you’re capable of in this very moment. And that’s a powerful thing. So, what can goals set from a place of abundance do for us?

Goals set from a place of abundance can empower us, motivate us, and create self-confidence. They can help us align our actions with our values.

 On the other hand, when we set goals from a place of scarcity, we may feel shameful, not good enough as we are right now. 

Goals coming from a place of scarcity can cause us to compare ourselves to others, which can in turn, bring on anxiety. We can start judging ourselves and feel a sense of disappointment, thinking, “I’m not good enough,” and “What I have is not enough”.  

No matter what, goal-setting brings up obstacles, fears, and limiting beliefs, right?  We start to think about all the things that are standing in our way. The Self-Empowerment Coaching System we’re always talking about, is a tool that will allow you to deal with these feelings and thoughts and recognize the opportunity for growth in any given situation.

Without the self-coaching tools, goals can actually get you stuck… Stuck in your own head, stuck in your fears, and/or stuck in your limiting beliefs. 

Stephanie told me about a realization she had after watching a post I did from Santa Marta, Columbia, in which I talked about doing a handstand on some rocks. She shared with me the thoughts and feelings that came up for her when she saw my post. 

Stephanie’s immediate reaction was to start to compare herself to me. She was able, however, to take a step back, become the observer, and look at the situation in a different light. She realized that doing a handstand is not a goal of hers. It’s not something that she is wanting to work towards. Doing a handstand is not something that’s in her vision of what a successful, happy life looks like for her. And that’s okay.

We all have different goals. We have different visions of what success means to us. Stephanie knew that she had reached the place where she could see my post and appreciate the skill and strength it takes to do a handstand, without diminishing her own growth or feelings of success. She was able to start appreciating her own body and her own accomplishments. 

To practice the goal-setting process from a place of abundance, I encourage you to do this exercise: Take out a piece of paper and make a list of 6 things that you want to accomplish, whether that’s in the next month, the next year, or in five years. Don’t worry about the timeframe, just make a list of six things that you want, big or small. They should be things that you want and believe you can, with the right steps, accomplish.

Now I want you to pick one of the things that you listed and fine tune it. Make it into a measurable goal with a timeframe. 

Now, see what emotions come up. Do you have limiting beliefs that come up surrounding the goal? Are you feeling some doubt or fear that you could fail? These are all normal emotions that can come up when we set goals. That doesn’t mean you’re coming from a place of scarcity though. It means that it’s time to utilize the self-coaching tools so you can coach yourself through the fears and self-doubt.

Write down your limiting thoughts on your paper. Observe the emotions that come. Now take a moment to transport yourself mentally to the place where the goal has already been accomplished. Visualize that reality.

Now look back at the thoughts you wrote down and address them from a place of the goal having already been achieved. Again, transport yourself to the place where that goal is already achieved. You’ve achieved that goal, and now you’re looking back on yourself now and looking at those thoughts and how you addressed them. What would you tell yourself now that you’ve already completed and achieved that goal?

The next step is to create an action plan. Again, put yourself in that place where you’ve already achieved that goal. Tell yourself how you got there. How did you achieve that goal? 

What were the big steps that you took? For each big step, break it down into actionable tasks. Take yourself through the process of reaching and achieving and completing that goal from the place of already having completed it.

You may be pretty blown away with the wisdom you have.  Everything is “figure-outable.” We just have to believe in ourselves!

We’d love to hear your goals in our Empowered Life Group on Facebook (free), and of course in Vegan Life Coach Academy for our Academy members. 


MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Vegan Life Coach Academy

Episode 7 (Self-Empowerment Coaching System)


CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

The Search for Happiness (EP 28: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

All to often we think, “I’ll be happy when…”

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.


There is a misconception that we can find happiness outside of ourselves… That happiness is waiting for us in the future when we have accomplished certain things, or have met certain goals.

The truth of the matter is that that we have to be in charge of our own happiness. Happiness doesn’t happen to us or for us. Happiness is not a future state. If we tie our happiness to a certain weight, to a way that we want to look, or the goals we wish to accomplish, we give away the inherent power we all have to CHOOSE happiness NOW.

If you say to yourself, “I’ll be happy when I’ve lost 20 pounds, or when I’ve successfully ran a marathon, or found the man of my dreams,” you will always be chasing happiness.

There’s a quote, and I’m not sure who to credit it to, but it goes something like, “Beware of destination addiction or preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.”

Here’s the deal though: You really have to be willing to dig in. Even when you get to the place where you think, “I should be seeing some results by now,”

By digging in, and practicing the Self-Empowerment Coaching System (episodes 4 and 7) we teach at Vegan Life Coach Academy, you will be shocked to discover things you didn’t know you didn’t know.

If you embrace the idea that happiness is NOW, and that you are worth learning to love yourself before you lose a pound, then you’ve really earned the golden ticket.

We’re not saying that loving yourself now means you have to stay the way that you are physically. We’re saying that learning to shift your mindset away from a place of depravity and restriction, which is ultimately a place of punishment, is key. The diet culture has taught us to punish ourselves, despite the fact that restriction leads us to sabotage our results over and over again.

When you come from a place of love however, the outcome is completely different. From a place of love you choose to go for that run because you care about strengthening your body and want to be healthy and fit. You reach for the fruits and veggies because you love yourself enough to provide your body with the best nutrition. You buy the highest quality supplement that you know makes your body sing because you value your healthy, and it may be a little pricier than you’d like, but you know that that is sourced from a place that’s pure, and you make the decision out of love for yourself and your body.

Developing unconditional love for yourself is a game changer. It takes work to get to the place where you love yourself so much you’re dangerous, as Brene Brown says. And the work is well worth the outcome, which is that your body trusts you enough to get to the place where it’s supposed to be…

It is from a place of self-love that the excess weight, excess fat that you’re carrying is going to melt off, just like the excess weight that you’re carrying emotionally is going to disappear. You’re going to be learning to deal with your inner critic head on, and then you will be making healthy choices out of love for your body, not as punishment.

You are worth this fight. You are worth being, “all in,” committed to this process because ultimately, where this process is going to take you, is a place of complete and total freedom. It’s going to give you the opportunity to choose happiness in the moment, because you know it’s available to you right here, right now. .


MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Vegan Life Coach Academy

Episode 4

Episode 7


CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

Why You’ll Never Arrive at Your Happy Place (And Why This is Good News!)

If you’re waiting to “arrive” at a place of happiness, free from all the damn problems keeping you stuck in stress-mode I’ve got good and bad news for you… Which do you want first?

I’ll start with the bad… You will NEVER arrive at that happy place!

And now for the good… You will NEVER arrive at that happy place!

Let’s first discuss what comes to mind when you envision your happy place.

If you’re thinking happiness can only be achieved when you’re free from problems and stress, than it would seem to me you’re looking forward to death! Problems and stress are part of the human experience (don’t worry, I’ll explain why).

We often walk around in a state of constant anxiety, ferociously working to solve our problems. The fallacy of our thought process is that problems are never-ending. Once you solve a problem, you will undoubtedly be faced with a new one. This cycle is another necessary part of having the full human experience. 

As long as you’re learning from the process of solving your problems, you go through life collecting more and more tools to take out of your toolbox as new challenges and obstacles arise. Problems create discomfort, and it is only outside of our comfort zone that we learn and grow. It’s pretty cool if you really think about it!

Now that we’ve established that you’ll always have problems, we can say with confidence that the absence of problems is not the answer to finding happiness.

Happiness is also not waiting for you to lose weight, find the perfect relationship, or get your dream job. So where is it? Happiness can ONLY be found right NOW within YOU! 

Happiness does not occur in the past or future. Happiness is only available in the present moment.

In the Plant-Empowered Coaching Program, Stephanie (our head mindset coach) and myself help our clients unlock that happiness.

We teach a life-changing self-coaching system that allows you to identify the blocks keeping you stuck. The system gives you a structured method for purposefully writing a new story for yourself and your life. Now THAT’S EMPOWERMENT! (You don’t have to take it from me though, check out what our clients are saying HERE.)

The last thing I want to mention today is that by using the word, “happiness”, I am not referring to feeling joy all the time. Without sadness, we wouldn’t know joy. Without frustration we wouldn’t know elation. We NEED the negative emotion to experience the positive, and it’s all part of this game we call life. 

By “happiness” I mean a feeling of strength, confidence, and unconditional love. I mean feeling like you have power over your thoughts and choices. I mean truly believing that YOU ARE ENOUGH just as you are right now.

Top Vegan Resources For A Happier Healthier You!

vegan-resources-for-health-and-happiness

In this post I’m sharing with you some of my favorite vegan resources that can empower us to take our health and happiness to the next level!

Part of my 6-Week Plant-Empowered Coaching Program is making sure my clients are set up for continued success by arming them with a ton of awesome resources to continue guiding them on their transformational path. Now I’m sharing them with all of you! I sorted them by category and have personally tried all of the resources on this list so I can give you honest reviews 🙂

Vegan Food/Drink:

Barnivore 

This awesome website and app is the best resource for checking to see if the beer, wine, and/or liquor you want to drink is vegan-friendly or not. In case you didn’t know, a large percentage of wines use animal products such as eggs and fish bladder in the filtering process. There are also liquors and beers that have non-vegan ingredients such as dairy and honey. Unfortunately these ingredients don’t usually show up on the labels. Barnivore has over 22,000 entries that have been checked and often double or triple checked by the Barnivore community, letting you know products’ vegan statuses. And now they have also released an app to make it easier to do your research on-the-go!Happy Cow

Happy Cow 

A website and app, this resource has been helping travelers and people everywhere find vegan, vegetarian, and healthy food wherever you go since 1999. This is not only a restaurant and health food store guide, but also an online hub that serves as a one-stop resource for everything veg.

Vegan Nutrition Information:

NutritionFacts.org  

Dr. Michael Greger releases a new, short and to the point nutrition-related video or article every single day (amazing)! He has a huge database of videos and articles at this point covering just about any vegan health related question you may have. Everything he presents is based on the latest research from the most trusted sources. Bookmark this website for sure! I also love that all the proceeds from the sales of his books and DVDs go to charity.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine 

This website combines the expertise and experience of over 12,000 physicians to give us the most up-to-date, scientifically accrued information on health related to diet. In addition to tons of articles, they have a free 21-day Vegan Kickstart program designed for anyone wanting to explore the health benefits of a vegan diet (based on research by Neil Barnard, M.D.).

Vegan Health 

Founded and run by Jack Norris, RD, this website is a project of Vegan Outreach and a great resource for getting answers to your top nutrition and health questions.

Healthy Vegan Recipes/Vegan Diet Plan:

Dreena Burtan’s Plant-Powered Kitchen 

Dreena’s focus is on natural, non-processed ingredients and most of her recipes are fairly simple and definitely delicious.

Fat Free Vegan 

Susan Voisin creates and posts delicious dishes made with whole foods and without added refined oils. 

Oh She Glows 

A fantastic, inspiring blog full of tasty recipes by Angela Liddon. Many of these are more complicated than I’m up for doing myself, but if you enjoy cooking then you will love what she offers on this site. There are also many easier, more simple recipes that are more my style, you just have to do a little searching to find the ones that work best for you. 

One Green Planet

There is a huge variety of healthy vegan recipes submitted and approved by people all over the world on this website. There are so many it’s slightly overwhelming, but also ensures you will find whatever you’re looking for.

The Six Weeks To Sexy Abs Meal PlanSix-Weeks-to Sexy Abs Meal Plan

This is my new book in which I guide you through an easy-to-follow 6-week meal plan that’s designed for anyone with the goal of a lean, strong body. The idea is that no matter how hard you workout, if you’re not eating the right food it’s impossible to lose those last few pounds that are hiding your six pack! I give you a hundred simple, whole-foods based recipes with grocery lists to go with them. The plan and recipes are designed to be totally do-able for even the busiest people. I make them as practical as possible. I also give guidelines for the plan so that if you go out to eat, or want to create your own recipes it’s totally fine, as long as you’re following the guidelines of the plan. The book itself is also very high quality with beautiful pictures to go with the recipes. It’s also available in kindle format. To see the blog post I wrote about the book click HERE. Hope you enjoy!!!

Inspirational Vegan-Related Podcasts:

Rich Roll Podcast 

I can listen to many of Rich’s podcasts over and over again because they are not only inspiring, they’re also entertaining and very “rearich-roll-podcastl”. Here’s how it’s described on the website (I couldn’t describe it better if I tried!) “Each week Rich delves deep into all things wellness with some of the brightest and most forward thinking, paradigm busting minds in health, fitness, nutrition, art, entertainment, entrepreneurship & spirituality. Intimate, deep and often intense, these are not interviews. They are conversations. A weekly aural dance designed to provoke, educate, inspire and empower you to discover, uncover, unlock and unleash your best, most authentic self.” He also has an app that makes it easier to listen to all the podcasts he’s ever done.

Main Street Vegan 

Main Street Vegan is a “lively hour devoted to your health, well-being, and ways to live lightly and lovingly on planet Earth.” Host Victoria Moran is super entertaining and brings you the latest on the vegan life every week. If you simply want to look and feel amazing, eat extraordinary food, help animals, and “create a physical body perfectly attuned to spiritual growth” you must check this podcast out. Victoria’s guests range from vegan authors, activists, physicians, chefs, spiritual leaders, and even some of those glittery celebs. I’m honored to announce that I will be featured on the show on February 16th, 2016!

Planted In Miami 

I found out about this one when I got a message from Jeanette asking if I would be a guest! Jeanette and Alex, the hosts, also lead the No-Meat-Athlete meet-up group in Miami and are the most delightful couple you’ll ever meet. This “New & Noteworthy” podcast is all about the business owners, artists, musicians, farmers and others who are moving Miami forward through social awareness and community engagement. From environmental causes to healthy lifestyles, animal welfare to conscious living, it’s about giving people the information that they need to make informed decisions about living a more thoughtful and compassionate life. I had a ton of fun recording the episode I was featured in – I also wrote a post on the experience and more details about the hosts HERE.

Overall Happiness:

Mind Body Green

This website is a platform with the mission of revitalizing the way people eat, move, and live. The site has a ton of articles and posts from different contributors giving you tips, tools, and ideas to help make your life better and inspire you to be your best self. The blog post/article categories are “Eat,” “Move,” “Live,” “Breathe,” and “Love” to give you an idea of the variety of information offered. I recommend checking it out for sure! I was thrilled to be able to contribute two articles, one called, “What I Tell My Clients Who Want To Eat For Toned Abs,” and one with recipes from my new book, “Slow-Cooker Sunday: Quinoa Soup With Sweet Potato Mash.”

Headspace

Described as ‘meditation made relevant to modern life’, Headspace is a platform that makes meditation more accessible for everyone, especially people like me who have only dipped my toe in meditation before, never achieving consistency. The founder and former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe is present throughout the app (he’s got a great English accent that’s very pleasant to listen to) imparting his words of wisdom and guiding you through the process one step at a time. The first ten-minute lessons, (or exercises of the mind you could call them) are free. If you then want access to a huge library of guided meditations, and to join over a million users you can pay a monthly fee (or year in advance to make it cheaper). You can also map your journey, track your progress, and get rewards as you go. You can even buddy up with friends and motivate each other along the way. It’s pricey, but trying out the first ten sessions will help you decide if you can commit to continuing your meditation practice in which case I think it’s worth the cost.

10% Happier App 

This is a great app for newbies and skeptics of meditation. I have known about the basics and benefits of meditation for years, but until recently have not been motivated to actually commit to doing it (sitting still is not my strong suit)! I’ve struggled with insomnia for over 10 years and have tried everything else that’s ever been suggested… except meditation. So I finally decided to give it a shot and this app was a huge help to stick with it. Dan Harris gives very short, interesting videos that precede each meditation. The guided meditations begin very short – 5 minutes, and move to 11 minutes. And it’s extra cool that you get an actual person as a meditation coach who texts, emails you, answers any questions you may have, and gives you encouragement. The app starts out free so you can get a feel for it, and then you pay $19.99 (one-time fee) if you want to continue. 

Vegan-Related Documentaries:

Forks Over KnivesEarthlings, and Cowspiracy are all simply must-see movies for everyone. Please check them all out!

*For more information on the 6-Week Plant-Empowered Coaching Program, and to apply for a free strategy session with Ella click HERE