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)!

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. I 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 worldwide

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!

03 Dec 2015

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Fitness, Vegan Nutrition, Vegan Product Reviews, Vegan Recipes, Vegan-Related Books & Documentaries, Vegan-Related Current Events

Tags: easy vegan recipes, healthy diet plan, healthy meal plan, how to go vegan, vegan diet plan, vegan fitness, vegan meal plan, weight loss

The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan

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

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:

From 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!!!

13 May 2015

Scott Shetler

Going Vegan Tips, Guest Blog Posts

Tags: abundant health, how to go vegan, meditation, tai chi, vegan, vegan diet plan, vegan fitness, vegan health, vegan muscle

2 Comments

My Vegan Journey Part 1: Regaining My Health

I don’t plan to write about myself much here on Sexy Fit Vegan, but for my first couple of blogs I’d like to share my personal journey of regaining my health and strength as I transitioned to a vegan diet and lifestyle.

I want to show you that it is possible to not only be healthy but to perform at a high level while eating plants! If there are any specific topics you’d like me to cover in future blog posts, or questions you would like answered, please leave them in the comments below.

In April of 2010 I decided to stop eating meat for ethical reasons. As a supporter of animal welfare I felt eating meat was very hypocritical. Even though I’d felt this way for a while, I was struggling with the myth that is still popular in the fitness industry, that a diet high in animal-based protein sources is necessary for strength and muscle gains.

I started by cutting out meat then eventually fish, eggs, and dairy and transitioned to a fully plant-based diet on December 31, 2012.

I stopped competing in powerlifting and kettlebell sport by 2009 and as I began changing my ideas about nutrition my training focus began to change as well. I stopped lifting as heavy as when I was competing and I began practicing meditation and studying qigong and the internal martial art of Taijiquan as well. I’ve come to believe that there should be no separation between strength and health and that training needs to be holistic in order to accomplish this. This concept I’ve come to refer to as “Abundant Health”.

As I transitioned to a vegetarian, and eventually vegan, diet I placed a big emphasis on raw plant-based foods. Raw fruits and vegetables make up at least 50% of my diet and sometimes 75% or more. The rest of what I eat consists of cooked plant-based food, mostly rice, beans, lentils, potatoes/sweet potatoes, and cooked vegetables. I usually only drink water, coffee, tea and non-dairy milks. I am not one to shy away from dessert or other treats though!

The results of eating this way were amazing. Here is a snapshot of my before and after blood work results, the after physical was done after only about 4 months of following my “high raw plant-based diet”.

Physical “Before”

Bodyweight: 230 lbs.
Blood Pressure: 125/85 – 135/90
Total Cholesterol: 220 mg/dL
HDL: 41 mg/dL
LDL: 130 mg/dL
Triglycerides: 135-300 mg/dL

Physical “After”

Bodyweight: 178 lbs.
Blood Pressure: 102/67 – 112/72
Total Cholesterol: 151 mg/dL
HDL: 43 mg/dL
LDL: 95 mg/dL
Triglycerides: 65 mg/dL

Now that I had dramatically improved my health, body composition and quality of life I started to wonder if I could possibly regain the strength I had lost while maintaining a lighter body-weight and most importantly my health. I will get into that in my next blog!

Until next time, stay strong AND healthy!
Scott

27 Apr 2015

Matthew Washington

Going Vegan Tips, Guest Blog Posts, Vegan Fitness

Tags: fitness, going vegan, how to go vegan, male, men, muscle

3 Comments

New Sexy Fit Vegan Contributor!

‘Hey everyone! I wanna say i’m very excited to be a part of the sexy fit vegan team! I’ve never been a part of a blog before so this is definitely a new, fun experience. I’m a certified personal trainer of over 4 years, with certs in nutrition and sports performance. I became vegan a little over seven years ago. After a rough period of life, losing my sister to ovarian cancer. I was also in an extremely unhealthy spot in my life. Smoking a pack a day. Drinking. Also eating the worst foods possible. Yes, i ate mcdonalds….every day. I gradually became 60 pounds overweight. One day i woke up and was tired of the life i was living. I quit smoking cold turkey. Started to pick up running. I knew i needed to change my diet, i noticed a few features on vegan athletes and what they did, and how they were doing it. I was completely fascinated and researched as much as i could, and when i felt i was ready, i became vegan. My weight dropped drastically, my energy was amazing, and my recovery was great. Eventually after i got certified as a trainer i lifted weights more religiously, and got my weight up, lean muscle of course. No fat 😉 . Of course over the years you get everything from,

“Oh, you’re vegan? How’s that work? I think that’s cool but i could never give up cheese.”

To the more extreme,

“Are you kidding me bro? Where do you get your protein?! Soy lowers your testosterone!”

Granted, there are many myths regarding plant based lifestyles that i will love to get into at later times. Also, i’d love to share good programs for building strength and muscle on a plant based diet. As well as certain nutrients/minerals/vitamins you should and shouldn’t worry about. The fitness and nutrition world is a confusing one. Full of contradictions, myths and empty promises for fast and easy results. Like every goal in life, they don’t come overnight. And neither does health and fitness. it’s a journey, not a diet, but a lifestyle. And i’m very excited to help!’

25 Dec 2013

Ella Magers, MSW

Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Nutrition, Vegan-Related Current Events

Tags: how to go vegan, tips for going vegan, vegan diet plan, vegan health

Top 10 Tips for Going Vegan in 2014!

If you have resolved to adopt a plant-based diet in 2014 these “Top 10 Tips for Going Vegan” is for you!

First of all, congratulations on the decision to hop on the path to feeling and looking your best, staying healthy and disease-free, and living conscientiously! I have compiled these tips to help you along your way:

1. Take it One Month at a Time.

You have been eating a certain way for a very long time, right? Well completely changing your whole diet overnight and expecting it to last, in most cases, sets yourself up for failure. Instead, create manageable steps month by month. For example, lets say you are a vegetarian, and you know that giving up cheese is going to be your most difficult food to eliminate. So for January, you make the decision to eliminate milk completely from your diet. Then, in February, you have “cheese-less weekdays,” meaning you do not eat cheese Monday through Friday, but allow yourself some over the weekend if you are craving it. Get the idea?

2. Instead of “Giving Up” Animal Products, “Replace” Them!

Choose vegan substitutes for the animal products you are eliminating to keep readily available at home.
If you are a milk drinker, find the non-dairy milk that you like best and stay stocked. Same goes for cheese, yogurt, and ice cream (you still get to splurge every now and then on a vegan diet!). When it comes to meat, my suggestion is that for the first couple months, if you can find substitutes that you like, even if they are not the best for you (most faux meat is processed and less healthy than choosing whole foods such as beans and nuts), allow yourself some leeway to eat them anyway as a stepping stone. Ultimately though, using these products only on occasion is the best way to attain a healthy, whole foods, plant-based lifestyle.

3. Find support from other vegans.

There are vegans everywhere these days, and we have the technology to connect, so use it! Seek out other healthy vegans in your community, there are often local vegan-related meet-ups you can join. The other option is finding support online through forums (such as the new, Sexy Fit Vegan Forum!) The more support the better!

4. Talk to your friends, coworkers, and family members about your lifestyle changes.

Old habits will stay current habits if you don’t communicate with the people who surround you on a daily basis. Talk to these people and let them know about the changes you are making, and ask them for their support.

5. Take a B-12 Supplement.

Vitamin B-12 is the one nutrient that can be difficult to get on a plant-based diet. There are many products fortified with B-12, but I think it is simply a good habit to take a supplement to ensure you are ingesting enough. A deficiency can be hard to diagnose early enough to prevent permanent damage to your body. But again, it is a simple fix. Take a supplement.

6. Find at least one Protein That You Enjoy and Use It As Your Go-To.

22 Days and Plant Fusion are two I highly recommend that contain both high levels of protein and other ingredients that pack your body with powerful nutrients. All you need is a shaker bottle to create a perfect snack. Getting enough protein to gain lean muscle can be one of the most common worries among people looking to maintain/gain muscle mass and increase strength and performance. A few shakes a day is a simple way to ensure your protein intake stays high.

7. Invest in a Vitamix.

You may look at the price tag on this thing and cringe. I did! And then I received one for my birthday and my life changed forever! Ok, that may be a little dramatic, but it made me a believer in the Vitamix. The smoothies, juices, soups, nut milks, and dips you can make, quickly and easily, makes it well worth the cost. Making a smoothie with super foods like hemp seeds, flax seeds, and dates can come out chunky with a regular blender, but with the Vitamix, you are always ensured an even, smooth shake.

8. Find Time to Plan Ahead.

The first several months, it’s important to realize that it is going to take you more time than usual to figure out your food choices. Find the time so you do not get into an “emergency situation” in which you feel like you’re starving, and have no idea what to eat! We’ve all been there. If you are like me, by the time you get to that point it’s too late for your brain to think clearly and for you to make logical decisions. Avoid this situation by making the time to plan your day’s food intake. You may need to pack a lunch, or keep healthy vegan bars in your car. Always keep good-for-you snacks around. Celery and hummus, carrots and raw almond butter for example.

9. Variety is Key.

Its important to keep in mind that eating a wide variety of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains is the key to a well-balanced plant-based diet. Chances are, by adopting this new lifestyle you will end up eating more different foods than you did before. Research plant-based super foods to add to your meals and shakes, such as hemp and chia seeds. You are exploring new options that you probably never sought out before! Keep an open mind and adopt the attitude of fun exploration rather than limitation.

10. Continue Your Education.

Continuously learn about why a vegan diet is so great by watching documentaries such as Forks Over Knives, reading articles, reading books, and even visiting factory farms and animal sanctuaries if possible. This way you will keep your motivations fresh in your head instead of letting them fade and slipping back into old habits because of it.

Cheers to the start of the healthiest, sexiest year of your life, 2014!!!

Tag Archives: how to go vegan

Vegan Cuts Snack Box Review