If you’re over dieting, and “INTUITIVE EATING” sounds appealing, yet daunting, you’re not alone!

Empowerment, Going Vegan Tips, Holistic Health, Podcast, Vegan Lifestyle

Tags: cheat meals, coaching, conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, life coaching, meal planning, mindfulness, plant-based nutrition, psychotherapy

The Self-Empowerment Coaching System

Aging (EP 54: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Aging… A touchy topic that we unravel, layer by layer, in this important episode of The Vegan Life Coach Podcast.

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

We break it down into two categories… Physical and Emotional.

We first talk about the physical effects of aging, and how you can use a healthy vegan lifestyle to slow the aging process. We then dive into the complexities involved with the emotional effects of aging, society’s role, and the tools that help people foster unconditional self-love, step into their power, and reinvent themselves at any age!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Seaspiracy

The Last Pig documentary

CONNECT WITH US!

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!

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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.

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30 Mar 2021

Empowerment, Holistic Health, Podcast, Vegan Lifestyle, Vegan Nutrition

Tags: cheat meals, coaching, conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, life coaching, meal planning, mindfulness, plant-based nutrition, psychotherapy

Dr. Elsa Spencer: A Fascinating Story of Passion & Resilience (EP 51: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Throughout my conversation with Dr. Elsa Spencer, we bounced from how she became a vegan and her activism, to how she overcame childhood trauma and an eating disorder, to her favorite healthy brownie recipe.

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

It isn’t often that I get a chance to talk with someone who’s been vegan for longer than I have. Elsa’s expertise and authenticity is refreshing, and much of her story will resonate with our listeners (as it did for me) in powerful ways! Elsa reminds us of just how challenging life can be, and the beauty that can bloom from facing adversity.

Dr. Elsa Spencer, Nutritionist, Professor, Biologist (and So Much More!)

Dr. Elsa Spencer earned her Ph.D. in nutrition in 2003. She trained as a researcher and teacher in various topics from cell biology to food chemistry and clinical trials throughout her education. Elsa understands what food can do at a molecular level, and she can break the information into bite-sized pieces.

Throughout her career, Elsa has performed nutritional research, written papers on nutrition, gotten these papers published in medical journals, coached individuals in plant-based nutrition, and teaches at her local community college. She continues her passion for nutrition by coordinating food for a local plant-based children’s camp during the summer months.

One item that is critical to Elsa is making sure she gives back to the vegan community. She owes (and discusses in our podcast) her copious physical and mental energy to living her last 28 years as a vegan. She volunteers for the Vegetarian Resource Group, is a former intern for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and is a regular contributor at Anonymous for the Voiceless Actions.

When she’s not running around spreading the word about good nutrition, she can be found bicycling to work, challenging herself with yoga, and running (or walking) around Charlottesville, VA.

The Discussion of Veganism

Elsa’s vegan story started about 28 years ago. During her freshman year of college, Elsa began toying around with the idea that she wanted to become vegan. While already a vegetarian, she and her high school friends decided that they wanted to do something about the environment and know more about animal cruelty. They believed they would be able to slow carbon emissions by omitting meat products from their daily diet. She realized that carbon emissions were still being released not only from cows killed for meat but also from dairy cows. It was the light bulb moment that turned her vegan.

As with every first-year student (Elsa kindly points out), the first year of college can be quite jarring. She had moved out of her home at 17, started going to college, lost her first serious boyfriend, and met her father for the first time.

On top of those life-changing events, Elsa started to remember events from her childhood. Her eighteen-year-old brain decided that she was finally ready to old enough to remember the incidences of sexual abuse that had occurred when she was a child.

Feeling out of control, Elsa turned to food as something she had the power to control, which led to anorexia.

As she began to come to terms with everything, Elsa sought out a therapist who helped her through her eating disorder. The therapist also helped her realize she might have underlying OCD.

Even now, at 46, Elsa still sees a therapist to help her work through her thoughts and emotions. While her eating disorder is well under control, she admits to it taking over a decade to get it truly sorted out.

Life after College but Still a Full-Time Vegan

Elsa described how excited her in-laws were when they came to her with a quiche they made, incorrectly thinking it was vegan-friendly. She was touched that they tried, and when she asked what was in the meal, they responded, “no cheese, broccoli, and eggs . . . “ They had removed the dairy component but forgot about (or were unaware) that the eggs were not vegan.

While she never compromised her veganism, even to appease her in-laws, Elsa saw that others around her did. She felt driven to spread awareness to everyone who wanted it, and this is where her spunk for activism stems from.

She wants to make sure that everyone who wants information about veganism and plant-exclusive nutrition can find it easily.

Three-Question Speed-Round (in Elsa’s words)

If you were a non-human animal, what kind of animal would you be?

I go back and forth between a dolphin and a bird, but right now, I’m a bird. I love flying dreams. I’ve had very lucid dreams since I was about 12 years old. I could always just tell myself I’m going to fly, and I’d be flying, and then, of course, I’d wake up and realize that I couldn’t fly and I was so disappointed.

But, it would be a bird, like a big soaring bird—like an eagle or a falcon or a hawk.

If you could choose a time or place that you could be reincarnated, what year and location would you choose?

I have to say that I don’t know if I would ever go back in time. I was born still-born. My heart stopped when I was inside of my mother, and I was born blue and unmovable. While the doctors and nurses did give me CPR and extra oxygen, they told my mom that I would never walk, talk, and probably be quadriplegic because of the experience.

I didn’t end up talking until I was three. However, I saved up all my words and built sentences, and I’ve barely stopped using them since.

I’m very grateful for the life that I do have. Living in the century I do live in, in the Western world as a woman. I don’t know that I would have internalized all the classically-American values, but I would possibly choose France or Denmark (a properly socialist country).

What is your favorite Dark Leafy Green? Your favorite nut? Bean? Sweet treats you can make or buy . . .

Kale, pistachios, chickpeas, brownies (black bean, no salt, oil, or sugar, but used with date paste). You could do so many great things with them; you can add stuff (like nuts or dried fruits, or add peanut butter to the top).

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Elsa’s LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH US!

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!

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.

23 Mar 2021

Empowerment, Going Vegan Tips, Holistic Health, Podcast, Vegan Lifestyle, Vegan Nutrition

Tags: cheat meals, coaching, conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, life coaching, meal planning, mindfulness, plant-based nutrition, psychotherapy

Episode 7 (Self-Empowerment Coaching System)

Our Single Most Life-Transforming Tool: A Client Favorite! (EP 50: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

After having some fun with topics like being an introvert during the Pandemic and getting high off of Wim Hof’s breathing techniques, we dive into a discussion on Our Single Most Life-Transforming Tool (a client favorite).

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

The “Power Pause” is a game-changer (just ask any of our coaching clients)!

In fact, one of our clients, Dawn, was so inspired she wrote an entire blog post on this tool for the Sexy Fit Vegan blog.

The Power Pause is meant to allow you to explore your thoughts and emotions before you take action. It allows you to respond, with intention, rather than react and immediately fall into old unhealthy patterns (aka programs).

With this tool, you have the power to become the designer of your destiny.

The Power Pause is the key step in our Self-Empowerment Coaching System, which you can learn about in Episode 7, and hear specific examples of by listening to this episode.

We often talk about being the observer, but we don’t realize how challenging it truly is… at first. Using the power pause is how we grasp the opportunity to become the observer of our thoughts and emotions. From there, we have the power to choose new thoughts that will serve us better. We then are able to CHOOSE our actions and can choose HEALTHY behaviors, like eating a nutrient-packed meal, rather than going for the junk out of habit.

We had a client recently asked, “Am I denying myself of what I am truly feeling.”

Taking a power pause doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be seeing rainbows and unicorns. This technique is more of an opportunity to give yourself the chance to feel your feelings and then choose what you’re going to do about it.

What we call “the human experience” includes both positive and negative emotions. When something sad happens, feeling sad is what needs to happen (NOT feeling sad is a symptom of a sociopath after all)!

Susan David puts it so eloquently in her extraordinary TED talk. She says, “Negative emotions are our contract with life. We cannot be fully human and experience negative emotions.”

When Shye jumped off the bed last month, l felt guilty. If I had put her steps in the right place, maybe she wouldn’t have jumped. However, instead of getting lost in guilt and spiraling downward as I used to do, a took the Power Pause, and observed the guilty feelings, and the thoughts causing them. I chose new thoughts. “It’s not my fault. Accidents happen. It is what it is.”

I let myself be sad and scared that it was happening. I even gave myself a couple days to not be on my game (have a bit of a pity party), and after that, I figured it out.

I didn’t overeat, under-eat, over-exercise, under-exercise; I just let myself sit in those emotions and was able to make healthy choices out of love for Shye and myself.

Society tends to shame people, especially in this “positive” culture. It’s easy to get embarrassed when things are going wrong, which spirals into shame and then turns into dysfunctional patterns, even major emotional disorders including major depression, eating disorders, and destructive anger issues.

So, your homework is to start practicing the Power Pause in your life every day. It takes practice, and you may not remember to take the pause in the moment.

When you DO remember, you can use it to run back through the past situation.

Think to yourself, how could the power pause have helped me at that moment? And then replay that information to you, approaching yourself with curiosity and compassion.

With consistent practice, over time, the Power Pause will become part of your new “operating system” and will be the key to helping you build an empowered mindset and healthy habits for the rest of your life!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

From Bitch to BFF: The Power of the Pause in Everyday Life

CONNECT WITH US!

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!

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.

16 Mar 2021

Going Vegan Tips, Podcast, Vegan Nutrition, Vegan Product Reviews

Tags: coaching, conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, life coaching, mindfulness, psychotherapy, vegan fitness

Matthew Kenney’s Instagram

Matthew Kenney: Plant-Based Culinary Guru (EP 49: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

I couldn’t have been more excited to interview plant-based culinary guru Matthew Kenney.

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Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube

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

With a career spanning decades, a lifestyle brand, and over fifty restaurants opened in his image or with his name, Matthew Kenney is someone I have great respect for. I was honored that he made the time to have this intriguing conversation for The Vegan Life Coach Podcast.

Matthew Kenney, A Bio

Matthew Kenney is the founder and CEO of Matthew Kenney Cuisine (MKC). The MKC business is an integrated, California-based lifestyle company that provides high-quality products and services in the culinary arts and wellness markets. Matthew’s company, MKC, holds places in six business categories: education, hospitality, wellness, services, products, and media. They operate in more than ten major cities across the globe.

Most of the work that MKC does is based on innovative and proprietary techniques that can help prepare minimally processed, plant-based foods that are refined and healthy. MKC sees things differently, especially when it comes to food.

Everything Matthew’s company does is based on the desire to bring culinary art and ultimate nutrition together.

Matthew, himself, is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He is the author of 18 cookbooks, operates 16 restaurants in ten countries over five continents. He has been named one of America’s Best New Chefs by Food & Wine Magazine.

“A good chef can be a magician of sorts, but no amount of magic can make up for subpar ingredients. Being fanatical about quality is not something that only restaurant or professional chefs should take into consideration.”

My Conversation with Matthew Kenney

Over his career, more than fifty restaurants have been opened with Matthew Kenny’s help, and he can speak to the lessons that came with each experience. It’s crucial for anyone who wants to be an entrepreneur, to be willing to take calculated risks. As intelligent as Matthew is, it was his passion that drove him at the beginning of his career, and it is one part of why he became so wildly successful.

“Chefs can either be drug dealers or food healers.”

When I brought up this quote to Matthew Kenney and told him how much I loved it, he explained to me how this quote is a little more sensational than his personality tends to be. However, he did mention that veganism can be equated to how everyone in the 80s, his parents included, smoked. Once doctors discovered how hazardous tobacco was to our health, and began disseminating this information, we eventually stopped allowing smoking in restaurants, in planes, and so on. Now, if someone tried to light up a cigarette in a plane, people would freak out!

While more provocative than how he tries to get his messages across to people, this analogy is something that Matthew can equate to eating a plant-based diet.

Matthew wants to be part of shifting the global food paradigm so that plants become the norm. Although he doesn’t believe in preaching or forcing anyone to follow his beliefs, he certainly has been the catalyst for countless people to rethink their food habits and make the transition to veganism.

He feels motivated knowing he can bring positive change to the environment, animals, human health and get the opportunity to do something creative and fulfilling through spreading his passion.

A raw vegan diet should be all plants that can be eaten raw or kept below a specific temperature (which there are some disagreements on) whole, plant-based, fruits, vegetables, healthy plant-based fats (avocado, coconut, sprouted seeds and nuts) and legumes.

Because there weren’t standardized techniques, gourmet vegan restaurants, or even gourmet vegan food for such a long time, there was no structure to Matthew’s vegan menus at first. He would come up with dishes during yoga or walking down the street and begin to experiment and create.

When he opened his culinary school, he realized he needed structure to his planning, menus, and how to eat vegan. This opportunity gave the school so many various options to make new dishes (and from the looks of those dishes, they’re also pieces of art!).

Because many of the students were from all over the world, they bring their knowledge of veganism to the school. Between that, the new methods Matthew was learning, and with the use of new tools that were used in vegan restaurants around the country, a new way to look at veganism in the culinary world began to form.

This new view helped Matthew ultimately change how he developed new recipes and helped shape what we know about plant-based cuisine.

Six or seven years ago, he began funneling down the possibilities of how to bring veganism into more focused ideas like vegan-French cuisine. He brought a test kitchen to California and has Michelin star chefs creating new recipes, and new techniques.

While Matthew’s business is worldwide, he always knew that flying from place to place was not the most efficient use of his time. He wanted to use technology to supplement how his company worked. The pandemic, allowed him to use technology more effectively and helped his business, the school included, get a chance to dig into the technological realm.

When I asked him what kitchen tool he can’t live without, Matthew replied, “a chef’s knife.” With a sharp knife, you can do everything. Everyone should have an outstanding chef’s knife and a sharpener. There are so many good options to finding a knife, so finding what feels good is the most important thing. The second, most important thing is to sharpen the blade on a sharpening stone every day. It will transform your cooking experience.

Three Question Sprint Round

List three staple ingredients you never let run out in your kitchen.

Olive oil, Lemon, and Seasalt. Or, if you’d like something a little more exciting, avocado, sauerkraut, and lemons.

A healthy dish anyone can make in minutes?

Guacamole

If you were a non-human animal, what would you be?

A fox. I love foxes, they are clever, but they play a lot. They have beautiful fur, and they love the outdoors.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Matthew Kenney’s Website

Food Future Institute

Matthew Kenney’s Facebook Page

CONNECT WITH US!

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!

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.

02 Mar 2021

Empowerment, Holistic Health, Podcast, Vegan Fitness

Tags: coaching, conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, life coaching, mindfulness, psychotherapy, vegan fitness

Stop Working Out to Burn Calories… Start Seeing RESULTS! (EP 47: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Can you guess how many burpees you’d have to do to burn off the calories of just 3 Oreo Cookies (1 serving)?

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

Check out episode 47 of The Vegan Life Coach Podcast to find out!

I use this phrase a lot: “You can’t outrun your fork,” meaning that no matter how insanely hard you work out if you’re eating unhealthy foods, you simply will not get results (which for most people means weight loss)… At least not for long.

So many people are stuck in a self-sabotaging cycle, using exercise to try to burn off the calories they feel guilty about consuming, which is not only unsustainable but flat out makes you miserable and can lead to injuries.

In this episode, we talk about the powerful mindset shifts that have helped our clients see permanent results, including weight loss and a strong, fit body for life.

Make sure you’re a member of our Empowered Vegan Life tribe to join us for tons of FREE opportunities to help you build healthy habits and adopt an empowered vegan lifestyle that brings you joy, freedom, and abundance!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Amazon page

CONNECT WITH US!

Subscribe to Ella’s Soul-Aligned Sunday Newsletter HERE.

Take the NEW FREE Self-Assessment to explore your relationship with food, exercise, and your body, and receive valuable, personalized insights and resources from Ella herself!

Check out Ella’s website HERE and learn about current coaching opportunities HERE.

23 Feb 2021

Empowerment, Holistic Health, Podcast

Tags: coaching, conscious living, healthy vegan lifestyle, life coaching, mindfulness, psychotherapy

Vegan Life Coaching 101: Coaching vs. Therapy (EP 46: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Since you’re listening to The Vegan Life Coach Podcast, it’s more than likely you’re actively seeking the tools you need to adapt, or at least move in the direction of a healthy vegan lifestyle.

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Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube

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

You’re probably invested in exploring the best ways to become empowered, tackle the limiting beliefs and obstacles standing in the way of becoming the best version of yourself.

In this important episode, Stephanie & I discuss the differences between coaching, therapy, and counseling. With a better understanding, you can get clarity about the direction you may want to go when seeking professional guidance.

In a nutshell…

Therapy: Focused on taking care of underlying issues that drive dysfunction.

Counseling: Often a part of therapy, counseling focuses on specific life issues that arise. Therapy is more of an umbrella under which counseling can be a part.

Coaching: Future-oriented. Coaching can involve acknowledging the past in order to address unresolved issues that keep popping up, but it’s focused on mastering the tools you need to move forward powerfully in your life. It’s about helping you go from just functioning to thriving… An ordinary life, to an extraordinary life!

At the Vegan Life Coach Academy, we come from the perspective that, while it may be helpful to acknowledge your past, it is not helpful to focus on it. Understanding your core beliefs about who you are, what you are capable of can help you understand dysfunctional behavior, and from there, begin the “reprogramming” process.

Check out the email I received from one of our 6-Week Intuitive Food & Fitness Coaching Program Clients:

I’m listening to the abundance part of the training and I just have to tell you how moved I am with your story. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am that you took that leap to do what you are doing to transform people’s lives! When I joined this program, I never imagined that my life would be transforming in the way it is. I kind of realized but didn’t fully realize what an impact all the past hurts and resentments were doing on my life and spiraling me out of control to not take care of myself. I didn’t feel worthy. I could not get a hold of this crazy eating, binging, restricting, beating upcycle.

I know there is a long way to go and a lot of work to be done, but you are so right, this was an investment of a lifetime and really made me put in the work and dedication that I wasn’t giving it before. I feel empowered beyond belief and owe it all to you ( and Stephanie too!) And it is spilling over into other aspects of my life, thinking about a future Reiki business with my sister, decluttering the house that I haven’t been able to do for years….You are so insightful, inspiring, and knowledgeable, and should be so proud of the tremendous work you do!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming me into this program and I look forward to a long friendship from here!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Vegan Life Coach Academy

CONNECT WITH US!

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!

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.