31 Jul 2018
Animal Rights, Environmentalism, Going Vegan Tips, Holistic Health, Wellness Business
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Why I Chose “Sexy Fit Vegan®”

I’ve been getting some push-back on the name of my brand recently. With comments on my Facebook posts like, “Why sexy?” and “Your a fraud, just trying to use sex to make money!”

I’d like to take a moment to address this criticism…

Many of you already aware that I knew from the age of 7 that my purpose in life is to save animals by spreading awareness about the cruelty that takes place behind the closed doors of factory farms. As a child, I thought, “If only people knew, they would surely quit eating animals!” I soon realized that it was, unfortunately, a bit more complicated than that.

I started to understand that people have been conditioned from birth to believe dogs are worthy of our love, while pigs are meant to be tortured, killed and consumed. Cats are worthy of sleeping in bed with us, while cows deserve to have their throats slit so we can eat their flesh. Dolphins are beautiful, to be ooh-ed and ah-ed at, while tuna are meant to be captured, canned, and consumed.

I also came to understand that many people do not WANT to know. Why? “Ignorance is bliss” right? Once you know you can’t not know. You no longer have the “excuse” of ignorance and must take responsibility for your choices. 

I created my brand, Sexy Fit Vegan®, in 2013, when the truth about animal agriculture (both the ethical and health aspects) started being covered in the mainstream media. The information I had been sharing with people for years, was finally being exposed in ways that could not be ignored.

The mission of my brand was clear. Bring veganism into the mainstream. So yes, my thought was, “What can I name my brand that will get people’s attention?”

The word “sexy” catches people’s eye. It does draw people’s attention, probably more than any other word in the English language. Given that catching people’s attention was my goal… Sexy Fit Vegan® it was! I was beyond excited to start building my life and work around what I’m most passionate about… veganism.

I did think about what the word “sexy” meant to me before choosing it. I’ve always considered myself a feminist. I had a mom who taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to. I’m grateful that my parents gave me the space and support I needed to figure out what was important to me.

When choosing my brand name, I thought, “What happens when I’m older? Will I no longer be a sexy fit vegan?” I quickly answered myself, “Hell yeah, I’ll be a sexy fit vegan until the day I die!” Here’s why…

True sexiness is a matter of how you feel in your own skin. It has nothing to do with other people’s opinions about your appearance. Feeling sexy starts from within.

I thought about how amazing it feels to align your actions with your true values. I considered how powerful it feels to move through the world fight for what you believe in. For me, that was a fight for the end of animal exploitation. Now THAT feels sexy to me!

Not to mention the fact that we’re human beings, and sex is a part of life. It’s part of our identity. Sex is not something to feel shameful about. So why is the word “sexy” sexist? It’s not! There is nothing wrong with striving to feel sexy!

I love what my friend and Plant-Empowered Coach, Stephanie said as we were discussing this topic. “I think it’s time that women embrace that their sexual energy is a part of their wholeness. It’s time to own the fact that being an empowered female is inherently sexual.” Males are certainly proud of their sexual energy… Why should females not be proud of theirs?

Feeling sexy is not only okay, it’s liberating!

That being said (full disclosure here), my immediate reaction to those who criticized me for using the word “sexy” in my brand, without bothering to get to know me and what I’m all about, was “F**k you!  I’ve been vegan for 24 years and have worked my whole life to make a positive impact in this world.

I use a tool I teach in the Plant-Empowered Coaching Program we call “the power of the pause” to take a step back, observe that F-You thought, and recognize that it will not contribute to my cause in any positive or productive way. Hence why I’m writing and sharing this instead!

I’ve learned that part of being a leader is having critics (a.k.a haters), and part of being a good leader is accepting that some people simply aren’t going to “get it,” and that’s okay!

My entire life is focused on empowering women with the tools they need to love themselves, overcome shame, live according to their values, and build a meaningful life, through my 6-Month Plant-Empowered Coaching Program.

A meaningful life involves using your strengths and skills to make a positive impact in this world, and there is nothing sexier than that!

23 Sep 2017
Holistic Health, Vegan Fitness
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From Disordered Eating to Plant-Empowered Living: Part 4

South-Beach-Culture

Part 3 of my journey left off when I was somewhere around 26 or 27 years old, managing the Flamingo Athletic Club, living it up in South Beach with my Muay Thai crew, while struggling behind closed doors with disordered eating cycles, depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia, and insomnia…

Boating Fun

When I put my situation out there like that you’d think I was miserable! But again, when I think back to those days a huge smile takes over my face. In the midst of inner turmoil, I just had SO MUCH FUN! As they say, I am happy I went all out and “got it out of my system” at an “appropriate” age. This could not be said for everyone.

Fast forward to today, when I was chatting with my mom about how I was able to stay grounded in the midst of the craziness. She said to me, “It’s because being vegan is who you are. No matter what you’ve been through, or how easy it can be to get caught up in “the scene”, your foundation as a vegan overpowers all else, and it’s what you have and always will go back to as your rock.” Moms know best!

Somewhere in the mix I had formed a second set of friends from the other gym I trained at. For the longest time I scoffed at most fitness classes where they used light weights and did tons of reps. I believed strongly in the effectiveness of heavy weight training… It went well with my “tough persona”. I actually felt embarrassed at the thought of trying out a class. I kept hearing about this one teacher, Lani, who had a huge following made up of such a diverse fan base that I finally had to check it out.

I hid in the back of the class and we started by doing overhead presses, to the beat of the music, for an entire song without dropping your arms. I was horrified… Everyone else seemed to be getting through it relatively easily. They were having a blast, and I couldn’t make it all the way through the song with THREE pound weights!

This experience hit my “I can do anything” nerve, and that was it. I was addicted to the class and Lani became my fitness idol. I was tough, but Lani was an alpha, ten years older, skilled trainer, super strong, and ironman finisher with self-confidence like no other.

Thanks to Lani my exercise regiment morphed into more of a functional training-based routine. Becoming functionally strong was both humbling and exhilarating. In case you aren’t familiar, functional exercises are ones that translate to movements of daily living. A squat is the perfect example of a functional exercise. How many times a day do we sit down and stand up? That’s a squat! Whereas a leg press, leg extension, or hamstring curl machine have no place in “real life”.

I also found myself oddly attracted to Lani on multiple levels. I looked up to her and admired her skill and confidence, and it morphed into what one might call a “girl crush”. It’s funny because with my Muay Thai crew, we would go out, and I would be, what my one guy friend called, “chick bait.” This meant that I would go over and start talking to hot girls. Then, my guy friends would come by and I would introduce them. On occasion the girls would end up hitting on me though, which, as you can imagine, would really piss my friends off (I thought it was hilarious)!

Ella Night Out

I was a wild, happy drunk. On crazier nights I would make out with girl-friends for fun, which would usually result in free drinks. I wasn’t sexually attracted to women on an intimate level. Kissing and playing around with other girls as part of a night out was simply part of the erotic South Beach culture. It was just fun!

With Lani it felt different though. I think it was in large part because she had such intense male energy. I started working my way up to the front of her classes. You see, she had such an intense group of followers in her class that everyone had “their spot,” and fights would literally break out when someone tried to take someone else’s spot (I’m not exaggerating!)

It took some time and a calculated strategy, but I eventually made it to the front row of class and established my own spot. Lani took notice of me. When she invited me to her birthday, I got butterflies in my stomach, something I hadn’t felt since I met my fiance years back. Lani’s birthday party marked the start of what would become a tight and complicated friendship. Attending the party also opened me up to a whole new world of people and experiences in South Beach. I could write a whole book on this chapter of my story, and maybe I will, but I will save that story for another day.

I haven’t mentioned it, but the whole time I was managing the Flamingo, I was also fitness modeling, doing personal training, and offering my services as a wellness coach who also helped people with diet. Keep in mind that many people were unsure of what vegan even meant at that time.

fitness-modelingI continued to spread the good word by maintaining a strong, lean body. Why did this work? Because women would just see me and say, “I want to look like you… How do you do it?” To which I would reply, “I’m vegan!” This would get some people veg-curious and open to learning more, while others would immediately feel threatened and write me off. Men would ask too, either because they were genuinely curious, or as a way to hit on me. It didn’t matter to me. If I got an opening to talk about being vegan, I took it.

It’s funny, because I barely remember actually training people. Why? I think it’s because people hired me because I had a body they admired. They wanted to build a strong, toned body, and they were willing to workout hard for an hour a day for it.

While they were quick to take my exercise advice, they generally had no interest in changing the way they were eating or even consider moving in the direction of a plant-based diet. My work with them therefore felt superficial. It was a temporary fix. “You can’t outrun your fork” I would relay to deaf ears. I therefore felt resentful that my work started and ended with telling people what exercises to do, counting reps, and throwing out motivating words. This job did not feel satisfying in the least.

You may be asking, “If you were so passionate about animal rights why weren’t you out there taking action and protesting?” Great question. And there is an intriguing answer coming up in Part 5!

14 Sep 2017
Holistic Health, Vegan Fitness
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From Disordered Eating to Plant-Empowered Living: Part 3

Vegan Body-Dysmorphia

I’ll start by setting the scene (where we left off from Disordered Eating to Plant-Empowered Living: Part 2)…

I was in my mid twenties, and if you had asked me back then, “Who are you, Ella?” I probably would have replied, “I’m an ethical vegan number one, and secondly I’m into vegan fitness. I run the show at the Flamingo Athletic Club, managing employees, payroll, class scheduling, and the personal training program. I’m a vegan trainer myself, and spend a lot of my time practicing Muay Thai with my MMA crew and working out. I’m single and have an awesome group of bad ass friends who I go out with and party hard. I’m “living the life” in South Beach!”vegan party girl

What I wouldn’t have told you though, was that I had an underlying yearning to be doing more for animals then just living by example as a vegan (I was the only vegan that I knew at the time). This feeling that I was not living and working my true passion triggered subconscious angst as well as a constant feeling of being unfulfilled.

At the same time, there was a part of me that knew my time to make a significant difference as a passionate vegan was coming. Although the vast majority of people had no interest in going vegan (in fact, many didn’t even know what it meant to be vegan), and very little interest in keeping an open mind to understand the benefits. I continued being vocal about my choice to be a vegan, and put tons of pressure on myself to do everything I could to prove you could be fit, healthy, and strong on plants alone. That was, at the time, the best way I could help bring veganism into the mainstream.

I also would have neglected to mention I had been struggling with chronic depression and anxiety since my teenage years. I wouldn’t have told you that I walked around all day, every day, feeling fat jiggle all over my body, and seeing love handles when I looked in the mirror (keep in mind my body fat stayed well below 10%). I knew logically that I was lean. My BMI was super low and tons of people were asking me daily how I stayed so lean. The logic, unfortunately, did not translate to how I experienced my body.

vegan fun with friendsIn addition, because of the pressure I was putting on myself to be perfect, and the body dysmorphia, I was carefully measuring and monitoring my food intake 90% of the time. Surrounded by protein-obsessed “meat-heads” and personal trainer know-it-alls, I wanted to prove you could get plenty of protein from plants. I had developed what I now call “carb-phobia” and focused on packing in the vegan protein. The other 10% of the time, as a result of the food restricting, I would give in to temptation and binge on vegan food. I remember eating an entire jar of peanut butter one night! And of course binging triggers intense feelings of guilt, shame, and so the cycle continued and I’d be back to restricting to make up for the binging.

Another issue I was facing was that I had developed insomnia over the previous few years. The condition had been getting worse and worse until it got to the point I could never fall asleep without the use of either self-prescribed drugs and alcohol, or hard core sleeping meds the doctor prescribed.vegan mma fighter

The insomnia was, I now believe, caused in part by hormone imbalances that I was creating by my eating and exercise habits, and in part by the stress caused by the pressure i was putting on myself. Stress increases cortisol levels… It’s supposed to. But extra cortisol production is meant to occur in short bursts during times of extreme stress. I had created a system in which I was basically stressed and anxious all the time which created chronically high cortisol levels.

My insomnia was aggrevated by the chronic hightened cortisol. Cortisol levels are supposed to drop in the evening to allow you to fall asleep. When cortisol drops, production of melatonin increases to also help you maintain a regluar sleep cycle. I had destroyed this intricate system. I knew I was in trouble when I decided to experiment and see how long it would take me to get some sleep without the help of meds… 8 days later I was such a zombie I gave up, and I do NOT give up on anything easily!

Looking back, it seems like somewhat of a miracle that I was functioning at all, much less enjoying life. But the truth is, that despite the inner turmoil, I still see those years in my 20s as incredible and unregretable. I was free to explore ME, on my own. As many “issues” as I had, I felt fortunate to be where I was, having started off my life in South Beach with a bad break-up that left me homeless and jobless with only a suitcase to my name!

Muay Thai Vegan Practitioner

The positives: Since moving to Miami I had found another passion (Muay Thai), worked my way up the ladder to a decent job that afforded me a decent apartment, formed several different groups of kick ass friends, taken full advantage of the SoBe party scene, and explored different layers of me as a human being. 

The not-so-positives: I had developed disordered eating habits and body dysmorphia that felt all-consuming at times. I had horrible insomia and couldn’t sleep without drugs and/or alcohol. I was dealing with depression, anxiety, and an overall feeling of unfulfillment. I used Muay Thai as my sole form of “therapy” which meant I felt I was “tough” enough to handle what was going on inside me without sharing.

Can you believe it took me over 12 years to “come out” and talk about my struggles? Being the seriously determined individual I am though, I did not sit by idyl, allowing my life to spin out of control. I’m a problem-solver, and I had quite a number of problems I wanted to solve.

Behind my persistence was a primal drive to be the best person I could be. I had a mission that was far from being fulfilled. I just needed to take care of ME first, so that I could put all my energy into saving animals…

To be continued!

09 Sep 2017
Holistic Health, Vegan Fitness
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From Disordered Eating to Plant-Empowered Living: Part 2

Ella-Body-Dysmorpia

Part 2 of my journey starts in my college years, where the diet mentality kicks in and disordered eating starts to snowball out of control…

Part 2: Journey into Diet La-La Land

[If you haven’t read PART 1 of my multi-part “From Disordered Eating to Empowered Living” series, I invite you to start there.] During my senior year in college at UNC-Wilmington, I became addicted to exercise and ephedra… What a combo! I would take “Diet Fuel” pills and get all my studying done while doing cardio at the local Gold’s Gym.Me at Gold's Gym college years

It was at that gym that I met my later-to-be fiance. Unlike the other boyfriends I had during college, Brent had his shit together. He was several years older than me and owned a gym consulting company. When I graduated, I started working with Brent. Life and gym became synonymous. We would travel to different gyms for 3 months at a time doing consulting work and membership drives.

Ella and Brent

Having an awesome body is the best advertising for anyone working in the fitness industry. Knowing that, I started taking my workouts to the next level. As my workouts became more intense, I started experimenting with my food intake.

Being an ethical vegan, there was never a thought of eating anything but plants, but there were plenty of ways to create dietary “rules” even as a vegan. Vegan protein shakes, consuming tons of soy and legumes, and cutting out grains was do-able. In the tradition of the fitness buff persona, I experimented with being super strict 6 days, and allowing myself one “cheat day” per week. This is a totally “normal” dietary routine for bodybuilders, figure, and fitness competitors, Even though I wasn’t competing at the time, my desire for the “perfect body” was becoming stronger.

My lifestyle supported my obsession with diet and exercise, so I did not look at my habits as problematic. Everyone else was doing it (in their omnivore way) and I felt I fit in. It’s funny because I had spent the previous 8 years emphatic about NOT getting married. All of a sudden though, my life had become so enmeshed with my boyfriend’s and with our work, I started to think marriage wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Ella Disordered Eating Image

So Brent and I ended up getting engaged, and moving to Miami to open up a new line of women’s health clubs. It didn’t take long for shit to hit the fan… but that’s a juicy story for a different day. Let’s just say we split on bad terms and I all of a sudden found myself in the heart of South Beach without a job and with literally a suitcase to my name.

What came next seems like a whirlwind looking back. Setting the scene, let’s take it back 20 years… I was a 2-year old who was so determined I fought to put on my own diapers. When I was 6, I gave a strong case as to why I should be allowed to drive a car. Needless to say, no matter how upset I was about the break-up, there was no way I was bailing on Miami to take refuse back home in North Carolina.

Long story short, I crashed on my friend’s couch in the huge condo “commune” called the Flamingo in South Beach. Thousands of people lived in this community, ranging from professionals to drug dealers and porn stars. If you ask anyone who has been in Miami Beach for a long time, chances are they started out at the Flamingo. It was in a perfect location right on the bay, with pools, docks, markets, and a super nice gym. So I finagled my way into a job at the gym, starting as a front desk attendant and quickly moving up the chain until I landed the Fitness Director position, pretty much running the show!Muay Thai Vegan Practitioner

During that time I also caught the attention of an MMA world champ, Pat, who was teaching classes at the gym. It was like he could see right through me. No matter what tough front I put on, he saw my emotional weakness and took me under his wing as my Muay Thai coach.

vegan muay thai shins

Pat’s teaching methods were unconventional, though I wasn’t really aware at the time. You see, he didn’t believe in sparring gear. He believed in learning to block punches  and kicks by being punched and kicked enough that blocking became a reflex pretty damn quickly! If you know Muay Thai though, you know that shin on shin blocking is no fun for either party. I took to the training quickly. No amount of physical pain could compete with the emotional pain I was in. Muay Thai became my form of moving meditation. When sparring, I had no choice but to be present in the moment. If my mind wandered, I paid for it! Needless to say it did not wander much after the first few weeks.

Muay Thai Crew

For the first time since high school, I had discovered a sport I could practice with a group of passionate people who became a family to me. In many ways, the next several years of my life were the most exhilarating years of my life. Hangin’ with a group of fighters who ruled South Beach… how could it not? We partied it up and trained hard core. I practically lived at the gym (I had rented a studio at the Flamingo as soon as I had the money).

Vegan party girl

As incredible as those years were, there was a dark side to my life I was not apt to share with anyone. I had taken the feeling of being powerless over my break-up, and found a sense of control through food and exercise. I was working out like crazy between the Muay Thai, classes at Crunch gym, weight lifting, and cardio.

The purpose of the cardio at that time was to burn calories. I wanted to be leaner, but couldn’t see how l  lean I already was. I looked in the mirror and saw fat that simply wasn’t there. I was happiest when my stomach was empty and flat. I measured my oatmeal, set timers to let me know when I was “allowed” to eat, and picked at salads when going out to eat.

Looking back, I qualify myself as experiencing body dysmorphia and disordered eating at that time because my thoughts and anxiety around my body and food felt all-consuming. Whether or not I would have been officially diagnosed as having an eating disorder or body dysmorphic disorder I don’t know because I was not sharing what was going on in my head… And really, who cares. I have no desire to be labeled. It was what it was and, spoiler alert, there’s ultimately a happy end to this story!

Young Fitness Model

At one point I decided to play a game with myself to see if I could drop below 100 pounds. Now that you know more about me, you can probably guess… I won! I remember getting on the scale, seeing 99 pounds, and feeling proud of my achievement. How I was able to maintain a body fat percentage that couldn’t even be measured with calipers, and workout as hard as i did, I really have no idea. But again, leave it to me to prove I could defy the odds!

On that note, I am going to press pause on my story. Part 3 is coming soon, so stay tuned! (If you want to be notified when I publish my posts make sure to sign up to receive my newsletter.)

05 Sep 2017
Going Vegan Tips, Holistic Health, Vegan Fitness
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From Disordered Eating to Plant-Empowered Living: Part 1

Kick Disordered Eating Out

The time to share my journey from disordered eating to plant-empowered living has come! 

Part 1: Intro

I’m ready to come clean…

Disordered Eating Vegan

What you are about to read is Part 1 (an introduction) to the multi-part “coming out” series I am going to be sharing with you over the next few weeks. I will be telling you parts of my journey that I’ve never shared openly before. I’m thrilled that I am in a place in life where I’m able and willing to get REAL and RAW, which means being transparent about the struggles that have made me who I am today!

Up until recently, I put A LOT of pressure on myself to be the shining example of a fit, healthy (physically and emotionally) vegan. It’s been my mission to bring veganism into the mainstream for over 20 years, and up until recently, the misinformation about plant-based nutrition, and the stereotypes about vegans in general, were so intense I purposefully made it my job to focus on only positives.

I’ve been vegan 22 years (vegetarian 30 years), and in large part, when I got sick or didn’t feel well, people were quick to blame it on my vegan diet. As ridiculous as that is, (I mean really, how many omnivores get sick and don’t feel well sometimes… ummm… everyone!), I did everything in my power not to give people any reason to associate anything negative with being vegan. I felt this is what I needed to do to help the most people become motivated and inspired to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle.I felt my own personal struggles were irrelevant, since they had nothing to do with me being vegan, and everything to do with my mental and emotional health.

Well, times have changed, and so have I!

Jump ahead to 2016 for a moment (don’t worry, I will be sharing all the juicy details about my years of disordered eating shortly)…

Last year I began a new chapter in my life and career. I created and launched my first online coaching program, making it possible to coach people all over the world through a structured process for transitioning to a fit vegan lifestyle. This was also exciting for me because it was an opportunity to finally put my counseling skills (from my Master’s in Social Work) to use. The program is holistic in that we work on nutrition, fitness, and emotional health together, since each affects the others.

The program also gave me a great deal of insight into the issues people face on their journeys to simply be healthy and happy. One such issue includes different types of disordered eating. The diet mentality, and the pressure society puts on us to have the “perfect body”, is so ingrained in our culture, that most of us have totally lost touch with our innate ability to eat without trying to follow self-imposed “rules” that dictate what, when, and how much food we consume. If you really stop and think about this concept, it’s mind blowing!

Countless people, who understand logically that diets don’t work, feel totally lost without a “diet” to follow. Most are also fearful that they will lose control of the shape of their bodies without self-imposed dietary rules. They are scared of “getting fat” and/or losing muscle. These fears are heightened when switching to eating plants exclusively since this usually means more carbs and less protein (in this carb-phobic protein-obsessed world in which we live)!

Disordered eating story

These disordered eating issues are certainly not exclusive to omnivores. Although I’ve been plant-exclusive for my entire teenage and adult life, I too have struggled with disordered eating and an impaired body image. I could truly relate to these people I was coaching.

It has been a long, agonizing journey for me to come to terms with, and work through, my disordered eating issues. At one point in my twenties I played the, “how lean can I get” game, in a subconscious attempt to gain control of my life. I am strong and lean at 120ish pounds, so can you imagine what I was like at 99 pounds? Looking back at photos is quite terrifying to me now.

In fact, as healthy as I am now, I consider myself in recovery still, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I continue to feel I’m “recovering” for the rest of my life. To me, this simply means I am empowered to continue to practice existing and new tools for emotional growth to which there is no ceiling. It also means I couldn’t be more excited to be launching my new Plant-Empowered Coaching Program. Here the focus is learning to eat consciously, mindfully, and intuitively as part of building a PLANT-strong body, heart, and mind.

My purpose for sharing my story, and putting my heart into this coaching program, is to empower people with similar disordered eating issues to “come out” and get the help they need to become PLANT-Empowered too!

I invite you to stay tuned for Part 2 of my story. I dive into what went on behind closed doors all the years I was drowning in my own diet hell…

11 Aug 2017
Guest Blog Posts, Vegan Beauty
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How to Decode Cosmetic Labels for a Cruelty-Free Lifestyle

cruelty-free-cosmetics

If You Love Cosmetics and Hate Animal Cruelty, This Guide for Decoding Labels and Living Cruelty-Free is For You!

Animals are wonderful creatures, and they should be loved, appreciated and cared for. However, the harsh reality is that despite a strong and intense campaigning against animal testing, numerous cosmetics companies continue with this abominable practice. Companies are now using tricky tactics to lead you to believe their products are cruelty-free when in reality they are not.

One of the ways to put an end to this is to boycott such brands and commit to purchasing only products that come from companies that are truly cruelty-free. However, this is easier said than done. Seeing the words ‘cruelty-free’ or ‘not tested on animals’ followed by a bunny picture on the product label may seem convincing enough, but these labels are often misleading.

While the company in question may not be testing their products on animals, more often than not they rely on other companies to do the ‘dirty work’ for them. That’s why we are here today, to give you the full scoop on how to spot genuine and honest cruelty-free companies and make wise and conscientious purchases.

Be aware of the loophole

As the awareness on the cruelty of animal testing rises, companies do everything in their power to distance themselves from the controversy and negative publicity they would face if their participation in the practice transpired. Instead of choosing not to test on animals, these companies manage to find loopholes by using third party testing. This means that animal testing could be done by an ingredient supplier, a lab formulating the products, an affiliate company or a parent company. That way the company has the freedom to market the product as cruelty-free, because ‘technically’ they are.

Don’t trust the label

When you see the phrase “this finished product was not tested on animals” it’s time to become suspicious and ask, “Is this product truly cruelty-free?” This is again another way companies try to make you believe the product in question is safe. The reality behind this facade of a phrase is that is that while the combination of products that make the finished product wasn’t tested on animals, individual ingredients may have still been tested on animals.reading cosmetic labels for animal products

On top of that, companies will often resort to ingredient names that don’t seem suspicious but animal derivatives are lurking under those names. That is why organizations such as PETA, who are dedicated to abolishing all kinds of animal cruelty, have created an extensive list of such ingredients to help raise awareness and know what to avoid in your quest to buy cruelty-free cosmetics.

The list includes everything from A – Adrenaline, which is code for hormone from adrenal glands of hogs, cattle, and sheep, to W – wax that comes from animals and plants and is used in the manufacturing of lipsticks, depilatories and hair straighteners. Make sure to study the entire list, print it out if you can’t remember it all (it’s surprisingly and scarily long), and make smart and kind choices.

Know where to turn to

choosing cruelty-free cosmetics

For further guidance, always turn to passionate advocates and organizations such as The Leaping Bunny and PETA whenever you are in doubt as to whether your potential future purchase will bring revenue to a company that still upholds to cruel practices. For instance, The Leaping Bunny has created an extensive, all-encompassing list of approved brands, so you always have a safe and verified place to turn to in pursuit of ethical shopping.

Another organization, the one based in Australia, a country that has become one of the leading ones in uncovering animal-testing companies, is the amazing CHOICE that has conducted a thorough investigation and came to a startling discovery that a great number of companies conduct animal testing without telling the consumers.

There is hope though… using the resources now available, we can make conscious choices about the products we buy and the companies we support with our purchases. Case in point – Ultraceuticals, an Australian skincare brand which is truly cruelty-free and neither tests on animals nor uses animal derivatives. All hope is not lost, you just need to know where to look for a safe cosmetics heaven.

Not all bunnies are created equal

Cruelty-Free Labels

As CHOICE warns us, “just because they’ve put a bunny on it, doesn’t make it cruelty-free. Look for an official logo from one of the third party certifiers.” There are different kinds of bunnies, so the next time you go shopping, make sure you have this picture printed out, carry it around with you and trust only the product that have the bunny on the left.

 

 

 

06 Jun 2017
Traveling Vegan
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Vegan Travel Made Easy

vegan travel tips

Vegan travel is not as difficult as you may think!

I’m headed off to Europe for a 3-week vegan travel tour that I will vlog about as I go, showing you exactly how you can have a blast as a vegan on the road!

You can watch the vlog post or read the blog post below to get all my top tips for preparing for vegan travel…

Hey guys, it’s Ella here with Sexy Fit Vegan. Tomorrow I am leaving to go to Europe for 3 weeks so I wanted to do a post about traveling as a vegan. This is my longest trip ever and I’m super excited! I’m going to Berlin, Amsterdam, London, and Switzerland, then down through Italy, and finally leaving from Milan to come back home.

Fitness Routine and the Vegan Traveler

One thing I do is work out super hard 2 weeks in advance of my trips. I do plan on getting lots of exercise on my trip, but I don’t want my trip to be about exercise and making sure I keep my body in the best tip-top shape. I do want to experience  new cultures, new sites, see new things, have fun and enjoy myself and not be stuck to a routine because that’s what home is for.

Planning for Vegan Travel with Social Media

I’m going to lots of different spots and will need to figure out what I’m going to do, where I’m going to stay, and traveling as a vegan, I will need to figure out how to maintain my health vegan diet. The first step is research. Connecting on social media gives you lots of info about fun things to do, where to stay, which neighborhoods to visit, and all that fun stuff.  

Social media makes it so easy these days. I got into Facebook groups that are composed of vegans in Berlin, London, and Amsterdam. I joined these groups to ask questions and everyone was very receptive.  On Instagram I was also able to connect with people with similar interests.  From one post I found on Pinterest  I went to the authors profile to see what her posts were to see if I related to her. I reached out  because she had a lot of cool pictures like doing yoga and exploring vegan-friendly restaurants but she also had a few pictures that were fun, going to local spots and bars, and other things I want to do with the locals

Vegan-Friendly Places to Stay

I’m staying primarily at Airbnb. Why? Because that’s also, to me, a fun adventure and you can have a kitchen! I want my own place, not just my own room, so I have access to a kitchen and have my privacy. I love having a kitchen so that I can have big meals while I’m out and have leftovers always available if I want to just chill at the house for a little bit and recuperate between Adventures.

Also, remember there are always places, no matter where you go in the world, to get vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains so that you can always have something healthy at the house. My philosophy is, as long as you’re stuffing your body full of the most nutrient dense foods possible, especially calorie light dense food, you don’t have to worry about how mulch you’re eating.  When I go on vacation, I work to eat healthy most of the time, but then know that I’m also going to have fun and eat some foods I might not normally eat, and be okay with it.

Packing for Vegan Travel

It’s always helpful to pack some vegan raw food or vegan protein bars or powders for emergency purposes. You don’t want to get to that point where you’re so starving that you get grumpy. If you’re like me, I get grumpy when I’m hungry. Bottom line, you know that you’re not going to starve to death, but it is an uncomfortable feeling.and you need a plan so you don’t just go and pick the very first thing you see just because you’re that hungry. I’m not a huge bar fan (I’m talking nutritional bars here – I am a fan of pub-style bars ;)), but having some nutritional bars with you can tide you over until you get to a place that has more choices that are agreeable with you.

Preparing for the Plane Ride, Vegan Style

It’s important to make sure you are prepared on especially long plane rides in case there isn’t anything available to eat that is plant-based or vegan. You can call ahead for long international flights to see if  they have a vegan option for you. It’s a good idea to bring snacks for the trip just in case. For my trip I’m planning on bring baked tofu that comes in packets. The tofu can sit around for hours without going bad, it’s already flavored and works great for a high-protein,  delicious substantial snack. Crackers or popcorn may be available in the airport, but even if they’re vegan and fun to snack on, they’re not really going  to satisfy you for any length of time. The tofu and hummus with some veggies, if packed in a little cooler, can be a life saver!

There is a catch:  you may have your hummus confiscated! On one of my travels I did have my hummus confiscated. This was quite upsetting, as funny as it sounds, but when you’re in a hurry and you’re getting on a long flight and you think you have a snack and you’re hungry and they take that snack away from you and you have to run and get on the plane anyway knowing you’re going to be really hungry, it’s just very disappointing! Bottom line: pack a few good options.

Planning Activities for the Vegan Traveler

Using Facebook and Instagram connections, I was able to find out about the historical sites that I don’t want to miss while I go to such historic cities. I want to experience the culture and also really get to meet with the locals and not just hit the tourist spots. You can always check traditional travel sites like Yahoo Trip Advisor, but I have found that the best way for me to find a cool spot by just asking around, as opposed to planning everything in advance. I also search for local fitness opportunities. This trip, I am nursing a shoulder injury and will probably stay mostly with yoga studios.

Eating Out, Vegan Style

For me, it’s not necessarily important to go into only vegan exclusive restaurants. What I want to do is stay as mainstream as possible and find restaurants that can offer me vegan choices, even if they’re not vegan restaurants. I find it to be an adventure to communicate with the staff at mainstream restaurants and see what they can do to come up with some options for me.

Of course, I also enjoy going to the vegan friendly spots. I have found lots of vegan bakeries that I plan on flirting a little bit with on my vegan travels. At home I have been off of sugar for quite a while, but when there are vegan donut spots that I’m going to come across as I travel through Europe, I’m going to be tasting some donuts!

I hope these tips help on your next vegan travel trip!

07 Dec 2015
Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Fashion, Vegan Product Reviews
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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!!!

14 Oct 2015
Going Vegan Tips, Vegan Fashion, Vegan Product Reviews
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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

28 Jul 2015
Going Vegan Tips, Guest Blog Posts
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Top 5 Tips To Successfully Date a Vegan

Dating-a-Vegan

Wondering if it’s possible for a non-vegan and a vegan to date… successfully? Valid question!

So, you met this girl or guy. At first sight, there was this spark — a connection. Call it magic, call it fate. You know instinctively that you’ve found THE ONE; then you hear these words,“I’m Vegan.”

Will you freak out and have sudden flashbacks of your happiest omnivore moments, just before you bid farewell to them? Or, will you think of that moment as a chance to expand your horizon, and not perceive this as a wall between the man or woman you like and your meat feast dreams? I completely understand if you thought of the first scenario as the most plausible response, but dating someone who is vegan doesn’t mean you need to be one. Is there a chance for non-vegans and Vegans to be together? Heck, absolutely, 100 percent, no doubt, yes! Will it be a walk in the park? No. Can I still eat bacon? Of course! Can I still eat bacon in front of my date? If you will not rub it in the face of your date that you’re eating something that used to have eyes, I don’t see why not.

Dating a vegan

This image is free for personal and commercial use. No attribution required. Source HERE

Before you read any further, let’s set something straight. Not all vegetarians are the same. To give you a head start understanding the different types, read this. Now that we’ve settled that, here are five tips to successfully date a vegan. Number two is especially important.

1. For your first date, take your vegan date to a vegan restaurant.

First dates are a big deal. You would want to make a good impression on your date. So, it is highly advisable you take your Vegan date to a Vegan restaurant and steer clear of meat-serving ones for your first date. Okay, okay. I hear you saying, “You said I don’t have to be a Vegan to date one, what now??!” — Yes I know, but hear me out. By initiating to dine in a Vegan restaurant, you’re not only showing your respect for your date’s Vegan lifestyle, you’re also implying how open-minded and selfless you are. It’s also a great opportunity for you to know them better in a place they are familiar with and try something different, for romance’s sake. LeoLin Lopez from The Vegan Woman, recommends websites like Happy Cow and Yelp to find the perfect restaurant for your first date.

2. Stay true to yourself — don’t fake it!

It’s one thing to respect and appreciate their lifestyle, and another to keep it real to yourself. Don’t say things your date wants to hear. Don’t create another version of you that you think your date will like. Again, it will not be a walk in the park and will involve a lot of compromising, conflicts about vegan ethics, and discussions about what is and what is not. The only way to go about this is creating an open line of communication. Lay out all your cards, and meet halfway. Relationships are all about the give and take game. And that context can be applied regardless of food preference.

3. Be mindful of your questions.

As sensitive and considerate you are when you talk about religion, politics, exes, and bowel movements, same goes with the following questions you should never ask a Vegan on your first date:

  • “Where do you get your protein from?”
  • “What’s the point of eating fake meat?” Then you try to be clever and ask, “Can’t you just eat real meat?”
  • “Plants are living things too right? Why do you eat them?”
  • “Don’t you miss eating meat? Followed by, “You’re missing a lot!.”

If you’re that curious to know the answers, I have one word for you — Google! Familiarize yourself with all the vegan basics (SexyFitVegan.com covers most of them too) like:

Then, to be on the safe side, ask him or her first why they went vegan. Let them feed you the details and from there, you have a good standing point for your follow-up questions.

4. Forget everything you know about Vegan.

Going vegan is a personal choice. It’s not pop culture and definitely not something you decide overnight. Sure you have read hundreds of articles about veganism but it’s a different story when you hear it from someone who actually lives and breathes the lifestyle. So when you go out with a Vegan, don’t bring your pre-existing notions and start listening instead.

5. Keep an open mind and mouth.

Vegans are often mislabeled as forum-trolling, angry, animal rights activists, who miss out on the good stuff in life. They are veggie lovers and carnivore haters who don’t care about flavour as long as it’s meat-free. In reality, they probably understand flavour and good food more than you. And since vegan is a way of living that’s not just limited to food preference, but also ethical beliefs and principles in life. If you’re not into that kind of thing, no worries. Don’t mock and don’t judge people who are deeply passionate on what they believe. Instead of questioning their lifestyle, appreciate their choice of living healthy.  Best way to know if this is something you’ll consider? Give their cooking a shot. You’ll never know, that could be your turning point.

Lady and the Tramp Date

A guest post by Jane Dizon, nurse, health and nutrition enthusiast, and blogger at Gym and Fitness, Australia’s favourite online retailer of treadmills and strength equipment.

Header Photo Credit: Karine Basilio