One of the most common questions that I get is “how can I start transitioning into a vegan diet?” Where do you start? What do you need? Is it healthy? In today’s blog, I am going to talk a little bit about my experience and give you as many tips and information as I can to get you started on your plant based journey!
On January 24th, 2018, I made the decision to transition to a vegan diet and stopped eating animal products at that very moment. It is something that I always wanted to do but felt scared to do because of societal pressures and risking my career in the bodybuilding industry. I didn’t think life as a vegan was something that was sustainable or healthy. I needed my meat! Well, after watching Cowspiracy and What The Health on Netflix (while eating a bowl of chili, the last meal with meat I ever ate), my interest in the diet peaked and I nose dove into the research all night long. The next day, I was vegan. My main reason for switching to a vegan diet was my health. After a trip to the hospital triggered by a severe panic attack, I learned that I was facing some serious health issues. That time in my life was very scary for me, I was in and out of the hospital and had doctor’s appointments scheduled virtually every week. My immune system was attacking itself and my body was struggling to keep up. I tried everything from medication to a gluten free diet and nothing seemed to get my autoimmune issues under control. The number one fear my doctors and I were facing were blood clots. After watching the documentaries previously mentioned, I decided to give it a shot. What was the worst that could happen? It not working? After 3 months of being vegan, my blood work began to level out, so close to “normal,” my doctors were, for lack of a better word, shook.
I took my veganism very seriously and did not dare touch any sort of animal product for the next one and a half years. I had convinced myself it had to be all or nothing or it didn’t count or I wasn’t doing my part for the environment or the animals, both of which have become incredibly important ethical topics for me. Because of the light brought upon these worldly, ethical issues during my research about veganism, I truly convinced myself it had to be all or nothing. After a lot of thought, I made the decision to switch my label to “plant based.” What is the difference? Not much. The majority of my food intake comes from vegan products and I occasionally eat animal products, specifically dairy. At this point in my life, I would estimate that 95% of my intake comes from vegan products and then I have the occasional slice of pizza when out with friends or a cup of yogurt if there is no food in the house. Although veganism is still very near and dear to my heart, I realized that the all or nothing mindset was not healthy for me personally at this time due to past disordered eating, finances, and other contributing factors like accessibility on vacation. I wanted to tell you a bit about my story and the evolution of my diet so that you know that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing and even incorporating veganism partially into your life can have amazing outcomes on your health, the environment, and the food industry.
Now let’s get into it. The healthiest and easiest way to eat and maintain a vegan diet is sticking to the basics, primarily healthy, whole foods. This means plenty of veggies, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. If you have a well rounded diet incorporating a variety of whole foods, you are good to go! This will offer you all of the nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and protein that you need. And the best part? Higher volume meals. Whole foods are typically lower in calories and much more dense than processed foods or meats, so your plate can truly be full and satiating.
As I mentioned before, it does not need to be all or nothing. Especially in the beginning of your transition. Everyone is different when it comes to what is going to work best for them! Personally, I went cold turkey. I was vegan from one day to the next. That was the best decision for me because I knew if I slowly transitioned, I wouldn’t follow through. For others, slow transitions are what will keep the diet sustainable for them. It is completely up to you! Some options are first cutting out meat and going vegetarian, cutting out dairy, cutting out meat and dairy and becoming pescatarian, or just full fledged cutting off animal products cold turkey like I did.
I wanted to lightly touch on some common excuses you’ll hear and have probably told yourself are time and money. It takes too much time to prepare and too much money to purchase. Eating healthy takes time. Regardless of what your diet consists of, you are going to spend time in the kitchen preparing food that fits your healthy diet. So why not make something vegan?! Something I like to do is meal plan and meal prep. At the beginning of the week, I will plan out several different meals that I want to have ready for me to quickly access so that I don’t have to take the time to cook 20 times a day. Pinterest was my BESTIE at the beginning of my journey because I didn’t really know what was and what wasn’t considered vegan. Pinterest has great meal ideas for you to plan the week out, grocery shop, and prep in advance. “Okay but...it’s too expensive!” Not really! It is a huge misconception that it costs a kidney to eat a vegan diet. In reality, whole foods run relatively cheap! It doesn’t start to get pricey until you get into the specialty items like mock meats and goji berries. Think about it - a pack of 7 chicken breasts for the week is already $25 at publix. Not even the organic brand! It all comes down to planning and making the right choices for you financially when looking for vegan options and sticking to the basics. There is so much you can do with the basics, you would be surprised!
Now, you might get cravings at first. That is totally normal! You go from eating something every single day to staying away from it. Just the mental aspect of removing a food group from your diet is reason enough to start having cravings, nevermind your habitual eating methods for your whole life. I’m not going to lie, this was hard for me at first. Especially because I didn’t know what I was doing as much as I should have before starting. But, I promise, it will go away! Now, I think about meat and feel disgusted. I truly see it as a piece of flesh rather than a piece of food.
Lastly, let’s talk about supplementation. As previously mentioned, if your diet is well rounded and you eat primarily whole and nutritious foods, you won’t have any problem consuming the necessary nutrients you need. However, B-12 is something that is highly recommended to supplement as a vegan. Why? Well, having a deficiency in B-12 can lead to some really unfun things like anemia and nervous system damage. Most vegans consume enough in their daily diet because a lot of vegan foods are fortified with B-12 to help decrease the risk of becoming deficient but it is one of those things that are better safe than sorry. Some of the fortified foods you can find are different plant milks and soy products (no . . . soy is not bad for you unless you have an allergy). Of course, always consult with your doctor before incorporating new supplements into your routine!
Absolutely anyone can go vegan. For me, it was an easy decision due to health issues, but for some it can be a very tough decision to make because it is a full 180 in lifestyle. But I promise, you can do it! If it’s something you’re interested in, I definitely recommend giving it a shot. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? You start eating animal products again? At least you challenged yourself to try something new! I hope this was helpful for all the gals who reached out to me struggling to make this decision!
Do you feel anxious when it comes to hitting the gym? Worried that there are too many people around you or watching you? You aren’t alone in that feeling.
Gymtimidation - what is it? This is the fear of working out in front of others, also known as “gym anxiety.” Millions of adults are affected by some form of an anxiety disorder. Although exercise has been shown to improve certain aspects of mental health, including anxiety, gymtimidation can be a huge factor in why some people don’t show up to the gym in the first place. These anxious feelings usually come from a place of insecurity and fear - fear of judgement or criticism and insecurity in your own capabilities.
You are not alone, and more importantly, you are not crazy.
Let’s talk about it.
There are a few different studies researching the reasoning behind gym anxiety, but we are going to talk about a scale developed in PMID 24244069. Researchers in this study developed a special scale: SEAM. SEAM stands for “social exercise and anxiety measure.” SEAM demonstrates a three factor structure consisting of the following: 1. Social exercise self efficacy, 2. Gym avoidance, and 3. Exercise importance. Quickly, let’s discuss each structure for a better understanding of what each means within the study. Social exercise self efficacy represents how much an individual believes in their own capabilities. Gym avoidance represents avoiding the gym due to social anxiety or insecurity in a gym setting. Gym importance represents how important working out is to an individual whether it be for health reasons or social reasons. Social exercise self efficacy and gym avoidance have a higher correlation to gym anxiety than exercise importance and have a higher correlation to social anxiety.
Now the question is, how can we develop our skills to try and move past gymtimidation? If you fall into this group who experiences gym anxiety, take a moment to reflect. Where does your gym anxiety stem from? Are you afraid of failing in front of others? Are you scared of judgement? Are you socially anxious?
Let me start by saying, the gym is the most selfish place in the world. Everyone who is there, is there for themselves. Not for you. It can sound harsh, but personally, when it came to me getting past worrying about what those around me were thinking, I just had to keep reminding myself - I’m not that important. Of course, each one of us is individually important, but at the gym, you are not high up on the list of someone else’s importance (...unless they have a crush on you, and let me tell you, you probably are someone’s gym crush. I mean, hello, look at you!). Also, think about it. Have you ever scanned the gym looking for someone to judge? Have you ever put someone down because they needed help? Have you ever criticized someone for working on themselves? Probably not. Neither is anyone around you!
Sure, it’s easier said than done. I just wanted to point those specific points out to you because they helped me tremendously when getting past gym anxiety.
If you’re a novice trainee, or a beginner, your gym anxiety might stem from a place of questioning your capabilities or fear that those around you are judging you. Let’s get into your options if you are someone who doesn’t feel capable in themselves and fears judgement: learn the ropes, do your research, and walk into the gym prepared. It can be so easy to feel overwhelmed and lost in a place that is new to you. Learning new exercises and phrases at the gym is really like learning a new language. Luckily, all of this information is easily accessible! If you’re reading this, you’re most likely following the challenge programming - read through your workout routine for the day, figure out what you don’t know, and prepare yourself before even walking into the gym. That way, once you get there and start your workout, you won’t have to scramble for the definition of tempo or find a video tutorial of a bulgarian split squat. Some resources you can use to your advantage to expand your knowledge on fitness lingo are the “what you need to know” section of your challenge, embedded exercise links within your pdf, google, and youtube. If you have never performed an exercise before and you see it coming up within the next few days, practice at home. Watch tutorials, learn the proper form, and practice in a mirror. This can also be helpful in injury prevention! I would even go so far as recommending home workouts until you feel confident enough in your own capabilities to exercise in public spaces. It’s okay to work your way into things and you can still get a great workout from home.
Knowledge is power, babe! Gather as much information as you need to help you succeed.
If social anxiety is the reason for your gym anxiety, there are ways to help this, as well! Find a training time that works for you and doesn’t require interacting with too many people. Gym “prime time” is typically from around 4-7pm. This is when the gym is packed and you will encounter the most people. However, 1-4pm is typically dead. Personal trainers and managers will even leave the gym for their breaks during this time because of the little amount of potential clientele on the gym floor. What does this mean for you? No people to bother you during your workout! Another way to ward off social interaction (which, same. I do this at ALL costs) is wardrobe. Wearing a hat and headphones sends a signal to the gym goers around you that you are not there to socialize.
Personally, I used to have the worst gym anxiety. I used to hide in the group class room and do my routine in there so no one could see me. I ego lifted when I was on the gym floor because I was scared the people around me would judge the “light weight” that I was using. I was in a constant cycle of hiding from and proving myself to the people around me, when I should have been there to focus on myself and my own progress. What did I do? I shifted my mindset to “fuck everyone.” I decided that it was time to take initiative over my own life and do everything for ME. I started wearing makeup and cute outfits to the gym because it made me feel more confident. I started focusing on form and using weights that were reasonable for my fitness level. I created a “bad bitch playlist” with songs that made me feel like the baddest bitch in the room. I came to accept that I wasn’t perfect and that I didn’t know everything, this allowed me to have room to learn and grow rather than be embarrassed by my lack of knowledge. I started training in a way that made me happy and excited to go to the gym.
You are 100% capable of reaching every single one of your goals and being comfortable in the gym environment while doing so. It may not be easy, but difficult tasks spark character development. Self improvement has entered the chat and you are now the main character. Let’s do this damn thing.
Keeping with the theme of last week's topic, let’s talk about PCOS. This blog is based on my own research, if you think you may have PCOS, seek guidance and advice from a healthcare professional! PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is the most common endocrine disorder among women in their reproductive years. It is a hormone dysfunction disorder that causes women not to ovulate due to several factors that we will go into now.
It is not fully understood, but the general consensus among healthcare professionals is that you must exhibit certain criteria to be diagnosed with PCOS. The official diagnosis of PCOS requires two out of three of the following traits: 1) irregular periods, 2) high androgen symptoms like acne and body hair, and 3) polycystic ovaries which must be confirmed with an ultrasound. Some other common traits of females with PCOS are obesity, alopecia, pregnancy complications, and at the most extreme end of the spectrum, cancer.
To give you a summary of what is going on within the body of someone with PCOS, we must start in the ovaries. Ovaries are basically a storage unit for the lifetime supply of eggs a woman will have from puberty to menopause. Each egg is stored within a follicle and will follow the instruction of different hormones released from the pituitary gland in the brain. Each month, the pituitary gland will secrete follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones are released into the bloodstream and make their way to the ovaries to instruct 100s of eggs to begin maturation, expanding their follicle size. As these eggs mature, the follicles will secrete estrogen and once the estrogen reaches a certain level, the pituitary gland sends a surge of LH to the ovaries. This surge of LH will cause the most mature follicle to release its egg, putting ovulation into motion. The free egg then travels through the fallopian tube to await fertilization while the other eggs dissolve, and if fertilization does not occur, the uterine lining is shed via menstruation. Women with PCOS are not able to complete this process to reach ovulation. In most cases, the pituitary gland will release too much LH due to the amount of follicles present, disrupting the cycle. This results in follicles being unable to mature and cysts if the mature egg is not shed. This can also cause metabolic changes like insulin resistance and complications linked to that like diabetes, weight gain, and high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for PCOS, however it can be manageable. If applicable, lifestyle interventions may help like weight loss, diet changes, and supplements, while some women will need medical intervention.
Let’s talk about diet and supplementation. A low glycemic index diet has been shown to help with menstrual regularity compared to women following a standard healthy diet and holds some merit in managing the symptoms. A 2019 study showed that this diet improved menstrual regularity in 80% of the participants with PCOS. This may be because low glycemic foods are slow digesting and cause gradual increases in blood sugar and insulin rather than the spikes and falls they might experience with higher glycemic index foods. Some examples of low glycemic index foods are steel cut oats, whole grain breads, sweet potatoes, most fruits, most legumes, etc. (Here is a link with more information: https://www.nhrmc.org/~/media/testupload/files/low-gylcemic-meal-planning.pdf?la=en). However, this doesn’t mean you need to stay away from high glycemic index foods completely! Pairing them with a lean protein or healthy fat will help stabilize blood sugar in the event you do eat something with a higher glycemic index. Lastly, when it comes to diet, make sure you are eating enough and eating regularly! Going long periods of time without eating can cause your blood sugar to drop, causing massive spikes in blood sugar when you do finally eat. There are also a few supplements that have been shown to help with the symptoms of PCOS. Inositol is the number one supplement with beneficial effects. Inositol is similar to glucose and can be found in whole grains and citrus fruits. A 2016 systematic review found that supplementing Inositol improved hormonal and reproductive disturbances in women with PCOS. Another 2017 study showed it can improve the metabolic profile of women with PCOS. Inositol has also been shown that it can reduce androgens that cause associated symptoms. Next supplement is Omega 3, I’m sure we all could use a little Omega 3 in our lives. A systematic review in 2018 showed that supplementing Omega 3 showed improvements in insulin resistance, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The last supplement we are going to talk about is Vitamin D. There isn’t much research suggesting that Vitamin D will help improve or reduce the symptoms of PCOS, however, women with PCOS tend to have a Vitamin D deficiency and need supplementation. Though, research in 2019 has shown that pairing a Vitamin D supplement with a daily probiotic may be helpful in treating symptoms.
I have had so many ladies ask me how they can manage their PCOS because of issues they are experiencing with their weight. If you are feeling like exercise just isn’t enough and PCOS is making it hard for you to reach your goals, you are not alone! Managing your symptoms may be the key you need to make your journey just a little bit easier. If you decide to implement any of this information into your diet or supplementation, refer to your doctor beforehand. I hope this helps!
I’m sure you’ve heard it before but, there is nothing men can do that women can’t do while wearing a pair of heels. However, there is something women can do that men can’t. Menstruate. Not only does our cycle give us the invaluable power of bringing life into this world, we can use it to our benefit when it comes to health and fitness. Let’s talk about how our cycle can affect our lives, training, and diet.
First, let’s talk about what exactly our cycle is. From puberty to menopause, women will go through a 28 day cycle comprising two phases that are essential for pregnancy. Over the course of 28 days, our bodies go through hormonal changes to successfully fertilize and implant an egg to the uterine wall. To prepare for pregnancy, our uterine wall thickens, but if pregnancy doesn’t occur, then the wall is expelled through bleeding. The two phases that make up the menstrual cycle are the follicular and luteal phases. The follicular phase is the first half of your cycle and the luteal phase is the second half of your cycle. Day one of the cycle and the first day of the follicular phase is our first day of bleeding, which typically lasts 3-5 days (if you’re lucky! Girl, once mine lasted for upwards of 50 days… I’m good now. If that happens to you, have a doctor check that out LOL). The follicular phase will usually last from day 1 to 14, ovulation occurs on approximately day 14, and then the luteal phase will last from day 15 to 28.
The two main hormones that we are going to discuss are estrogen and progesterone. First let's talk about estrogen. Early in the follicular phase (when bleeding begins), both hormones are at relatively low levels. Estrogen levels then climb upward late into this phase, then around the end of week 2, estrogen reaches its peak directly before ovulation. This rise in estrogen provides us with increased pain tolerance and increased muscle recovery. Estrogen will then decline in the early luteal phase, rise slightly mid luteal phase, then dramatically decline at the end of the luteal phase leading up to the onset of bleeding. Now, let's get into progesterone. Progesterone lays pretty low throughout the duration of the follicular phase. After ovulation, progesterone will spike to its peak then decline in sync with estrogen as the luteal phase comes to a close.
How can it affect our training and how can it be used to our benefit? Well, depending on where we are at in our cycle and the hormones that are coursing through our bodies at the time, women can experience differences in muscle strength and gain. Research shows that women are strongest during the follicular phase and can optimize muscle gain in this phase. The week of our period and the following week is the optimal time for heavy, strength focused training and the time in which we can tolerate the most volume. During the luteal phase, you may notice that you aren’t able to lift the same amount of weight as the weeks prior, during the follicular phase, or simply do not have the energy to do so. An example of how you can set up your programming in response to your cycle can be the following → week one: strength focused, heavy training (5-8 reps), week two: higher volume resistance training (10-15 reps), week three: match week two in terms of volume and weight (10-15 reps), week four: deload or focus on recovery work using high volume and lighter weight.
How can it affect our diet and how can we be eating to our benefit? Eating with our cycles in mind can help balance hormones, ease cramps, and regulate our cycle. Some things that can be beneficial to eat before your period (during the luteal phase before bleeding commences and you’re feeling the effects of PMS) are magnesium, fiber, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B6, and zinc. Magnesium can help fight fatigue and cramping. Fiber can help with bloating and constipation. Fiber is going to help regulate gut health, which, in turn, is going to help regulate bowel movements to help prevent bloating and constipation. Make sure you are staying hydrated so that you can help flush your system of the fiber or you may end up becoming more constipated. Vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B6 can help you boost your mood. Vitamin D specifically is critical in reproductive health and mood regulation. Vitamin B6 is helpful in managing PMS by increasing dopamine and serotonin to combat mood swings. Zinc is helpful with hormonal support. A lack of zinc can disrupt normal ovulation and throw off your cycle. Some things to eat during your period (during the onset of the follicular phase when you are actually experiencing bleeding) are iron, vitamin B12, and omega 3 fatty acids. Iron and B12 can help with the fatigue that you might experience. Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects which can relieve cramping pain. Another helpful tip for during your period is maintaining your food intake by eating consistently every 3 to 4 hours. This is going to help manage blood sugar levels and help you avoid spikes in cortisol which will cause mood swings.
Even though all of our periods end up being a bit different and sometimes irregular, I hope you found this educational and helpful! Feel free to reach out with any questions or additional topics you’d like me to talk about in our blogs!
I hope you have all settled in nicely this month and I hope you’re enjoying the membership! This is the first month having members for the challenge, and honestly, I couldn’t be more hyped about it! It’s very important to me to get your feedback so that I can make sure I am giving you the best possible content, information, and workout routines that I possibly can. These blogs are for YOU. Below I am going to link a few Google forms, basically like a submission box, where you can drop your ideas and constructive criticism for me and give me ideas of what you want to see from me in these weekly blogs! Today, I am going to keep it short and sweet and just try to offer you some motivation for the coming weeks.
With this challenge, I am giving you all of the tools that you need to build the lifestyle you want. You might have physical goals for the next month or you might have mental goals for the next month, shit, you might just be looking for something to keep you active and on track to offer you some sort of routine and consistency! Whatever your case is, it is up to you to do the damn thing. There are going to be days where you feel like the world is on your shoulders and the last thing you’ll want to do is show up to the gym. Show up for yourself. Future you will either pay for what present you don't do or future you will reap the benefits of what present you does do. It is up to you!!! You are 100% capable of reaching your goals, you just have to believe in yourself and do the necessary work to get there.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18K9qzz_m6wrj8c0SB7RDbUUcfOX9Nhr9hqeZ3VuTaDU/edit
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1a5VEO95MUSir3RdkOY74fJZAkJKTbsxOMHhWAfV1B7g/edit