5 Vegan transformations that will keep you motivated
Is your resolution for this new year to adopt a plant-based lifestyle so that you can lose excess weight and get your health back on track? Well here are some awesome plant-based transformations that will keep you motivated to reach your goal.
1.) Ashley Chong Scott & Andrew Scott
“About three years ago, I was beginning to look for ways to lose weight yet again. This time it was for my sister’s upcoming wedding and unlike previous attempts to shed the weight, I decided to do what I do best; research. I studied nutrition, human biology, disease, and how these things were related. What I found was absolutely mind-blowing. I found people who were reversing disease, losing weight, and gaining energy by solely eating raw fruit, vegetables, and leafy greens. So instead of following advice from doctors, who were telling me restrict calories, eat meat, and to take a popular weight-loss drug called phentermine, I did the exact opposite. I went 100% raw vegan overnight and it changed my life. I ended up losing about 125lbs in little less than a year. My husband then followed suit about five months after I did and lost approximately 85lbs. Thriving on a plant-based diet, I dived into studying the nutrient make-up of different foods,live food recipes, and so much more. Although I was shedding weight, it became way more than the size of the pants that kept falling off of me and more about the entire health status of my physical body. The longer I ate living foods and gave up the standard American diet the more I experienced euphoria, glowing skin, an increased amount of energy. I realized that foods should not be processed, altered, or heated in any way and that nature provides our food in its perfect form ready to eat. The results were amazing.”
Website: RawandRadiant.com
IG:RawandRadiant
Facebook.com/rawnradiant
Email: Rawandradiant360@gmail.com
2.) Melissa Raimondi
“Raw. Vegan. From 187lbs to 117lbs in about 16 months between photos. I am 5'6 and do not cook my food. I am Vegan for the animals and Raw because I feel my best without cooked foods. I am not a purist. I want people to evaluate their diets and make changes. P.S. For the hundreds of people who ask, I rarely workout. Some weeks I do 2-3 times and then some weeks I don't do anything but sit on my butt at the computer for work. I'm quite lazy but am trying to get into a routine with that. At least I have the diet part right...”
IG: @RawFoodRomance
Facebook.com/Rawfoodromance
3.) Tocha Miley
“I had a very devastating tragedy that happened to my health a few years ago; My highest weight was 305 lbs and I'm on 5'2. I had numerous of health issues and was on so much medication. January 1, 2014 I went vegetarian for 6 months then transitioned to a vegan diet, before I knew it I lost over 100 lbs in a year. My pants size went from a 28 to a 0-2,I had no intentions at all of being this size. I had been living in such deep depression for so many years,just miserable to be honest. Today I have so much energy and even smile a little more lol. I'm vegan because its my lifestyle and what works for me,for the environment, the animals,and last but definitely not least my family! “
IG:@KurvyVegan
4.) Chemese
From a kid that grew up mostly eating French fries, I would have never guessed in a million years that I would be a vegan and love it. I like to say that I accidentally became vegan because I was such a picky eater and I hated vegetables. Seriously, I would tell my server at restaurants to hold the tomatoes, because I was allergic; which I was not.
I needed to lose weight. I was obese, unhealthy, very unhappy and miserable in my own skin. I had stopped looking at myself in the mirror because it made me sad. However, just when I was about to give up, I had a conversation with one of my sorority sisters about my weight. I told her that I was going to just “learn to be happy with being fat”. Just like a sister, she wasn't having it. She told me I needed to work out and be mindful of what I was eating. I knew that, we all know that. She also told me to pick what I wanted to start with and I picked working out.
I started working out but I knew the bigger problem was my diet. I needed to change my lifestyle so I started doing some research. I was looking for a quick fix , as usual, but I came across “eating a raw vegan diet”. For a person that hated vegetables, I couldn't see how this would work for me. Against all odds, on December 12, 2012, I decided to eat a raw vegan diet.
I was committed to giving it all that I could and lose weight. I ate a raw vegan diet for the first 7 months and my body loved it. Don't get me wrong, there were many nights were I cried myself to sleep. I did this the hard way by cutting everything out cold turkey but I recommend for anyone to start small and change slowly.
My results were unbelievable, not to mention how I was feeling (amazing). Majority of my weight came off in the first 7 months. This whole journey has made me learn so much about food and how its being process. I learned a lot about myself too. For me, what made all the difference is not focusing on what foods I was giving up, but on the good things I could eat! I eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, and whole grains now. I also make smoothies, nut milks and fresh juices. I try to eat food in its natural state as much as possible. Over these pass years I have successfully completed a 30, 60, 100 day juice/smoothie cleanse. I have another 100 day juice/smoothie cleanse coming up on December 1, 2015.
I believe consistency is the key, so I try to work out regularly. As for numbers, my starting weight was 308+ pounds. I don't know how much weight I have actually lost though, simply because that number isn't important to me, anymore. What is more important is that I have gained control over my health which is more than I wanted. My transformation was done without surgery, trainers, nutritionists or fad diets. If you take anything from my journey I hope that it's "Change is Possible". I know my journey doesn't end here. I truly hope that my journey inspires others. Posting on social media has help keep me accountable so you can find me at:”
Instagram http://instagram.com/chemese
Twitter https://twitter.com/chemese
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/chemese/
5.) Phillip Henderson
“I weighed 350 before my change in lifestyle. I was lazy and majorly overweight all I did was eat, play video games, and sleep. I was being a bad role model for my kids at that time. My sister introduced me to veganism and I was like "ok I'll give it shot" Little did I know my life was going to be completely flipped around. So I decided to study it a little further so I researched many things on YouTube and Wiki Just to understand it a little more. As time went by changing my eating habits before I knew it in 10 month I lost 160 pounds. I'm still shocked to this day about the weight loss. Now my life is amazing. My kids are following what I do, I'm always outside doing something, and my mind feels clearer than what it was. My body feels amazing. Life is great I feel unstoppable. Veganism saved life and paved a better future for my two kids.”
IG: @thechocolatevegan
Twitter: @thaveganninja
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/talkingvegan