I want to be able to help people live a kind lifestyle for the well-being of themselves as well as animals and the environment

Julie created an IG account @kindnutrition.co almost 2 years ago as a way to show her favourite vegan recipes. Living a vegan lifestyle is something that she is very passionate about and she has wanted to find a way to help others do the same. She has recently completed her Vegan Nutrition course and am super excited that she is certified to help others!

Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

My name is Julie! I am from Calgary, Alberta Canada.

I first went vegetarian on a trip to South Africa in 2018 after some realizations about how much I cared about animals while volunteering at a cheetah sanctuary. I had someone close to me in 2019 introduce me to veganism and teach me about the cruelty in the dairy/egg industry through their own knowledge as well as documentaries and I have been vegan ever since.

I found going vegan pretty easy because I had someone close to me that taught me how easy it actually is and about all of the alternatives available. I have amazing friends/family who always make sure that we are going places with vegan options. My family even makes almost everything at family dinners vegan which has helped me on my journey a ton! My hope is that I am able to provide information and easy food replacements/recipes for people who want to transition to a vegan lifestyle.

Being vegan has been life changing for me. I feel better physically knowing I’m fuelling my body with healthy plant foods as well as mentally knowing I’m doing it for the animals.

My favourite places to eat in Calgary are Vegan Street, V burger and Odd burger. I’ve taken all my non-vegan friends to these places and they’ve all loved it! I recommend any vegans in or travelling through Calgary to check out these locations!

A common misconception is that you can’t get all your nutrients on a plant based diet

As a vegan, I feel like my most asked question is “where do you get your protein”
Julie | Vegan Nutrition & Lifestyle

I would say the number one misconception that I hear about vegans is not being able to get all your nutrients. With a good understanding of what foods you need to eat to make a healthy and balanced plant based diet – you can 100% get all the nutrients that you need. I was certified with my Vegan Nutrition course last year and hope to be able to help people who want to switch to a vegan diet but are unsure how. I enjoy posting my weekly meal prep recipes on my Instagram @kindnutrition.co to give people ideas on plant based meals to make for the week!

My advice to someone who has just stopped eating meat is to use vegan substitutes or mock meats to make your favourite recipes. Most people can’t even tell some of my veganized recipes are actually vegan! I think that it’s important for people transitioning to veganism to recognize that it’s okay to make mistakes. You don’t have to be hard on yourself for not being 100% perfect and you’re still making a huge difference by incorporating plant based options instead of animals!