Ellen’s journey to veganism began five years ago, alongside her parents, driven by a deep connection with her animal companions and a desire for her actions to align with her morals and principles.
In addition to her commitment to veganism, Ellen’s career path mirrors her dedication to health and fitness. A certified fitness coach, she is currently pursuing licensure as a Personal Trainer through NASM, driven by her love for sports and wellness. Her thirst for knowledge extends beyond fitness, as she delves into courses ranging from naturopathy to senior fitness coaching and Mixed Martial Arts conditioning.
Beyond her studies and fitness pursuits, Ellen is an active participant in vegan activism. Engaging in vegan outreach initiatives like Anonymous for the Voiceless, she passionately spreads awareness about the ethical and health benefits of a vegan lifestyle. Collaborating with her mother, Ellen shares her expertise through a dedicated vegan channel on Instagram, offering beginner-friendly recipes and practical tips for a healthy vegan diet.
For Ellen, veganism transcends dietary choices—it’s a commitment to reducing animal cruelty in all forms and promoting holistic health. As a vegan personal trainer, she strives to support individuals transitioning to a vegan lifestyle by providing guidance on supplements, nutrition, and integrating fitness into their new way of living. With her infectious enthusiasm and unwavering dedication, Ellen inspires others to embrace compassionate living and make positive changes for themselves and the planet.
Please tell us more about yourself
The future is vegan
tofu always wins
My name is Ellen, I’m 23 years old and i have been vegan for 5 years, prior to that i was a vegetarian for 2 years until upon research i discovered what happened to animals in all the industries.
Career wise i am a personal trainer, and am building a vegan recipe Instagram and Youtube page where we share all our tips and tricks. Hobby wise i do a variety of sports like: Mixed Martial Arts, Calisthenics, Yoga, jogging/running and more.
I’m originally from Belgium, but have been living in several different countries throughout the years. I went vegan after 2 things that happened:
I must admit i already would have become a vegan when i was 6 years old, if it had been allowed at that time, As a 6 year old i came to see a documentary about dolphin hunting in Japan, I witnessed as the sea turned red and saw how these magnificent and intelligent animals were literally being slaughtered on the beach. I was to say the least appaled at seeing this first cruelty and injustice happening to animals.
I cried for weeks and weeks, begged my mum to do something about this! It was a very difficult fact for me to accept, that this actually happened and i could do nothing about it.
A couple of months later i asked my mum what the thing was on the counter that she was preparing and she responded with that’s a chicken, i was like, a chicken chicken? Yes a chicken chicken, and yes ensuing crying for some time, even more when i discovered my favorite boots were made out of cow skin!
What the hell was this all about? I demanded to go vegetarian right now! I didn’t even know Veganism existed at that time, but i did know what a vegetarian lifestyle meant as my brother has been one since he was 14. But my parents confered with the doctors and since my blood exams usually pointed out that i wasn’t in the best of health with all these deficiencies, later getting very very low iron levels (anemia), they decided it was best for me to continue to eat red meat and the like.
After some time you get used to the thought of eating animals, i’m sure if children would all know what’s behind their chicken wings or fish fingers, they would refuse just like i did.
Since children inherently love animals so much. But then the thought is usually (during the growing up stages the meat needs to be eaten.
So onto my first vegan experiences: First off i had a conversation with a vegan on Facebook, at the time i was vegetarian and i asked her what would i eat if i went vegan? I must have really been working on her nerves, but as much as we discussed she managed to plant a seed into my mind.
Sometime later that seed was germinated and it sprung to life! During a visit to our newest gym i, together with my mum was assigned with a vegan personal trainer to help us in making our fitness programs.
He looked very healthy, greatly muscled and we got into a little bit of a deeper conversation about what happened to the animals etc. I had horses, dogs and cats at this time, so learning what happened to animals while loving my own intelligent and sensitive animals was the last drop in the bucket for me.
I went fully vegan into the max 2 weeks after that and have never looked back. As of February 2019 i have been vegan for 5 years.
I have plenty of interesting stories to share:
- My horses liked to work with me more, i don’t know the exact science behind it or why, but it’s what i’ve come to experience.
- I’ve gotten to love food a lot more then i did before, to eat guilt free is really a game changer for me! As a child i was very lightweight/near anorexia and i did not like to eat at all. I just really didn’t like the food. I did come to eat more and get to a healthier weight, but i simply did not enjoy food as much as others, now though, how the tables have turned! I eat like never before, i love so many different foods and nearly eat everything that’s healthy, except chicory ugh hahaha.
- My blood exams came back nearly perfect and recently came back even at perfect levels. No more anemia after being vegan! My B12 levels are on the healthy high side, my magnesium, selenium, Vitamin D and so on are all greatly in order!
- I have lyme disease and after switching to veganism, my symptoms have become a lot less apparant, i can live a decently good life ever since. (I do eat exceptionally clean whole foods and plant based ingredients only).
Did you know that non vegans these days have deficiencies more and more often?
tofu always wins
Personally i felt in the beginning that it can be quite a challenge to find out: What can i eat, where can i find it, how do i prepare it, but after seeing recipes on Instagram and doing some research we quite quickly found the right flow in the kitchen.
I’ve been very uniquely lucky with the fact that my parents decided to switch with me at the same time, it definitely made things easier for us!
I’m very very happy to be a vegan, i won’t ever touch an animal based product ever again. The guilt free eating is worth so much, i have watched so many documentaries that show the truth about the industries we support by eating animal products, and i simply do not want to be a part of that again.
I’m healthier then ever before, i’ve found my calling in life because of veganism, in short i couldn’t be more satisfied then i already am.
I usually tell people what happens in the animal industries, i show them videos, science based studies, i even do vegan outreach activism on the streets, engaging with people on the damage our eating and wearing habits are causing. So i first hand know the issues people are facing when transitioning and i want to help them help the animals.
Just a plate full with ❤️💚❤️💚❤️💚❤️💚❤️💚
tofu always wins
What’s my favorite food? Well that’s a tricky one! There is so much out there to choose from! I personally love eating the homecooked meals my mum prepares. I have a thing for the Italian cuisine, so i’d say pizza is a top favorite.
Photo shows a pizza made by my mum!
What misconceptions surround veganism?
The famous Vegan myth. Luckily pro athletes like Djokovich, Venus Williams, Lewis Hamilton, & Nate Diaz proved this myth to be debunked. 😎💪
tofu always wins
I would say common misconceptions surrounding veganism are:
- It’s expensive,
- You’ll be b12, iron or protein deficient,
- That soy eaten by vegans is destroying the forests of this world.
All debunked myths but still myths that are circulating a lot as if they’re true.
Like any other foods, veganism can be as expensive or cheap as you want it to be. Fruits and vegetables alongside rice and pasta and beans can be very filling and cheap, yes nuts are more expensive and some other things, but that’s true for all eating habits.
I personally don’t eat any vegan alternatives from the stores, so that’s a little cheaper to make at home, but that’s everyone their own choice, meat and cheese also aren’t cheap.
I know a lot of vegans, and non of them are deficient in anything, eating diverse and taking a b12 supplement goes a reallllly long way. Non vegans often are lacking in b12, soils are depleted so taking a b12 supplement is necessary for everyone really.
Only 6% of soy is being eaten by humans, more then 80% goes to feeding livestock, imagine what the forests are being cut down for in reality.
For someone who is transitioning to veganism or is doubting to take the step i would say:
The only regret i have is that i didn’t do it sooner, do it, take the step, do your research, eat diversely, check instagram for awesome recipes, watch the vegan documentaries. Do your research and ask yourself: Why wouldn’t i go vegan?
The animals will be happier and healthier for it. Eating guilt free really is a liberty in itself.
tofu always wins wins
For anyone who wants to follow my sports endavours, feel free to follow me on Instagram through the name: pushupqueen__ https://www.instagram.com/pushupqueen__/
If you want to follow our recipe socials, feel free to follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube or Tiktok under the name: Tofu Always Wins. https://www.instagram.com/tofualwayswins/
Want to follow our website and read our blogs? Check out: https://veganinspo.weebly.com/
To conclude this piece of my story i would want to share with you:
The animals need you, i believe inherently people love animals, and hate when bad things happen to them, the animals in the livestock industries are no different. Every single one of them deserves to live a life in freedom and to be loved and appreciated for them in life, not for their body parts or secretions.
92.2 billion animals die for food consumption, and that in ways you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemies. It’s a life where someone decided your only worth your kg’s in food. To end this injustice there is only one thing to do: Going vegan.
Be the change you wish to see in the world!
Kind Regards Ellen
tofu always wins
Mother & daughter sharing easy straight forward Vegan recipes + tips and tricks for beginners.
Vegans since 2019🍃
all images courtesy of tofu always wins