I have experienced amazing things in my health and wellness ever since embracing a plant based diet and Vegan lifestyle

It all started with Jennifer completing a 21-Day 🌱 Plant Based Challenge. Working with a vegan coach, she truthfully lost some lbs (6.6lbs in 3 weeks) and won some monies but what she really won from the challenge is intangible — it’s the satisfaction in knowing that she can still flex her self-discipline muscles when she wants to. That’s the biggest flex!

She told Meatless Movement that the best gift you can give yourself 🎁 is your health. But what if that gift was accompanied with a plethora of positive benefits, that bettered our world for all?

Please tell us more about yourself

My name is Jennifer @_shesaiddestroy_ and I am from Alberta, CANADA aka Cattle Ranch country! I am an avid practitioner of Ashtanga yoga and a bikini competitor. I’m happily child-free, and live with my partner and our English Mastiff.

✌🏻Ⓥ for VEGAN. Vegan for life.
ᴊᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ•ᴘᴇᴀʀʟ ᴡᴇsᴛ Ⓥ

I went Vegan after my first bodybuilding competition. In competition prep, I consumed copious amounts of animal flesh and fluids and my body was not feeling good — from digestion issues to inflammation issues. I knew my diet had to change.

Post-competition, I slowly began my transition to plant-based and I have been fully Vegan for about one year now. The changes I have experienced in my health have been extraordinary and it has been a positive catalyst for many other progressions in my life.

At first, I became Vegan for my health, however, it quickly progressed to being Vegan for the animals and once my moral compass recalibrated, it became difficult to share ideals (and meals) with non-Vegans.

I had to learn to draw boundaries with friends and family when it came to eating together because it would bother me immensely to sit at the same table and share a meal with people eating animal flesh. Now, I no longer put myself in those situations. I will either prepare a Vegan meal to bring for everyone to enjoy or I will offer to host at our house; in which we keep a Kosher and Vegan home.

My wish is for everyone to experience the vitality that comes from nourishing your body with LIFE
ᴊᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ•ᴘᴇᴀʀʟ ᴡᴇsᴛ Ⓥ

Being Vegan has expanded my heart & horizons. It has opened my eyes to a whole new world and way of living; to do the least amount of harm to animals and to be a voice for those who have no choice.

The first recommendation I have for someone who isn’t Vegan and who would like to incorporate plant-based meals into their life, is to eat out at a Vegan restaurant. There you will experience how flavourful and fulfilling Vegan food can be and walk away with a positive experience.

You can start at your local fast food joint; most places now have a plant-based burger option like Beyond Meat or Impossible burger. Look up Vegan restaurants in your local area on Happy Cow (app) and see what’s available to you.

To live a life in alignment with your morals is to live a life of fulfillment. Feeling so very blessed for it. 🙏🏻
ᴊᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ•ᴘᴇᴀʀʟ ᴡᴇsᴛ Ⓥ

One of the most popular misconceptions about Vegans is that we can’t build muscle or compete without eating meat…which is untrue!! There are many professional athletes and competitors who prove this theory wrong, from the Olympics to the Olympia stage! If we think about it, where does the Ox get its strength? 🤔 From plants!

My advice to someone who is just beginning to go meat-free is to find plant-based alternatives and swap them out in your favorite meals. For example, this could be a Beyond Meat burger instead of a beef burger; or meatless crumble in your tacos.

Try swapping your usual coffee creamer for a non-dairy version; ice cream or yogurt. Experiment with different brands and flavors until you find what you like.

Follow plant-based people on social media so you are exposed to and inspired by; how they eat, live and train. Educate yourself and “bear witness” to the realities of the animal AG industries and become aware of how a Vegan lifestyle makes such a positive impact on the lives on animals, our health, and our planet.

It certainly makes the transition easier, when we are aware and educated about what truly happens behind the scenes and what we are taught from childhood. (Spoiler Alert: It’ all lies!)

My biggest accomplishment and for what I’m most proud of isn’t that I competed, it’s that I went from (L) predator to (R) protector
ᴊᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ•ᴘᴇᴀʀʟ ᴡᴇsᴛ Ⓥ

I hope that sharing my story inspires others to expand their hearts and horizons in exploring Veganism. It’s a truly wonderful thing to be able to live a life feeling fulfilled and knowing you are doing your part to to better yourself and the world we share with other sentient beings.

Becoming Vegan is the best thing I have ever done for myself. You will hear every Vegan say it and it’s true: The only regret I have in going Vegan, is that I wish I had gone Vegan sooner! ✌🏻