Amy is a six-year vegan currently living in Bali as a digital nomad. She believes in living a life of intention and following your joy and happiness—no matter where that takes you or what it looks like.
Her lifestyle allows her to deepen her connection with herself, prioritising quality food, peace, and simplicity. Amy enjoys training at the gym or the pole studio, especially creating content to show that you can be strong without meat. She loves spending weekends at the farmers markets and travelling.
For over two years, Amy has been thriving on a (high) raw vegan diet. Her unwavering commitment to a plant-based lifestyle continues to inspire others. Through her content, she shares delicious recipes, juices, and health tips. Amy finds a sense of purpose in teaching others how to take care of their bodies, love themselves, and invest in their health, following her own personal transformation.
Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her.
Tell us more about yourself?
I must be doing something right because my health issues have significantly improved
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
My name is Amy and I was born in Canada but grew up in a coastal beach town in Australia. I found my passion for health and natural healing after my own health collapse when I was 27.
I share what I do to inspire others to live a healthier and more aligned life through diet and lifestyle changes. Health is wealth and not something you should ever take for granted.
What influenced your decision to become a vegan? How many years have you been following this lifestyle?
It was 2017 when I first started dabbling in the vegetarian/vegan world. At the time I was at a peak level of fitness, but I didn’t feel good. I had lots of mystery health issues, got sick all the time, always felt bloated and constipated and barely made it through a workout with coffee.
My good friend who trained with me had been vegan for several years and was one of the fittest and strongest guys I knew.
Seeing how well he performed made me question all the beliefs I had around a vegan diet being insufficient, especially when it came to protein and strength building. Whenever we ate out together, he took me to his favourite spots and I got to try lots of plant-based foods.
I realised that what I was eating was satisfying, filling and actually tasted really good! Jokingly in conservation he challenged me to go 6 weeks without eating meat which I decided to give a go. I thought I would struggle and barely make it a week, as I was eating red meat almost every night for dinner, but the six weeks flew by and I hadn’t touched meat. I hadn’t even had cravings for it and I felt so much better, physically and mentally.
From there, I found myself paying more attention to what I was putting in my body and on it. I began a deep dive into all things health and my mind continued to expand in so many ways and question all the things that are “normal”. I had cut out most meat and dairy products from my diet, but I wasn’t strict about it. It wasn’t until I watched the documentaries, What the Health and Dominion, that I made the overnight decision to go vegan for my health and for the animals.
What difficulties do people encounter when looking for vegan food or dining out with friends? How can these challenges be overcome?
Every time you eat, you are making a choice that will either nurture or neglect your health and quality of life
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
I think this is one of the easiest times in history to be vegan. It’s growing so fast and becoming a lot more mainstream and accepted, even my grandma is on board. I think being a vegan 10-20 years ago would have been much, much harder. It’s unlikely you could’ve found anything to eat out that wasn’t a piece of fruit or a salad, but today nearly every restaurant or cafe caters to a plant-based diet or allows at least some kind of modification.
Vegan alternatives are everywhere and even junk foods like ice cream, chocolate and pizza are made vegan, so there isn’t a reason to feel isolated in social situations. I think the real challenge is in dealing with friends and family. They are usually the ones that have the strongest opinions and the most resistance around it. They can make you feel like you’re being high maintenance or difficult when you start setting boundaries around your diet and changing what you eat.
Going vegetarian or vegan is a personal choice and not everyone is going to understand why. It helps to stop caring what everyone else thinks and focus on yourself. I found that instead of trying to justify why a vegan diet was so healthy, I just tell people that this way of eating makes me feel my best and that usually flips them from critical to curious. It’s not something they can argue with.
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“Are You Looking To Incorporate More Vegan Meals Into Your Diet, But Don’t Know Where To Start?”
What are your thoughts on following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle?
I absolutely love it! A vegan diet makes me feel amazing and has drastically improved my health. I feel a deeper connection to myself and a greater respect for the natural world. I am proud to vote with my plate and save lives. All animals want to live and it breaks my heart that I was conditioned to eat meat for most of my life. We only see animals as food because of the way we are brought up, but if people really had to see how their piece of steak got to their plate, no one would still be eating meat! I feel blessed that I finally woke up.
What would you say to encourage someone who is not vegetarian or vegan to give meatless food a try?
✓ Start nourishing it with life-giving foods
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
✓ Start nurturing it with natural products
✓ Start filling it with positivity, joy and love
I think the best way is not to tell them, but to show them. People usually don’t respond to being forced into something and convinced with logic. The best way is to live by example. Inspire them through making delicious vegan food at home and cooking for your friends or family. When people notice that you are thriving, feeling good, looking good and enjoying what you eat, they will naturally be curious and more open-minded. When they start asking you questions, that’s when you can talk about the benefits and how it’s helped you and how they can get started
Could you suggest some great places or delicious food options? What makes these your top choices?
Some of my favourite childhood meals revolved around meat and dairy. I loved Mac and cheese, spaghetti bolognese, lasagne and tacos. When I became vegan, I realised if I still wanted to enjoy those meals, I’d have to find a way to get creative. I wasn’t interested in buying fake meats and fake cheeses, as they are so ultra processed, so I decided to make my own. I bought myself a blender, borrowed a food processor from my mum and found some recipes to try. I make my nut meat out of blended walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, spices and lime juice and I love it! My other favourite when I’m craving pasta, is a delicious creamy carbonara sauce I make from blending cashews, steamed white potato and carrot, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast and almond milk. It doesn’t taste exactly like the original, but it’s super clean, nutritions and cruelty free.
What are some misunderstandings about individuals who follow a vegan diet? How can you clarify or provide education on this topic?
The real “vegan” foods are foods found in nature – fruits, veggies, leafy greens, nuts and seeds
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
A vegan diet is restrictive and boring – There is so much variety in a plant-based diet. Nature offers so many greens, herbs, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables for us to experiment with. It’s actually such an abundant and exciting way to eat. I make my own salad dressings, sauces, juices, smoothies and every day I can try something new. To me, sticking to the same 3 foods over and over – chicken, beef, pork, is the definition of restrictive.
It’s expensive to eat vegan – Meat and dairy are some of the most expensive foods you can buy. Fruits and veggies are abundant everywhere you go and much more accessible. You can even grow your fruits, veggies and herbs from home to save money
Vegan diets make you weak – I know from first hand experience that this is false. I have built muscle purely on a plant-based diet and can do everything and more than I could while eating meat. I have the strength to do 5 strict pull ups in a row and I pole dance 3 times a week. My recovery window is much shorter than it used to be and I feel lean, fit and naturally energetic without coffee or animal protein.
For someone who is just starting to eat less meat, what suggestions would you give?
There comes a point in life when you decide you want better for yourself, because the choices you’ve been making no longer make you feel happy or feel good
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
Transition slowly and don’t force yourself into anything too fast. It takes time for your body to adjust to a different way of eating and for new habits to stick. It’s normal to experience withdrawals and cravings for your old diet. Cheese is one of the hardest things to give up. I recommend slowly phasing out dairy and reducing your consumption of meat. Instead of yogurt, try coconut yoghurt, opt for a plant-based milk in your coffee instead of full cream milk and eat a fruit breakfast instead of bacon and eggs.
Start increasing the amount of plant-based dinners you have per week until it feels sustainable and enjoyable. Look up recipes or buy a recipe book for inspiration and start experimenting with dishes. The more you start making and trying meatless meals, the more normal and comfortable it will become. Get clear on your ‘why’ behind wanting to go meat free. Is it to get healthier? Is it for the animals? Is it for the planet? When you know your reasons, it’s a lot easier to remain committed in moments of weakness
Can you share any interesting anecdotes about being a vegan?
When your body feels good, so does your mind. Food has a direct impact on your physical and mental health
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
Becoming vegan was the last thing I ever imagined. I used to eat wheels of Camembert cheese, tubs of cottage cheese and drown my cereal in milk. I ate meat because that was what everyone else was doing and I thought I needed it to be strong.
Before I transitioned, I held the same misconceptions about a plant-based diet and thought vegans were precious and above everyone else, but now I see how silly and ridiculous that is.
Vegans care deeply about their health and the impact they have on others, especially the animals. They eat the way they do because they see all lives as equal to them. Going vegan was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach
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all images courtesy of Amy | Holistic Health & Skin Coach