Jessica Feliz: A Vegans Guide to Fitness

This series is dedicated to those who aspire to, or currently eat, live and breathe Vegan while merging their fitness lifestyle. Enjoy insights, advice, pros, cons and more!

How long have you been vegan for?
It will be a year in January !

When did you become vegan and what sparked the change?
I prefer to say that I’ve become a conscious eater. In 2017, I was following a plant-based diet, although inconsistent, it was my first time actually exposing myself to a new way of eating. It wasn’t until January of 2018, that I decided to switch over to a vegan ”more conscious” diet.

So what sparked the change? I just wasn’t happy with my weight. I decided to dedicate 2018 to my physical and mental health.

On Sunday mornings, I would drive to Whole Foods for my weekly meal prep. I was working a 9-5PM at the time which meant I was bringing my breakfast, snack & lunch to work. Although, it took some time I was capable of saving a lot of money but I also knew exactly what were in my meals.

Shortly after 3 months, in April I decided to really EDUCATE myself on every ingredient and the nutritional facts on every product before making a purchase. I then decided to shop organic, watch some documentaries, and just READ up on veganism etc. I still didn’t know where this journey would take me but by doing those things it reframed my way of thinking from ”follow this for weight loss” to ”overall internal health”.

That’s when I really started to see a difference in my overall health and It forced me to get creative in the kitchen.

Are there any difficulties or limitations in being vegan and how do you best overcome them?

Of course! I’m human – I’ve relapsed this year BUT NEVER with red meat (that makes me feel less guilty LOL). This Summer I was working out 2x a day 5x days a week and boy was I strict. I then went to Jamaica and ended up trying their jerk chicken. I’m a bit conflicted when it comes to traveling and trying certain dishes from a specific country.

I’m now living in Italy and the ”vegan world” is actually really tough out here. That in itself has been the biggest challenge but I’m still maintaining.

It’s all about the journey… If you’re serious about switching your diet take baby steps. Start by incorporating a healthy breakfast, honestly, I swear by overnight oats. They are easy to make, portable and versatile. Then begin to incorporate healthy snacks, and find one item to substitute (milk was the easiest for me to give up, I really enjoy cashew, soy & almond milk). Eventually, it all starts trickling down, as for me, when I find myself stuck on what to order when I’m in Italy I simply ask for a soup or mixed vegetables (boring I know) but I’m not there permanently.

What are some challenges merging a vegan diet with your fitness regimen?

Getting up and going to the gym wasn’t the challenge for me. Being consistent with your eating habits is what really drives those ”results”. I guess a challenge at the beginning for me was to ensure that my body was receiving the adequate nutrition/vitamins it needed. Rewind back to January of 2018 (I had gone to the doctors for a ”work-up” and my blood results showed the areas that I needed to tighten up on). Such as my protein intake was too high and this was before I changed my diet.

What are some benefits merging a vegan diet with your fitness regimen?

In May of 2018, I went back for a workup and at this point my blood results were outstanding and my weight shifted from 176 pounds to 152.4 pounds (I will never forget that day). The most annoying part of visiting the doctor is being told to get on the scale, truthfully, if you’re not on top of your health who wants to know their weight.

Let me tell y’all – my doctor was beyond proud and I was proud of myself. I was the lightest I had ever been.

What internal or external changes have you realized since combining the two?

Internal: I feel happy, healthy, I have more energy, healthy bowel movements, more confident… nothing negative for me.

External: Is the bonus – I still don’t have a 4 pack that’s actually one of my 2019 goals before ”Summer Baecation” but my lightest is 148 pounds, I did a lot of HIIT, strength, and cardio training all while following a vegan diet.

I felt strong, my arms were toning up, I just felt so confident, comfortable and happy in my own skin.

P.S Don’t forget to drink a lot of water !

What advice do you have for individuals looking to become vegan?

My best advice is to be patient with yourself, be kind to yourself and just take a leap of faith to be an overall BETTER YOU. It takes time, dedication and consistency. The losing weight part is just an added bonus, love yourself enough to make a change.

Name two of your favorite vegan dishes.

I would say my banana pancakes with maple syrup & fruit &
I make a lot of ”buddha bowls” again because of its versatility.

Below are pictures of meals I have prepared as a conscious eater, enjoy!

Vegan Banana pancakes topped with maple syrup and glazed bananas.

Overnight oats with cashew milk! Topped with chia seed, blackberries, raspberries, goji berries and coconut flakes.

All pictures posted are courtesy of Jessica Feliz