No-Bullsh!t Vegan

Jeremy LaLonde is an award-winning filmmaker who lost half his body weight by going plant-based and decided to use his story and insights to help others by creating the website and YouTube channel PB with J (Plant-Based with Jeremy).

With his own recipes, reviews of vegan cookbooks, as well as fun and informative videos and interviews, Jeremy and his family look to make being healthy not feel like homework.

After sharing a quick personal update, Coach K speaks with Jeremy about his filmmaking work, his vegan story, creating content online, and more.

Do we need to worry about “complete” proteins? Why might some people be underestimating their protein needs? How did nutrition challenges during pregnancy lead Monica to start a company? What happens when Coach K asks tough questions about moving from vegetarian to vegan? Get these questions (and more) answered in this episode.

Dr. Monica Bhatia is the co-founder and co-CEO of EQUII. She’s a biotech manufacturing, ingredient, and fermentation expert with an impressive background in building sustainable products, including biofuels and oils for foods and cosmetics. She has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of South Carolina. Her journey with EQUII began in her kitchen, where her vegetarian lifestyle inspired her to explore ways to integrate nutritious food seamlessly into daily life. This initial spark of ingenuity eventually led her to establish EQUII and develop its revolutionary fermentation technology, together with co-founders Dr. Baljit Ghotra and Chef Sebastien Canonne.

Join me for a perhaps-surprisingly-no-B.S. discussion about purpose, goal-setting, and moving forward in our lives. What does “purpose” mean in the first place? How can we cultivate it? Hear the story of how Dr. Zeledón almost died at the age of 2, what happened when her father bought a lottery ticket, and how this experience affected her later in life.

Dr. Esther Zeledón specializes in turning dreams into reality. With a remarkable background as a former international diplomat, scientist, and life coach, she has crafted a proven formula for success that transcends cultures, communities, corporations, and countries. Dr. Zeledón's innovative approach has garnered global recognition as she collaborates with NGOs, governments, academia, and individual coaching clients. Her mission is to empower high-achieving individuals and teams to uncover their true purpose, leading to enduring impact, boundless joy, and sustainable growth.

Radhi Devlukia is a plant-based cook, recipe developer, mission-driven entrepreneur, and co-founder of Juni Tea. Her debut cookbook “JoyFull" comes out in February 2024. We discuss mindful cooking and eating practices, and what “intuitive eating” means.

Born and raised in the UK, the rich traditions of her Indian culture played a significant role in shaping Radhi’s path towards wellness from an early age, leading her to develop a deep appreciation for the mind-body connection and igniting her curiosity for culinary exploration. Radhi earned her Ayurvedic Health Counsellor 1 Degree at the California College of Ayurveda. A clinical dietician, nutritionist, and always-learning cook, she brings a modern approach to the ancient principles of holistic wellbeing.

Time for an Ask Me Anything episode! Topics range from creating healthy habits and staying motivated, to strength training strategies and asserting oneself at the gym, to my morning routine and how I got into playing didgeridoo.

I (Karina Inkster, a.k.a. Coach K) am your humble podcast host, author of five books, and 21-year vegan. I'm the founder of K.I. Health & Fitness, where I and my team lead award-winning coaching programs that help vegans worldwide get super strong and build health habits they’ll still hold at the age of 103. I hold a Masters degree in Gerontology, specializing in health and aging. My work has been profiled by outlets like CNBC, Huffpost, Healthline, Bustle, and Livestrong. When I'm not eating dark chocolate or doing a ridiculous number of chin-ups, I perform and teach accordion, piano, and didgeridoo.

When I heard that a new vegan athlete (and a film and TV actor, at that!) moved to my small town, I knew I had to have her on the show. And I haven't even run into her at the grocery store yet! Paloma Kwiatkowski is a professional actor with over a decade of experience in the film and TV industry, an avid trail-runner turned personal trainer, and a vegan with an unwavering passion for cooking and baking.

Listen in as Paloma shares her vegan story and discusses beginning a career in the health and wellness industry, transitioning from living in big cities to a small town, and the upcoming release of a new movie she stars in.

My guest today is a pioneer in the plant-based sector with over 30 years of experience. In 1994, Rey founded the Alternative Baking Company, one of the first vegan cookie brands on the market, which generated $1 million in sales in 1995. In 1997, he founded Sun Flour Baking Co. to create new flavours, tastes, textures, and nutrition products with a longer shelf life and higher profit margins.

Sun Flour Baking produces raw and baked gluten-free cookies free of animal products. It also provides co packing, product development, consulting, testing, nutrition facts, graphic design, and wrapping in small batches. Clients include Continental Airlines, Sodexo Marriott Food Service, and Whole Foods. The company supports Farm Sanctuary, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and In Defense of Animals (IDA).

Rey owned Garden to Grill, a vegan restaurant, for five years. With extensive knowledge across the entire product life cycle, he is an experienced formulator within the industry, has designed three facilities, and has sold millions of vegan cookies, keeping eggs and dairy out of the mouths of many. Besides owning ‌five plant-based brands, he has also published two children’s books and is an expert at cannabis infusion for topical and edible products.

We hear it all the time: "I eat eggs only from free-range chickens", or "It's OK, it's a cage-free chicken". Vicky Bond, President of The Humane League, is here to bust the myth of "happy hens" in modern farming. She also discusses the myth that the best way to improve the welfare of farmed animals is to convince everyone to stop using animal products altogether. (Technically it *is*, but it isn’t realistic on a large scale at the moment.)

Vicky is president of The Humane League, a global animal protection nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food. She is also a veterinarian and an animal welfare scientist who has spent more than a decade advocating for animals. Before becoming President of The Humane League (THL), Vicky led The Humane League United Kingdom as Managing Director. Under Vicky's leadership, both THL and THL UK have directly made an impact on the world's largest food corporations (including PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Compass, and Sodexo). THL and THL UK also work on policy to push for laws to end factory farming practices, including state bans like Prop 12 that ends cages for calves, laying hens, and mother pigs while they're pregnant.

We often refer to them as 'legends', otherwise known as folks who have been vegan for more than twenty years. Case in point: Jack Norris.

Jack, who’s been vegan since 1988, is the executive director of Vegan Outreach, an animal protection nonprofit promoting vegan eating through their 10 Weeks to Vegan program in over 50 countries.

Jack has been a registered dietitian since 2001 and maintains the website VeganHealth.org. In 2005, Jack was elected to the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Jack co-authored the book Vegan For Life with Ginny Messina; the 2nd edition was published in 2020. Jack was a Division 3 All-American pole-vaulter in college, was on a national champion great grandmaster ultimate frisbee team, and is now an avid pickleball player.

Ironman triathlete Todd Crandell speaks with me about his organization, his own addiction recovery, parallels between approaches to veganism and addiction recovery, and much more. Todd is a 111-time Ironman event finisher, 4-time author, vegan since 2016, documentary subject, dad, and founder of Racing for Recovery, which has been featured on CNN, ESPN, the New York Times, and Runner’s World Magazine.

He’s dedicated his personal and professional life to helping substance abusers re-channel their destructive behaviours into positive, life-affirming action. By sharing personal stories about the perils of substance abuse, best practices in prevention, and how to lead a holistic lifestyle, Todd offers a positive alternative to those struggling to overcome a life of addiction.

Black-and-white thinking is rampant in the fitness and nutrition industries. Within the vegan community, it often centres around ethical vs. unethical, or healthy vs. unhealthy. This prevents more nuanced discussion. There seems to be growing pushback against some plant-based product innovations around being “too processed” or “too unhealthy”, and there’s a lot of fear-mongering around certain ingredients (including seed oils).

In this episode, I discuss the above sentiments [and much more] with Chef Karen McAthy, as we dive into some serious myth debunking and unpacking of where these thought processes came from.

Karen, a life-long resident of BC’s west coast, is an innovator in dairy-free, vegan, plant-based cultured cheese, and plant-based cuisine. Co-founder of former cpg brand Blue Heron and parent company Lumi Foods, Karen’s focus on innovation in plant-based food is linked to understanding the complex systems of food from growing to finished goods. Currently, Karen is developing starter and adjunct cultures for commercial use in the cultured vegan cheese and dairy-alternative sector.

When we discuss the realms of veganism and plant-based eating, we can all come to the table around a common thread: food. Food builds relationships, connection, and community.

Case in point: Matt de Gruyter. Matt is the co-founder and CEO of Next Level Burger, America’s first 100 percent plant-based burger joint that serves up vegan burgers for a better world in 10 locations coast to coast. Since its start in 2014, Next Level Burger has become a plant-based phenomenon.

Matt and his wife and co-founder, Cierra de Gruyter, lead the large-scale national expansion of the brand, adding more cities and more stores every year without losing sight of their passion for serving healthy, sustainably sourced food that drives their commitment to nourishing the people and nurturing the planet.

We discuss his business journey, surprising trends in the sector, and what a [near shocking] 52.8% represents.

As an ethical stance, we’re familiar with veganism, its tenets, and how it translates to our daily lives. Outside of that, you’d be surprised to learn about the many points with which veganism intersects, and today we’re exploring one: the relationship between veganism, and leadership.

Leadership coach Nancy Wehnert is on the show to discuss her approach to leadership, and how that connects to veganism. Nancy is a leadership coach who works with leaders and their teams. After running her own company for 15 years and seeing her team members struggling with how to perform at their best, she became passionate about leadership and building cohesive, high-performing teams.

We speak about her method in doing that, and how the glories of plant-based life supported the process [and beyond].

Why are doctors talking about connection? What is connection medicine and is connection just a "nice-to-have" or does it really impact your physical health and disease outcomes?

My guests today, Drs. Alona Pulde and Matthew Lederman, combined conventional Western medicine, Chinese medicine, Lifestyle medicine, Nonviolent Communication, Polyvagal Theory, and Trauma-Informed, Somatic Principles & Pain Reprocessing to create their groundbreaking health paradigm.

They have been successful corporate leaders, starred in the documentary Forks over Knives, lectured for eCornell, served as adjunct medical school professors and corporate medical advisors, and are New York Times bestselling authors.

Where are the places where veganism, plant-based living, and business practices intersect? We have found some, and we’re here to share the intel!

Cynthia Owen joins me on the show to talk about making veganism more mainstream, leveraging grants to help businesses move forward with plant-based offerings, and her coaching work, including being part of a cultural/global movement for women.

Cynthia is a seasoned Mentor and Coach in the realm of personal growth and skill development, having supported over a hundred Fempreneurs to take their businesses to the next level. With advanced degrees in science and economics, Cynthia brings more than 25 years of professional experience in market analysis, program design and delivery to the table.

Should kids be eating a plant-based diet? Will kids who are vegan be inherently more prone to vitamin deficiencies? We’re jumping into these questions and more on today’s podcast episode.

Dr. Leigh Ettinger has been a medical doctor since 1998 but did not learn about the plant-based diet until 2014. He made changes in his own eating and quickly saw the benefits.

He’s earned a certificate in plant-based nutrition from eCornell and is now board certified in obesity medicine. He enjoys helping families successfully change course to a plant-strong path for their health, for the animals, for social justice, and for the environment.

In this ititeration of the 'Ask Us Anything' series, our listeners make the call on what we're speaking about, and what we dive into!

We answer questions that have been received from listeners [via email, Facebook, and Instagram], on everything from strength training and recovery, to veganism and tattoos, to intermittent fasting...and a heck of a lot more.

We packed as many answers to listener questions as we could into this episode, and promise to return with another episode to cover the questions we couldn't address.

If you're looking for a multi-faceted, multi-subject, BS-busting episode, you've found it!

Jen Sinkler has a few different titles: writer, editor, trainer, and art maker [to name a few.]

In recent years, her focus as a fitness trainer has pivoted. She trains clients out of a local gym and hosts a community workout group, but her focus has expanded to a bigger-picture approach: learning about the links between the environment and personal health. We discuss a few things that aren’t working in the fitness industry, ableism in the sector, and Jen's process of learning about community organization, and how to get involved with pertinent issues on local and state-wide levels.

Since 2018, Jen has been studying and practicing various forms of visual art — drawing and collage, in particular — and she’s preparing to launch a greeting-cards company.

We discuss her many roles, projects, and what she’s discovered as her focus in the fitness industry has shifted [you’ll want to hear this!]

Learn why I no longer set annual goals on my birthday (and which two books had the biggest impact on me in this area), and how I celebrated this year. Also get the basics on the 6 fundamental strength training movement patterns you need to include in your workouts each week, a few nutrients to which active vegans need to pay extra attention, muscle gain and/or fat loss on a plant-based diet, and everyone’s favourite vegan topic: protein.

Professor Laura Fox is the Douglas M. Costle Chair in Environmental Law and Director of the Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic at Vermont Law & Graduate School.

In 2018, California voters approved Proposition 12, which prohibits the sale of pork, eggs, and veal from animals that were raised in extreme confinement and unsanitary conditions, regardless of where they were raised (in California or elsewhere). Groups with farming interests challenged this law. Recently, the Supreme Court rejected the challenge, upholding Proposition 12.

Professor Fox and I discuss the implications of this decision on animal welfare in the future, its food safety and public health effects, how her work fits in with her long-term veganism, and more.

Vangile Makwakwa is an author, podcast host, founder of wealthy-money.com, and of course: vegan!

Vangile shares her vegan story, how veganism factors into the retreats she leads, and how it supported her through releasing trauma.

Speaking to the impact that different forms of systemic oppression have on personal finances and wealth, Vangile discusses her finance journey from a deeply personal perspective, and outlines how that has informed her career.

You’ve probably heard a lot of the discussions. They may sing the praises of the Mediterranean diet, talk about the detrimental nature of oils, and frame Forks Over Knives as the be-all, end-all. Beyond the surface though, what does the actual science say?

Dr. Scott Lear has been a leading scientist in preventing heart disease for over 20 years. Scott is a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, and he conducts research into how lifestyle can prevent and manage heart disease - and other chronic diseases. He has heart disease himself and writes a bi-weekly blog (Become Your Healthiest You) and co-hosts the How to Health podcast to share his expertise and patient experience regarding healthy living.

On this episode of The No-B.S. Vegan, Jaebien Rosario joins me to talk about some of my favourite topics, including these questions [and many more!]

Jaebien is a certified nutrition coach and personal trainer with a background in psychology, public health, and philosophy. Currently, he studies public health at a graduate level and is interested in plant-based nutrition, critical thinking, and longevity.

Isaias Hernandez is an Environmental Educator & Content Creator of QueerBrownVegan, where he educates people on the intersecting climate crises through a justice-oriented lens.

Isaias and I discuss intersectionality, veganism and food insecurity, BIPOC voices in veganism, de-centreing whiteness in environmentalism/veganism, diversity and inclusion, and much [much] more.

Scholar, author, and editor Dr. Gregory Tague is on the show to discuss his book, The Vegan Evolution: Transforming Diets and Agriculture. We talk about how and why veganism needs to be the wave of the future for human and planetary health, educating young members of our society, and why anatomically modern humans are not born hunters and eaters of meat.

From Gregory’s book: “We are genetically predisposed to eat for survival, but we are not genetically programmed to eat meat three times a day any more than we are mechanized to eat candy bars.”

“The evolutionary case for veganism is about shifts in cultural attitudes, values, and beliefs that are advantageous to humans, ecosystems, and animals.”

Within veganism is a well-known movement of “absolutely no oil” proponents. Several high-profile vegan doctors and cardiologists promote a 100% no-oil diet for everyone across the population. In this episode, we discuss why this doesn’t fit with the current peer-reviewed research. Not all oils are equal, and there’s a large body of research showing certain types of oil are, in fact, good for us.

Dr. Matthew Nagra is a Naturopathic Doctor devoted to bringing the most up-to-date, evidence-based nutrition information to both the public and his patients at his clinic in Vancouver. (We also discuss how science and naturopathy can coexist!)

In 2018 Dr. Nagra graduated from the Boucher Institute after completing his Bachelor's of Science in Microbiology at the University of Victoria. He is also certified in plant-based nutrition through eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, and was a contributing author on Professional Health Systems' Nutrition textbook. He is also a public speaker and often tackles misinformation around diet and dives deep into the latest nutrition research on his social media.

Can vegans participate in endurance sports at the same level as their non-vegan counterparts? What are some of the challenges they face? We answer these questions [and more] in today’s episode.

Vic Johnson is a sports nutrition coach for outdoor athletes, working primarily with trail runners, cyclists, triathletes, skiers and other mountain athletes.

He has degrees in psychology, public health, and dietetics. Vic has eaten a primarily plant-based diet for over 15 years and has competed in endurance sports since high school. He loves helping athletes achieve their ultimate potential in their sport through sustainable nutrition and fuelling.

Toni Okamoto is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, the popular website and social media platform that teaches millions how to eat more plants without breaking their budget. She’s also the author of the forthcoming Plant-Based on a Budget Quick & Easy cookbook, and the co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast.

Toni’s work has been profiled by NPR, NBC News, Parade, and she’s a regular presence on local and national morning shows across the US, where she teaches viewers how to break their meat habit without breaking their budget. She was also featured in the popular documentary What the Health.

When she’s not cooking up a plant-based storm, she’s spending time with her husband and their rescued dog in Sacramento, CA.

Debbie Adler is a plant-based chef, bakery owner, and the award-winning cookbook author of the critically-acclaimed Sweet, Savory & Free: Insanely Delicious Plant-Based Recipes without any of the Top 8 Food Allergens, and Sweet Debbie’s Organic Treats: Allergy-free & Vegan Recipes from the Famous Los Angeles Bakery.

Debbie is a plant-based cooking and baking instructor and her popular online courses Plant Powerful Life GPS, Quintessential Health 360° and The Complete Plant Powerful Weight Loss System have been taken by hundreds of students worldwide.

She has been interviewed on NBC’s Nightly News, ABC-7’s Eyewitness News, CBS Los Angeles and the national superstation WGN.

We jump into a discussion on food allergies, the protein myth, and much [much] more!

Ernalee Shannon is a Bio-Kinesiologist, Holistic Health Practitioner, ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder] Sanity Saver Coach, Author, Speaker, and creator of the ADHD Sanity Saver Reset.

As a child, Ernalee says she was “as ADHD as they come”. After healing her own health crisis and brain, she has spent the last 36 years helping people achieve the health and wellbeing that eludes them. It's her superpower. Her passion is working with children who are just like she used to be.

Ernalee joins me to discuss why eating vegan is important for those with ADHD, her own vegan story, and more.

"Veganuary" is a popular challenge that encourages participants to go vegan for the month of January.

Long-term ethical vegans like myself would prefer the approach to veganism to be longer-term than just 1 month. Approaching veganism as a “challenge” for a certain length of time hints at short-term “bootcamp” style weight loss programs that don’t often lead to long-lasting results.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Some inspirational quotes from past podcast guests.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

3 reasons why goal-setting might backfire, and what to do instead.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Tips for fuelling cardio and strength training on a 100% plant-based diet.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

A reading from my book, The Vegan Athlete, on busting myths about soy. (Higher soy intake is associated with positive health outcomes, not negative ones.)

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Vegans aren’t as proficient in endurance sports, right?

[NOT.]

Meet Sonya Looney. She’s a world champion pro mountain biker, certified health and performance coach, podcast host, and TEDx speaker. She was featured in the New York Times bestseller The Plant-Based Athlete by Matt Frazier and Robert Cheeke (check out episode 94 of #TheNoBSVegan with Robert, by the way).

Sonya has raced her mountain bike across the world in over 25 countries at the hardest endurance races, in places like the Sahara Desert, Himalayas of Nepal, tropical jungles in Asia, steppes of Mongolia, and mountain ranges in Poland. She became a World Champion in 2015.

She tells us how, and much [much] more in this episode!

“Superfood” is a marketing term. It was invented in order to sell products. It’s not a legitimate concept in nutritional science, and has no standard definition.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

A few hard-hitting quotes from The Hungry Brain: Outsmarting the Instincts That Make us Overeat, by Stephan J. Guyenet (PhD in neuroscience, and an obesity researcher).

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

These terms are often used interchangeably, and sometimes just for marketing purposes, but they mean slightly different things.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Veganism is often touted as a weight loss diet. I don't think it should be, and here's why.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Before working with us, one of our clients was used to getting fast results from extreme programs, but then losing those results after the programs ended. Hear how my colleague Coach Zoe approached this challenge.

We're all about sustainable changes that you can maintain for the rest of your life, without worrying that you'll lose the habits you've built or the results you've achieved!

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

By popular request, I finally perform accordion on the podcast, just for fun! I'm joined (also on accordion) by Walter Martella: jazz musician, conductor, instructor, and Director of the Powell River Academy of Music.

Recently, one of our clients told me, “I have such an all-or-nothing approach to nutrition. I’m either “on” 100%, or completely off. And when I’m “on” at 100%, completely on point, it doesn’t last very long”. Here's my response.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

You do not need to weigh your food, track your macros, drink lemon juice and cayenne pepper in your water every morning, avoid carbs, or add sustainably-sourced Scandinavian lingonberries to all your smoothies. What most health and fitness companies are trying to sell you are details. You need to focus on the basics to get results.

Here are my 4 health and fitness priorities, and I ignore everything else.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

To make your training more effective, focus more on compound lifts, and less on isolation movements. Get the details in this mini episode.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Train yourself to operate *without* motivation.

Some wise words from James Clear, in his excellent book Atomic Habits:

“Really successful people feel the same lack of motivation as everyone else. The difference is that they still find a way to show up despite the feelings of boredom. If you only do the work when it’s convenient or exciting, then you’ll never be consistent enough to achieve remarkable results.”

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Sometimes I can't help myself, and just *have* to jump into a pointless internet argument about veganism, how science works, or both.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

One of the many (many) problems in the fitness industry is how fitness is often presented: a 30-day challenge. A 5-day restart. A 28-day bootcamp. I get it — people want exact timelines and they’re impatient. It’s just how the human brain works. But if you can commit to *never being done*, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

These 6 movement patterns should form the foundation of any effective, well-rounded strength training plan.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Some choice BS-busting from Burn: New Research Blows the Lid off How we Really Burn Calories, Lose Weight, and Stay Healthy, by Herman Pontzer (professor of evolutionary anthropology).

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

The term “she does it all” may have been made for Hadar Aviram.

Hadar is a law professor at University of California, Hastings in San Francisco. She specializes in criminal justice, civil rights, law and politics, social movements, and animal rights. She is the former president of the Western Society of Criminology and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Law and Society Association.

Hadar is the author of three award-winning books, and another [examining the COVID-19 catastrophe in California’s prisons and jails]

is forthcoming. Hadar’s work has been extensively featured in the media, and she is a frequent analyst and commentator on criminal justice and prison conditions.

Hadar has written about open rescue and direct action for farmed animals. During her research fellowship at Harvard’s acclaimed Animal Law & Policy Program, Hadar analyzed the legal and political strategies of activists who enter factory farms and rescue sick and dying animals. Recently, she advised, and was a defense witness for, the defendants in Utah’s Smithfield Trial, in which a Southern Utah jury found two activists NOT GUILTY of rescuing two piglets from a Smithfield facility.

Hadar is a whole food, plant-based endurance athlete. She has successfully escaped from Alcatraz 20 times. Hadar also ran the Oakland Marathon and regularly commutes with her son on a cargo bike. When not working, agitating, or training, she hangs out with her partner, 5-year-old son, and two cats.

Myth 1: If I eat enough calories, I’ll automatically get enough protein.

Myth 2: Eating the same amount of food as when you were non-vegan will supply all the calories you need.

Myth 3: I can rely on supplements to get the daily protein I need.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Why working out with resistance bands is the best option for at-home and travel workouts.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

I discuss 7 problems with bikini (physique) competitions, and why we don't work with clients who want to compete in them.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Weight-neutral fitness means working outside the confines of fat loss or a smaller body size as the main goal of fitness. It rejects weight, size, or BMI as accurate measures of health; this is in line with scientific evidence, which shows that body size alone (without taking other factors into account) does not correlate with health outcomes.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

A short reading from my book, The Vegan Athlete, on everyone's favourite vegan topic: protein!

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Some inspirational quotes from past podcast guests.

(Topics were kept a surprise during the month of December. Listeners had to tune in to each daily advent calendar episode to find out what it was about!)

Aging, anti-aging, optimal aging, and a myriad of other terms: in a society where *everyone* is offering advice about aging, what really is the best way to do it? What are the non-negotiables? Bob and Fran German may have the answers.

Bob and Fran are healthy aging advocates, authors, and coaches. They’re both in their 80s, and they’re feeling better than ever. They have three children and four grandchildren, enjoyed successful careers, and traveled to more than 75 countries worldwide.

Along the way, they became human rights activists, martial artists, mediators and negotiators, students and teachers in the Buddhist tradition, public speakers, international volunteers, and still serve as advisers to a number of non-profit organizations, businesses, and individuals globally.

Bob and Fran hold a central principle of being one’s own health advocate, and we explore that concept [and more] in this episode!

5 years ago, Rachel started strength training with Coach K, and now they’re a competitive powerlifter who just qualified for their first pro meet!

Vegan for 14 years, Rachel Lakey is a Portland, Oregon-based strength coach and competitive powerlifter. Five years ago, they took a women’s introduction to strength training class with Coach K, and have been addicted to the barbell ever since.

In their first year of competing, they broke multiple state records and lifted at the National level. Rachel is passionate about expanding queer inclusion and representation in powerlifting and is involved in advocacy efforts around the Pacific Northwest.

The Esselstyn family changed how we look at food as medicine. On this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with both Ann and Jane Esselstyn.

We explore the history of Caldwell Esselstyn’s work, and how the family integrated his scientific studies into how the family ate, and what it has meant now over three generations.

Ann and Jane’s new book, 'Be A Plant-Based Woman Warrior’, explores how women, in particular, benefit from a plant based diet physically, mentally, hormonally, and more.

This is one episode you don’t want to miss!

Have you heard the term ‘Fitness Industrial Complex’? If the answer is no, we can guarantee your response will be different by the end of this podcast episode.

Justice Roe, founder of Fitness4AllBodies, joins me to discuss his founding of the organization, looking to our work in the fitness industry as social justice work, and the systemic change that needs to happen in the fitness industry to foster inclusivity.

Justice is a Certified Personal Trainer, head coach at Kettlebell Justice, founder of The Queer Gym Pop Up and BodyImage4Justice, and Executive Director of Fitness4AllBodies based in Boston. Justice is a trans, body-positive social justice activist who continues to create safe spaces for all bodies across the globe through his work with Fitness4AllBodies.

We’ve all heard it before: changing certain elements of our lifestyles can dramatically change our health. How do we put that into practice, and what does it really mean?

Dr. Amanda Adkins, a board-certified internal medicine physician, and a health coach/owner of Enlightenment Health and Wealth, joins me to discuss this point [and more!]

She has a deep passion for ensuring that everyone has a chance at a healthy and happy life. Her most recent focus has been to help women who are overweight prevent and possibly reverse chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

If you’re not familiar with the powerhouse that is Kate Strong, you will be by the end of this episode.

Kate is a 3x world record holder in cycling, world champion triathlete, passionately plant-based and a purpose-led coach and consultant. Her upcoming challenge, Challenge 3,000, involves her cycling 3,000 miles around the circumference of the UK and planting 3,000 trees- on a bamboo bicycle.

Do we have your attention?

Pause and answer immediately: who are your five favourite voices in the wellness industry right now, or those you see represented the most?

Would you say that there is diversity represented in your responses? Does your answer surprise you? Let’s get into it.

Stacy Lee Kong is a writer, editor and the founder of Friday Things, a weekly newsletter and social media account about pop culture stories. We discuss the way white supremacy is embedded in the wellness industry, and how we can collectively work to decolonize wellness.

“Bro culture” is the thing we chuckle about sometimes, or see featured in memes. What happens when we explore this term further, not only within a fitness realm, but in relation to women in business as a whole?

Holly Burton joins me to discuss women in business and in fitness: oppression, prejudice, expectations; “taking up space” physically and socially; the problems with so-called “bro culture”, and how to build your own path forward.

Holly is a leadership coach for women in male-dominated industries. She's also the founder of Women in Male-Dominated Industries [WIMDI], a community of over 4,000 ambitious folks who connect with each other and get delicious career and leadership resources that help them create the working world they deserve while they wait for the rest of society to catch up.

It’s not out of the ordinary for us to hear about self-care, ideal ways to practice it, and why it’s so imperative. It is rare, however, to hear it discussed within the culinary world.

Enter Chef Stephanie Michalak White, who developed and launched a plant-based program at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts [currently ranked as the #1 culinary school in the entire world.]

Stephanie and I discuss her program development, what self-care means for chefs and folks in culinary worlds, and the major topic of food insecurity.

Many folks come to veganism later in life, but there are a select few who start slightly earlier. Kingston Zoom Walters, also known as King Zoom the Vegan Kid, has been vegan since birth.

Kingston is an 18-year-old vegan, neurodivergent, feminist social justice activist and environmentalist. His early passion for speaking up against injustices towards animals, humans and the planet evolved into speaking at many events across North America.

Kingston joins me to discuss what he’s learned as a child activist, self-care for vegan animal activists, and his brand new book.

What constitutes a “vegan legend”? Let’s start with almost 40 years of veganism, being listed by VegNews among the “Top 10 Living Vegetarian Authors’, establishing the Main Street Vegan Academy…and more.

Meet Victoria Moran. Victoria first joined me on the podcast for episode 46, and this is our second discussion. We talk about the Main Street Vegan Academy training and certification program [where she is Founder/Director], healthy aging, leaving a lasting legacy, and the intersection of compassion with both faith and spirituality.

"I've got a great opportunity for you to start your own business and earn extra income on the side!" -- most of us have received an MLM (multi-level marketing) pitch like this from a distant acquaintance after some small talk.

Although they're declining in popularity, MLM is a business structure rampant in the fitness, nutrition, and health space. Beachbody, Arbonne, Herbalife, Younique, Amway...the list goes on. In this episode I share 6 reasons why MLM is unethical, and why it's problematic within the fitness -- and vegan -- realms.

I also discuss why MLM decreases the brand equity of existing businesses, as well as the future of, and alternatives to, MLM.

It’s no secret that our podcast episodes often contain at least a few mic drops. This one may set the bar.

Earlier this year, Registered Dietician Desiree Nielsen joined me to discuss all things food and nutrition. Our conversation was so expansive, we needed to bridge it into a separate discussion, and invite Coach Zoe [my fellow BS-buster] to join the talk.

We discuss dismantling certain structures within the ‘fitness industrial complex’ [term coined by Fitness for All Bodies], the problematic components of the diet industry, nutrition, when veganism is used as weight loss incentive, and so much more.

We’re all relatively familiar with the term and concept of meal plans. For years, they’ve been offered to us as the fail-proof, non-negotiable element that will help you nail all of your nutritional goals. What if there was a completely different approach that didn’t involve meal plans? Furthermore, what if they actually have a detrimental impact?

Certified plant-based sports nutritionist Philip Bryden joins me to talk about this- and much more! He also holds certifications in Integrative Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Nutrition Coaching, Anatomy and Physiology, Plant-Based Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, and he’s a certified Yoga Instructor and Ultra Running Coach. Philip works with international professional athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer, tennis, and ultra running; and he’s Club Nutritionist for the world’s first vegan rugby club.

Climate action has been a longstanding subject, as we become more and more aware of the current, irrefutable climate crisis. However, while we discuss its connection to many parts of our lives, this may be one of the first times we’ve explored its connection to….fitness!

Emily Kennedy is a systems thinker from Nova Scotia, a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and founder of resiliFIT Coaching. She uses her love of food and fitness to demonstrate the impact we have on climate change through daily choices, while connecting folks with nature.

Maybe you’ve heard the terms; maybe you haven’t: gut health. Anti-nutrients. There are many terms, often elusive, that circulate within the nutrition realm. What do they mean, and which ones should we be paying attention to?

Registered Dietician Desiree Nielsen joins me to discuss these terms, chat about anti-nutrients, where we find them, and answer the big question: are they bad for us? Alongside this subject and others, we dive into nutrition myth-busting, drop some mics, and discuss re-thinking the approach to nutrition as a whole.

When you hear the term marathon swim, it’s generally referring to a 10km distance [6.2 miles]. Our guest for NBSV #120, Susan Simmons, is an ultra-marathon swimmer. You do the math.

Susan Simmons discusses how she uses veganism to manage multiple sclerosis, and fuel her training.

In her own words: “My number one form of exercise is swimming and my diet is vegan. Both minimize the stress on my body, making it possible for me to live an active life.”

Listen now via link in bio!

We’ve all heard them, right? Veganism exists alongside a selection of myths, perpetuated by mainstream media, particular industries, and marketing [to name a few!]

Do you want to know three of the most familiar myths out there, and promptly have them busted by truth and facts?

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Nisha Melvani joins me to do just that, alongside a discussion about her new book release, attending culinary school at the Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC, and much, much more.

It is one of the most important, and most inquired-about relationships, and we're diving into it: veganism and strength training.

I outline how to fuel strength training efficiently, the special things vegans need to consider, 6-extra important nutrients, and much [much] more.

Naturally, we'll also explore the infamous, favourite subject matter when it comes to talking about vegans and strength training: protein! The truths, the facts, the myths: this episode has them all.

If you’ve listened to the No-Bullshit Vegan podcast before, you’ve heard his name. If you haven’t, it’s about time you do!

Coach Ren Jones, one of my favourite humans with whom to “co-bust” industry BS, returns for another episode of mic drops and truth bombs. Ranging from the fitness industry’s take on body size, to celebrity weight loss, we present a freestyle episode: no agenda, however no subject stone left unturned.

Ren Jones is a certified trainer and certified nutrition coach in Charlotte, North Carolina. His personal philosophy toward changing behaviors is centered around self-compassion over discipline, methods which have helped his clients make permanent change and heal their relationship with food.

You’ve heard the question before, you’ve seen all the opinions weigh in, and you’ve seen the spirited discussions on social media about it: can dogs be vegan?

Laura Simonson of Virchew [which produces plant-based meals and treats for dogs], addresses this question, the myth that dogs are carnivores, and speaks to the expansive research that’s been done on dogs who eat vegan diets.

Based in Vancouver, BC, Virchew is the first producer of 100% plant-based meals and treats for dogs powered by trail-blazing veterinary partnerships and nutrition programs: "Good for our dogs. Good for our earth. Good for our hearts” is the brand’s mantra, and Laura’s here to tell you why.

How do vegans get their protein?

Vegan bodybuilders Dani Taylor and Giacomo Marchese of VeganProteins.com answer this question, and a heck of a lot more: long-term habit change, strength training on a vegan diet, and reaching big fitness goals.

They travel with the Vegan Strong team and co-founded PlantBuilt.com, an NPO of vegan strength athletes who compete to raise awareness for veganism and money for animal rescue sanctuaries. Eat plants; lift heavy: this is how!

Where do technology and animal products intersect [and how do they?]

Dr. Karthik Sekar offers a technological argument against animal products, their problematic relationship to the environment [and the animals], and how the future of plant-based replacements has the capacity to exceed animal-based products in every way.

Humanity has great impetus to shift past animal products, and this is a part of the process that bears huge potential to help us do so. Tune in to find out how you can be part of it.

Daniel Weiss joins me to delve into how body composition and athletic performance intersect, how veganism affects athletic performance, how to improve your body composition and energy with your nutrition and training, and more. Daniel turned his passion for nutrition, food, exercising, and human behaviour into helping active people overcome mindset blocks, lose excuses, and develop healthy relationships with food while pursuing health, body composition, and performance goals.

How has West African -specifically Ghanian- cuisine [and its plant-based nature], influenced US and Caribbean food cultures?

Nana-Serwa Mancell is the Founder and chef of Veghana, a meal delivery and catering company based in Dubai that serves vegan West African cuisine.

Nana believes that West African Food deserves a place among the popular global cuisines, and that it has an enormous amount to offer anyone on a plant-based diet. We discuss this crucial shift, and much- much more!

What do noses have to do with weight loss?
How do we talk about "problem" areas?
Watch out: the holidays are coming + you best repent for your food choices!

Back by popular demand for a 2nd edition, alongside my coaching colleague @zoemarg, we commit to calling out more falsities that need to be addressed, including the potentially problematic use of the word "goals", how we can dismantle the "good vs.bad" paradigm, and much [much] more.

Time to kick the BS to the curb! Listen now via link in bio

What are some ways we can approach diversity and inclusion within the fitness industry, and what work still needs to be done?

Adapted from a Zoom conversation for an alive Magazine article (about how the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent discussions about diversity and inclusion, have changed the fitness industry for good), Chrissy King joins me to discuss her work as a writer, speaker, strength coach, and educator, with a passion for creating a diverse and inclusive wellness industry.

“Fitness is rooted in two things: patriarchy, and access.”

Ren Jones is a certified trainer and certified nutrition coach in Charlotte, North Carolina. His personal philosophy toward changing behaviors is centered around self-compassion over discipline.

Ren joined me for a crucial discussion about some of the most important issues facing the fitness industry today, a discourse that by no means can be contained to one podcast episode [and will be featured in many more to come.]

The International Vegan Film Festival [IVFF] and World Tour was founded in 2018. It is the largest vegan film festival of its kind in the entire world, exploring themes around animal welfare, environment, and health and nutrition.

Shawn Stratton, director of the International Vegan Film Festival and World Tour, joins me to discuss the festival’s past, present, and future; his vegan story; and life as a plant-based endurance athlete.

It is a comparison ever-present in the vegan community, though it is rarely critically addressed: veganism and abortion. In light of the recent legislation in Texas around reproductive rights [and lack thereof], my coaching colleague Zoe and I talk about the intersections between veganism and abortion, why the comparison may be problematic, and above all: why anti-abortion vegans are blatant hypocrites.

We’ve all heard the discussions around low-fat, plant-based diets [sometimes referred to as whole foods, plant-based]. The question remains: is it all hype, or are these sentiments true?

Chef AJ and Glen Merzer, co-authors of the new book Own Your Health: How to Live Long and Avoid Chronic Illness, join me to discuss this lifestyle, answer the aforementioned question once and for all, and discuss how we can strategically move veganism forward in a culture that has normalized eating animal products.

Vegan meal planning: you’ve heard the term, and it’s one that can both inspire and elude. Sophia DeSantis is here to show us how to move from overwhelmed to empowered when it comes to vegan meal planning.

The fun-loving mom behind Veggies Don’t Bite!, Sophia outlines how to break past traditional meal planning and create a meal system that is sustainable, will help you move from overwhelmed to empowered, and furthermore, how to successfully reach *all* of your wellness goals.

What kind of messaging do we see in the fitness industry on a regular basis, and why are many parts of it so problematic? Alongside my coaching colleague Zoe Peled, we commit to calling out four falsities that need to be addressed, including the value assigned to the scale, the perverse need to have statements like "strong is the new skinny", and how the industry strategically markets itself to women based on shame and comparison. Time to kick the BS to the curb!

Is veganism really as difficult to implement as many folks say it is? Danny O’Malley, President and Founder of Before the Butcher, answers this question and many more, shares the story of his business, and shares crucial thoughts on plant-based food as a whole. Danny helped innovate the first line of diverse plant-based meat (burgers, chicken, turkey, sausage & much more) with an eye on taste, nutrition and sustainability.

Is a plant-based diet healthy for kids? Furthermore, is it safe for kids? Alexandra Caspero from Plant-Based Juniors joins me to answer these questions, address the benefits of a plant-based diet for kids, and break down some problematic (and false) myths prevalent within the dialogue. Alexandra is a registered dietitian nutritionist, mom, and (with Whitney English) the creator of Plant-Based Juniors, a community helping parents get more plants on the plate.

Herbivore is one of the best-known vegan stores in the world. Co-founder Michelle Schwegmann joins me to share some of Herbivore's history, her view on vegan parenting, how her approach to veganism has changed over the years, and much more.

In celebration of our 100th (!!) episode, I speak with 10 of our amazing listeners for 10 minutes each. You’ll hear from a farm sanctuary founder, a heavy metal vocalist, business owners, fitness coaches, professional organizers, and more. All vegan, and each with incredible insights to share. Thank you so much for supporting this show over the past 3+ years! Here’s to the next 100 episodes.

How does veganism pertain to religion? There are blind spots intrinsic within religious communities, as veganism clearly pertains to the connection between suffering (animals, the planet, human health) and food choices.

Jess Peacock is a researcher, adjunct professor, United Church of Christ clergy, author, and part of the K.I. team. A vegan for 16 years, Jess explores the above (and more), as we discuss where- and how- these two schools of thought intersect.

A listener asked, “How do you feel about cheat days or cheat meals?” This is my answer. I discuss why I don’t use the term “cheat” in relation to food, why there’s no such thing as a “perfect” diet or “good” and “bad” foods, why rigid rules and restriction don’t work when it comes to nutrition, and how to break away from the all-or-nothing approach to dieting. I’ve also included powerful writing pieces from three fitness professionals on these subjects.

How do we define “veganism”? Vegan business owner (One Thing Lockets) Setareh Bateni addresses the complexities of this answer, from a unique perspective holding a Master’s degree in Philosophy.

Setareh speaks to the importance of showing the challenges and road bumps that may come up along the journey to veganism, being vegan in a non-vegan family, and how the ethical stance has been incorporated into both her personal life, and her business life.

Justina Adorno is an actor, long-term vegan, and committed to raising awareness through her social platforms about the abuse that animals endure. Justina currently stars on the gritty drama FX’s Mayans M.C., playing the role of ‘Stephanie’ aka ‘Nails,’ in the show’s third season.

Having a passion for animal rights, Justina lives a vegan lifestyle, and is adamant about using only vegan makeup and hair products on set, and educates her followers across her social platforms on the abuse that animals endure. She shares her vegan story, talks about her current role on Mayans M.C., discusses using only vegan products on set, and much (much) more.

Mindfulness: what is it, how does one start with it, and how can it help us be happier vegans (and activists?) Meredith Marin is a vegan entrepreneur with a background in social work and community organizing. She's known in the vegan community for her work that transformed Aruba into the most vegan-friendly island in the Caribbean. We discuss her current projects, her background in vegan hospitality, and her strategies to support vegans all over the world in creating impact.

Robert Cheeke, often referred to as the "Godfather of Vegan Bodybuilding", played a major role in growing the industry from its 2002 infancy to where it is today. Robert is a two-time natural bodybuilding champion, and founder and president of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness. Starting with his early farm roots, Robert shares his story of adding 100 pounds to his frame as a vegan bodybuilder, shifting the industry dialogue, and growing the vegan bodybuilding movement as a whole.

Peggy Brusseau is a food writer, cook, and committed vegan of more than 30 years. Peggy has written or co-written 24 books on food and health. Her most recent book addresses many key points about veganism: transitioning to veg life, living in a household where not all family members are vegan, nutrition for infants and children, the age-old "where do I get my protein?" question, and more. Heard of The Twelve Vegan Food Groups? After this discussion with Peggy, you'll be able to answer that question.

Announcing A Decade of Deadlifts: 10 Year Anniversary and Book Launch! Join us for our free, online extravaganza of three days of events (March 19 to 21), behind the scenes access, giveaways, and our main event featuring 5 incredible industry panelists. All folks are welcome to join the festivities as we celebrate 10 years of plant-fueled athleticism, badassery, an abundance of dark chocolate, and the publication of The Vegan Athlete (my fourth book!) Get your free ticket at karinainkster.com/booklaunch.

Bill left a cushy job teaching English in Japan after 9/11 to join the Army as a Combat Medic. Vegan since 1992, Bill adhered to his plant-fueled diet throughout his rigorous Army training and deployment to Afghanistan. Bill now serves veterans as a registered nurse at the West Los Angeles Medical Center. In non-COVID times, Bill gives talks about being vegan, and appears at Veg Fests and Fitness Expos with the Vegan Strong team. We discuss how he survived as a vegan in the army, his two books, and more!

K.I. team members Karina Inkster, Izzy Pope-Moore, and Zoe Peled unite for a tri-force podcast episode to discuss some “trends” of the fitness/athleticism industries and problematic tendencies of “weight loss first fitness”. Throughout the discussion, the team debunks a few myths about veganism and BMI, shares their diverse- and impressive- training goals, and much (much) more.

In Part 1 (of 2) of our K.I. team member series, Izzy Pope-Moore shares what it’s like to work in a hospital during a pandemic as a vegan. We chat about whatever comes to mind, including her efforts to make the hospital cafeteria more vegan-friendly, strength training, her work fostering cats, and her new Main Street Vegan Academy certifications.

Tobias returns to the show to bust myths about the “new year, new you” concept. We both love nerding out on tracking progress, optimizing our habits, and setting goals, so we had a freestyle discussion about all of this. When are goals useful? When *shouldn’t* we set goals? How do we best track progress? Tobias leads Athlegan, a team of passionate vegan athletes who are trying to change the world by helping more people become strong and fit vegans.

Stephanie Dreyer of Batch Cooking Club joins me to discuss three myths about vegan meal prep: Preparing homemade vegan meals is time consuming and difficult, following a meal plan takes too much work and effort, and being vegan in a non-vegan family is impossible. Stephanie shares her method for making weekly plant-based meal prep simple and stress-free.

Raydel's new book passes down traditional Cuban family recipes -- in vegan form. He shares his story of coming to veganism from the typical meat-heavy Cuban diet, and the resulting transformation in his health. We also discuss how he's passing down his grandmother's family recipes to the next generation, and keeping the traditions and memories of "old Cuba" alive via its food -- but veganized. Raydel Hernandez is a first generation Cuban American, home cook, and culinary author.

How is "processed food" defined? Why does the term have such a bad reputation? Where do vegan processed foods fit in? Why is the black-and-white view of “all processed foods are bad” problematic, and what message might this send? How do we assess the healthiness of a food? We take a look at a few food package examples from Chana's fridge. We also discuss bioengineering; it’s much more common than you might think. And, at the end of the episode, I have a very special holiday surprise for you!

Valerie Martin, a.k.a. Val the Vegan Therapist, offers valuable insights for anyone who's vegan (or veg-curious). We discuss the importance of navigating the emotional and social challenges of veganism, whether having a vegan therapist is important if you’re vegan yourself, and her favourite techniques for coping with anxiety (given the world situation at the moment, who the heck *isn't* anxious right now?!) Valerie is a psychotherapist, coach, and yoga teacher based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nutritional counsellor and disordered eating coach Devon Hoholuk discusses why vegan diets are often discouraged in recovery, and how she approaches things differently. She shares her story of recovery from anorexia and bulimia, and how flexible veganism relates to recovery. You don't need to have a diagnosed eating disorder to get something out of this episode. Our relationships with food can be quite complex, and it’s important to address what may be problematic aspects of that relationship.

Vegan since 1992 and a life-long cyclist, mountaineer Jason Addy enjoys doing fully self-propelled mountaineering trips from home to home. I.e. from home to a mountain (usually on a bike), scaling said mountain, and then cycling back home. We discuss how he came to veganism almost 3 decades ago, fuelling himself and others on treks with plant-based food, the self propelled outdoor group he founded, and the guidebook he's currently writing to the mountains north of Powell River.

I address the misconception that veganism is inherently beneficial for weight loss, and I discuss navigating the sometimes-very-thin line between health, fitness, and aesthetic goals. We all want to look awesome, but I think there are more and less effective (and healthy) ways of using aesthetics as an ingredient in what motivates you to create and sustain a fitness routine. I also discuss unrealistic physique expectations, and why I don’t train clients for physique competitions.

Soon-to-be doctor Muzammil Ahmad joins me to discuss the lack of nutrition education in medical schools and his work to reform it, including bringing plant-based nutrition to the forefront. Muzammil goes over the problems with current nutrition education (not enough hours, contradictions within the curriculum, lack of preventative nutrition education), and the extensive work he's doing to fix these issues, including furthering plant-based nutrition education among school faculty and fellow students.

Guy Vaknin, owner of plant-based chain Beyond Sushi in New York City, joins me for a conversation on building his vegan business (and transitioning it to vegan after opening), listening to his customers, his experiences on Hell’s Kitchen and Shark Tank, and raising two vegan kids. He has over 13 years of experience as an executive chef, and loves experimenting with new flavour combinations and ingredients. As a proud vegan, he hopes to inspire listeners to eat clean and leave a lasting impact on our planet.

Bradie discusses how the foods we eat affect climate change and why being vegan fights climate change; sheds some light on animal agriculture (cattle, in particular), including some major myth-busting about grass fed free range beef; and presents advantages and disadvantages of GMO foods. He also challenges the idea that organic produce is always better for the environment than conventionally-grown produce. Bradie is a PhD student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware.

Robby Barbaro spent 6 years building the Forks Over Knives brand, and is the cofounder of Mastering Diabetes. He discusses insulin resistance and why you should care (whether or not you’re diagnosed with diabetes). How can you tell if you’re insulin resistant? How can a plant-based diet manage—and even reverse—insulin resistance and diabetes? Robby takes us through why the conventional approach to diabetes is flawed, and what we should be doing instead. Also: what’s wrong with low-carb diets?

Should fitness professionals speak about race issues? (Spoiler: YES. Health includes mental wellbeing, so fitness professionals can’t help folks with their fitness while remaining silent on issues of racism.) What can fitness professionals--and others--do as allies? What should happen within the fitness industry as a whole to make it more inclusive? Let's continue having important conversations about racism, inequality, and inclusiveness in the fitness industry and beyond.

The best way to fight climate change is with your diet. We also discuss the importance of healthy soil: did you know soil sequesters more carbon than all plants on earth and our entire atmosphere combined?! Dr. Schwartz explains the concept of "concentration of calories", and why animal agriculture's water and carbon footprints are so high. Dr. Greg Schwartz is a vegan environmental science professor, a former professional football player, and author of Bright Green Future.

I got to interview my business role model! Jonathan Goodman of the Personal Trainer Development Center, the world’s largest site for fitness professionals, is here to discuss why the concept of "hustling" is B.S. (in certain contexts), the glorification of “busy”, and how to achieve success by focusing on one area of expertise, surrounding it with good-enough-to-be-dangerous skills in a few other specific realms. Also, career advice for people who have extremely wide-ranging interests. Oh, and seitan!

Susan Levin is the director of nutrition education for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), and a registered dietitian specializing in sports dietetics. Every 5 years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated. She discusses the PCRM's recommendations for these guidelines: No low-carb eating patterns, recommend water instead of milk, warn against consuming red and processed meats, and promote plant-based eating. Susan also discusses 4 ways the vegan diet is optimal for athletes.

One of the fastest-growing vegan demographics is Black Americans. Alissa Nash and GiGi Carter discuss increasing the number of Black vegans, including quality of life benefits and cultural barriers. We also discuss the scope of expression of veganism's compassion (whether - and how - it should extend to human rights), and contributions ethnic cuisines have made to veganism. We acknowledge systemic and economic barriers faced by many, and focus on issues that are controlled on an individual level.

State record-holding vegan powerlifter, former collegiate football player, and chemical and biomolecular engineering PhD student Bradie S. Crandall shares his story of becoming a vegan athlete, and 6 ways in which a vegan diet is beneficial for strength athletes compared to a diet that includes animal products. Bradie is the author of the upcoming book, The Living Machine: Engineering Strength with a Plant-Based Diet, and he’s announcing its release date for the first time on this show.

I answer 21 questions on everything from post-workout protein options, to sweating, to B.S. nutritionists, to more philosophical questions about lifestyle, fitness, and veganism.

Includes: my one tip for fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle. How do I balance being understanding of other people and their obstacles to going vegan, versus sticking up for animals? Should you supplement with creatine? Will I ever adopt a canine workout buddy? What's my favourite savoury snack? And much more.

PETA is the world’s largest and most recognized animal rights organization. I feel they send the wrong message about animal rights, and give all of us vegans a bad name. I share 5 problems with PETA, and 5 ways it exhibits appalling prejudice toward certain groups of people. I suggest supporting local and smaller-scale organizations instead. Many of these are animal sanctuaries rather than broader animal rights organizations, so I share 6 questions to ask when assessing whether a sanctuary is ethically run.

In our last coronavirus-related episode before we get back to regularly scheduled programming, Dr. Scott Lear joins me to discuss exercising and healthy eating during lockdown: How much exercise should we be getting while self-isolating and/or physical distancing? What sorts of benefits are we likely to see from this activity? How can we continue to eat in a way that supports our health and fitness goals? Also, some creative ways of strength training at home (with kitchen implements!)

Mike discusses how we can overcome some of the mindset challenges associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can continue to work toward our health, fitness, and fat loss goals while we’re staying at home. Get 4 specific mindset tips, learn how to simplify at-home fat loss, and make sure you know how to 'engineer' your home environment so it supports (rather than sabotages) your goals.

Fraser Bayley has an unusual story, having gone from being a butcher with multiple mental health challenges to a passionate vegan advocate, bodybuilder, and strength & nutrition coach. Fraser chose to walk away from the butchery industry for good, and never realized how health, fitness, and veganism would then come together to transform his life in many ways. We discuss common mindset challenges Fraser works on with his clients, different approaches to veganism, building long-term habits, and much more.

Chris is a high school teacher. We discuss the plant-based nutrition classes and seminars he’s facilitated, and how youth are driving change within their own families. Danielle is a family doctor. She shares how she uses a whole food, plant-based diet to prevent and reverse chronic disease for her patients, and some of the myths she encounters (e.g. “people won’t be willing to change”, or “this is too difficult for patients to understand”.) They also discuss transitioning to veganism with two young kids.

Heidi Braacx, owner of Vegan Yarn, joins me to discuss the ethics and environmental impacts of wool, and why vegans don't use it. Heidi says, "Just because wool is biodegradable doesn’t mean it’s environmentally friendly”. We discuss plant-based alternatives to wool, and their respective impacts on the environment. Also, how can we, as consumers of clothing and/or fibre products, ensure we choose ethical products that have a minimal impact on our environment? Heidi has 3 steps for us.

Ren is a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and nutrition coach. In this episode: How the fitness industry is changing, to the benefit of both clients and coaches. Busting some major B.S. in the fitness and diet industries. How Ren approaches habit change with his clients. The one concept you should delete from your vocabulary to ensure you get lasting results from your fitness and nutrition habits. (Hint: you can choose *fast*, or you can choose *permanent*.)

If you’re starting a new fitness, nutrition, or health habit in 2020 (or if you want to make sure you keep going with your current ones), this episode is for you. I’m busting some B.S. about motivation and sticking to long-term habits. I discuss: why relying on motivation to keep up with your good habits is setting yourself up for failure, 2 things you should know when you're starting a new health habit, 2 challenges I see people face, and how to ensure your good habits will keep going over the long term.

Social scientist Dr. Bo Bennett shares his ideas on the morality of eating meat. We discuss the moral framework of sentiocentrism, and using it to determine which - and how many - animal products to consume. Also: how do we make moral evaluations to conclude if killing animals for food is moral or not? And why Dr. Bennett believes encouraging reducing meat consumption is more effective than promoting strict veganism.

I’m answering random questions today from awesome podcast listeners, including: how to get 100 grams of protein a day as a vegan, how the heck I fit so much batch-cooked food into my fridge (and exactly what I prep each week), the most effective strength training muscle group split, nailing the calcium RDA, getting started in the industry as a new trainer, and more.

The Plant-Based Dietitian is here to discuss "macroconfusion": why focusing on macronutrients is not the best way to optimize your diet, and what to do instead. Also in this episode: Dietary restriction without malnutrition. Focusing on very high protein intakes (e.g. for strength training) may be at odds with research that shows longevity and healthspan are associated with lower protein intakes. How to follow a healthy, well-rounded healthspan diet.

I give you my own take on vegan travel, and share insight from 13 other vegans! If you’re thinking about going vegan, if you’re vegan already, or if you’d like to be able to help others to go vegan, this episode is jam-packed with lots of information about travelling the world on a completely plant-based diet. "Travelling is too difficult!" is one of the main reasons I hear people cite for not going fully vegan. In this episode, I'll share why I think that's bullsh!t, and what to do about it.

This documentary busts many myths about veganism, but it ain't perfect. If you’re curious about athletic performance on a vegan diet, it’s worth watching The Game Changers. Just keep in mind that a documentary is not a replacement for scientific research, or doing a thorough review of peer-reviewed literature. Here's my review, with bonus input from two other vegans.

We discuss the recent controversy about red meat and processed meats: a few new meta-analyses suggested we should continue to consume these meats, since they pose low health risks. Learn the full story - and why this isn't accurate. Also in this episode: why and how Dr. Williams changed his practice from ‘all conventional’ to combining pills with lifestyle and nutrition, and a few predictors Dr. Williams has noticed of patients who end up making long-term changes in their lives, versus those who don’t.

David, maker of mind-blowingly delicious vegan foods with his company, PlantBase Food, joins me to discuss vegan meats, activism around cetacean captivity bans, and being vegan for over 20 years. Also: how can we use an ethical approach to support or take action for displaced/marginalized/homeless folks, and tips for our listeners who want to make the transition to veganism.

Protein: Why is it important? How much do we need? Do we need to combine foods? What are the best (whole foods) vegan sources of protein? Lauren shares the 4 foods you should be eating every day to make sure you’re getting enough omega-3. Also: Why is the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 important, and how much of each do we need? Do we need to track our food to know whether we're getting enough omega-3? Get the low-down with Registered Dietitian Lauren McNeill, who focuses on plant-based nutrition.

Chef Dustin, creator of the vegan travel series The Vegan Roadie, is on the show to chat with me about his awesome new book, Epic Vegan; the concept of community over competition within veganism; travelling while vegan; and much more. Dustin Harder is a private plant-based chef in New York City. He’s also a cooking instructor, recipe developer, and cookbook author. He’s been featured in publications like VegNews, Paste, Eating Well, etc. And he worked alongside Chef Chloe Coscarelli in recipe development!

For today’s conversation we didn’t have any sort of agenda - we’re just shooting the sh!t. Or shooting the *bull*sh!t I should say, because we end up discussing everything from a peer-reviewed article Melody wrote about vegan strength athletes, to her upcoming book, to media misrepresentation of research results, to whether vegans have an athletic performance advantage over non-vegans…and a ton more.

Gael shares her powerful story of overcoming alcohol addiction. She's been sober since October 1, 2013. Also: How does alcohol affect our ability to gain muscle and lose fat? What are the short- and long-term effects of consuming alcohol? Why the hell aren’t more people in our industry talking about alcohol? Why doesn’t alcohol attract attention as a killer? It is, after all, one of the top 5 causes of preventable death in North America. I also share my 5 reasons for not consuming alcohol.

Dr. Sarina Pasricha is a nationally recognized gastroenterologist and speaker. We discuss: What is the gut microbiome? Why is it important? How does being vegan factor into the equation? Does exercise help? What do we do that is harmful to our gut health? What about stress? If you exercise regularly and eat well, but still can’t lose weight, your gut microbiome might be the culprit. Also, did you know that vegans may have more resilient gut microbiomes than non-vegans? Dr. Sarina will explain.

Heidi Strickler is a Registered Sports Dietitian, competitive endurance athlete and trail runner, and avid lover of all things mountains and outdoors. We discuss why eating vegan is not synonymous with healthy eating or weight loss, smart supplementation for vegan athletes, and why a vegan diet makes it more difficult to oxidize fat during endurance exercise.

Pat Kendall is a retired municipal lawyer, leading a massive campaign called "Rezoning for the Animals" to persuade Vancouver City Council to rezone the new St. Paul's Hospital site, such that animal experimentation is not permitted in the hospital laboratories and alternative methods are used instead. We also talk about healthy aging, how health isn’t just about your body, and the intriguing idea that health is not an end in itself - it just keeps our bodies tuned up for completing life’s greater purposes!

Are Beyond and Impossible burgers healthy? What is "healthy", anyway? Nutritionally and environmentally, how to these plant-based burgers compare to beef? We discuss glyphosate (an ingredient in Roundup) within the context of these burgers, and how the Beyond and Impossible burgers differ from each other. Also on the menu: the natural versus synthetic fallacy ("natural" does not mean "healthy"), organic versus conventional farming (organic does not mean pesticide-free), and the "incomplete" protein myth.

In this episode: Victoria's vegan story. She's been vegan since 1983! Myth: Vegans are super-healthy, or they're not really vegan. Myth: The different "factions" within veganism (e.g. entrepreneurs, "enviro-vegans", whole foods plant-based vegans, etc.) have interests too different to be one movement. Diversity within veganism, and the importance of being mentally flexible. A Prayer for Compassion: Victoria's film project showing diverse religions and their connections to veganism.

After losing his brother to a heart attack, sister to substance abuse, and mom to long term illness, Ren Jones left the corporate world and became a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and nutrition coach. In this powerful discussion we cover many different topics, including the guilt associated with self-care, the myth that scale weight or BMI is a good way to track your progress, the myth that sweat is an indication of fat lost (or having had a good workout), and much more.

Today I'm focusing on veganism within the contexts of healthy aging and strength training. Improve your plant-based nutrition in 5 steps, and find out which 6 movements you must include in your strength training program. Also includes a spotlight on a few key nutrients: protein, iron, calcium, and B12, and how our needs change during the lifecycle; 3 mistakes vegans often make with their nutrition, and how to avoid them; and tips for incorporating strength training into your life - for life!

Jeremy Sexton is a filmmaker, partner in his own company, and father of two. Before he went vegan and started working out regularly, he was 255 lbs, pre-diabetic, and on the road to heart disease. You’ll hear in our conversation how - and why - he went vegan and made drastic changes to his lifestyle. You'll hear Jeremy's vegan story and how being a parent factors in to his motivation for going vegan, giving up alcohol, and improving his health. He also shares tips for making health changes of your own.

Dr. Gil Carvalho is a research scientist at USC and UCLA. Gil's vegan story is the epitome of being a no-B.S. vegan, since it was the research literature that inspired him to make a change. We also discuss doctors and nutritional education (or lack thereof), and the long-term health effects of different nutrients and diets, like low carb and plant-based diets. Gil also shares his tips for analyzing research: how do we know whether something is legitimate, or B.S.?

This is what happens when two coaches get together and shoot the sh*t, with no agenda for their conversation. Meghan Callaway is a strength coach with over 15 years of experience, a writer, athlete, and animal lover, and the creator of the Ultimate Pull-up Program. Meghan shares her experience with a recent injury, and what it taught her about mindset, mental health, and the importance of tracking small wins. We also talk about making progress with your training (like adding weight to the bar), and more.

We discuss vegan nutrition for women throughout all stages of life, including pregnancy and menopause, and focus on a few key nutrients: protein, iron, and calcium. Pamela Fergusson is a registered dietitian with a PhD in nutrition.

Ocean Robbins serves as CEO and cofounder of the 500,000-plus-member Food Revolution Network—one of the largest communities of healthy eating advocates on the planet. His grandfather founded Baskin-Robbins, and his father, John Robbins, walked away from the family company to write bestsellers like Diet for a New America. We discuss his new book, his family's story, 4 steps you can take to improve your diet and health, as well as GMO's and the research that's been done in this area.

This episode is all about setting - and nailing - your fitness goals! Tobias Sjösten is an online strength and conditioning coach, competitive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete, and CrossFit trainer. We discuss the difference between training and exercising, how to turn nebulous goals like “I want to improve my body composition” into something quantifiable and measurable, tracking your fitness progress, and differentiating between "inputs" (your actions), and "outputs" (like changes in body composition).

Competitive plant-powered cyclist Ian Cramer joins me to talk about following the evidence and staying curious, how disagreeing with others or listening to others with dissenting opinions is OK, whether the definition of the term “vegan” should by default include personal health, promoting veganism in a responsible, compassionate way, and how social media can be toxic and counterproductive (and what we can do about it).

Drs. Rayapudi are the co-founders of Gift of Health, a nonprofit organization dedicated to revolutionizing lives by using food as medicine (a whole food, plant-based, minimally processed, sustainable way of eating). Drs. Rayapudi have helped hundreds of people prevent and reverse chronic diseases, end the frustrating dieting cycle, lose weight, and get off medications. We discuss the benefits of vegan eating, common mistakes to avoid, the problem with oils, how to transition to veganism, and much more.

Plant-powered personal trainer Paul Landini joins me to discuss all things vegan, including: Paul's vegan story and the film that inspired him. The myth that vegans are preachy, judgemental pricks who think they're better than everyone else. The myth that soy products have feminizing hormones that will turn men into little girls. The myth that plant proteins are inferior to proteins from animal sources. How Paul addresses veganism with his clients. And much more!

What is intersectional veganism?

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard is a bestselling book by brothers Chip and Dan Heath, published in 2010. Whether you’re a health and fitness professional, just starting out in fitness, a recreational athlete, a superhero ­in­training, or anything in between, you’ll get something out of this book. It outlines a framework for successfully making – and sticking to – changes in your life, which you can apply to nutrition, fitness, and other health habits.

I’ve been vegan since 2003. That’s back when the one vegan option at restaurants was a plate of iceberg lettuce topped with a few tomato slices. Obviously, we’ve come a long way since then! In working with my awesome vegan clients, here are the 5 biggest mistakes that I see and hear about all the time.

One of my go­ to impress­the­guests desserts is chocolate mousse. If you need a last­ minute holiday dessert idea, I’ve got you covered.

Thinking about going vegan (for ethical, environmental, or health reasons) but have some roadblocks keeping you from making the commitment? Let me address the 5 biggest and most common ones, and provide you with enough incentive to finally take the leap.

Thinking of levelling­ up your productivity in 2019? Wanna re­vamp how you get things done? Wanna bust some bullshit around time management? This is for you.

Chef Karen joins me from her plant-based cheese shop to address the myth that something can be called “cheese” only if it’s made with dairy; the idea of cheese as a process, not only an end product; and the differences between types of vegan cheeses. She shares her approach to answering, “You can’t call that cheese because it’s not made with dairy!”, a quick microbiology lesson, and her take on language evolution and the definition of "cheese". The most fascinating dialogue on vegan cheese you'll ever hear.

What Would Coach K Do in various situations that seem

designed to take us off course from our all­ important fitness

and healthy eating plans?

We all wanna look good. Nothin’ wrong with that. Perfectly valid reason to work out. However, I’d like to propose the idea that training mainly for non­aesthetic reasons (and getting aesthetic benefits by default) will be more rewarding, fun, and empowering for you.

Results are usually fairly nuanced, rather than black­and­white, and are often oversimplified in mainstream media (when you hear about a research study via Facebook or a news website). Here are 8 questions to ask when evaluating research studies.

Goals are not necessary in order to achieve something. Sure, they may provide structure to your life and motivate you for the short term, but they often don’t lead to lasting behaviour change and amazing results. You don’t need goals to do awesome things in life. We’ve been conditioned to set and work toward goals as if that’s the only track to success. It’s not. For the best results, you need to commit to habits and processes, not goals.

"Abs are made in the gym, and revealed in the kitchen". You need to train your abs directly if you want to function well in your day­to­day life and in your training, prevent injury and low back problems, and if you wanna get those coveted visible abs.

The hype around eating for your blood type.

The term “guilty pleasure” gets used a lot and there’s usually nothing wrong with it – except perhaps when it comes to food. We’re already bombarded by enough bullshit messages about how we should eat; the last thing we need is to be told how to feel about food too.

Another reading from "Eat Like You Care", by Gary Francione and Anna Charlton.

Random thoughts related to the fact that the fitness industry is inherently for­profit, which can directly conflict with presenting info that’s scientifically accurate.

In order to reach your fitness goals – and to give a shit about your fitness in general – you need to NOT give a shit about what others think. Yes, we all know it’s important to have a support network rooting for us and helping us to make healthy choices, but very often in our daily lives it’s necessary to go against the grain and be a Lone Wolf in order to achieve our goals.

Atomic Habits is one of my favourite books that I've read over the last year. Here's a short excerpt for you.

It took me 11 years to get the results I wanted (and 3 lessons I learned along the way).

Susan discusses the misconceptions that soy products increase the risks of cancer, affect male hormones and cause hypothyroidism.

What’s wrong with looking your age? What if we celebrated the concept of the aging female instead of denying it? Why are 99.8% of these “anti­aging” products marketed entirely toward women? How can we fight back against an industry that relies upon women hating themselves?

Deb Gleason is here to talk about what she calls the cultural coma of food that’s prevalent in our society, who we are if we’re not buying into this cultural coma, why veganism means letting go of the invisible agreement that oppression and violence are justified, how to make healthy and satiating vegan comfort food…and her previous career as a homicide detective. Deb is a holistic nutritionist, vegan lifestyle coach, speaker and cookbook author living in Ottawa, Canada.

Do I need to stop eating fruit if I want to maintain a lean physique?

A short reading from Eat Like You Care by Gary Francione and Anna Charlton. Topic: There is no moral distinction between meat and other animal products.

Get your hands on my Holiday Survival Guide in PDF form at nobullshitvegan.com/survivalguide. Get my top secret recipes for Jamaican ginger beer and slow cooker chai (some of my favourite impress-the-guests non-alcoholic holiday beverages), see a real life accountability text I sent my husband, check out my daily schedule, and more.

I interviewed registered dietician Susan Levin for insight into special considerations vegan athletes (or vegans who are very active) may need to make when it comes to nutrition. Ms. Levin has a specialty certification in sports dietetics. She is the director of nutrition education for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting preventive medicine – especially better nutrition – and higher standards in research.

Craig is a lifelong entrepreneur, having founded, operated, and sold multiple businesses. This episode is jam-packed with: Craig's vegan story and his current business venture - being Snack Boss at Vegan Labs. The 3 types of responses he gets to his veganism. Craig's tips on communicating with non-vegans in a productive way. Craig's thoughts on why so many vegans are perceived as assholes, and the 4 tiers of action-takers within any social justice movement.

Long-term vegan and clinical dietitian Seren Wechsler is here to talk about blood work vegans should get, a few specific nutrients including B12, iron, and zinc, and his thoughts on why nutrition professions don’t get respected as they should. Hear about Seren's vegan story and his amazing 130 pound weight loss. Find out which blood work tests to ask for, how to determine your iron and B12 levels, and how can you tell whether your calcium intake is on point (hint: you can’t test it via blood work).

Scott Shetler talks about his vegan story, training his elite athlete clients, and the books he's written to benefit animal welfare organizations...and why Joe Rogan is completely out to lunch with his views on veganism! Scott has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, and owns Extreme Performance Training Systems, and Atlanta-based sport performance and fitness training centre. He's also the host of the Strength and Health podcast, and co-author of the book Eat Plants, Lift Iron.

One of the trends in vegan nutrition is the “alkaline diet”, or the idea that we should be eating a balance of “acidifying” and “alkalizing” foods, with an emphasis on those that are “alkalizing”. In this episode, I go through why the alkaline diet theory is not supported in the research, and also a common myth in the vegan world: the idea that meat is unhealthy because it "acidifies" our bodies. I include material written by vegan strength athlete and PhD in molecular biology, Christine Crumbley.

Nadia lives 10 hours away from the nearest city, in the middle of the Outback. She orders her groceries a week in advance, which get delivered by truck. There are no commercial gyms in her town. Her unique situation won’t be shared by a lot of our listeners, but this episode illustrates the “where there’s a will, there’s a way” concept - both for veganism and for strength training. Nadia has made some incredible strength gains, and she’s also made a dramatic mindset shift about nutrition and training.

In a discussion with one of our episode 27 guests, an unvaccinated baby was mentioned. It wasn't the main topic of conversation, and it wasn't the guest's own child, but this topic is too important to ignore. I put together a short bonus episode addressing some of the most common myths about the risks of vaccination. Choosing to not vaccinate your children is putting their lives at risk. It's as simple as that.

Jeffrey discusses why a vegan lifestyle is imperative for all Jews and Christians, the Dominion verse in the Bible, and how he’s personally benefitted from a vegan lifestyle. Maria discusses her experience with her family (her partner is a “big meat eater”), how her nurse and doctor colleagues respond to her veganism (spoiler alert: it’s not always positive), and how she incorporates preventative health into her work. Enjoy this third instalment of podcast listener interviews!

Professional hockey player Shiann Darkangelo joins us today. Shi played college hockey at Quinnipiac University, and has played professionally for the last 3 years. She’s been on the US National team program for 4 years, and recently played for a professional team in Shenzhen China after getting cut from this past Olympic team. While she was in China, she got certified in plant-based nutrition through Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s program via eCornell. She was a 2016 world champion, and a 2017 NWHL champion.

For the month of September, we're featuring interviews with amazing listeners of this show. In this episode: Tiffany shares her incredible story of weight loss (70 pounds!) while in school and on a tight budget, as well as tips for being vegan as a busy student and in social situations. Erynn discusses using her art to talk about animal rights and welfare, interacting with clients/fans (some of whom don't share her views), and how she navigates her dad being a hunter and cattle rancher.

Mike Howard is on the show to talk busting BS in the fitness & diet industry (including keto, paleo, the myth that “calories don’t matter”, and more). We also discuss how you can tell whether a certain fitness or nutrition claim is bullshit. Some gems from Mike: “If we’re not pissing off the extremists to some degree, we’re not properly doing our job.” “If they claim that it’s fast, that it’s really easy, and that it’s permanent - that’s your holy trinity of bullshit.” “Moderation doesn’t sell. Fear sells.”

Izzy Pope-Moore (a real-life vegan superhero) joins us to share her story of veganism, strength training, and kicking major obstacles squarely in the ass. She went through a serious abdominal surgery that involved 9 incisions, and shares her no-bullshit, no-excuses approach to recovery. She'll also share with you how she addresses the unfortunately still-present myth that vegans are unhealthy and weak, and the myth that it’s too hard to be vegan, especially in social situations and while travelling.

Thanks to some excellent questions from our awesome listeners, I'm covering losing weight on a vegan diet, pre- and post-workout supplements, what I think about vegan keto (spoiler alert: it's bullshit), plant-based protein powder options, quirky habits I have (thanks to my friend Holly for submitting a question that gets me talking about my weirdness on the show...), creatine for non-lifters, plant-based diets and thyroid function, strength training rep ranges for weight loss, and much more.

Rachel King is here to talk about being vegan in a *very* un-vegan part of the world, how she navigates family events where nobody else is vegan, her past personal experience as a “professional dieter”, and her current experience strength training while on a vegan diet. I brought Rachel on the show today because she exemplifies the no-bullshit vegan lifestyle. Seriously, if she can be vegan in the Deep South of the US (rural Alabama, to be exact), I’m fairly certain that you can be vegan anywhere.

Competitive strength athlete Matt Terry is here to share his incredible story of veganism for the first time. We also discuss veganism as it relates to strength sports and building muscle, protein, supplementation, and more. Matt hasn’t yet shared his story and wanted a vegan platform to tell it. I’m honoured to have him on the show to share his story of overnight veganism - stemming from health issues including a ruptured appendix and a kidney tumour - and how being vegan has changed his life.

The idea that it’s always a bad thing to compare ourselves to others is BS. Comparing yourself to others can be extremely useful, if you challenge yourself to think like a scientist. We’re going to use the critical thinking skills used by scientists to conduct literature reviews, and apply them to comparing ourselves to others - especially when we’re doing so to set fitness & physique goals. I suggest how to compare yourself to others so it benefits you, rather than undermines your self-worth.

Emma Green is a PhD candidate at the University of East London, with a Masters degree in health psychology. She’s also a qualified personal trainer. Emma is vegan herself, but today we’re discussing topics that aren’t exclusive to veganism. Given her health psychology background, we’re talking about why motivation is overrated, the value of building habits, myths about willpower, how cognitive biases factor into our decision-making and thought processes, and that mindfulness is not just a "woo" conc

Dr. Scott Lear has been a leading scientist in preventing heart disease for over 20 years. He's a professor in Health Sciences at SFU, and he conducts research into how lifestyle can prevent and manage heart disease. He has heart disease himself, and blogs at drscottlear.com. We discuss 3 myths he encounters in his work: Myth #1: Stress causes heart attacks/heart disease. Myth #2: Dietary cholesterol intake is associated with cholesterol levels in our bodies. Myth #3: Exercise is a great way to lose fat.

Daniel Austin (The Vegan Meathead) is a 13-year vegan, powerlifting competitor, and member of the international vegan athletic team PlantBuilt. We discuss 5 points: There's no evidence that overcompensating protein consumption on a vegan diet is harmful, the benefits of eating more fat calories, supplementation is necessary for anyone who subjects their body to a lot of stress, tips for adopting a vegan strength lifestyle, and why more vegans should be in strength sports.

Dawn Joseph is a Certified Online Trainer who has been in the industry for over 20 years. She works with women in their 30's & 40's who want to be strong and energetic, role models for their kids, and also want to avoid their pelvic floors falling out of their bodies in the next few years! Online training is a new concept, so it makes sense that people don’t know much about it, and perhaps have misconceptions about it. Dawn busts the myth that online training is no match for in-person, one-on-one training.

I’m doing something a bit different, and answering 25 questions from listeners. We’ve got incredibly wide-ranging questions about veganism, health, fitness, and nutrition. I didn’t do any prep, so you get whatever pops into my brain. I discuss foam rolling, supplements for vegan strength training, organic foods, coffee, cooked vs. raw foods, keto, vegan party recipes, travelling as a vegan, weight loss, and accordions… (I accidentally labelled 2 questions as #20, so you get a bonus question and answer!)

We discuss some extremely important concepts within the vegan movement: the idea of veganism as an echo chamber and "in-group" and why this is a problem, the types of activism that have been shown to work (or backfire), the importance of being critical within a movement, diversity and inclusivity within veganism, and much more. Daniela is the founder of the Social Change Makers Society, which provides individuals and communities a unique platform for all social justice issues.

Renowned vegan dietician Vesanto Melina discusses mistakes vegans make with their diets, why exactly vitamin B12 is important and what it does in our bodies, and the importance of including legumes in your diet (she even puts me on the spot and asks me a pop quiz question!)

Vesanto is the lead author of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' position paper on vegetarian and vegan diets. We discuss the research that went into it, how it's evolved over the years, and its most recent addition.

Dr. Melissa Reilly is here to once and for all bust one of the most pervasive myths within veganism: the myth that soy is bad. That it causes man boobs in males. That it causes cancer. That it causes infertility or messes with our hormones. Find out why it has such a bad rap, what the research *really* says about soy, and the difference between phytoestrogens and estrogens (hint: they're very different). Melissa is a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Mississippi.

Jackson and Aaron from Thought For Food Lifestyle are here to talk about why there's so much pseudoscience within veganism, and how we can all work toward bringing back sanity to the movement. We also discuss how Jackson and Aaron fuel their respective athletic training on 100% plant-based diets, why fiber is the most underrated nutrient of all time, and the concept of the preponderance of evidence, and how to use it when you're evaluating whether or not a health, nutrition, or fitness claim is bullshit.

Sharon Palmer is on the show to bust 3 myths: vegans don't need to supplement B12, vegans don't have to worry about calcium, and the concept that there's no point going vegan because most people don't *stay* vegan.

Important points: How to make sure you're getting enough B12 and calcium. Research that's been done on vegans and calcium intake. From a dietician's perspective, the specific ins and outs of planning a vegan diet that fuels your health and fitness goals.

Badass fitness coach Margs O’Farrell joins us to talk about how to “eat like you give a f*ck - not just about your ethical values, but also about your health!” In doing so, Margs is busting 5 myths about veganism for us.

Myth #1: Veganism is inaccessible. (Put another way, veganism is "an elite diet for rich hippies who just eat dates and bananas".)

Myth #2: Science should not be trusted unless it comes from a vegan source.

Myth #3: Veganism is too hard!

Myth #4: The age-old myth of protein deficiency.

Myth #5: Going vegan will negatively affect your athletic performance.

Whether you’re currently raising vegan children, whether you want to make the transition to veganism as a family, whether you’re interested in raising vegan children in the future, or whether - like me - you’re just interested in the research - I’m sure the knowledge and practical tips in this episode will be useful for you. Join us for 4 myths about vegan nutrition for kids, discussed by a world authority on the subject: registered dietician (with a doctorate degree in nutrition) Dr. Reed Mangels.

Dave Smith, chosen as Canada's Top Fitness Professional, is on the show to discuss a very pervasive fitness myth: higher intensity training means better results. Learn why this isn't necessarily the case! Also learn why high-intensity interval training (or too much of it) isn't for everyone, and discover the pros and cons of low- versus high-intensity training. Dave shares suggestions for what you can try with your own training, that'll keep getting you results year after year - without burning yourself out.

The myths we bust in episode 4:

1. A variety of myths surrounding veganism and protein.

2. Why (and when) eating a 100% whole foods diet might not be the best option for your health and athletic training.

The myths we bust in episode 5:

3. The concept of moderation - applied to healthy foods!

4. High carb diets - the good, the bad, the ugly.

5. Why the typical bodybuilder training ‘split’ routine is not effective for most people.

Go to www.nobullshitvegan.com/005 for our show notes!

Dr. Anastasia Zinchenko (PhD in biochemistry, international competing powerlifter and bodybuilder, all-around vegan badass) joins us on the show to bust 5 different vegan fitness, nutrition, and health myths.

The myths we bust in episode 4:

1. Protein! We discuss a variety of myths surrounding veganism and protein, including "you can't build muscle on plants", and "plant proteins aren't complete proteins".

2. Why (and when) eating a 100% whole foods diet might not be the best option for your health and athletic training.

The myths we bust in episode 5:

3. The concept of moderation - applied to healthy foods! Why (and when) eating large quantities of healthy foods can be problematic.

4. High carb diets - the good, the bad, the ugly.

5. Why the typical bodybuilder training ‘split’ routine is not effective for most people - and how to train instead.

Go to www.nobullshitvegan.com/004 for our show notes!

Meghan discusses:

The incessant focus on physical appearance within the fitness industry (even within the “body positivity” movement).

How the all-or-nothing mentality is preventing many people from achieving their goals.

How an emphasis on fatigue and soreness is preventing many people from getting the results they want, and from feeling good.

Meghan's own story of empowerment through fitness, from a bad car accident and being in 24/7 pain, to being a national-level soccer athlete and performing mind-boggling feats of strength.

Myth #1: Vegans don't need to take supplements. Learn why this isn't the case.

Myth #2: All proteins are created equal. Learn about the Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score, what protein quality means, and how to make sure you're getting what you need.

Also get Melody's thoughts on why there's so much non-evidence-based information (a.k.a. bullshit) out there in the world of vegan health and fitness, and why it's important to bust it.

Welcome to episode #1! I give you a quick run-down of why I think this podcast is necessary. You’ll also get 4 resources to use when you’re doing your own fitness and nutrition research, and 8 questions to ask yourself to evaluate said research.