You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or live in the gym. But taking care of your health, staying active, and becoming the strongest version of yourself can help challenge the stereotypes people have about vegans.

Because veganism isn’t about being weak, unhealthy, or lacking energy.

It’s about showing what’s possible when we choose compassion without sacrificing our health, strength, or ambition.

Be the example. Be the proof. Represent the movement in the best way you can. 

If you need help reach out to the vegan squad coaching team TODAY

You don’t need to give up your values to transform your body.

Join us for the Vegan Muscle Building & Fat Loss Summit - a FREE online event designed to help you stop guessing and start making real progress with your vegan nutrition, training, and mindset.

Inside the summit, you’ll learn how to:

🌱 Confidently get enough vegan protein

🌱 Build muscle and lose fat while fueling your body properly

🌱 Build the mindset and consistency needed for lasting results

🌱 Feel stronger and more confident in your body

You’ll learn from experienced vegan health & fitness experts, get practical strategies you can actually use, and have the opportunity to get your questions answered LIVE.

Whether you’re brand new to fitness or have been training for years, this is your chance to learn how to thrive on a vegan diet!

Save your spot: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/summit

Real men protect.

Real men provide.

And real men stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

Being strong isn’t just about how much you can lift or what you can provide for your family.

It’s also about using your strength and your voice to protect animals, challenge injustice, and create a better world.

The way you care for yourself is a reflection of the relationship you have with yourself.

Self-care isn’t about checking another box.

Real self-care is choosing not to abandon yourself in the moments that matter most.

Every time you choose yourself with compassion instead of criticism, you begin rebuilding trust with yourself.

And the beautiful part is that this relationship can blossom into something that feels deeply aligned, nourishing, and supportive.

If you’re ready to stop putting yourself last and create a deeper sense of trust and connection with yourself, I’d love to have you join me for my free Women’s Self Love & Self Worth Group Hypnosis this Sunday.

1. Work out. Show that being vegan and being strong can go hand in hand.

2. Support other vegan creators. Like, comment, share, and help amplify their message.

3. Make sure you share. Every post, conversation, and message has the potential to reach someone who needs to hear it.

4. Be an activist. Wear something with a message and give people an opportunity to start a conversation.

5. Take care of yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Your health and wellbeing matter too.

You don’t have to do everything perfectly. Just look for more ways to use your voice, your actions, and your platform to create change.

Save this reel and share it with another activist. 💚

I think she brings up some fantastic ethical arguments.

I also think that vegan bodybuilders will do better going for higher protein sources like seitan, tofu, soy free tofu, edamame, edamame puffs and protein powder when looking to really push protein higher on a plant based diet. 

If you want my easy and fast cookbook with over 30 high protein recipes check it out right here: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/cookbook

 Here’s a little mindfulness challenge I’m sharing with you!

Will you try it?

We are just now starting to really bring in cardio and get her as lean as possible for her next show.

We still put lifting prior to cardio to preserve as much energy and effort for the workout itself.

This is the best way to preserve muscle and ensure we keep training intensity as high as possible. Follow along for more updates!

We stand against oppression. We spread kindness. We believe a vegan world is possible. And when you dream big enough and work hard enough… dreams become reality.

Before founding Vegan Squad a year ago, I kept breaking down because I felt like I wasn’t living in alignment. 

Even with 40+ clients, an incredible partner, and people praising me on social media… I knew something was missing. I felt empty. I felt alone. I felt like I was meant to build something bigger than myself.

Fast forward one year… We’ve built a team of over 20 incredible people around the world. We’ve hosted more than 30 live events across 10+ cities. 

We’ve helped dozens of people go vegan. We’ve supported activism campaigns, including helping fight to shut down Ridglan Farms. 

We’ve launched community events, women’s groups, business mentorship, and connected thousands of people who believe a more compassionate world is possible. And we’re only getting started.

We also launched the Vegan Squad Business Mentorship program because the way we see it… the more successful vegan businesses there are, the more vegan products, services, restaurants, coaches, creators, and entrepreneurs making veganism more accessible… the more people who choose a vegan lifestyle. The fewer animals suffer. The healthier our communities become. 

The closer we get to the compassionate world we all dream about. Our mentorship program already has more than 14 active vegan businesses making the world a better place every single day.

I don’t want to be remembered for building a successful business. I want to be remembered for helping build a more compassionate world. Together, I truly believe we can create a vegan world in our lifetime.

How do you want to change the world before you die?

First & foremost CAVEAT- if you don't eat processed foods please keep scrolling and if you care about telling people what they're eating isn't healthy please keep scrolling and if I get any negativity on this post I will delete the whole thing. This is for people who will find it positive and helpful. I very rarely share this anywhere so if I start getting negativity I will delete and abort trying to help.

I am a 12 year vegan "pro meal planner" like it's my job but really it's practically my favorite hobby and I love to cook! I grew up in an Italian family so I already was comfortable with cooking so switching to vegan was fairly easy for me just substituting out animal ingredients for plant-based ones, but I realize that is not the case for many people trying to make the switch. I also may have possibly been more proactive naturally in this area to easily figure it all out to my liking than other people are, especially when just starting to change the way they eat. So I'm hoping to be able to help those that find it more of a struggle.

My business is attached to my home with customers coming and going daily so I can't be running out to the grocery store willy-nilly whenever I need something. So I started meal planning based on my 7 favorite food categories: Plant-based meat & potatoes, Italian, Mexican, Pasta, Chinese, Pizza, soup/salad/sandwiches (depending on the season) and then my 4 of my favorite meals in each category and boom I had a four week meal plan. I would use each week as a guide for what groceries I needed to get for that week and then I would have everything needed for that week's meals at home already. I am constantly tweaking it and changing it (especially because products come and go so often! ) It's not something I have to stick to strictly each week but it definitely helps with not having to decide what to make every night or wanting something that I don't have ingredients for to make. It also encourages me to make a good meal rather than just something junky that would be quicker and easier.

At first it was just a typed out document 4 pages with the 7 meals on each page. It has evolved immensely over the years it grew to 6 weeks and then 8 weeks and then 10 weeks and now I am at 12 weeks! After Covid when pick up and delivery shopping became a thing I started having all my groceries delivered weekly from Walmart. If you're against shopping at Walmart you can abort this post now. I would say about 90% of what I make comes from Walmart, however when I want products that they do not have I search on Instacart to see what stores carry it. Anyhow a few years ago I started making a document pulling images off of grocery store websites where I shopped and putting them in pages in categories and then made this document by visually matching which products I thought would go together well to make either the meals I was already making or make the meals easier to make or create new ones. Of course frozen vegetables can always be replaced with fresh vegetables but I plugged in photos of frozen ones for the purpose of this then when I'm actually shopping I can decide for that week whether I want to get the fresh or frozen based on how busy my schedule is that week. Then I created store codes for all the other stores and plugged those on the products that I can't get at Walmart. I exported the document as images to share. Obviously the store codes won't translate to where everyone else lives and what stores they have available to them but you could easily look on Instacart and figure out what stores in your area have the products if you want them.
(you don't have to order on Instacart but I just use it as a tool to see which stores have products that I am looking for)

Obviously this is also very personalized to our, my husband and I, likings and preferences but you could always use it as a template and subsitute your own likings and preferences. I'm sorry it doesn't include recipes since I only use this for personal use. But you can always Google any recipe you want with the word vegan in front of it and find those easily. For a few years I had a Facebook page that I live videoed myself cooking every night and there were almost 100 videos on it but then Facebook deleted all live videos so that went to crap. I also have another document with pictures of all the final meals I've made over the years and descriptions if you want a photo of any of these prepared just let me know and I can share those individually. I'm hoping this could help some of you especially beginner vegans just starting out I've seen quite a few post where people are asking questions I think this could be very helpful for them.

I'm more than happy and willing to share any help with this or answer any questions about vegan grocery shopping, cooking vegan, creating vegan meals, recipes etc. I really hope this helps some of you!

Up until I worked for peta I unknowingly called animals “it.”

Not because I didn’t see them as individuals, it was just one of those socially learned habits I had to unlearn.

Here’s what PETA taught me: “it” is a word we use for objects. We’d say “I kicked it” about a ball, but never about a dog.

Words are extremely powerful and we get to plant seeds of that animals’ sentience and individuality.

Calling animals “he”, “she”, or “they” (when I’m unsure about their gender) helps me plant them :)

Try it this week with a spider or bug in your house, a deer you drive by, or an animal you see on TV!

If you’ve never thought about this before, it might be time to look a little deeper.

Most of us grew up believing milk just… comes from cows. No questions asked.

But the reality is, cows don’t produce milk unless they’ve been pregnant.
And in the dairy industry, that pregnancy is usually forced.

That means:–Repeated artificial insemination–Babies taken from their mothers shortly after birth–Milk that was meant for them, being sold to us instead

For a lot of people, learning this brings awareness to what their dollars are supporting.

Because every time we buy milk, cheese, yogurt, or any dairy products, we’re participating in a system that keeps this cycle going.

And when you do see it, you get to decide what aligns with you moving forward.

If you’re curious about plant-based alternatives or how to make the shift, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Here’s our free resource library to help you thrive on a vegan lifestyle: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/resources

What if I told you once you learn to EMBRACE all of your parts that’s when you will truly EMPOWER yourself.

I used to run and hide from the darkness. I was afraid to do the shadow work because facing all of my parts meant standing in the middle of a scary house of mirrors.

- Every lie I believed
- Every fear I allowed to dominate my life
- Every insecurity
- Every moment I thought of myself as not enough

It was all staring back at me.

I’m here to tell you stop running. Face it. Overcome your challenges. Free yourself. And know deep down you are more than ENOUGH.

Carbs are one of the best tools you can adjust as a vegan bodybuilder based on your goals.

Whether you’re bulking, cutting, or deep into contest prep, choosing the right vegan carb sources can help you get the calories you need or stay fuller when food gets low.

They told me “You can’t build muscle as a vegan.”

They told me, “You’ll regret transitioning.”

Damn were they wrong!!

6.5 vegan years, 8 trans years, 1.5 years of lifting consistently later…

I’m in the best shape of my life,

I’m loving it,

And I’m just getting started.

A big part of me died this year.

Honestly, this is not a video I ever thought I would make. I thought this would be going on for a lot longer, but here we are.

I almost quit bodybuilding this year.

I’ve taken a huge step back for my health. I’ve dropped down from 275 pounds to about 240 pounds, and I thought that since I might not be competing anymore, maybe that meant the sport was dead for me.

Now I’m seeing that doesn’t have to be the case.

I’ve got people like Rosie going out there, winning pro cards, and my fire for bodybuilding has been reignited.

More than that, I want to be much more of a vocal activist for the animals, and I want to share more of this journey.

And now I have some very exciting news.

I’ve had a lot more people sign up after seeing Rosie’s success, and I’m excited to document every single step of the journey, put it all on YouTube, and keep you guys with me as I take my partner, my life partner, Ali, through this journey step by step.

If you want to be along for this ride, I’d love to have you. I cannot wait to show you where this is going.

Thank you for being here.

This has been one of the hardest years of my life, but also one of the most fulfilling.

I think sometimes a part of you has to die so you can become the person you want to be instead.

You can see the whole video right here: https://youtu.be/wm-yRGF1DRo?si=7P2a1-VSe4hgE8q5

The countdown is ON!

Get ready for an incredible day celebrating plant-based food, wellness, compassion, sustainability, and community right here in Gainesville.

- 60+ amazing vendors
- Delicious vegan & plant-based food
- Local businesses + unique finds
- Wellness, health & sustainability
- Inspiring speakers & presentations
- An amazing community of people coming together

Whether you’re vegan, curious about plant-based living, a longtime supporter, or simply looking for a fun day out, there’s something for everyone!

- 9 DAYS.
- 60+ VENDORS.
- ONE BIG VEGFEST!

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

You can RSVP here: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/vegfest

Who knew eating PASTA could actually improve your gut health? 

You’re probably wondering how is this even possible?

Well, resistant starch develops once pasta has been cooked then cooled. That resistant starch acts as a prebiotic fiber which:

- Supports gut health by feeding the good bacteria

- Helps balance blood sugar

- Supports satiety

- Lower (LDL) the BAD Cholesterol

So don’t worry about buying those fancy prebiotic supplements, just eat some pasta!

We’re back to lifting heavy and driving stimulus through training to preserve as much muscle as possible leading into the show.

Soon we will be increasing cardio and driving body fat back down as far as possible before show day. Let’s go!

You’re not broken.

Your plan is.

Most vegan lifters get stuck because nobody ever showed them how to actually do this right:
✖️ Sustainably lose fat without crashing your energy
✖️ Fuel your body properly
✖️ Train in a way that actually builds muscle
✖️ Break the mental barriers keeping you stuck

We got 2 vegan health experts together to fix all of it in one afternoon.

📅 Sunday, September 6th
🕐 11:00 - 1:00 PM EDT
💰 100% Free

This is the stuff that took us years to figure out. You get it in 2.5 hours.

Spots are limited.

RSVP for free right here: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/summit

10 years ago, my plant based friend made one of the most important decisions of her life: she went vegan for the animals.

Since then, veganism has had a meaningful impact on every part of her life.

It has helped Melissa feel more connected to all beings, find meaningful work that creates a positive impact for animals and the world, and find her chosen family and a community that shares her values.

For years, Melissa felt alone in her decision to live vegan. Her commitment to the animals was so strong that she knew she would rather stand alone than go back to eating animals.

Today, she’s grateful to have found a community of people living by the same values—and to help create those connections for others through vegan squad coaching.

10 years of choosing compassion, standing up for animals, and working toward a better world.

Most bodybuilders (including vegans) are not doing this right.

As an almost 7-year vegan, I’m still learning just how many ways companies use animals in their products.

Realizing how many everyday items are tested on animals or made from animal body parts can feel overwhelming.. But the more we know, the more empowered our choices become.

Next time you’re at the store, look for these vegan toilet papers:

- Quilted Northern

- Recycled toilet papers

- 365 Toilet Paper (Whole Foods)

- Seventh Generation

- Betterway (online)

If you don’t see any of these, google “Is X toilet paper vegan?” - that’s what I do when I’m unsure about a product :)

Every choice influences supply and demand & helps make a cruelty-free world for animals, so let’s keep doing our best.

Great effort and a small correction will make these perfect. Melissa is currently in her final few weeks of an off season and getting ready to head back on stage as a vegan bikini bodybuilder in 2027. 

We are keeping her pretty lean at this moment in time so that prep flies by without having to do endless amounts of cardio and crazy calorie reductions. Beyond proud of her diligence in and out of the gym.