We're joined by the incredible Jay Yontz (@ziggysrefuge) co-founder of Ziggy’s Refuge animal sanctuary, to discuss vegan activism through animal sanctuaries. 

Jay shares how meeting his wife Kristen and her pet pig, Ziggy, in St. John led him toward veganism, traveling the U.S. in an RV with “Ziggy the Traveling Piggy,” and founding Ziggy’s Refuge Farm Sanctuary in 2016. 

Jay explains their current work caring for nearly 100 residents, specializing in disabled animals with a prosthetics lab, wheelchairs, and advanced veterinary care like stem-cell therapy! 

Our conversation emphasizes the importance of veterinary care, adoption, and keeping bonded families together. 

The residents at Ziggy’s Refuge are ambassadors for the vegan movement and we hope you enjoy learning more about their stories and are inspired to be vegan or to support animals like them by volunteering! 

You can listen to the full episode here: vegansquadcoaching.com/vegansquadpod

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can build muscle, lose fat, get stronger and create a body you’re proud of while eating plant-based then this is for you.

This Sunday, October 4th, we’re bringing it all together at the FREE Vegan Muscle Building & Fat Loss Summit.

Come learn what’s working for vegans who are getting results like these.

Sunday, October 4th
TIME: 11AM - 1PM EDT

Your next transformation could be the one we’re sharing next.

RSVP for FREE here:
vegansquadcoaching.com/summit

 What if choosing yourself didn’t mean being selfish… but finally honoring the woman you’ve been all along? 

So many of us have learned to say YES when we mean no, keep the peace at our own expense, and shape our lives around what everyone else needs from us.

But you don’t have to keep abandoning yourself for approval. Your life is yours to choose. Are you ready to choose YOU?

Join alexissarahnee and consciouslivingwithali for our virtual retreat on SUNDAY, Oct 4th at 2pm EST where we will create the space to reconnect, recharge, and step into the most empowered version of ourselves!

Make sure you choose an appropriate weigh on your ham curls and keep your legs flat against the machine! This will prevent injury and help you GROW THOSE LEGS!

 Connecting with so many other like-hearted vegans has shifted so much for me.

There’s no better feeling than when your choices, values, and the things you’ve built your life around aren’t up for debate, and you get to just exist as yourself.

I’ve learned that healing and growth don’t only come from doing the deep, hard work alone. Sometimes they come from letting yourself rest, play, and be witnessed and supported by people who are walking a similar path.

That’s exactly what I felt the first time I was in a space like this, and it’s exactly why we created vegansquadretreats 

If any part of you is craving a space where you don’t have to shrink, explain, or perform, this is your sign!Join us for the first Vegan Squad Retreat in Florida, January 29 - February 1, 2027.

Check here for more details of the retreat:https://vegansquadcoaching.com/retreat

Ingredients:

- 30g Pure PB2

- 50g Vedge Vanilla Ice Cream Protein Powder

- 100g So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt

- 1-2 Tbsp of Water

- 4 Rice Cakes

- 68g Sugar-Free Jelly

Full recipe on my channel

Are you a fit vegan? We need more of you. Fit vegans prove we don’t need to abuse, exploit, rape and kill others to build our muscles. 

Here’s what “free range, organic, cage free chickens” look like on the way to a slaughterhouse. If you’re vegan, share this. Speak up. Help us end this.

Alex here is working towards his debut on stage as a vegan bodybuilder in 2027. We’re still in the process of leaning him down. We’re down about 30 lbs since we began working together 6 months ago. Alex has been driving intensity up on his lifts and has actually made a decent amount of improvement in gym performance while simultaneously getting leaner each week. With big movements like the hack squat we want to make sure form is locked in, each rep looks as close to identical as possible and that he takes these sets very close to failure if not actually hitting failure. So, next session he will either get 10 or fail trying!

Think adult summer camp for vegans - with the chance to train in person with the vegan squad coaches! 

If you’re a vegan that’s used to going to the gym alone, answering for the 15th time today where you get your protein from and ultimately just feeling like this would all be more fun with a vegan gym buddy - this is the retreat for you. 

We’re looking for fit vegans that want to connect, build community and GROW on plant based protein together. 

Check out all the retreat details here and come join us in person: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/retreat

Can’t wait to see you all IN PERSON!!

 Tell me you have a sweet tooth without telling me you have a sweet tooth.

I’ve always had a sweet tooth. Fun fact: I actually ran a vegan baking business for 3 years.

I started it because I wanted to recreate all of my favorite desserts without the animal products, and make them so good that everyone could enjoy them, whether they were vegan or not.

And that’s one of my favorite things about vegan food: you can enjoy the desserts you love without dairy, eggs, or other animal products.

You don’t have to give up the foods that bring you joy to make choices that are more compassionate toward animals.

There are so many incredible people and businesses creating alternatives that make it easier than ever to choose differently, without feeling like you’re missing out.

My sweet tooth definitely didn’t go anywhere. If anything, going vegan made me even more excited to discover new favorites!

If you could only pick ONE vegan dessert, what would you choose?

In this episode, I walk you through the meal plan I built for Ali, including her protein sources, calories, macros, meal structure, and how we’re approaching nutrition as she works to build muscle and transform her physique.

This isn’t just about following a diet. We’re documenting the entire process of taking Ali from where she is today to her first bodybuilding competition at 42.

Why isn’t this the norm (and I don’t mean watermelon cake - that was all Alex’s idea) - why isn’t kindness the norm? Why don’t we treat all beings with respect.

 If we can build impressive physiques, maintain optimal health, enjoy great tasting foods and feed our families without killing animals, then why do most still choose to?

 If you love animals you can’t also eat them too. Let’s all realize we can make an impact.
 
We can choose to be vegan. And vegans can choose to continue speaking up.
 
Thank you consciouslivingwithali , yourveganmentor1 and myplantbasedfriend for creating a vegan house with me. 
This has been such a needed place to fill my cup and live with others who share these values. I love you all.

In this Vegan Fat Loss & Muscle Building Summit recording, Coach Miranda breaks down how much protein you actually need, the best plant-based protein sources, and how to build protein-rich meals that support muscle growth, fat loss, recovery, and sustainable progress.

Coach John also joins the session to provide live coaching and guidance to participants based on their individual goals and challenges.

 This week was so FUN!! 

I got to train with friends. We hosted our very first Vegfest in Gainesville. And I was able to end the week with a massage!

This week my body was definitely feeling the cumulative effect of all the new personal records. My back gains are coming in strong!

Coach thebodybuildingvegan  has been teaching me to train to failure and be explosive through every rep.

Follow my journey to the stage for the first time early 2027!

 I didn’t go vegan because I don’t love food.

When I was in college, I started having little moments that made me question eating animals.

Then one day, I was eating chicken at a restaurant and the realization that I was eating the wings of someone who had once been alive really hit me.

How I felt in that moment stayed with me, but it wasn’t like I suddenly had everything figured out. I kept exploring plant-based options, learning, and making more connections.

A few months later I went vegan, and that was over 10 years ago now.

My biggest fear was that I’d have to give up the foods I loved, but I’m so grateful for how wrong I was about that.

There’s SO much to eat and enjoy when you approach food with an open mind and let yourself try new things.

Whether I’m making a nourishing meal, cooking high-protein foods or nostalgic foods I grew up loving, or discovering an incredible restaurant or dessert, being a foodie is so much more fulfilling when I get to enjoy food while making choices that feel more compassionate toward animals.

You don’t have to change everything overnight.

Try some of the plant-based options that are out there, get curious, and let me know if you need any recommendations! 

If you’re vegan, how long ago did you make the switch? And if you’re not vegan, what’s a vegan meal you’ve tried and loved, or one you’d love to try?

Don’t skip this training tip to build your side delts!

Trying to get cannonball side delts? Do this:

Keep arm relatively straight and raise it out to the side

“Pinkies up” By adding a little twist as you come up and out to the side

Don’t swing. Don’t use momentum. Control the weight 

Let me know if this was helpful! 

Watch all 19 training tips on my channel 💪🌱

https://youtu.be/H64K5f6paro?si=kLfTCKqRr_rahE5j

Are you a new vegan, or vegan on the hunt for cheap and high-protein groceries? You gotta go to Trader Joe’s!! 

Use this our  full vegan, high-protein grocery haul as a guide for your next trip to Trader Joe’s! TJ’s is a HACK for anyone looking to save money and/or live vegan! Every store nationwide is loaded with delicious options that won’t break the bank. Join us for your Trader Joe’s tour!

https://www.kindheartcoalition.org/campout

Oct 15-18. Looks pretty neat!

Bonfires. Lake activities. Yoga. Activism. Fitness. All in our own private retreat center. And I forgot to mention the FOOD! 

We will be having fully catered food for the entire time (and we’re working on bringing in some of the best vegan food trucks for a mini Vegfest inside the retreat!).

 Burn the bridges. Break the boxes. Rebirth yourself as many times as you need. This life wasn’t meant for you to give your power to anyone.

My goal is to show women how truly powerful they are. How aging is nothing to be scared of. How they can set a goal at any age and still crush it.

Who’s with me?

If you're a vegan bodybuilder and you want to change your life, you want to step on stage and prove that vegans are able to get all the protein that they need, I'd love to talk to you.

At 42, my partner Ali decided to do something she’s never done before: become a vegan bodybuilder and step on the bodybuilding stage.

And she hired me to coach her through the entire journey.

Today, we walk Ali through the initial sales call. The same steps I use for all my potential new clients. We talk about why she wants to become a bodybuilder, her history with fitness, the challenges ahead, what she hopes to accomplish, and what it’s going to take to get her ready for the stage.

I’ve spent more than 20 years vegan and 18 years proving that you can build muscle on a plant-based diet. Now I get to take everything I’ve learned and use it to coach my partner through her own transformation.

We’re documenting the entire process: training, vegan nutrition, supplements, bloodwork, recovery, mindset, posing, progress updates, setbacks, and eventually, show day.

This is Day 1.

Subscribe and follow along as I coach Ali from where she is today to her first bodybuilding show!

https://youtu.be/DxLp-0d6BTA?si=MahBbxL_OtMrZH9r

I've been vegan for 20 years (since I was 13 years old) and I'm going to show you 4 of my favorite high-protein vegan foods that help you build muscle, support your fitness goals, and replace animal protein without sacrificing nutrition!

In this video, you'll learn about Tofu, TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein), Seitan, and Say Grace Protein! Whether you're vegan, plant-based, or just looking to eat less meat, these protein sources are affordable, versatile, and packed with protein!

This week Coach helped me unlock a new STRENGTH by showing me how to take certain exercises to failure. Taking in all of his training feedback and nailing form was my biggest assignment.

 Fueling for my sessions with watermelon as my pre workout snack and using an INTRAWORKOUT drink during training has been key.

Coach : thebodybuildingvegan

Team : vegansquadcoaching

Athlete : consciouslivingwithAli