Definition for Ladies Spring 2014 Issue 001 April 2014 | Page 67

motivated. I was determined then to
become a truly healthy vegan, not a junk
food one, because even on junk food, health
benefits and weight loss came quite easily.
I also felt that I needed to strengthen my
ethical feelings a bit more to allow me to
stick with a healthy vegan lifestyle for good.
In addition to dietary changes, I started
exercising regularly. I started out barely

BEFORE

able to walk for half an hour, and
now I regularly walk briskly for
more than an hour. I have also
started running, which is
something I never thought
I would be good at, be able
to breathe during, or say
I loved. I have adopted a
strength training routine, which
I never thought was necessary
or that I would do, but it has helped
me feel strong and believe in my ability to
make changes. I hardly had any upper body
strength as a kid, but now my arms are

AFTER

probably my best looking body part.
I have stuck with this plan for a little over
eight months. I am convinced it worked
for many reasons. At the sixth month point

I think 30 more pounds would be good, but I may need to adjust that
goal because I seem to be naturally a bit more muscular than the average
person. I will keep progressing and see.

of change, my blood pressure stabilized,

My biggest advice for anyone who is stuck in an unhealthy cycle and

I was not even close to being pre-diabetic

needs to get healthy or lose a lot of weight would be to work on his or her

anymore, and remained a vegan who eats a

mindset. I was lucky that around the time I started my journey to better

wealth of fresh vegetables and fruits daily.

health, I had started to work on changing negative self-talk—the mean

I have lost 70 pounds and weigh 165 now!

things I would constantly say to myself. Due to this ability to change my

I went from a size 18 to a size 8. I haven’t

mindset, I was able to exceed many of my expectations I set for myself. I

been a size 8 since the beginning of middle

was starting to take action on the things I wanted to change, and instead

school when I was 12 years old.

of telling myself “I can’t,” I reminded myself “I can.” Be gentle with

I am still moving forward and working
on my goals. I would like to tone and lose
a bit more weight, especially in my belly.

spring | 2014 | definitionforladies.com

yourself, but also be strong, mentally and physically! If you don’t take
crap from others, don’t take crap from yourself! If you want something for
yourself, you can do it; I am proof of that. •
Find Laura online: Website

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