Hi, I'm Riley (they/them), I'm from NY and I'm in my mid twenties. I joined during the summit 5/16 and I'm glad to be here, thank you Alex for the invite. I've been vegetarian since December 2012 and vegan since March 9 2020. I went vegan because a vegan was honest about dairy, and how its hypocritical to be an "intersectional feminist" while abusing the most vulnerable individuals' reproductive systems. I've worked out for a few months here and there since middle school but didn't really know what I was doing, follow a program, or focus on protein until 2023. I was consistent for 1.5 years but fell off in autumn 2025. I've gradually acquired plenty of secondhand exercise equipment (barbells, curl bar, loadable dumbbells, decline/incline bench, plates, bands, and a "powetec levergym" machine) at home so I dont need to go to the gym but often need physical therapy and have limitations. During 2021-2022 my health declined, then after a surgery, I declined and was mostly couch bound for 6 months. I got some diagnoses after months, but it didnt explain everything yet. As of now, we're pretty sure i have ME/CFS ("chronic fatigue syndrome " but its so much more than chronic fatigue, crashes lower baseline function longterm) but still have to treat other stuff to see if it goes away. By managing the conditions we're sure of and careful pacing, avoiding PEM (post exertional malaise), and lots of external support, my baseline has improved a little. My goals are: - build muscle to stabilize my joints - work up to heavier lifts safely with my health issues - relieve dysphoria - be an example of how vegans are strong and hot, lol. More specifically: - lose ~6 points of body fat - gain ~20lbs muscle, mostly in upper body for a V taper - get 600+ lbs between big 3 (which is a slow process for me due to my funky connective tissue, dizziness with squatting) For now I'm: - easing back into exercise aiming for 6+ sets total of anything at least 2x/week. Working up slowly up to 20-25 sets 3x but listening to my body to avoid crashing

Just joined so I’m doing my intro post… My name is Bruce, and I’ve been vegan a little over a decade. I originally started in that direction for health reasons, cutting out dairy as I was lifting a lot at the time and trying to find ways to eat leaner and healthier. Then I met my wife and she didn’t really eat meat, so between the two of us we were eating mostly plant-based. Then Cowspiracy came out, and watching that documentary had a big impact on both of us. So we made the decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle and have been on that journey ever since. I injured myself lifting about 8 years ago. Messed with some discs in my neck and had pinched nerves. Took a while to get back to “normal” from that, and over time got out of the habit of exercising. I just hit 54 and while I’m healthy and not in terrible shape, I’d like to get in better shape and put some muscle back on. Looking around the web for ideas and inspiration I ran across John’s videos, followed him, and then he invited me to the group. So here I am. Looking forward to checking out the group and the resources and getting some motivation going. Cheers!

Howdy Squad👋 I'm starting a new masterclass series surrounding fat loss! In this Thursday's Vegan Fat Loss 101 Masterclass: How to Get Started ✨ How to get started (without overwhelm) ✨ Helpful tools that make fat loss easier & sustainable ✨ How to structure a realistic routine that fits your lifestyle ✨ How to track macros in a simple way ✨ How to calculate your numbers to get started ✨ Small changes you can make TODAY for long-term results No restrictive dieting. No starving yourself. No killing yourself with endless cardio. Just realistic habits, sustainable strategies, and small changes that create BIG results! The event and Zoom link is in your calendar! See you all there💚

Hi there. I’m Marlina. I’m 44 years old and been vegan for 12 years. At 140lbs 30% body fat, I’m trying to recomp my body but I have been stuck for the last 5 months! By joining this community, I hope that I can gain the right tools and support to help me achieve my goals of gaining muscle and losing body fat. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I figure this is something we have all told before, but with a lot of new members it would be great to share! I went vegan at 13 years old in the car on the way to middle school. I was already vegetarian since age 10 and my mom wanted to help teach me some new recipes. She bought me a PETA magazine. There was an article saying “Vegetarian isn’t enough”. I was upset. Because I thought I was doing all I could. Before I was 2 paragraphs deep I realized I had to go vegan for the same reasons I went vegetarian. I couldn’t pay for babies to be taken from their mothers and then killed regardless. That was 20 years ago. I’ll hit my 21st year soon. Best decision ever. What was your moment? And if you haven’t listened already I strongly urge you to check out our podcast here: https://vegansquadcoaching.com/vegansquadpod