I'm so happy to share how I'm building muscle on a raw vegan diet. I've been successfully LIVING and breathing this lifestyle for nearly two decades, and I'm currently in the best health and shape of my life. I love this way of life even more now that I did in the beginning of my journey. I'm happy to share what I know with you so that you can have success too!

Here are the top 5 ways I'm building muscle on a raw vegan diet:

1. Fitness - Mixing it up & combining
2. Diet & Protein
3. Not Eating Late
4. Sleep & Rest
5. Commitment, Dedication, Routine, and Time 

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Fitness & Exercise:

The footage that I’m showing you today are mainly clips from my phone, so what you’re seeing are very in-the-moment shots. 

My number one tip for helping you to build muscle on a raw vegan lifestyle is to mix up your fitness routines and to add weight or resistance to your workouts. CHALLENGE YOURSELF.

I’ve been trying to create a weekly balance in my workout routines, and I mix it up often with sculpt or HITT classes, yoga, hybrid CrossFit, sauna sessions, running the stairs, nature walks or hikes, and more. 

One of my favorite ways to start the day is with a sculpt class. I typically go to these sculpt or active yoga classes, approximately 4 to 5 times a week. It’s a yoga class, but with bands, and sometimes weights, and it’s a little faster paced than your regular yoga. I’ve created such a strong community of friends within this morning class, and I absolutely love it. I get in a good sweat, the music is so much fun, and being in a group setting keeps me much more motivated, then, if I were working out alone.

I’ve been doing regular yoga for years now, but sculpt in particular I’ve been doing for about four years since I moved here on the island. 

Something new and different that I have been doing lately are hybrid CrossFit classes. So these classes are like CrossFit, but focused more on lifting weights with an emphasis on technique, form, balance, and functionality. When I first started these types of workouts, I was extremely intimidated. I’ve started small and worked my way up to be able to handle heavier weights. I do these hybrid CrossFit training sessions once or twice a week. If I can’t make a group class, I’ll go in for a private session so that I can focus on individual technique and form, to make sure that I’m doing the exercises properly. It really does help in the beginning to get specialized attention so that there are no injuries. 

What I love most about these hybrid workouts are that I am proving to myself I can do what I never thought I could do. I’m doing deadlifts. I’m doing squats. I’m doing all of these things that once looked so impossible for me. But I’m doing them, and I’m mastering them slowly. It feels so good to empower myself in this way, and I feel like I am becoming stronger every single week. Every single week I’m adding on an additional 5 pounds of weight that I’m working with. When I’m dead, lifting, I am lifting more than my body weight. I started with a 45 pound bear bar, and now I’m up to lifting 135 pounds. I don’t compare myself to anyone else on this journey, I merely celebrating each and every step of my own progress.  When I first started lifting weights, I had this silly idea in my mind that I would bulk up or get very muscular, but that’s not what happened. I just got more toned and it’s been easier for me to lose fat and build muscle. If anything, it’s taught me how important it is to add weight resistance to your training. It doesn’t have to be a lot, or even every day, but simply adding in resistance or weights into your workout routine will make a difference.

I think I mentioned before that I used to be a long distance runner. I would run anywhere from 5 to 12 miles a day, but I did not look like this. Actually, I had a hard time getting abs or looking like I had definition when I was a runner. My legs looked good, but the rest of my body was not as toned.

Another valuable lesson that I have learned recently is that it’s really important to mix up your workouts. Your body gets used to certain workouts, so it’s important to try different things so that your body can move in different ways and work different muscles.

These hybrid CrossFit classes have given me so much confidence, and I feel stronger than I ever have before. I want to thank my friends at Jurassic for allowing me a safe space to work out, and also for sharing these video clips with me. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your community.

I really think the biggest secret to building muscle is to add weights and more resistance to your fitness. Get creative. You don’t have to always go to the gym and lift, but also you can use resistance bands and other fun tools at home to maximize your mobility and strength. 

I know a lot of women who fear using weights, because they think it will make them bulk up or gain weight, but that's really not the case. Using weights in your routine helps you to create LEAN muscle and to tone your body. Adding weight helps you to build muscle and can increase your metabolic rate. You’ll burn fat more easily, and you’ll experience having more energy throughout the day as well. Adding weights or resistance is a game changer. I was a long-distance runner for years, and what really helped tone my body wasn’t cardio, it was resistance training

By the way, did I mention that most of the spaces I tend to exercise in or outdoors? If they are not outdoors, there are windows open with access to fresh air… And they have beautiful views.

In addition to my morning, yoga, sculpt classes, and my hybrid CrossFit training, I go to run the stairs once a week. There is an epic set of concrete outdoor stairs nearby, and it’s surrounded by nature. There’s rarely anybody running the stairs, so I use it as an opportunity for me to get in an extra workout whenever possible. I’ll typically go for 30 minutes or so until my legs feel like jelly. I think functional fitness is so much fun. If you can find any place outdoors near you that has stairs, or something like this, use it as an opportunity or inspiration to move your body.

At least once a week, I will enjoy what I like to call Sauna sessions in my garage. Usually, I will enjoy a sauna session if I’m not able to make a yoga class, or if I can’t make a CrossFit class, or even if I just feel like working out by myself that day, I will work out in my sauna. Usually, when I work out in my sauna, I make up my own routine, and I just listen to my body and do whatever feels good. Sometimes I’ll do squats, sometimes all use bands and weights, sometimes I’ll just stretch… It’s really just free flow for me. I’m a big advocate of listening to your body during workouts. Only you will know how much you can push yourself safely. I never try to exhaust myself. I take breaks. I practice breathwork. I stretch. I play music. Sometimes I even cry or have an emotional release. I think it’s all very healthy. There are so many different benefits to working out and moving your body. I also love spending time in my infrared sauna, because I think that sweating is very healthy for the body as well. A lot of people ask me about my sauna. I have a Clearlight Saunas and if you’re interested in more information that’s linked in the description below for you.

My last and final work out that I have been taking advantage of lately, has been just spending more time adventuring out in nature. I think it is so refreshing to be outside, to go for a walk, to go on a hike with friends, or to even go to the beach and do fun exercises on the beach with your friends if you can. Sometimes I’ll take Coco for walks on trails. I’ve been enjoying different hikes with some of my good friends on island, and it’s just such a great way to connect with people. And it’s so fun to do impromptu workouts with your friends and outdoor settings. You get in good laughs, you get to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and more.

I really want to emphasize that fitness is more than just about your physique or looking good. One of the main reasons I like to work out daily, or move my body daily, is because it is also good for my emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Life can get stressful, and we forget to practice certain modalities that might regulate our systems. When I work out, my body is forced to naturally practice some breath work. It’s good for your circulation and for your heart health. It’s a wonderful tool that you can use to reconnect back to yourself and gather focus when needed

Diet & Protein:

Next up, let’s talk about diet and protein. Many of you know I live and advocate for a raw vegan lifestyle. That’s what this video is all about…showing you that you can eat raw or vegan and still build muscle. There is plenty of protein you can get on a raw vegan lifestyle. I consume about 2400 calories a day and average anywhere from 60-80 grams of plant-based protein in my day. If you’re in my Inner Circle, you’ve seen me share my Cronometer results of a day of eating. Not only do I get enough protein, but also I get 100% or more of my daily vitamins, minerals, and more. YOU MUST MAKE SURE YOU’RE CONSUMING ENOUGH CALORIES ON A RAW VEGAN LIFESTYLE, and it’s easiest to do this by consuming more calorie-rich fruits in your day like bananas, mangos, dates, and more. Also, you want to get in enough protein from greens and fats from your nuts and seeds. It’s not about restriction. Actually, it’s the opposite. It’s about food freedom and eating until you’re completely satisfied. My body is healthy and happy. If you have more specific questions about how I get in the amounts of protein that I do, I encourage you to join my Inner Circle for coaching, and that’s linked below for you as well. Let’s talk a little bit more about this...

After my workouts, I usually tend to refuel with a fresh juice and a smoothie bowl. One of my favorite fresh juices that I have been enjoying lately is a mineral-rich green juice or a freshly squeezed Sugarloaf pineapple juice. Oh my goodness, it’s heaven. There is nothing quite like a fresh, cold juice after a workout. Not only is it hydrating, but it’s also a great way to refuel your body after you’ve been moving. I drink juice not for the protein, but more so for the nutrition, the minerals, and the hydration. It’s a GREAT way to start the day. I have a Nama Juicer, and it’s probably the best juicer you can use to juice fresh pineapples. It just makes life so easy. If you’re interested in the NAMA Juicer that I’m using, you can check out the links in the description below. You can use the code: FULLYRAW55 to get $55 off this juicer, and that link is below for you.

Usually after my juice, I’ll enjoy a delicious smoothie bowl…and my smoothie bowl is a big part of where I get in my necessary calories and protein for the day along with my evening salad. If you know me, then you know, I cannot go a day without my smoothie bowl. It’s one of my main source of calories for the day. It’s so satisfying and it gives me so much energy. I do supplement. I take the liquid vitamins and minerals from Sunwarrior, and I also use their collagen building proteins peptides in my smoothie bowls. It’s basically a very clean raw and vegan protein source. Each scoop has 14 grams of protein with additional superfoods like kale, spinach, tremella mushrooms, biotin, silica from bamboo, spirulina, vitamin c, and even hyaluronic acid to help support the building of strong hair, skin, and nails. I also supplement with vitamin B 12 and vitamin D3. I’ve also been adding their pure creatine into my smoothies recently to help build muscle and also to help balance hormones. I like to add different greens and fruits into my smoothies. Sometimes I’ll make banana dragon fruit smoothie bowls, and sometimes I’ll make banana mango Spirulina smoothie bowls. I like to use what fruits I have in season to keep my smoothie bowls exciting. I think HOW you refuel your body after a work out is just as important as the work out itself. Take care of your temple. What you put into your body matters. I like to make sure I’m putting the most nutritious fruits and vegetables into my body after exercising. I feel even better afterwards and ready to take on the rest of my day. If you’re interested in the raw vegan protein I’m adding into my smoothie, check out Sunwarrior, and you can get up to 30% off their supplements using the link below or the code: FULLYRAW at checkout.

Not Eating Late:

The third tip I want to give you when helping to build more muscle and to get into better shape on this lifestyle is to NOT EAT LATE. It’s actually very simple. Set a designated dinner time for yourself and try not to snack or eat past that hour. Of course you can drink water and hydrate, but most people don’t realize how those late night calories add up and how they can cause weight-gain. 

Something I see often is that when people are tired at night, they want to eat to re-energize themselves, when what their body really needs is SLEEP or REST. Stop eating when your body is tired, and instead, give it the rest it deserves. 

Not to mention, when you eat late at night, it’s really easy to let the late night cookie-monster take control, and it’s easy to start binging on sweet or snack when you’re not even hungry. 

Stop eating late. Support your digestive system with extra probiotics if needed. Get to sleep early. 

Sleep & Rest:

Not eating late segways us into my next tip, which is making sure you’re getting enough sleep and rest. Recovery is essential to help you build muscle. You have to allow a proper allotment of time not only in between sets, but also in between workouts and days for your body to properly recover. What this does it allows your body to help build muscle rather than to break it down. 

Also, we live in a hustle society that’s nto used to resting, but resting is essential for us. When you get tired and want to quit, REST. Give your body the rest it needs. Get to sleep early start fresh the next day. It’s also important to note that the heavier the weight-training you do, you might even need small naps in the day to help you recover more quickly.

Commitment, Dedication, and Time

The last tip I want to share to help you on this fitness and wellness journey is to encourage you to stay committed, stay dedicated, be patient, give it time, and BELIEVE in YOURSELF.

Big big changes like the ones you’re seeking don’t happen overnight. I’ve been really committed to this new fitness routine of mine for over a year now, and I’m really, REALLY starting to see results now. 

If you want to experience the true results of something, you need to stay committed and practive it every day, every week…as much as you can. Stay dedicated and you will see results. 

You can build muscle on a raw vegan lifestyle, and I’m an example that after 18 years, it’s absolutely possible. I’m THRIVING physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and I want to encourage you to step into take your wellness routine to the next level as well.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. You can do this! Let’s do this together!