Vegans of Instagram

To kick off #VegansofIGplantstrong week I’d like to start with...

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:04:00 -0700

To kick off #VegansofIGplantstrong week I’d like to start with @inesl. Here is her story:

“Hello! My name is Ines. I’m a vegan from New Jersey.

I’ve struggled with weight most of my life and though I’ve been skinnier, I’ve never, ever been this healthy! The picture on the left was taken January 2012 at my heaviest of 212lbs. I had stopped eating meat a year before that and was working out and practicing yoga regularly. I saw pictures from that night and while appalled, it wasn’t until the end of the summer that I decided to really make a change. It was also about that time that I made a more concerted effort to go completely vegan. I was on my way there already, but would occasionally indulge in baked goods or egg sandwiches.

I stopped giving in to those cravings and in the fall, I joined a new gym and started writing out my works and preparing my meals for the week every Sunday. Unfortunately, I had no luck finding a vegan nutritionist to help me and trainers never knew what to feed me so I took to Instagram and Pinterest. A lot of reading and research later, I could see, right away, my skin, hair, depression, all improved and weight did start to come off!

The picture on the right is from May 2013 at 175lbs! Now, I didn’t become vegan to lose weight, they were both goals I wanted to achieve, but not necessarily dependent of each other, just they happened to coincide (as we can see so often does, like in Forks Over Knives). After a few months of slow but steady weight loss, I really wanted to take my body to the next level and see what it could do.

The past two months I’ve been training with a vegan figure competitor from Canada who is now coaching me towards my first competition this fall. That search has peaked my interest in becoming a Health Coach specializing in a plant-based lifestyle because I know that if I was struggling to find someone to help me, there are others.

I want to be able to help them lead the healthiest, strongest, fittest lifestyle possible. I’m happy to share my journey if it inspires someone to make a change; especially towards going vegan!” #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/ZjGRb1miX4/

This week I’m doing a series of inspiring vegans that have...

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:26:00 -0700

This week I’m doing a series of inspiring vegans that have changed their lives through a plant based diet and exercise. I’ve reached out to a several vegan IGers for their stories and I’m really excited to share all of the #VegansofIGplantstrong features with you.

Their hard work and passion towards a healthy lifestyle has not only benefitted their own lives, but has motivated so many others (myself included) to hunker down, eat clean, and get fit.

Enjoy! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/Zi-Vk2GibA/

HOW TO FIND OUT IF PRODUCTS ARE CRUELTY FREE AND VEGAN: In this...

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:17:00 -0700

HOW TO FIND OUT IF PRODUCTS ARE CRUELTY FREE AND VEGAN:

In this day and age it seems like finding vegan products would be easy. There are so many of us out there that use them!! Unfortunately, it’s not always the case. In this post by Tashina of Logical Harmony, you’ll learn some ways to verify that your favorite brands are truly animal friendly.

There’s no real regulation on the terms “vegan” or “cruelty free”.

This means that a brand can tell customers they are cruelty free, but test on animals when required by law, use ingredients that have been tested on animals, or even test on animals during the production of their items.
Brands can also claim to be vegan, but test on animals or use some animal ingredients. It’s simply a case of the vegan demographic being new to them and seeing it as marketing buzzword instead of a lifestyle.
There are certifications out there than can help! Leaping Bunny is a strict cruelty free certification that checks brands, their processes and their suppliers. The Vegan Society certification goes one step further and also ensures that no animal ingredients are used.

It’s very important to be an educated and empowered consumer. I urge everyone to always look into brands yourself. Your standard for vegan products may not be the same as your friends, a bloggers, or a brands standard. It’s surprisingly easy to research brands. You just need to know the right questions to ask and how to read their responses.

Contact the brand yourself. Because “cruelty free” and “vegan” have become marketable terms, companies are usually more than happy to answer questions you have about their products and their stance. They often have a FAQ page with a statement about animal testing or their use of animal ingredients. This is a great first step, but they are often not thorough answers. Email them and be as specific and direct as possible. Email is great because then you have their responses in writing.

Ask about their stance on animal testing. Be specific. Ask if the brand, a parent company, an affiliate company or a 3rd party tests on animals during multiple phases. I ask this about the finished product, during production, ingredients used, and their suppliers. Most vegan brands can easily address all of those and will do so specifically. If they give you an unclear response, or don’t cover all your questions, ask for clarification. Still unclear? Keep asking!

Ask about animal ingredients and animal derived ingredients. There are brands who say products are vegan, but they include honey, beeswax, silk, or other animal ingredients. Be sure to ask for a list of animal ingredients in their products.

Ask about the source of possible animal ingredients. Lots of ingredients can be plant or animal derived, such as glycerin or the bristles of a cosmetic brush. Look at a few ingredient lists and ask about specific items.

Check in from time to time. Brands change formulas of items or sometimes even change their stance on animal testing entirely. Keep yourself aware and educated by emailing these brands a couple of times a year.

When brands are unclear in any of their responses, they are not endorsed on Logical Harmony in any way. A truly vegan brand has nothing to hide and will happily answer all of your questions! Choosing to live a vegan lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be fun and give you a whole new range of brands to buy from! Empower yourself by reaching out to brands, and enjoy the adventure of finding new options!

~Logical Harmony

http://logicalharmony.net

http://instagram.com/p/ZZhwe-miUh/

Does anyone follow SuperVegan on tumblr? The man is a legend....

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:05:00 -0700

Does anyone follow SuperVegan on tumblr? The man is a legend. He’s eloquent, intelligent, and you can always count on him for one hell of a rebuttal. I had to make this latest post into a picture for instagram, but I highly recommend checking out his blog: supervegan.tumblr.com
I’m a big fan. #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/ZUvaoGmide/

furfreela: In honor of Mother’s Day, we’d like all of the fur...

Sun, 12 May 2013 15:00:45 -0700

furfreela:

In honor of Mother’s Day, we’d like all of the fur bearing animals to know that we’re fighting for them, and we won’t stop working to protect them until fur is banned everywhere! 💜✌

~ Fur Free LA

Monsanto + evil corporation go together hand in hand, so how did...

Fri, 10 May 2013 17:24:00 -0700

Monsanto + evil corporation go together hand in hand, so how did they earn their shameful reputation?

Monsanto created a Genetically Modified (GM) variety of soy that has two main properties:

1⃣ Farmers need to buy it each season.

2⃣ It is resistant to RoundUp. (RoundUp is an herbicide made by Monsanto that kills pretty much anything.)

Monsanto has convinced farmers to use their GM seeds and then, rather than weeding, spray their crops with RoundUp. Only the GM plants survive and can be harvested much more easily than regular soy crops. In order to close the loop, they have sued every farmer that tries to reuse soy seeds claiming patent infringement. The end result is that all soy in the US is not only GM, but has been sprayed with RoundUp. Most soy is converted into vegetable oil, widely used for processed foods and and livestock feed.

Monsanto’s superweeds have become a threat to farming in the US South. Monsanto and the industry’s response is to ask farmers to spray their crops with a cocktail of potent herbicides 💨while they work on new GMO varieties that are resistant to the new stuff. You can also thank Monsanto for contributing to the ever dwindling bee population. The ultimate irony, Monsanto calls refers to their tyrannical corporation as “a sustainable agriculture company.“

Farmers are hooked into herbicide ready crops, while Monsanto is hooked on the large amounts of money created by their market. Together with other companies like ADM, they have lobbied Congress and made it impossible to add GM labeling to foods in the US. How else would #Prop37 fail and the Monsanto Protection Act pass?

Give Monsanto the finger, EAT ORGANIC! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/ZJdXK4miX1/

The next Vegans of Instagram meetup is going to be on Saturday...

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:11:00 -0700

The next Vegans of Instagram meetup is going to be on Saturday JUNE 22nd!

Come out with us for the evening and meet fellow vegan instagramers. Our past meetups have been a lot of fun, so I hope you’ll join us!
I’m still not quite sure where to have it this time. The Golden Road is very spacious and it was a great location for our February meetup.

Any suggestions?

P.S. June 22nd is also my birthday, so you have to come out and celebrate my old age with me! Hope to see you there. #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/ZCQuqaGiei/

Yes, vegetarianism contributes to animal cruelty. Often times...

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:03:00 -0700

Yes, vegetarianism contributes to animal cruelty. Often times the animals raised for their byproducts suffer far more than animals raised for their flesh, but bashing vegetarians is not only counterproductive to the cause, it’s just flat out disrespectful.

Despite the fact that vegetarians are supporting the egg and dairy industries, they are doing something by not eating meat. The amount of lives Meatout Monday has saved is a friggin phenomenal. I know I’ve made a joke here and there about pescatarians, but if someone is making a conscious choices to cut flesh out of their diet, you gotta applaud that shit.

So if we’re preaching “compassion” we have to start being compassionate to people too. Being respectful to vegetarians and omnivores will make them all the more likely to listen to what you have to say. Anyone can hear you, but it’s another thing to listen and actually process what someone just said. If you tick someone off, they’re not going to listen to you. Being a vegan doesn’t automatically make you a good person. I’ve met some committed vegans that do amazing things for animals, but walk ALL over people. I was once told that I’m “not a true vegan” because I missed an animal rights protest. *facepalm*

I’m not saying don’t stand up for yourself. I’ll be the first to tell you, don’t take shit from anyone. But that doesn’t mean you have to raise your voice, just improve your argument.

Having a vegan community is great (That’s an understatement. It’s wicked awesome!) But shutting yourself off from the rest of the world isn’t so great… Sometimes that mob mentality kicks in and we forgot what we’re saying. Frankly, the vegan community cannot expect to win the hearts and minds of non-vegans by bashing the very people who are most likely to go vegan in the first place: vegetarians.

If we want to make this world a better place, it starts with extending kindness to all creatures. I cannot stress that enough.

Kill ‘em with kindness, dammit! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/Y_h0VXmiUB/

I don’t know how I went so long without knowing about Thug...

Sun, 05 May 2013 16:25:00 -0700

I don’t know how I went so long without knowing about Thug Kitchen, but this blog is kind of amazing. Go check out some plant based recipes and f-bombs right now, son. #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/Y8p6z8miUM/

The new vegan social network BLEAT launched today! There were so...

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:42:00 -0700

The new vegan social network BLEAT launched today! There were so many people that signed up that the site crashed. Which if you think about it, is a pretty awesome problem to have. There were THAT many vegans that wanted to connect…

Yeah, there are going to be some bugs on their first day, but doesn’t every first day have glitches? The guys who created Bleat are working on something that has the potential to really friggin awesome.

This reminds me of that Louis CK sketch “Everything Is Amazing and Nobody’s Happy.” (Click HERE to watch)

For the first seven years I was a vegan I had ZERO vegan friends. Not by choice, I just never met one. Now there’s a whole social network for us? How cool is that? The site crashed because of demand. They took the time to build a social network. You took the time to go on another social network to complain about it. Does that put it in perspective? Complaining about a slow Internet connection is the epitome of #firstworldproblems. “Ugh. Why won’t this load faster.” Again —JUST GIVE IT A SECOND!

I guess I just feel for anyone who works so hard to create something to help people, and some person (who probably couldn’t code a website if they wanted to) chimes in about how much it blows. “Ew. I don’t like the name.” Twitter is a strange name too, but now it’s a staple of communication.

If you signed up today it was because you were interested, right? And if you didn’t sign up, but just felt the need to rant online. Ask yourself why you’re being so negative. Try yoga, go for a run, or maybe you could Give it a second!

I joined BLEAT today. (Actually all three of my accounts signed up.) I will support Bleat as they continue to make upgrades to the site. That’s what the vegan community SHOULD be doing. We should support our people. ✌ #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/YyuTcuGidI/

Okay! You may have noticed that I haven’t been posting as much...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:13:00 -0700

Okay! You may have noticed that I haven’t been posting as much lately. That’s because I’ve been hard at work creating a clothing and accessories line for my organization Fur Free LA. I wanted to create a fun and stylish way to promote #furfree fashion so we’re launching with a line of tee’s and tanks with our first design: Get The Fox Outta Here

Each design was tested me, not animals. ;) They’re soft, made in the USA out of eco friendly fibers, and fit your body right. I’m very happy to announce that we opened for business today! Check out our brand new site: furfreela.com

In honor of our launch, we’re having a sale for today (April 29th) only. Use the code OPENINGDAY and you’ll receive 20% off your entire order. Our men’s and plus size styles will be available in about two weeks. If we don’t have your size/style today, email shop@furfreela.com and we’ll have send you a coupon code for 20% off when they’re in. Yes! We do ship internationally.

Any questions, concerns, or feedback don’t hesitate to contact us at shop@furfreela.com

The Shop Fur Free LA line will enable us to continue our work in getting fur out of fashion retailers in Los Angeles and beyond! This is a whole new venture for us and we’re very happy that we can finally share it with you. Hope you like it! #VegansofIG

Exciting news everyone! There’s a new vegan social network...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:09:00 -0700

Exciting news everyone! There’s a new vegan social network called Bleat and it’s launching on May 1st!

Bleat isn’t just a vegan social network and it’s certainly far from just a vegan directory. Simply put, it’s a whole new way to get the absolute most from your vegan lifestyle.

If you’re a vegan trying to find vegan friendly restaurants, looking for the latest recipes or just interested in meeting other vegans, all you have to do is Bleat. If you’re a vegan concerned for the rights of animals, have questions about a raw-only diet or simply perplexed about pulses just Bleat. Even if you’re a non-vegan and you’re simply contemplating the idea of a vegan lifestyle - BLEAT!

◦ A vast comprehensive vegan resource
◦ Interact with vegans from all across the globe
◦ Advice on vegan friendly brands
◦ Recipes, restaurant guides & reviews
◦ Information on the welfare of animals

Visit @wearebleat’s site here: http://ble.at and check out their new promo video. Are you as excited about this as I am? Yay! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/Yg1T5ZGiTB/

Congrats to @kallie_fornia for winning the...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:36:00 -0700

Congrats to @kallie_fornia for winning the #GreenIsGoodVegansofIG Earth Day challenge! ♻

Kallie is a teacher in Alaska. Her goal is to teach her students how to be aware of the growing crises of pollution on our Earth. She and her students picked up trash and planted a garden. All of the bags they used to pick up trash were collected from the plastic bag recycle drive she previously hosted. Go Kallie! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/Yghi-nGiYi/

Today (April 22nd) is Earth Day! I’ve decided to host a contest...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:20:00 -0700

Today (April 22nd) is Earth Day! I’ve decided to host a contest in honor of the global environmental event. The winning post (or posts) will be featured here on Vegans of Instagram.

The challenge is very simple: all you have to do is document what you’re doing for Earth Day and tag your photo #GreenIsGoodVegansofIG.

Animal products are without a doubt one the biggest contributors to global warming, so what better way to go green than going vegan! Other examples include: recycling, planting a tree, cutting palm oil out of your diet, biking instead of driving, using reusable bags and cups, etc…

These are just a few ideas, but I encourage you to have fun with the challenge and get creative. Inspire others to make a difference. The winner will be announced on Wednesday April 24th. (I’m in California, so that might be the 25th for international entries.)

Ready, set, go green! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/YYEx8omiax/

Had to repost this from The Huffington Post. There’s a lot of...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:44:00 -0700

Had to repost this from The Huffington Post. There’s a lot of evil in this world, but there’s also a lot of good. Thank you Mr. Rogers ♥ #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/YJmvDVmiX-/

I asked one of my favorite beauty bloggers Vegan Beauty Review...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 21:34:00 -0700

I asked one of my favorite beauty bloggers Vegan Beauty Review to guest post on her favorite vegan friendly hair dyes:

For cruelty-free, vegan, alternative hair dyes (blue, pink, green, etc.)

◦ Special Effects
◦ Jerome Russell’s Punky Colour (#1 and #2 have the longest-lasting formulas In my humble opinion)
◦ Manic Panic
◦ Paul Mitchell’s Ink Works
◦ Splat
◦ Hot Topic Raw
◦ Stargazer (UK)
◦ Directions (UK)

Note: These are all semi-permanent hair dyes (which work best on bleached hair), and they fade with each wash. Also, be sure to use gloves when dying hair to avoid purple/pink/blue hands and fingernails. And… these dyes tend to smell a bit like candy. :)

For natural colored cruelty-free hair dyes
◦ Herbatint - has a pleasant licorice scent, available at Whole Foods, other health food stores, and Amazon.com (best deal)
◦ LUSH henna (in red, brown, black, and chestnut) - all-natural, plant-based, and infused with cocoa butter for extra conditioning
◦ Aubrey Color Me Natural - Available in dark brown and mahogany.

For more on vegan, cruelty free hair dyes check out Sunny’s website VeganBeautyReview.com #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/WC10P7GiZO/

Sarah Kramer, a true icon in the vegan community, has breast...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:46:00 -0700

Sarah Kramer, a true icon in the vegan community, has breast cancer. I’ve been reading her blog on GoVegan.net and I’m so moved by her strength and openness. My mom had breast cancer in 2011. It’s f*cking scary and horrible, but it is treatable and you can beat this. You got this girl

This is from Sarah’s blog: “Everyone keeps asking what they can do to help me during this difficult time and as crass as it sounds – shopping at my store is the best way to support me. http://store.govegan.net

When my wonderful friends at Nice Shoes heard about my breast cancer they wanted to do something special to help so they have organized an event to support Sarah’s Place.

If you live in/near Vancouver – and do an online order at Sarah’s Place between April 6-8th and use the coupon code: FORKCANCER you will get free shipping.

All orders will be shipped en masse from Sarah’s Place to Nice Shoes and you can pick up your order from Nice Shoes when it arrives.”

Sarah has asked her friends and fans to check themselves regularly for lumps. @bizzylittleb started the hashtag #feelyourselfupforsarah. Ladies and gents (Guys, you can get breast cancer too :/) if there was ever a time to grab you boobs, check for lumps, and post a photo of it on Instagram, now is the time! Early detections saves lives!

Sarah, you’re amazing and an inspiration to us all. I’m sending you all my love and support from California (and a lot of virtual hugs and kisses.) We’re here for you, go kick some cancer ass! #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/XyyvRWGiQ_/

Ever wonder if your booze is vegan? There’s an app for that! I...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:26:00 -0700

Ever wonder if your booze is vegan? There’s an app for that! I just got word via Barnivore.com that there’s a new app out there that’s using their data.

Vegaholic is an offline app, so if you’re ever out at a bar with no service you can easily look up what beers, wines, and liquors are vegan friendly! Yay!

The app is currently 99 cents. Download it HERE. Android and other smart phone users checkout: barnivore.com/mobile. #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/XyTOUqmiZM/

Speaking from experience, omnivore guys suck at picking up vegan...

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:22:00 -0700

Speaking from experience, omnivore guys suck at picking up vegan girls. Most men will say anything to get in a girl’s pants, right? “No way! Sixpence None the Richer is my favorite band too!”

So why is it that when I bring up that I’m a vegan most men can’t keep up the act and make an effort to relate to me? “You’re vegan? That’s awesome. Tempeh is the jam!” Instead I get something along the lines of “I don’t think we can be friends, I love cheese too much.” If you value something as superfluous as *coagulated milk fat* over spending time with a cool person, I’m not interested either.

Just because someone is not a vegan, doesn’t mean I won’t be friends or start a relationship with them. If you’re a good person and respectful, I’d love to get to know you. It’s those that judge that don’t get any love from me. It goes the same way. Just because you’re a vegan doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give an omni a chance. You never know, they might be open minded enough to try veganism.

In the long run, I don’t think I could end up marrying someone that keeps meat in the fridge, but that wouldn’t stop me from getting to know someone.

Omnis: if you try hitting on someone that happens to be vegan. You’ve got to pick up your game. Mocking my lifestyle is a sure fire way to get rejected. Compassion is a turn on. Give peas a chance. #VegansofIG

http://instagram.com/p/XsoaEcGiTe/

The Vegans of Instagram meetup at The Pub at Golden Road is...

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:52:00 -0800

The Vegans of Instagram meetup at The Pub at Golden Road is tonight! I’m excited to see you all.

The meetup starts at 8pm. I need a rough idea of the head count so I can make sure I’ve reserved enough tables. Who’s in? #VegansofIG