The Vegan Client

In the last decade there has been a tremendous increase in people eating a more plant based diet. While studies show that plant-based diets are healthiest in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers, not all vegans or vegetarians are healthy eaters or movers. A personal trainer or health coach supporting the needs of this largely millennial vegan population may find rewarding work both financially and emotionally.
 What do we need to understand to support our vegan client?
 First, we want to understand that vegans are typically vegans because they abhor the enslavement and killing of any sentient being. You do not need to be a vegan to work with a vegan, but you want to respect their intense sensitivity to the injustices forced on animals by humans.
 Second, we want to understand that vegans do not eat flesh, or buy any animal products or by products. 

• Most vegans are environmentally conscious. 
• Many vegans eat high fat, high sugar foods. 
• Many vegans do not exercise. 

Things to consider when contemplating doing business with a vegan:
A.   Ingestion
 We may want to refresh our minds of the value of a plant based diet in regards to greater heart health by perusing peer reviewed studies and large cohort studies that support the efficacy of this nutritional plan. 

• Dean Ornish Lifestyle Heart Trial - greater heart health even after heart disease https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1973470
• China Study - lowers cancer risk                                             https://nutritionstudies.org/the-china-study/
• Seventh Day Adventist Study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3565018/             
• A brief review on exercise, nutrition, and stress management as lifestyle medicine. http://www.thepermanentejournal.org/issues/2018/6536-lifestyle-medicine- 

And, because the environment is also important to our vegan client it may be worthwhile to learn about greenhouse gases and the contribution of animal agriculture to climate change.
 B.  The Environment

•  A multinational study (sponsored by the United Nations) identifying farmed animals (“livestock”) as a major threat to the environment, generating more greenhouse gas emissions than the transportation industry.                            https://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/march/livestock-revolution-environment-031610.html
• A Loma Linda Study shows that the carbon footprint of a vegan is 41% smaller than meat eaters and 13% smaller than vegetarians. 

C.  Spirituality and values
 One-way vegans display their spirituality or their values is through what they eat. A vegan is not the same as someone who choses a plant based diet solely for their own health, a vegan’s choice is driven by the belief that it is wrong to exploit animals.
 How do we work with a vegan?
 Become a vegan advocate

• Attend vegan conferences
• Connect on social media with vegan groups
• Go to vegan events, animal farms, marches, protests
• Define yourself as a specialist
• Stay engaged

 

Danielle Vindez inspires well-being by sharing life experiences, stories, knowledge, and listening.     

She received a BA in Sociology from UCLA, a Masters from CSUDH, is a graduate of Coach University, holds certifications from ACSM (CEP), NSCA (CSCS), and the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching.