Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaina DeVoss.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Elaina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.

I’ve been on a journey to spread happiness and joy. I think the reason I was nominated is because of my contagious light and energy. I have a fitness Instagram and when I’m active on it, I’ve gotten a few messages and people coming up to me in real life saying that I’m an inspiration. But fitness is easy. I’d say that being an example of a positive, compassionate lifestyle is more of what I would consider my accomplishment. I have become vegan as of December of 2018 and spent the last ten months educating my friends and family on the joys and benefits of changing your lifestyle. My goal has never been to convert people, my goal is just to enlighten people and change the mindset to that we don’t NEED meat and dairy in every meal. I’m not an aggressive vegan, I just post all the delicious food I eat and show people that you don’t have to change your diet to help the environment, yourself, and the other people on this Earth.

Has it been a smooth road?

My journey hasn’t been smooth. I watched the movie “What The Health” and made the switch cold turkey (pun intended). I spent about 30 minutes of researching vegan food with my friend after we watched it, and that was it. I thought I had it, I was definitely scared. I was worried that I’d miss my favorite foods, that I wouldn’t be able to go out and eat with my friends anymore. What would I eat, salad?! I hate salad! When I originally made the switch, all I ate were Oreos and french fries. I was went from being known for being healthy and fit, to chunky and malnourished. I only last about two months eating that way before I slid back into my carnivorous ways. I fully intended to go vegan again on January 1st, so I did some things to help with my transition.

Whenever I went to the grocery store, I still shopped vegan, because that was how I was used to shopping, and it was so much cheaper! I flooded my Instagram with a bunch of vegan recipe pages and would attend a weekly Vegan Sunday event. However, when I was at work (I worked at a restaurant), or out with friends I would eat whatever I wanted, though that usually ended in a stomachache. I’ll never forget the day my boyfriend said to me, “I can’t wait until you go vegan again so you don’t have stomachaches anymore.” Ironically, the day he said that I was actually I got food poisoning. That caused my transition two weeks earlier than I had planned, but I entered the New Year feeling better than ever.

We’d love to hear more about your work.

I have a brand that I represent. And I wouldn’t say that my brand is just solely “being vegan”. I’m the “crazy cool vegan food blogger that eats burgers bigger than her head”. I mentioned in my struggle, that I would attend a weekly vegan event (Vegan Exchange LA). This event has truly helped my transition and my ability to enlighten others. The food there is not food that I could ever cook at my house, and in no way would I consider it “healthy”. But that’s the best part! I can eat all of the same food that I did before I went vegan. Which is crucial, because I used to eat A LOT of cheeseburgers. And a lot of people don’t know that you can be an unhealthy vegan. I am proud to say I got my burger rep back and simultaneously showed my friends and family that vegan food is NOT scary or gross. I am definitely was not a foodie before, but I certainly am now!

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?

I see myself working with people who are helping the environment and animals. I’ve done some volunteering at animal shelters. I just really want to feel like I’m making a change.

Contact Info:

Phone: 7758577334

7758577334 Email: eeelaynuh@yahoo.com

eeelaynuh@yahoo.com Instagram: @eeelaynuh

@eeelaynuh Other: @elainagetsfit

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