I am a fairly active person, having been familiar with the gym for many years whilst on a healthy “paleo” based diet – high protein, low carbs and moderate fat. I have put myself on different cleanses, detox programs and diets. I had trained in a high profile gym in Sydney and completed several body sculpting programs that involved eating meat up to six times a day, with noticeable changes in body composition, but left me feeling acidic, congested, craving carbs all the time. The worst part was the niggling guilt that what I was doing can’t be good for the environment or the animals that were giving up their lives to meet my protein ‘requirements’.
When I decided to make the switch to train on a plant-based lifestyle, my trainer explained that he would have no choice but to decline me as a client if I was to consume any legumes or soy products as it was not in their protocols. I would either have to drink a lot of protein shakes to make up for the protein, or find another trainer, he said.
So there began my search for a body transformation/nutrition coach who would support my beliefs and values. After several “pass ons” I was finally put on to Crissi, Carvalho, Vegan Fitness Model. From our very first phone conversation, she believed in me 110%. I was relieved to know there was a way to keep fit, stay lean whilst enjoying a high carb lifestyle and that our body does not need as much protein as people think. By living harmoniously with the planet, we can also experience a mind body transformation that goes far beyond aesthetics.
Going through her program, I felt mentally clearer as my system started to alkalise. I started to see where else in my life I was living incongruently and found internal courage to express my authenticity. Externally, I felt stronger, my recovery times was twice as fast. In fact, I thought it was very odd to have a lack of DOMS after heavy training sessions compared to my experiences on a carnivorous diet. One of the biggest changes was seeing my bad skin (from poor digestion and gut imbalances) clear up. That and surprising myself one day when I unexpectedly repped out 10 unassisted pull ups (previously I could only ever do five!).
Crissi lives by what she preaches, she is congruent, kind, compassionate, and embodies vitality from the inside and out. Health always comes first. She is not only a coach, she is also a mother, wife, trainer, health/environment/animal activist and overall powerhouse woman on a mission to make a better difference in the world. She has a lot of experience to understand your needs and facilitate your health and physique goals.
Since going on a plant based vegan lifestyle, I have saved 404 animals, that’s almost 200kg of meat I didn’t eat, and was accountable for 3,218 lbs of CO2 not released into the atmosphere!
Coach Crissi’s words about Alice
Alice is an amazing dedicated woman and at 30, she oozes health and vitality of a woman much younger in age. Alice lives and breathes the plant-based lifestyle plus continually sets herself goals to become a better person, thus is always looking for new ways to living a more compassionate life. Alice prepped with me on her first fitness bikini model competition in May 2015 and what a transformation both internally and externally. Here is her stat progress during her ‘Gold’ Vegan Fitness Model Program:
Start –
Weight: 64.2kg
FAT%: 26.9%
Mid-way –
Weight: 58.5kg
Fat%: 20.5%
Stage –
Weight: 55.1kg
Fat%: 16.3%
