Today I have a total treat for you in that you’ll get to meet one of my favorite podcasters, Michele Olender, vegan life coach and host of the Vedge your Best Podcast.
You know me and the way I talk about veganism, I meet people where they’re at, I respect the journey and timing of each person, I understand and have empathy for the fact that this change happens differently for different people. I’m not a proponent of adding shame, blame or guilt, or the idea of reaching perfection when you’re on this journey to eating more plants and living vegan. I’m telling you all this because although I listen to a ton of podcasts, I don’t listen to a lot of vegan podcasts. It’s a short list of timeless shows from advocates who I feel talk about these issues in a way that is actually practical, joyful, doable and fun, without excessive fear mongering and like you’re talking to a knowledgeable friend. All this to say that Michele’s podcast is all about the motivation, all about the inspiration, she has the best voice in the podcasting universe, so soothing that listening to her is like meditating. Most importantly, she talks about these issues and making the transition to veganism in a way that is truly inspiring and refreshing.
In today’s conversation we talk about her own journey into this lifestyle and why being an advocate for her daughter started a path of her own that transformed her life (we wouldn’t have her incredible podcast without it!). We talk about life stages and going vegan later in life, aging, and what different life stages brought to the table for her. We discuss that process of embracing that we’re getting older, and we swap opinions of the current focus on longevity. She shares all about the role of a coach and how she supports her clients in making big changes, we get into hot territory discussing ex-vegans, and she gives us some great takeaways when it comes to what to expect when going vegan or making any big life change.
Michele Olender is a Podcaster and Vegan Life Coach with a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell. She specializes in helping individuals to start, RE-start, or re-energize their vegan or plant based practice at any age. Vedge Your Best Podcast has published an episode every week since September 2020, and it’s the only podcast aimed at teaching midlife women how to limit and eliminate the consumption of animal products without feeling deprived, overwhelmed or unsupported, even if no one you know is vegan. She shows you how living vegan is the superpower that will unlock your possibilities and give you the confidence to take on your next impossible goal, by doing it YOUR way. That is perhaps, the quality I admire most about Michele, she skips the dogma and goes straight to meeting people where they’re at, while still challenging you, as all good coaches do.
For all the links mentioned in today's episode, click here or visit brownble.com/blog
