Women In Wellness: Ella Magers of Sexy Fit Vegan on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Time Spent Building Connection And Community Is Often More Valuable Than “Getting Shit Done”. I’m a doer, a strong-willed independent woman, and an introvert. I thought I could put my head down, create a website, produce content, and build a thriving business. I was missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle… community. It wasn’t until I started spending more time and energy connecting with others, collaborating, and GIVING my help, that I was able to succeed.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ella Magers.
Ella Magers is the founder of Sexy Fit Vegan and is changing the way the world views veganism. Ella is a world-leading fitness trainer, Maverick of wellness, and animal rights advocate, building the bridge between veganism, advocacy, and systemic reform, in order to shift the market and accelerate organizational change. Ella has been named “Top 50 Trainers in America”, by Shape Magazine along with various other accreditations received from Fame Fitness World Championships.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I’d be happy to!
I discovered my life’s purpose when I was just 7 years old.
My mom picked me up after school to take me to gymnastics practice (I’ve been into sports and fitness since I was five), and asked how my day was. I told her we learned about Daniel Boone (one of our first American folk heroes who infamously carried around a shotgun and wore a raccoon hat).
I was confused and told my mom that I couldn’t understand why they called Daniel Boone a hero because he killed and ate animals.
My mom was honest with me and said, “Well Ella, we are just fortunate because we get to go to the grocery store to buy our meat to eat.”
It was at that moment that I connected the food on my plate with the animal that it was and told my mom that I would never eat meat again!
By the time I turned 15, I had learned about the cruelty of the dairy and egg industries and went fully vegan and became an activist before I could drive a car.
Seeing the world through such a different lens than most people, and caring so deeply about the plight of animals was tough, however, at the age of 16, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and struggled with severe anxiety. I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders.
At the same time, I believe that it is the clarity about my mission in life that saved me. Despite the depression, anxiety, alcohol, drugs, my college job working in nightclubs, and toxic relationships, I pulled through because of the responsibility I felt to advocate for animals.
It wasn’t until many years later that I became empowered with the mental and emotional self-coaching tools I now teach, and the deep sense of connection I now feel to the Universe.
After graduating college with a degree in Social Work, I began working in the fitness industry. The next chapter of my career was less about direct action activism, and more about inspiring others to get fit and healthy by working out and eating plants, which gave me the opportunity to help countless people make the transition to a whole foods plant-based diet.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
I created my brand, Sexy Fit Vegan in 2013 when veganism was just beginning to come into the limelight. I was a self-employed personal trainer at the time and had no idea how to monetize my new brand. I knew in my heart, however, that creating Sexy Fit Vegan was the move I needed to make, and because it was in line with my life’s purpose, I was motivated to simply start creating content and finding ways to let my voice and message be heard.
I created a website and started blogging. I was soon receiving welcomed publicity, including being named among Shape Magazine’s 50 top trainers in America and Trainer of the Month on the world’s leading bodybuilding and fitness website (bodybuilding.com). I was invited to speak in the media and got a book deal. It was satisfying knowing I was reaching so many people across the globe, and at the same time, my lack of business experience stunted my ability to monetize the brand, so I relied on personal training as income.
One day, I got a call from Amanda, who had discovered me by searching for vegan personal trainers. She hired me to train her and coach her on nutrition.
After a few sessions, Amanda asked me, “Aren’t you tired of being underpaid?” I was shocked. I was charging $100/hour. She then asked if I’d consider creating an online coaching program, which she said had the potential to be an extremely lucrative business model.
Turns out, Amanda was a business coach. She sold me on her own coaching program. The investment was significant, and it felt like a huge leap of faith. But my gut said, “Go for it!” and I did. I can say with certainty that the moment I committed to Amanda’s program, was the moment everything changed for me and Sexy Fit Vegan.
Within 8 weeks I was able to quit personal training and run the 6-Week Plant-Empowered Coaching Program full time. Not only did my business transform, but my mindset also transformed. I learned to value myself and my work. I owned my worth, released my scarcity mindset, let go of limiting beliefs, and exploded my business with passion and purpose!
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One of my (many) mistakes first starting out has everything to do with mindset.
I jumped into the fitness industry and became a personal trainer right out of college, not because I was passionate about fitness (I was), but because the opportunity landed in my lap and I knew it was something I could excel at.
As the years went by, I became more and more dissatisfied with my chosen profession. It was never meant to be my long-term career, because my heart was drawn to animal advocacy. I didn’t know how I could make a career out of my passion for veganism, however, because at the time, many people didn’t even know what the word vegan meant, and even fewer were interested in or open to moving in that direction.
I started resenting my work. I felt as if I was wasting my life, my time, my talents, and my passion. I lived in a constant state of stress, feeling like I was not making a difference in the world or for animals.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
Healing the world starts with healing ourselves!
My coaching programs, and what Master Mindset Coach Stephanie Hamilton Aguilar and I teach on The Vegan Life Coach Podcast are all rooted in helping people learn how to harness the power we have over our thoughts, becoming conscious of the subconscious beliefs that are keeping us from becoming the best versions of ourselves.
I believe that all life on this planet is interconnected. Quantum physics proves that we are all made up of energy, and that energy is not limited by time or space (call it what you’d like… God, Collective Consciousness, the Universe).
Where attention goes, energy flows. When we are caught up in conforming, people-pleasing, and feeling shameful about who we really are and what we look like, we are doing other people, animals, and the world a disservice. We are playing small, and denying the world the service we’re capable of due to our own insecurities and self-sabotage.
We’re all here, having been born into a contract with life… A contract that gives us the fortune of having the full human experience.
What’s extraordinary is that we have the superpower of writing the story of our lives. We have the opportunity to see life as a game of sorts, or even a puzzle, and with the right tools we can step into our divine power, access our conscious mind, and reprogram the old stories that aren’t serving us, and ultimately aren’t serving other people, animals, or the Planet.
From a place of inner peace and power, we can realize that we are all connected, human and non-human animals. We can understand that it is cooperation, not competition that will set us all free. We can embrace the fact that true inner peace and happiness can only be realized if we stop supporting and ingesting the suffering of other sentient beings. We can begin to move through the world with passion and purpose, LIVING the change we wish to see on Earth.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
- Eating A Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet — Nourishing and fueling our bodies with proper nutrition is the most impactful way we can proactively get and stay healthy into old age.
A whole-food, plant-exclusive diet is a win-win for everyone and everything on this planet! The health benefits of a whole foods vegan diet are undeniable. By making some simple substitutes, like replacing meat with beans, and cow’s milk with almond milk, you can often prevent developing the world’s top killer diseases such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, stroke, and in many cases cancer. I’ve been fortunate enough to see countless people through the process of transitioning to a healthy vegan way of life. It’s incredibly rewarding to see people finally reach health milestones like lowering their blood pressure and cholesterol as well as reversing their pre-diabetes and obesity statuses. We’ve also helped tons of people reach fitness goals like completing a triathlon, achieving a pull-up, losing weight (and keeping it off), and climbing mountains well into their later stages in life.
2. Eating Mindfully — It’s not only WHAT you eat that matters, It’s HOW you eat!
The trick I use to optimize digestion and avoid overeating is surprisingly simple, but a habit few people have established is chewing your food! Let me explain. I was doing a book signing on a vegan cruise years ago. Renowned physicians like Dr. Michael Gregor, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, and Dr. Neil Barnard were giving talks on different nutrition-related topics. Most of the information I was already very familiar with. However, I had a huge realization one day following a lecture, I wasn’t consistently eating mindfully. You see, our digestion starts with enzymes in our saliva. So, the longer food stays in our mouths the more pre-digestion we achieve, which makes it easier on our bodies when the food gets into our stomachs. And by chewing your food to a paste, you’re basically creating a smoothie in your mouth, which again, makes digestion run so much smoother. Chewing our food thoroughly (20–30 chews per bite) slows us down tremendously, which allows us to be present and enjoy each bite. Eating mindfully means being present, paying attention to the act of eating, and experiencing the food, tastes, textures, instead of shoveling it down your throat. Slowing down also gives us a better chance of recognizing when it’s time to stop eating. Our body will tell us when we’re full, but we often aren’t listening and miss the signals.
3. Exercising Because You Love Your Body (not as a punishment) — Most people correlate exercise with “burning calories” and losing weight.
For many, exercise is basically a punishment for eating too much or eating something we later feel guilty about. It becomes a chore that you “have to” do or else you’ll gain weight. The truth is, you can’t outrun your fork. What I mean is that no matter how insanely hard you work out, if you’re not fueling your body with nutrient-packed whole plant foods, you won’t achieve a healthy, fit body, at least not for long.
First off, you can only train for so long before your body starts to break down from overuse injuries to acute injuries to adrenal fatigue. (I have experienced all 3 thanks to all my years of overtraining).
Second, let’s talk burpees. Most people, myself included, have a love-hate relationship with burpees because they are one of the toughest, yet most effective total-body exercises that exist.
How many burpees do you think it takes to burn off the calories in just 3 Oreo cookies (which are accidentally vegan btw)?
Over 100!
So, if you’ve ever eaten something, thinking, “It’s okay, I’ll burn off these calories at the gym tomorrow,” you can understand how this thinking is flawed. Constantly working out for the purpose of burning off calories you feel guilty about consuming will keep you spinning your wheels, frustrated, and exhausted.
Instead of working out because you hate your body, imagine what it would be like to work out because you love and respect your body, and value health and the ability to be mobile and active into old age. Establish an empowering “why” and exercise becomes a form of self-care.
4. Do A Vocabulary Reboot — Consider how your life would be different if you let go of what you think you “should” or “have to” do.
I decided to lose the phrases, “I’m busy,” “I should,” and “I have to” from my vocabulary a couple of years ago, and the result was so positive I haven’t brought them back!
Busyness is a state of mind that makes us feel tired and overwhelmed. Instead of “I’m busy” I’ll say, “I put a lot on my plate,” which gives me the power to take something off my plate, or change what’s on my plate if I CHOOSE to.
“Should,” is a word we use when we are comparing ourselves to the standards of society, other people, or even ourselves at a different time. It keeps us from thinking critically about our actions. For example, instead of “I should go to that wedding,” say what you REALLY mean, and what the best decision is for YOU. This may be, “I don’t want to go to that wedding because my dog is sick and I don’t want to leave her, but I’m worried what my friends will think of me if I don’t go to that wedding,” which could lead to the new thought of, “I am choosing do decline the invitation, but I will send them an extra nice gift and card and explain the situation. If they are true friends they will understand.”
“I have to,” is a phrase that totally robs you of your power. Everything is a choice. You get to decide your thoughts and the perspective you will take on the situation at hand. A common example is, “I have to go to work,” which, if you don’t like your job, ensures you stay in a state of negativity, dragging yourself out of bed in misery day after day. What if instead, you said to yourself, “I choose to get up and go to work and am grateful to have a job (I know many people who don’t have one at all). I will continue my search for a job that I love. I know it’s out there, and I’m determined to find it!”?
These may seem like subtle shifts. I challenge you, however, to give it a shot and experience for yourself the impact it ultimately makes on your emotional health.
5. Add Meditation to Your Morning Routine — Most of us go-go-go from the time we get up until the time we veg out on the couch or go to bed at night.
By taking as little as 10 minutes each morning, before reaching for your phone, to go inward, connect with your heart center, and set your intentions for the day, you set yourself up to be more present and productive. Through meditation, we can elevate our consciousness, challenge the thoughts and beliefs that are keeping us stuck and raise our vibrations to the frequency that matches the vision we have for a happy, healthy and meaningful life.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
The number of people who identify as spiritual, and are actively seeking guidance to raise their consciousness, embody love and compassion, and be the change they wish to see in the world is increasing rapidly… which is extraordinary!
Wellness goes way beyond physical health. The more we align our actions and behavior with our values, the more “well” and “whole” we become.
What I see missing in the messages of many of today’s leading spiritual guides and quantum theory teachers is the mention of the human-caused suffering of animals. Most people truly care about animals and do not want to hurt them. Yet, most people eat animals, most of whom have suffered tremendously in the horrific conditions of modern factory farms.
I believe we cannot find true wellness so long as we are ingesting the suffering of animals who, just like those we call pets, crave love, experience pain and fear, and who want to live. We cannot fully embody love until we take a stand and show love and compassion for ALL life on this planet.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- A Scarcity Mindset Ensures Scarcity. Fun fact: I was born in a log cabin and was potty-trained in an outhouse! We didn’t have much. My wardrobe growing up consisted of thrift store finds. I was programmed with a scarcity mindset and took that with me for much of my life. When I learned that a life of abundance wasn’t achieved by working harder (I’ve always been a hard worker), but by living in a state of gratitude, and creating the energy of abundance from within, everything changed.
- There Is No Failure Only Feedback. One of my most impactful mantras is, “Play life like a game.” It was my phrase of the year many years back when I became conscious of the anxiety and stress that was keeping me stuck. The old saying, “When one door closes, another one opens,” is absolutely true. If we pause and approach ourselves and our situation with curiosity and compassion, no matter how dire it seems, we will find the opportunity for growth.
- Strive For Progress, Not Perfection. As a recovering perfectionist, I look back and see all the limiting beliefs and shame that my perfectionism was rooted in. By letting go of the need to be perfect, not only was I able to access a flow state in my business, but also, I was able to experience more joy, less stress, and make deep connections with my audience, which in turn helped grow my business.
- Think Big, And Then Think Bigger. We don’t know what we don’t know! Shout out to Kathryn Porritt of Business Bravery for opening myself up to achieving greatness with the constant challenge to keep thinking bigger.
- Time Spent Building Connection And Community Is Often More Valuable Than “Getting Shit Done”. I’m a doer, a strong-willed independent woman, and an introvert. I thought I could put my head down, create a website, produce content, and build a thriving business. I was missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle… community. It wasn’t until I started spending more time and energy connecting with others, collaborating, and GIVING my help, that I was able to succeed.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Veganism is my deepest passion. It encompasses sustainability, environmental changes, and mental, emotional, and spiritual health!
Part of my life’s work is facilitating a global paradigm shift around veganism. It’s an extraordinarily kind and compassionate way to live, yet it often gets a bad rap.
Many vegans don’t know how to handle the outrage they feel about the extreme suffering of animals, and they don’t have the tools to channel their anger and deep sadness in ways that effectively educate and encourage others to open their minds and be willing to make changes to the way they eat and live.
In our new podcast, Solutionary Vegan’s LEVEL-UP Podcast (launching spring, 2022), humane educator Jennifer Tourkin and I interview world-renowned visionaries and thought leaders to examine the effectiveness of different animal advocacy strategies. Our mission is to help vegans uplevel their efforts, shift the market, and accelerate both individual and systemic change.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
You can follow my work on my website, Instagram, or Facebook.
Thank you for these fantastic insights!
Thank you for the opportunity!
Women In Wellness: Ella Magers of Sexy Fit Vegan on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.