“Living sentient beings are reduced to commodities and it’s truly heartbreaking. Animals on factory farms endure constant fear and torment. Watch Earthlings and you will never want to eat meat again. Factory Farming is misery for animals. Period.”
Name: Lizzette Reyes
Occupation: Animal Rights Activist
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Age: 33
Height: 5’5″
Weight: 115 lb.
Q: Tell us the story of how you got turned onto plant-based fitness.
I’ve always been pretty fit, so when I went Vegan a little over three years ago, it was definitely a learning curve for me.
I think like most of us who begin our journey into a plant-based lifestyle, we are concerned about losing muscle and where we are going to get our protein from.
“We just don’t know any better and have been indoctrinated since childhood to believe that in order to be lean and fit, you have to eat animal protein (which couldn’t be further from the truth).
“There is this huge misconception that Vegans are soft and out of shape, and I wanted to prove society wrong by being a walking advertisement to show everyone that Vegans can be fit and sexy!”
Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out on this path?
People often get hung up on what they can’t have on a plant-based diet, instead of what they can. But a great meal does not have to center on meat. Start with an open mind. There’s no surer way to guarantee failure than to go into it with a bad attitude. Stay strong.
“The first few days might be tough, but once you get into the swing of things, it becomes easier and easier.”
Q: What can you tell us about factory farming?
The factory farming industry strives to maximize output while minimizing costs — always at the animals’ expense.
The giant corporations that run most factory farms have found that they can make more money by squeezing as many animals as possible into tiny spaces, even though many of the animals die from disease or infection.
Living sentient beings are reduced to commodities, and it is truly heartbreaking.
Animals on factory farms endure constant fear and torment.
Watch “Earthlings,” and you will never want to eat meat again. Factory farming is misery for animals. Period.
Q: What did you eat yesterday?
- I started my day with a shot of wheatgrass and a green juice that consisted of apples, celery, cucumber, kale, collard greens, spinach, ginger, spirulina, chlorella, barley, and alfalfa grass.
- I also had a huge bowl of strawberries.
- For lunch, I had avocado toast on Ezekiel bread; I seasoned it with pepper, paprika, and red chili pepper flakes.
- I had a banana with two tablespoons of dark chocolate peanut butter as a snack.
- For dinner, I had a jackfruit bowl that consisted of black beans, quinoa, avocado, tomato, homemade cashew cheese, and salsa.
- I drink a gallon of water every day! No exceptions.
Q: What does the first 60 minutes of your morning look like?
I have three rescue dogs, so my mornings revolve around them. I get attacked with tongues all over my face the minute I’m up! I take them out in the backyard and let them play while I prepare their food, then we all go back to bed to cuddle, haha.
Q: Favorite three exercises and why?
- I love doing Bulgarian lunges because you really are working out every part of your body in one exercise: shoulders, core, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
- I love doing squats on the Smith machine because I like big butts and I cannot lie!
- My most favorite workout, though, is this booty burner workout I do on the Smith machine. You basically have to get on all fours with your knees directly under the bar and place the arch of your right foot under the bar, press up with that foot until your thigh is parallel to the floor, and then return to the starting position. I do three sets of 12 for each leg. I love this workout because it really isolates your glutes.
Q: Tell us a story of the mentor who played a key role in building confidence in yourself.
My mom has always been my biggest mentor.
She gave me more advice then I can remember, but I think the best advice from her was watching how she lived her life.
She has shown me through example to try my hardest at everything and never give up.
My mom always told me to never compare myself to others because I had my own unique gifts to offer this world.
Q: What is the biggest personal challenge you have had to overcome in your life?
The biggest personal challenge I had to overcome in my life was when I turned 30.
“Everything that I did not think about in my 20s, I suddenly was obsessing over, like marriage and kids and a home with a white picket fence. I didn’t have any of that, nor did I want it. I didn’t even have a career, and I suddenly felt convinced by society that I’m old because I’m 30.”
And instead of enjoying the fact that I’m getting wiser and more inspired, I was being forced to stress over my “fading youth.” I had to tell myself that life does not end when you’re 30, and that getting married, having babies, and settling down are stages of life with no expiration date if that’s what you want.
I was 30 and still not sure exactly what direction I wanted my life to go, and I was okay with that. I was not going to cave to society pressure because I knew I had plenty of time to discover my purpose in life.
Q: Fun fact most people don’t know about you?
I’m a travel junkie! I’ve been to 15 states and 12 countries to date, and I am currently preparing for my Europe trip where I will be traveling to 10 countries in one month.
Q: What three pearls of wisdom would you tell your 13-year-old self?
- Find your passion. Look for what inspires you. Find what you love to do and pursue it with all your heart. You may well find a way how to make money from doing it.
- Expect to fail. Failure is not fatal.
- Learn the lessons, then get back up and try again. Be the person you want people to think you are. Do what you want to be remembered for.
