Going vegan for Ivy Dean was about vitality rather than only values. “I was always tired,” she says. “I felt foggy even sleeping for eight hours. I had to make a change.
Ivy expected better digestion or clearer skin when she turned vegan. She never would have imagined the surge of energy she would experience when she started forward meal planning.
She admits, “That was the game changer.” “The prep, not only the part free of meat.” Clean Eating Cookbook for Beginners: Eat Better, Feel Better, 500 No-Fuss Clean Recipes Incl. Whole Foods, Diabetic Recipes with 21-Meal Plan to Fuel Your Life
Every Sunday she transformed her kitchen into a creative space, batch cooking grains, roasting vibrant vegetables, mixing sauces with strong herbs and spices.
It was more about building flexible blocks for the next week than about strict diets. She says with a grin, “I felt like I was feeding my future self.”
Her mornings grew simpler, her energy more consistent, and her workouts became more exact. More than anything, though, Ivy felt in control—not only about what she ate but also about how she showed up each day.
“Food turned from a chore to a foundation,” she says. “Planning ahead freed me not limited me.”
