In April of 2010, my father died of a heart attack at age 53. He had been leading a life full of stress, smoking, overeating, and never prioritizing his health and wellbeing. But even though his lifestyle was far from ideal, his passing came as a shock to everyone. For over a year after his death, I was in complete denial over my own grief and how much I had started following in his footsteps. I was a chainsmoker, I hated fruits and veggies, ate mostly processed foods, and frequently went out drinking. On the surface, it looked like I was just outgoing and enjoying life, but on the inside, I was deeply unhappy and struggling to process the loss. About a year after he died, I went vegan overnight after reading a few books about animal agriculture. I had zero intention of going vegan or even vegetarian when I started reading those books, but once I finished, I just knew something had to change. I’m not an animal person and I had always loved eating meat, dairy, and eggs, so I was prepared to never enjoy food ever again. I didn’t know anyone who was vegan and thought that being vegan myself meant eating nothing but rice crackers and nut butters for the rest of my life. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the world of vegan burgers, pizza, and ice cream. I was in vegan comfort food heaven and remained there for a long time. About 1 and a half years later, I started reading about the benefits of plant-based diets and became curious. My only problem? I still hated fruits, veggies, salads, and anything else “healthy”. One step at a time, I started eating tiny bits of the foods I’d once hated. I would pick 2 to 3 foods at a time and would try them again every day. I was stunned to realize that after a couple of weeks, I not only started liking, but actually loving them. Some of those foods, like tomatoes, cucumbers, dried figs, and miso soup, are now among my favorites. And while I do actually love salads and most healthy foods these days, I also still enjoy comfort food. It’s all about balance!

After a few years of experimenting and discovering, I started sharing my newfound passion for both the ethical side of veganism and the health benefits of a plant-based diet online. I never had any intention of reaching many people, but I thought that if I could inspire even just a single person who felt the way I used to or who was on the same path as my father had been, it would be worth it.

Over the last decade, I’ve hosted countless online challenges, 28-day resets (which are now meal plan eBooks), and have published two cookbooks (Vegan Reset & Best of Vegan). I feel incredibly fortunate to be doing what I do and I’m eternally grateful for everyone who’s been a part of this journey thus far. If you ever have suggestions, recipe requests, or simply want to say hi, don’t hesitate to email me at kimjulie@veganreset.com;)

Love,

Kim-Julie