It’s been a busy, busy year for us thanks to the sudden widespread interest in plant-based nutrition and fitness (finally)!

We opened a local personal training studio, Root Force Personal Training, right about the time Miles was born last year that has a full client list and we’ve even expanded into two of the studio spaces behind ours, including space for sports massage from our therapist Lindsey Scott.

The only downside to all the busyness is that we haven’t been able to reach out to all those who’ve been on our online training waiting list for up to 3 months, or those who write to ask for detailed menus and training plans. BUT, now we can! Through the magic of online video and file sharing, we can share Derek’s exercise demonstrations and detailed explanations, my tips on tracking your nutrition and creating meal plans, cooking demonstrations, and downloads including sample menus, workouts (with progressions) and The VM&F Guide to a Healthy Plant-Based Diet! This is all available, with much more in the pipeline as I get it edited and we continue to film new material, in our Member Portal – details below or click here.

Also new for February – group online training! I can’t believe we didn’t think of it before…Skype makes all things possible! We’re starting two small teams with similar goals in the second week of February: Team Gorilla with the goal of muscle gain and Team Gazelle with the goal of fat loss! There are still two spots available on Team Gazelle meeting Tuesdays at 11 am (EST), contact us if you’re interested!

Group Online Training (12 week session)

For $30/week, you get:

• Weekly one hour group consultations via Skype
• E-mail communication
• Food journal review (bi-weekly)
• Your workout routine will be updated as you progress
• Nutrition guidelines, resource guide, and 2 week sample meal plan
• Access to the member-only portal, including our video library of exercise demonstrations, workout routines, and more!

What’s different about group training:

Rather than receiving individualized attention, you will be sharing face time with your trainer with up to four others. However, since we form groups based on goals and experience your workout routines and nutrition will be similar and you may find that hearing answers to the questions of others on your team just as useful! Rather than going over each group member’s food journal at each meeting, we’ll pick two to review so that no one lacks guidance for an extended period and everyone benefits from hearing about it (maybe it’ll even encourage you to improve your diet faster)! In summary, you will give up some individual attention but you will get the support and friendly competition of others with the same goals.

You will need to make sure that you can use Skype video chat (free), that you are willing to keep a regular food journal, and that you are able to commit to twelve weeks of meeting at the scheduled time.

The VM&F Member Portal

For $10/month (introductory price) you get:

• Unlimited access to member-only content such as
  • Exercise demonstration and technique videos
  • Stretching routine videos
  • Workout programs
  • Nutrition videos, including mini-lectures and diet planning demonstrations
  • Cooking demonstrations (on the way)
  • Download written workout programs and The VM&F Guide to a Healthy Plant-Based Diet (includes sample meal plans)
• Ask content-related questions via posting to member-only pages
• Cancel any time (within 7 days of next billing date)

View sample videos:

Exercise Demonstration: Deadlift

Workout Program Overview: Beginner

Our goal in creating this portal is to build a comprehensive resource for anyone who wants to improve their fitness and improve or adopt a plant-based diet but cannot afford personal training or prefers to go it alone. The videos and downloads function wonderfully as both a stand-alone resource or as a supplement to the book we are currently writing (yay!) and we are adding content weekly!

You can subscribe here via PayPal!

To be added this week: an Intermediate Program, our current meal plan as we prepare for a bodybuilding competition in July, and a cooking demo of one of the meals on the plan!