Shana Moore is a fitness and wellness rockstar. I met this babe through work (she’s a self-taught software engineer) but outside of building web applications with code, she’s a plant-based foodie and a fitness and wellness enthusiast! She’s lost more than 100lbs and she documents her journey through her Insta account, @shanalmoore in hopes to spark inspiration and motivation in others. I love how she radiates positivity, how open and vulnerable she is about her struggles, and how she promotes self-love, self-care, and doing more of the things that bring healing, health, and life to our bodies. Shana is based in San Diego where she lives with her fiancé and two fur babies.
What inspired or got you excited about health, plant-based food, and wellness?
My story is a LONG one! I’m someone who has always struggled with my weight, depression, emotional-eating, and self-love. Over a decade ago, my 5’3’’ frame tipped the scale at 250lbs! Miserable and desperate, I decided to do something drastic since everything (diets/exercises) had failed. I opted for weight loss surgery to physically force myself to reduce the amount of food I could consume! After losing 80lbs, one would think that the surgery was a success and that I could write my “happily ever after” ending but spoiler alert, the story was just getting started! I regained nearly all that I had lost and found myself, once again, in a very unhealthy state physically, mentally and spiritually as well. But I now have the wisdom to understand that the surgery “didn’t work” because I didn’t work! Having a positive relationship with food and your body has less to do with what you eat, and everything to do with how you think! The person you see today is a result of a person who changed from within first. The weight was just a physical symptom of my weaknesses and struggles from within!
My decision to go plant-based started a little over three years ago. I was hovering around 220lbs, hated exercising and returned to my normal yo-yo dieting efforts. I had gone in for my yearly physical to discover that my cholesterol was high. It wasn’t “dangerously” high, however it was high enough to scare me as this was the first time that my health had been affected by my lifestyle. I had two options: take medications or lose weight. I was 28 at this time and decided against the meds since I was young, didn’t want to be dependent on them forever, and had no idea what side effects I’d experience by taking them. Additionally, with a family history of obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even death, I decided on the latter. I saw medication as putting a band aid over the symptom instead of treating the cause! Initially, I opted for another extreme diet but soon discovered a more holistic approach: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine by thy food”. While I am no doctor, I first adopted the whole food plant-based lifestyle as a way to naturally lower my cholesterol, which is only found in animal products, and this catapulted my transformation beyond the physical realm! Not only did I notice how much better I felt (and looked), knowing that I was doing less harm to our planet and animals from this lifestyle felt amazing too! I started to develop more compassion for others as a result, which eventually allowed me to feel more compassion towards myself too. From this newfound self-love, I was finally able to heal internally and physically let go of the “extra baggage” I held onto for nearly all of my life, with ease and for good!
Previously, all of my weight loss attempts came from superficial desires of looking thin and thus “being beautiful”. However, I now know that if you don’t like yourself now, you aren’t going to like yourself when you’re thin. If you don’t resolve your internal issues, they are only going to follow you; you can’t run from them! Now, I don’t work out because I want to lose weight; I only weigh myself during my yearly physical! I exercise because it’s good for me and any daily activity, no matter how small, will do. This allowed me to not get discouraged, by stepping on the scale and not seeing the results I wanted fast enough, then quitting! Instead, I actually started to fall in love with how good movement makes me feel and can’t ever imagine going back! It’s a form of self-love, respect, “me-time” and therapy! I even practice self-love in the form of styling my food before I eat it, as if I’m making the best dish to impress a guy I’m dating, simply because it makes me happy and I deserve the same amount of love and care. I closely monitor the thoughts and emotions in my head and try my best to correct them if I find that they are not empowering me. Today I live a life of freedom, no longer struggle with weight, and am so grateful for this breakthrough! I share my lifestyle on Instagram to show others what’s possible.
What does a typical week day look like for you?
Although I prefer morning workouts, lately I have opted for more sleep! I’ll wake up around 6 or 7am and am usually in the office by 9. My morning routine includes a glass of warm lemon water, guided meditations (using apps like Head Space) and/or affirmations to remind myself that I am enough. The work day is usually sat at my desk, problem-solving with code, but I have a standing desk so I’ll sometimes remember to stand up throughout the day. I’ll either go for a walk (1 mile) or yoga during my lunch break. After work I’ll head to the gym for a fitness class. My current favorites include: spin, HIIT circuits, and barre. Sometimes I’ll do my own routine but find classes to be much more fun and motivating! I’ll end the day with a homemade meal and fall asleep with more affirmations and visualizations. I typically eat three meals per day, and often share what I eat on my Instastory (@shanalmoore). I am usually in bed by 10pm
How do you balance your time with work, vlogging, wedding planning, and self-care?
I just take it one moment at a time! I try my best to listen to makes me feel good and make adjustments if I notice anything otherwise. My mental health is my #1 priority. Once that is in a pleasant state, everything else falls into place with ease
What are your favorite snacks to bring to work?
The wall of processed snacks in the office can be tempting, but I feel my best when I consume whole foods. So, I keep a lunchbox in the fridge and reload it with staples like: avocados, hummus, fruits, vegs, and nuts. I can often be seen making hummus avocado or peanut butter banana toast at work, and occasionally give into the office snacks like a bag of popcorn.
Can you share any tips on how you stay fit?
My main tip is to not use weight loss as a reason to practice any of your healthy habits. Make one healthier decision at a time and try not to get overwhelmed. Be proud of your yourself and aware of your internal dialogue in order to protect or change your state of mind. We aren’t only what we eat, we are what we consume too which includes: the people we surround ourselves with, images choose to watch via media (TV, internet, movies, social-media) and even the music we listen to. Be mindful of this, stand guard and protect your fortress!
Focus on eating more whole foods that you recognize or products with ingredients that you understand. Eat intuitively (aka when you’re hungry) and mindfully (aka not while being distracted). Listen to and honor your body always! Our bodies should be treated like temples, not trash bins, and as cliché as it sounds, our health truly is our greatest wealth; we cannot buy it back once it’s gone! Do the best that you can with what you’ve got. If you can’t afford to buy organic, conventional is better than processed alternatives! But if you really want it, eat the donut guilt-free every once in a while, too.
When it comes to exercise, simply show up when you say you will and be proud of yourself for doing so, each and every time! Don’t wait until you feel motivated; it’s a choice! Start by getting in a sweat first thing every morning, especially if you hate exercising like I did. This won’t give you time to make excuses throughout the day, and it does way more wonders to your mood and energy than a cup of coffee every could! Every step counts so don’t downplay implementing habits like parking far away or always taking the stairs! Stay positive, find what you like and have fun! Hiking is one of my favorite activities because I get to move my body amongst nature, which I find to be extremely therapeutic and peaceful
How do you meal prep for the week?
I am such a foodie so I dislike meal-prepping all of my meals in full, ahead of time! Instead, I’ll have an idea or theme of what I’d like to make for the week (which is often inspired by the seasonal local produce I receive in my weekly CSA box) and pick out items that are in common. For instance, if several of the meals require grain, I will batch cook my rice on the weekend so that I can do minimal cooking or assembly on the day of. I learned this from a meal planning app: https://forksmealplanner.com/ I will usually cook about 3 times per week and often eat a variety of leftovers throughout the week
What’s one type of food you can’t live without?
Potatoes
Can you share 1 of your favorite recipes?
(My Fav) Spicy Green Smoothie Recipe:
INGREDIENTS
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Connect with Shana!
http://shanalmoore.com/
Instagram @shanalmoore
