The Hip Chick Goes Vegan

No, not completely, although I would if all vegan food was a delicious as the food at Vegan Glory. Located at the northeast corner of Beverly and Orlando, this lil' place sits right on the edge of a strip mall, which is only really noticed by the locals. I pass by this place all the time and have only heard great things about it from my trainer and one of my best friends, who is my N.T. the person who connected me to said trainer. Everything at Vegan Glory is great. For $10 you can get an entree and brown rice that will last you through that meal and most likely the next two. There's a minimum $15 delivery charge, so feel free to order generously and stock up. I'm a huge fan of the Yellow Curry with soy chicken, and I'm pretty sure my brother is also hooked, since he polished off my leftovers that same night. The crispy tacos with soy chicken are also delicious -- they taste like Taco Bell crispy tacos, minus the orange grease. Parking is decent in the lot. It's valet, although the valet guys are cool if you just go to pick up. Even if you're a die-hard meat eater, you'd be shocked at just how tasty the soy meat is at Vegan Glory. Go ahead...try it. I dare you.

Once again, I'm gonna blog about my trainer. No, not because I want to, but because she won't get off my ass until I do. Just kidding!! It is such a pleasure to blog about Tracie, a woman who continues to change me for the better both inside and out. I kept telling myself, "Okay, this is the last time I'm going to hire her," and then it comes to the end of the series and my gut (no pun intended) always tells me to bring her on again. I am getting so many positive reactions from friends and family and I'm gaining such confidence with the way I view myself. Even though I will never (and would never want to) be rail thin, fitting comfortably into a size 6 is something I never thought possible after gaining that "freshman 15" and studying abroad 20. Yes, kids, at my worst, I was pushin' a size 12 and was at least 15-20 lbs. heavier than I am now. And, as I say to my students, "I only tell true stories" (thanks, Susie!). This not to knock all the size 12's of the world, since we women come in all different shapes and sizes. Although, for my body, a size 12 just ain't cuttin' it.

Just when I think my workouts can't get any harder, Tracie catches me off guard and adds weights to the body bar I'm forced to hold during sit ups. She has given me the motivation to wake my ass up at 6:00 am (even the sun is still asleep!) and go running, and those late nights at Astro Burger are long behind me. Do you want to know the best part of training with Tracie? I've developed a friendship that far surpasses our triweekly hour-and-fifteen-minute sessions. She is one of the most real people I know, nailing my problems on the head and throwing reality in my face. If I get down on myself or have a bad day, she wakes me up and tells me what I can do to change my attitude. She reinforces positivity and helps me to fight off those demons that shade my path to self-realization and acceptance. Bottom line: she's an amazing trainer and an even more amazing person. And I couldn't ask for anything more. If you're interested in hooking up with Tracie Hendricks, please contact me directly. You can also find her teaching multiple classes at Equinox in Woodland Hills and West Hollywood.

Download this: "When Love Takes Over - feat. Kelly Rowland" by David Guetta and the "Sound of San Francisco" by Global Deejays. Sure, you're going to feel like you're in a gay dance club. Go with it, it though. Pop in them earbuds and take the gay jams for a run.