Vanessa Hering

Vanessa and I met on an online vegan fitness community.

She won University of Pennsylvania’s body building competition, so right there she’s a role model of a guest:

• Wharton graduate, meaning an Ivy League MBA
• Accomplished, victorious athlete
• Focused on fitness and diet
• I also went to Penn and grew up in Philadelphia

Scratching the surface, especially by watching her videos, revealed more than just athleticism and diet. Her videos are, let’s say, on the way to professional, but passionate and fun. She’s looking to influence and help others.

Setting her apart from many others in diet and fitness, she shares about joy, not guilt or shame, which I try to bring to environmental action. I wondered what I could learn from her.

And I wanted the views and experience a champion body builder on the show—vegan all the better.