Filming Adventure in eastern Canada (September 17–21)

I just wrapped up an unforgettable trip through Canada filming with some amazing vegan athletes and creators. From Halifax to Moncton to Montreal, every stop was packed with great conversations, intense training sessions, tasty vegan treats, and the kind of hospitality that makes you grateful for this community. It was a whirlwind five days, but I came home with incredible footage and even better memories.

Halifax, Nova Scotia — Jennifer Hintenberger

I landed in Halifax and went straight to film with Jennifer Hintenberger, an elite kettlebell athlete and a true pro at translating sport into story. We filmed an interview and then a kettlebell training session that showed exactly why she is so respected in kettlebell sport. Jennifer is a multiple-time world champion and is widely listed as holding numerous world records and dozens of gold medals in kettlebell sport. Her presence as a keynote speaker and coach comes across on camera – she explains technical details with clarity, and she speaks about mindset and resilience with the kind of nuance that makes a viewer sit up and listen. After the shoot I swung by Real Fake Meats, a local vegan deli I can wholeheartedly recommend if you are in Halifax; great food and a perfect post-shoot meal.

Moncton, New Brunswick — Véronique Cormier and Leafy Gains Cookies

Next I took a bus to Moncton to film with Véronique Cormier. We started in her kitchen where she makes Leafy Gains Protein Cookies, and let me tell you, these cookies are astonishing for a macro-friendly snack: each cookie clocks in at roughly 250 calories and about 25 grams of protein. I wanted to bring boxes home with me. After the kitchen segment we headed to her gym for a full strongwoman training session – log presses, stone loads, sandbag carries – everything filmed cleanly and powerfully. Véronique has a serious athletic pedigree: she rose through competitive powerlifting with totals that equate to multiple times bodyweight, she qualified for world championships, and she has set national-level strongwoman marks including an atlas stone record in Canada. Filming her felt like watching a high-level technician and athlete in perfect alignment.

Hamilton, Ontario — A Tattoo Day (not filming, but memorable for me!)

I flew to Hamilton for a full-day tattoo session that I had been planning for two years. Long sitting sessions are an endurance event in their own right, and it felt oddly fitting to check one big personal item off the list while the trip’s momentum kept rolling.

Montreal, Quebec — Alex Leonidas

Montreal was the fitting end to a great run. I met up with Alex Leonidas, who picked me up from the airport and welcomed me into his place for an interview and food. Alex is a well-known coach and content creator with a huge following; his work spans powerlifting, bodybuilding, and online coaching. He and his girlfriend cooked an elaborate plant-based meal that was honestly one of the highlights of the trip – so generous and thoughtfully prepared that I left inspired to always remember to treat visitors in my own life with the same care.

We filmed a heavy training session in his home gym where Alex hit weighted dips (5 plates!), 315 bench for reps, 5 plate Hatfield squats, weighted and one arm chin ups, and accessory work. His home gym setup was impressive and gave me a lot of ideas for my own training space. We also shot a calisthenics workout in a local park and capped the day with vegan donuts and dinner in the city. Alex’s mix of technical training knowledge, entertaining content, and real-world coaching experience made the footage both educational and fun. You can find a lot of his work on his channel and website if you want deeper context into his training philosophy.

Final thoughts and a big thank you

This trip renewed my gratitude for the openness of this community. Jennifer’s eloquence and world-class kettlebell work, Véronique’s combination of entrepreneurship and elite-level strength, and Alex’s hospitality and heavy, precise training all gave me cinematic moments and practical lessons. I left Montreal exhausted but full of great material to edit, a few new recipes to try, and inspiration to keep telling these stories.