You probably wouldn’t guess it by looking at me now, but I was once 225 pounds. While I went vegan for ethical reasons, I didn’t move that much—and I ate a lot of processed foods.

Then I had my wake-up call: I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Fortunately, I had just enrolled in a PETA-sponsored health class run by Jill and Joel Erickson from Rooted Green Wellness.

What a difference that inspirational class—based on the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program—made! I was soon tossing out bottles of olive oil and ditching processed foods for low-fat, whole-food vegan meals and exercising regularly. I started walking 25 minutes a day, five days a week, and each week I challenged myself to add more ways to keep moving. Not long after I ran my first mile without stopping, a three-month checkup with my doctor revealed that I had successfully moved from being diabetic to pre-diabetic.

I felt unstoppable, so I kept going. I added strength training and deep core yoga to my weekly fitness routine. Eventually, I was running 5-kilometer races. I felt great when my success motivated my family, too. My husband ate the same meals, began a running routine, and also lost weight. After I was able to comfortably run 5 miles at a time, I registered for my first-ever 10-kilometer race.

The power of plant-based foods is impressive! I’ve lost 70 pounds, easily. Since I wore a glucose monitor when I had diabetes, I know that my blood glucose average was at a safe level after just three weeks, thanks to the tasty, low-fat vegan food I eat.

A normal hemoglobin A1C level is below 5.7%, and when the class started, mine was an alarming 11%. In just six months, it dropped to a normal level (5.2%), effectively reversing type 2 diabetes. That’s a massive change in just a little time, and I’m still enjoying my favorite foods, including pasta, fruit, and potatoes cooked in so many different healthy ways. I stick to the rules I learned in class: Don’t eat more than 3 grams of total fat per serving, and aim for at least 40 grams of fiber a day.

I chose an activity that I enjoy, running. While I know not everyone would like such intense exercise, everyone can enjoy eating tasty low-fat vegan foods. Give it a try, whether you’re suffering from diabetes or not—many people with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol have reversed their diagnoses while helping to protect animals and the environment at the same time.