2014: I went vegan and reached out to top bodybuilding coaches for help. They said they “wouldn’t waste their time & there would never be a successful vegan bodybuilder.”
2019: I’m a pro bodybuilder, muscle & fitness cover model, and featured in a vegan documentary with Arnold.
Still vegan but the only thing I’m deficient in is my energy to engage in debates with keyboard warriors who say that plant based diets are insufficient. 🤷🏻♂️
Them: Don’t go vegan. You’ll never be able to build muscle. Plants don’t provide enough protein and essential nutrients.
Me: *6 years later and still making gains as a vegan*
My vegan training partners.
All of us have been vegan over 5+ years (10, 5, & 7 years to be exact). We don’t care about being the biggest or the strongest. We just strive to be better than we were yesterday and show that you don’t need animal products to be strong & healthy.
Whether we realize it or not, the food on our plate is a political statement that reveals our stance on morality, environmentalism, wellness, & spirituality.
I wish people would understand that I didn’t ‘give up’ anything when I went vegan. ‘Giving something up’ implies that concessions were made. I merely stopped consuming/purchasing animal foods & byproducts bc it no longer aligned with my values. Ive never regretted my decision.
“Vegan diets that aren’t properly planned can result in health issues.”
That goes for EVERY. SINGLE. DIET. The number 1 cause of death in the US is heart disease, which can be significantly reduced by properly planning your diet.
Everyone should plan their nutrition.
Period.
Why is it when I try to have a logical conversation about being vegan they decide to bring up how lions eat meat? Ok? I thought we were talking about human nutrition. Are we sharing random animal facts now? Bc chimps eat their own poop bc it contains undigested food. Your turn.
Them : pfft going vegan won’t change a thing.
2019: we now have vegan options at the most popular fast food chains, fur production is being banned in some countries, improving living conditions at factory farms, and have a documentary with world class vegan athletes in theaters!
I love when strangers on the internet who are in worse shape than me and haven’t accomplished a fraction of what I’ve been able to achieve in the fitness industry tell me that being vegan is unhealthy or impossible.
🙂🤦🏻♂️
Everyone out here trying to drag me into debates about vegan nutrition and whether or not it’s possible, adequate, or optimal.
Meanwhile I’m just out here enjoying my vegan food, still making gains, and living my best life.
Lazy high protein vegan meal prep.
Sweet chili tempeh with air fried broccoli and potatoes on a bed of turmeric rice.
Over 30g protein and took me less than 15 min to prep and less than $5 for ingredients.
It’s 2021 and people are still out here thinking you need animal products to be fit and healthy. Let’s leave that paradigm in 2020 and create a more plant based future.
Them: Plants have feelings too.
Me: Well I actually hunt and kill my own vegetables or buy from local farms that ethically raise the vegetables and humanely harvest them. Also, plant organs are the most nutrient dense part.
FUN FACT: The majority of supplements on the market, including the best sellers like whey protein and traditional BCAAs are NOT vegan, which can only mean one thing:
Non-vegans are actually doing the most supplementing.
You ever see someone mistreat their dog and want to immediately intervene and do something about it?
Well, that’s how vegans feel about the mistreatment, abuse, and exploitation of ANY animal.
Fellas, your masculinity is not a reflection or result of the food you eat. Period. If you think eating meat somehow solidifies your masculinity, then I invite you to explore that and ask yourself where you learned that concept & how you’ve come to identify food with masculinity
It’s ironic when people argue that vegan diets are unnatural because we supplement B12 or a plant based protein powder, yet a majority of supplements on the market were created for non-vegans. Vegans make up < 5% of the US population. Who do you think is using more supplements?
10 ways to to improve your health:
1. Meditate.
2. Get quality sleep.
3. Hydrate.
4. Eat plant based.
5. Cut out sugar & processed food.
6. Workout 3x per week.
7. Read 30 min daily.
8. Visit nature.
9. Practice gratitide, compassion, & forgiveness.
10. Love yourself and others.
Small goals for 2020 that compound and make a big difference:
Consume less animal products.
Eat more plants.
Drink more water.
Use less plastic.
Support small businesses.
Use more sustainable forms of transportation.
Save/invest a portion of your income.
Spread more kindness.
No more negative self talk.
No more skipping workouts.
No more toxic food.
No more toxic relationships.
No more procrastinating.
No more unhealthy habits.
No more of anything that isn’t helping me become the absolute best version of myself.
You don’t “give up” animal products when you go vegan. Giving up something implies that you’re making a concession or a compromise. It’s a deliberate choice to remove yourself from the cycle of unnecessary violence so that your life & the lives of other beings are improved.