Vegan bodybuilders: The best of both worlds

“I wish I could. I love my meat too much and don’t have time to exercise.”

“I need to eat meat and drink milk…you can’t be healthy just eating vegetables…”

“Going vegetarian? Can’t do it. I need protein to build muscles. I’m a gym rat.”

We are still living in the dark when the majority of the world population think protein is only in meat and fish and that they are necessary for human survival. It’s actually quite the opposite. If you have been following the nutrition research for the last 40 years or so, you’ll find that many products that are being advertised now as healthy and essential food are stark madness.

Thank God we now have some sensible and ethical media, nutritionists, physicians, researchers and organizations that are not afraid of being the minority or being called insane and stand up for doing the right thing. New York Times is one of those people whom I greatly respect. Recently I wrote about them publishing an article about vegan recipes and yesterday they talked about vegan bodybuilders and how they were sculpted by a strict vegan diet. Personally, I know a couple of vegan guys who are muscular and athletic. So I know firsthand that vegan bodybuilding isn’t just a fairy tale. Honestly, these are the best kinds of guys you could ever find. They aren’t just good-looking, but they are kind to nature and know how to take care of themselves and others. They did their homework and have the strong will to make the conscious choice to be a vegan athlete or bodybuilder. The best of both worlds.

One of them is my very good friend Curtiss Stewart. He works out regularly and plays football at Ohio State University. He gets all the nutrition and energy he needs from plants for his busy lifestyle. I respect this young guy a lot because he is an extremely disciplined person that could handle work, school, sports, theater and cooking in the same 24 hours you and I have. Yes, this guy can cook and bake extremely well too.

Back to the topic of bodybuilding, remember that food is the fuel you put into your body. The rule is garbage in, garbage out. If you want your body to run well, food is the most important and first step of health and bodybuilding. Exercise is the second step actually. Curtiss is taking EAS soy protein supplement that comes in chocolate and vanilla. He also uses a vegan veggie protein blend made by MLO, which you can add to anything. According to him, the EAS and MLO products have the most complete amino acids including L-glutamine, which is essential for building muscle. His caloric intake is roughly 70% carbs, 20% protein and 10% fat. Everyone has a different body and different needs so it takes some experimentation to find out what works best. Some people think carbs are bad, but your body uses carbohydrates and fat as fuel and protein to build muscle. If you don’t get enough carbs then your body starts to metabolize muscle to use as fuel, which is counter productive to the workout.

(Left to right: Mac Danzig, Nathane Jackson, Marcus Patrick, Mark Martell, Jimi Sitko and Robert Cheeke)

Other vegan bodybuilders and athletes such as Mac Danzig, Nathane Jackson, Mark Martell, Jimi Sitko and Robert Cheeke use vegan protein such as Vega and Sunwarrior. Vegan actor and trainer Marcus Patrick prefers not to use any supplement and he looks just as great. Here’s a sample of bodybuilding nutrition program, courtesy of Robert Cheeke, bodybuilding champion and founder of veganbodybuilding.com.

Vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes are all these hot guys need. The plant-based diet gives them more energy and intensity in their workout. Their bodies are much leaner with more strength. The photo collage of these six vegan bodybuilders and athletes speaks for itself.