When you think of strength, we hope you’ll think of compassion, of helping others, of muscles – of course, and we hope you’ll think of veganism too. We are vegan strong, and what that means to us is that we fuel our bodies with the best sources of nutrition – from plants, and that we build our bodies through plant-powered exercise programs.
Vegan Strong is not just a mindset and an approach to life, but we also have a Vegan Strong Team comprised of vegan athletes whose mission it is to dispel common misconceptions of a vegan lifestyle in athletics, and to showcase what Vegan Strong means to us.
We travel around the country, exhibiting at popular fitness expos, distributing plant-based product samples, literature, books and resources, giving presentations on the benefits of a plant-based diet, and answering questions as representatives of the Vegan Strong movement.
We also display what Vegan Strong looks like, as we’re all athletes who build our bodies with plants. From powerlifters to bikini models, and from bodybuilders to endurance athletes, we have a diverse group of athletes who are proud to call ourselves Vegan Strong, and wear it on our sleeves.
One of the common misconceptions about a vegan “diet” is that we will struggle to consume adequate protein when eating only plants. This is simply not true, and has no scientific merit. The human requirement for protein is so low, at just 5-10% of total calories coming from protein.
Anyone who consumes adequate total calories based on their individual calories needs, will very likely, by default, consume adequate protein without even trying. That is because all plants contain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and because of the macronutrient make up of foods being comprised of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, ensures that as long as calorie needs are met, protein needs will also be met.
You would be hard-pressed to come up with any nutrition plan that met your calorie needs but that did not meet your protein requirements. Since all foods contain amino acids, and some plant foods are naturally relatively high in protein such as all legumes (beans and lentils), grains (rice and oats), green leafy vegetables (kale and collard greens), nuts (almonds and walnuts), and seeds (chia seeds and flaxseeds), without even trying, you are more likely to consume twice the amount of protein you need than not enough protein, even while following a plant-based diet.
Statistically, most Americans eat far more protein than they need, yet 97 percent of Americans do not consume enough fiber, which is only found in plants. Plants contain 64 times more antioxidants than animal-based foods, and of course, cholesterol is only found in foods coming from animals. To be Vegan Strong is to avoid the foods that contain the least amount of nutrition and do the most harm to the environment, to animals, and to human health. We consume the foods that provide the best nutritional return on investment.
We consume the foods that provide the best nutritional return on investment.
A Vegan Strong nutrition plan is based upon the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, and abstains from all animals and animal by-products. If you’re thriving off of plants, and are physically active, you too are Vegan Strong.
Though we have a team that represents the Vegan Strong lifestyle, and we tour the nation doing our best to lead by example, the Vegan Strong life is for anyone and everyone. Deep down, we’re all Vegan Strong. We enter this world as compassionate individuals, not wanting to cause harm to others.
Some of us change as we grow older, and some of us go back to our compassionate roots. At Vegan Strong, we encourage you to display one of the greatest strengths of all, which is reaching down and lifting someone else up. We lift up all animals and strive to create a future free of fear, pain, and suffering for everyone. A Vegan Strong lifestyle is one of ongoing compassion for all, human and non-human animals alike.
As always, we wish you all the very best in health and fitness. Stay Vegan Strong! Written by Robert Cheeke
Robert is the bestselling author of Plant-Based Muscle, Shred It! and Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, 2-time champion bodybuilder, and founder/president of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness – www.veganbodybuilding.com.