Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness

Growing up in Oregon, I lived on a farm and had many animals as pets. I always had love and appreciation for animals and from an early age, I was concerned about their well-being. However, it wasn't until Dec. 8, 1995 that I decided to give up consuming meat. My older sister, Tanya, was organizing Animal Rights Week at my high school. I decided out of respect for her (a vegan since the age of 15) that I would become vegetarian for a week. I attended lectures, listened to speakers, read literature about animal cruelty and watched videos about factory farms and animal testing. That week of becoming vegetarian has lasted for the past seven years.

Ten months after becoming vegetarian, I became vegan. Ironically, two years after giving up animal products, it was me who organized Animal Rights Week at my high school in Corvallis, OR. I also became active in an environmental awareness group at school called "Students for Peace through Global Responsibilities (SPGR). I was active in promoting veganism for a long time, and I still am through my fitness company. I have been able to promote vegan bodybuilding on a worldwide stage through articles in FLEX Magazine, Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Magazine, and through my website.

I love being vegan and knowing that I am having a positive impact on the environment and society. I have more energy than most people I know and I very rarely suffer from any illness or fatigue. I eat a vast array of natural and organic foods that keeps my body fat percentage low, protein intake high, energy levels high, bones strong, and allows me to put on quality muscle. I believe that an animal-free diet is one of the best things you can do for your health, and the well-being of our environment.

Robert Cheeke is a competitive bodybuilder and the 2005 INBA Northwestern USA Natural Bodybuilding Overall Novice Champion. He is also President and founder of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, an organization dedicated to supporting natural vegan bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts (www.veganbodybuilding.com).

If there is a question vegans hear more than any other, it is, How do you get your protein? I often respond by asking the individual if they know anyone with a protein deficiency. Protein is found in nearly all foods and they are abundant in seeds, nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods.

In North America, we are taught from a young age to believe that the only good sources of protein come from animals. This is simply not true. In fact, it is proven by scores of scientific studies that plant-based sources of protein are easier for the human body to digest and absorb. Plus plant-based foods do not come with many of the negative health implications associated with a diet rich in animal protein such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Another advantage of plant-based foods is that they help promote an alkaline environment in our body. All animal protein is acid-forming whereas most plant protein is alkaline forming. Essentially, an alkaline diet is the exact opposite of the high protein, high fat, low carb diets that have recently been in vogue. Because our body's ideal pH is slightly alkaline, our diet should reflect this and also be slightly alkaline. A diet high in acidic foods such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods tends to deplete our body of alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, making us more susceptible to chronic and degenerative disease.

Though a vegan diet is often a topic of concern when it comes to athletic performance, those concerns are unwarranted. As a vegan bodybuilder, I compete in a sport dominated by meat eaters, most of whom scoff at the idea that one could get sufficient protein from plants to be competitive. I do not consume any animal products whatsoever, not even dairy or eggs. Instead, I focus on eating a wide variety of plant-based whole foods. My protein comes primarily from hemp, tofu, tempeh, beans, nuts, seeds, grains, rice, fruits and vegetables. By getting my protein from a wide variety of sources, I am ensuring my body receives a balance of essential amino acids.

Though I try to get as much protein as possible from whole foods, I often supplement with plant-based protein powders to help me meet my target of 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight for building muscle mass. My favorite protein powder source is hemp. In addition to being rich in complete protein, it is also a great source of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre and chlorophyll.

The Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness forum was first started in 2002 by Vegan Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke, the current edition of the forum was created in 2005 and is currently run by Robert Cheeke and Richard Watts.

The vision of the forum is to inspire, motivate, educate, and empower its members to change the world in a positive way, thriving through the networking of like-minded people who are drawn together to accomplish a common goal; to reduce animal suffering through the promotion of a healthy plant-based diet and exercise lifestyle.

Come talk to us! You do not have to be vegan or a bodybuilder to join, even if you're only interested in what vegetarianism or veganism has to offer come have a chat, we are a friendly and welcoming bunch of people and there is lots of great stuff to learn!