I thought I’d use the words of accomplished athletes to extol the virtues of a WFPB lifestyle.
Rip Esselstyn – Former World-Class Triathlete
“Real Men Eat Plants”
Brendan Brazier – Former Triathlete and Ultra Marathoner
“There’s massage, there’s light training, there’s stretching, there’s yoga. There’s all these things that are great. But nutrition…I found that good nutrition was the thing that really made the huge difference in recovery.”
“To test my limits I ventured into the world of ultra-endurance triathlon, and within 3 years accomplished athletic feats I could have never previously dreamed possible, including top finishes at the Ultraman World Championships and becoming the first person to complete EPIC5: five ironman-distance triathlons on five Hawaiian Islands in under a week.
Anecdotally, and without reservation, I submit that these accomplishments were achieved not in spite of, but as a direct result of putting animal products in the rear view. No beef, no chicken, no pork, no fish, no milk, no cheese, no eggs. Just plants.”
Scott Jurek – Ultra Marathon Runner
“Don’t be afraid of learning about new ways of eating that are different from what you’re used to. Enjoy discovering new flavors and foods, as well as preparing meals to share with people you care about.”
James “Lightning” Wilks – Former MMA fighter
“Two weeks after I stopped eating meat, I lifted more weight than I’ve ever lifted in my life.”
Jon Hinds – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champ and Monkey Bar Gym owner.
“I literally went from crippling pain to good health in a matter of weeks. When I made the decision, I was very worried I’d lose all my hard-gained muscle. Wrong! I’m currently the same lean body mass and weight I was in 2003 before I switched to a plant-based diet.
This life transformation happened over eight years ago and I’ve been going strong ever since.”
Sheldon Howard – Martial Arts Champion
“My doctors, much to their surprise, were shocked at the changing blood pressure and cholesterol measurements. My cholesterol, once over 320, was down in the 130s. They actually started taking me off medications, something they said they “never do”.”
“If I can share my story of going from 120-pound non-vegan to a 195-pound champion vegan bodybuilder, and share the stories of many others who have had similar or greater results, and have a positive influence on people, I am thrilled to do so.”
Dusan Dudas – Bodybuilding Champion
“Vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli, nuts, seeds and grains can provide the building blocks for a strong and powerful physique.”
Tony Gonzales – Former NFL Tight End
(This quote is from 2009): – “I’m going into my 13th year in the NFL, and I switched over [to a plant-based diet] two years ago. … [T]he day after a game, everybody’s sore … and I’m jumping rope and they’re looking at me like, ‘Man you’re supposed to be the old guy on the team. You’re acting like you’re the youngest guy on the team.’”
David Carter – NFL Defensive Linemen
I can honestly say that being vegan is not only the most efficient way to be full-body strong, it’s also the most humane; everyone wins.”
Patrick Baboumian – Powerlifter
“This is a message to all those out there who think that you need animal products to be fit and strong. Almost two years after becoming vegan I am stronger than ever before and I am still improving day by day. Don’t listen to those self proclaimed nutrition gurus and the supplement industry trying to tell you that you need meat, eggs and dairy to get enough protein. There are plenty of plant-based protein sources and your body is going to thank you for stopping feeding it with dead-food. Go vegan and feel the power!”
Suzanna McGee – Former Drug-Free Bodybuilder and Current Tennis Player
“I decided to do a personal experiment: for three months, I would go on his low fat, plant-based program. I would measure my cholesterol before and after, and I would see if this program made any difference for a seemingly healthy and super fit athlete like me. Giving up the Greek yogurt was the hardest thing for me, but I found other ways to satisfy my taste buds, and after a couple of weeks, it was no problem at all.
My cholesterol before the experiment was 171. It was great according to the standard measures, but I was not pleased with it, because my new target was Dr. Esselstyn’s. It needed to go below 150. After my three-month experiment, it was at 147. I was truly impressed.”
Dani Taylor – Female Bodybuilder
“I was a vegetarian from the age of 12, but never thought anything was wrong with meat or dairy. I stumbled across a website when I was 17 years old that explained the connections between the dairy and meat industries and went vegan overnight because I wanted nothing to do with any of it. Consequently, I went from being 205 pounds and very sedentary to 135 pounds with a vegan diet and exercise.”
Ellen Jaffe Jones – Runner, Running Coach and Personal Trainer
“My best personal records of my life in running have come in the height of my healthiest vegan eating. I also see how my clients have lost weight so easily. It is important for me to be a great vegan role model for them as they wrestle with their life-long beliefs about eating, whatever they happen to be. If they see me outperforming on a vegan diet, I know it will go a long way to encourage them to possibly change too.”
Erin Moubray – Fitness Competitor
“There are hundreds and hundreds of amazing vegan cookbooks out there. Buy a few and start playing around. You’ll soon see that you aren’t missing meat at all!”
Stay healthy and strong!
E Excerpt from Laurie Endicott Thomas’s amazing book Thin Diabetes – Fat Diabetes by clicking here!
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