James “Lightning” Wilks – The Game Changer

In this 23 minute  My Cineplace Interview conducted by Tim Linay, James “Lightning” Wilks shares what prompted him to come up with the idea for a documentary which eventually became The Game Changers. You can listen to the interview, but if your time is at a premium, you can read a summary about the information I found most interesting.

• Roman Gladiators ate plants exclusively. – Wilks discovered this while investigating the science that he hoped would reveal the best diet to follow in order to speed his recovery from two serious knee injuries. This discovery blew his mind.  Further investigation convinced him that the idea that meat and other animal products were necessary for high level athletic performance was a myth.  This inspired his idea for making a documentary exposing this myth.
• Foods that dominated his diet before transitioning to a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet included: lean chicken and turkey, broccoli, brown rice, egg whites, oatmeal, and grass-fed beef.  He remembers when he and a bodybuilding friend left a restaurant when they learned that it was a vegan restaurant. The idea of eating a meal with no meat was unfathomable to them at the time.
• After he began his project by recording interviews using a camera he purchased on Craigslist, he had a happenstance meeting with award winning documentary director Louie Psihoyos while watching an auto race at Talladega Speedway.  Wilks shared his documentary idea which intrigued Psihoyos. It intrigued him so much that he contacted Wilks a few weeks later telling him that he’d like to direct it.
• Wilks eventually met with renowned director James Cameron who also expressed interest to the point of helping with funding, storyline, casting and providing helpful guidance.  In fact, the segment in the film that connects meat eating with erectile dysfunction remained in the film due to Cameron’s recommendation. Wilks had decided that this segment might turn off some conservative audience members, so he was going to cut the segment from the film.  It was Cameron who convinced Wilks that this segment is likely to get some men to discard their “Real Men Eat Meat” belief.   
• Linay asked Wilks if he would have proceeded with his documentary idea if he did not retire from fighting.   Wilks responded that he most likely would not have proceeded.  He explained that he would not have wanted to have revealed what he now considers to be a competitive advantage. (Wilks explained that an earlier neck injury was the impetus for his decision to retire).   In fact, he said that some plant-based athletes refused to be in the film because they did not want their competitors to know their “secret”.
• Wilks addresses a question about “paleo” diets (diets promoted by advocates like Loren Cordain, Chris Kresser, Gary Taubes, and others).  He states that most advocates of these diets exclude dairy, processed foods, and legumes (beans, peas and lentils.  They also recommend increasing non-starchy vegetables. Wilks admits that although paleo advocates promote significant amounts of meat, many Americans improve their health on such a diet because of the increased vegetable intake and the exclusion of dairy and highly processed foods.  He mentioned that studies of people who claim to be on paleo diets actually don’t increase their animal protein intake. However they do significantly increase their vegetable intake. By eliminating dairy from their diets, total animal protein intake is reduced even if meat intake is increased.  The increase in vegetables and elimination/reduction of processed foods means people are eating more whole foods.  In light of the enormous evidence supporting the health promoting properties of whole plant foods, it’s likely any short term health benefits from the “paleo” diet are the result of increased consumption of whole plant foods in the diet.
• Wilks explains why he decided to cut the interviews of high profile Paleo diet advocates from the film. He states that none of them are paleontologists or biological anthropologists.  When they shared their explanation of how their diet represented the diet consumed by our ancestors from the Paleozoic era, they revealed how little they knew about that era.  Wilks explained that real experts like biological anthropologist Richard W. Wrangham and Richard Borshay Lee laughed at their conclusions.  Wilks said that the interviews of these advocates come across like attacks and that he felt that the interviews didn’t fit the type of film he envisioned.
• Wilks expressed pride in the scientific credibility of the film. He mentioned that Medical Doctors can receive continuing education credits from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine after viewing the film and completing a quiz.   He also mentioned that the Defense Health Agency endorsed the film, the first time it has ever endorsed a film.
• Wilks mentioned that scientific experts who appear in the film have been inundated with requests from athletes on how they can transition to a whole food plant based diet.  Many were inspired to make the switch from the movie trailer alone! He specifically mentioned that the scientific advisor for the film, registered dietitian David Goodman, is a busy dude.
• Anyone attending the premiere in theaters on Sept 16, 2019 will get to see 22 minutes of bonus coverage.
• Wilks made it clear that he does not ever want to make another documentary.  He underestimated the amount of time and work it would take to both make the film and to determine how it will be distributed.  He expressed his desire to continue spreading the WFPB message and how it will be necessary to do so.  After all, as Wilks shared, 5 out of 6 people who give up meat eventually resume eating it.

As I’ve mentioned before, a WFPB diet is simple, but for most people, it’s not easy.

Stay Healthy and Strong!