An Interview with Vegan Athlete Robert Cheeke!

Whenandwhydidyoubecomevegan? Igrewuponafarmanddevelopedanappreciation forfarmanimalssimilartotherespectand appreciationsomeonemighthaveforadogora cat.Giventhisperspectiveandmyclosenessto animalsraisingthemaspetsthroughmy involvementin4H,itseemedfittingtostopeating myanimalfriends.Inthemid90s,asateenager,I nolongerwantedtocontributetoanimalcruelty andsufferinganddecidedtogovegan.Ihavebeen vegansinceDecember8,1995(whenIwas15 yearsoldand120poundsBy2003,Iwasupto 195poundsandacompetitivebodybuilderrunning www.veganbodybuilding.com). Wasthatbeforeorafteryourinterestin bodybuildingandwhatspurredthatintereston? Growingupasaskinnykid,bodybuildingwas alwaysintriguingandsomethingIwasinterestedin fromayoungage.Ididntpursuebodybuilding,or evenweighttrainingforthatmatter,untilabout fiveyearsafterIbecamevegan.Iquicklygained muscleandtradedmyrunningshoesforweight liftingglovesandbecameacompetitive,2time championbodybuilder. Whatdoyoudoforalivingandwhatisyour favoritepartofthat? In2005IjoinedVega,aproductlinecreatedby fellowveganathleteBrendanBrazierandtoday,

continuetoworkforthem.Iworkinsalesforthis innovativeplantbasednutritioncompanyfrom Canada,focusingonoutreachatvegetarianand veganfestivalsaroundNorthAmerica. Additionally,Irunwww.veganbodybuilding.com fulltimeandamactivelypursuingawritingcareer. Havingpublishedabestsellerafewyearsago calledVeganBodybuilding&FitnessIam currentlyeditingmysecondbook.Mynewproject isapersonaldevelopmentbookaboutfindingyour passionandmakingithappen.Thebestpartofmy workisthatIamdoingwhatIampassionate about,andtheamazingtravelsandplacesittakes meto. Inwhatwaysdoesbeingveganaffectyourability tobuildmuscle,maintaintone,andrecoverfrom workouts? Frommyexperienceasaveganathletethepast seventeenyears,coupledwithmyeducationfrom Cornellsplantbasednutritioncertification program,Icansaywithagreatdealofconfidence thatasopposedtoaregular,meatcentered westerndiet,aplantbasedwholefooddietis optimalforprovidingenergy,buildinghealthy muscleandquicklyrecoveringfromexercise.Thisis becauseplantbasedwholefoodsaretheoriginal andhealthiestsourcesofvitamins,minerals, aminoacids,protein,fattyacidsandother nutritionalcomponentsnecessaryforoptimal health.Gettingnutritionfromplantsleadsto

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higherlevelsofhealthandavoidsthenegative sideeffectsthatcomewiththeconsumptionof lowerqualityfoods(animalbasedandprocessed foods).Therearenumerousscientificstudies, includingtheChinaStudy,thatshowcorrelations betweenthefoodsweeatandnumerous preventableillnesses.Therefore,aplantbased dietappearstobebestforbodybuildingorany otherathleticorhealthcenteredpursuit. Whatchallengesdoyoufaceasavegan bodybuilderandhowhaveyouovercomethem? Theonlychallengesthatcomewithavegan bodybuildinglifestylearedefendingthevegan lifestyleamongothersunfamiliarwithit,especially beforeveganismwasmoremainstreamand popularasitistoday.Inthe90sandearly00s therewerentawholelotofpeopleinthe mainstreamathleticspherewhowereveganand talkingaboutit.Now,manyofthegreatestathletes intheworldarevegan,includingsomeofthe biggestnamesintennis,boxing,ultimatefighting, powerlifting,professionalfootballandOlympics. Veganismiscomingofagebeforeoureyes. Haveyouseenanychangesinattitudeinthe athleticsworldinthepastfiveyears? Wehaveseenmoreprogressintheanimalrights andveganmovementsinthepastfiveyearsthanin theprevious50yearscombined.Whatwehave seenrecentlywithsomeofthegreatestathletesin theworldbecomingveganhasbeeninspiring, encouraging,anduplifting.Themindsetamong typicalathletesappearstobemoregearedtowards opennesstonewideas.Veganismisoneofthose ideasbeingexploredandembracedbymany. Youinspirequiteafewpeople!Whatwouldyou sayistheachievementyouaremostproudof? Mygoalfromthebeginningwastosaveanimal livesandreduceanimalsufferingandcruelty.That isstillmyprimaryobjectiveandwheremypassion largelyliestoday.Iamproudofthenumberof animalsthathavebeensavedandproudofthe friendshipsandrelationshipsthathavebeen developedamongthecommunitymembersofmy
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website.Savinglivesandbringingpeopletogether issomethingIamdedicatedtodoingfortherestof mylife.

Whatdoyouliketoeattopreparefora competition? AsIpreparetoforcompetition,Iensuremydietis entirelycomprisedofwholefoodsnoprocessed foods.Foodssuchasyams,potatoes,oats,brown rice,greens,andfruitsmakeupmyprecontest diet.Avoidingprocessedfoodsisagreatwayto reducetheconsumptionofsodium,fat,andrefined sugarswhichcanhaveanadverseeffecton bodybuilding.Eatingcleanlyleadstoaleanand healthyphysique. Whatisyourfavoritedishthatyouprepareat home? Ingeneral,myfavoritetypesoffoodareIndian, Thai,Ethiopian,MexicanandJapanese.These typesoffoodsincludeavarietyofproteinand qualitycarbohydrates,aswellashealthyfats.At home,brownricewithbeansandavocadoisa favoritemealthatisalsoquickandeasytoprepare. Ialsoeatfruitthroughouttheday.IfIamfeeling moreadventurousIwillmakeanelaborategreen orfruitsalad,focusingonpresentation,flavorand wholefoodgoodness. Whatadvicecanyougiveupcomingveganbody builders?

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Thisisanexcitingtimetobeaveganathlete. Veganismismorepopularthanithaseverbeen. Theopportunitiesforathletestospreadthevegan message,viatheirathleticplatformsand achievements,areincreasingbytheday.Using athleticsuccesstoinspireothers,savelives,and contributepositivemessagestotheworldiswhatI wouldsuggestveganathletesdo.Networkwith others,writeaboutyourexperiences,document yourprogressandshareitwithaudiencesfarand wide.Workhard,staygroundedandalways rememberwhyyoudecidedtodedicateyourlifeto benefittingothers.Letthatreminderfuelyour passion. What'sonthehorizonforyou? AtthemomentIamtakingabreakfrom bodybuildingtopursueotherinterestsincluding workingtowardthecompletionofmynextbook andfocusingonmeditation,introspection, contemplation,writingandlearningmoreabout myself.Iamcontinuouslyworkingtodiscoverhow Icanmosteffectivelyandefficientlyhelpothersin numerouswaysandsharetheveganmessage. ThanksRobert!
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Bio RobertgrewuponafarminCorvallis,ORwherehe adoptedaveganlifestylein1995atage15.Today heisabestsellingauthorofthebookVegan Bodybuilding&FitnessTheCompleteGuideto BuildingYourBodyonaPlantBasedDiet.Asatwo timenaturalbodybuildingchampionRoberthas beenconsideredoneofVegNewsMagazine'sMost InfluentialVeganAthletes.HetoursalloverNorth Americaregularlygivingtalksabouthisstory transformingfromaskinnyfarmkidtochampion veganbodybuilder.CurrentlyRobertworksfor Vega,alineofveganwholefoodproducts,asa representativeoftheproveganfilmForksOver KnivesandalsoworksfulltimerunningVegan Bodybuilding&Fitness onwww.veganbodybuilding.com,whichincludes writingbooks,touringandmaintainingthepopular website.RobertrecentlymovedtoAustin,TXand continuestospreadtheveganwayoflifeleading byexampleasanaccomplishedveganathlete. ContactInfo YoucanfindoutmoreaboutRobertat www.veganbodybuilding.com.

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