Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

As a bodybuilder, I made a decision to not overload my body with extra protein. Every single American unless they are starving has more than enough protein. I didn't want to build muscle if it meant compromising my kidneys or liver with excess protein. This is part of the reason why I went plant based... the protein in plants won't raise my IGF-1 levels, or insulin-like growth factor 1, which increases one's risk for cancer and other diseases.

The vegan bodybuilders like Robert Cheese, Will Tucker and countless others really inspire me and show me what's possible without meat. I'm on a mission trying to prove to my whey protein powder friends at the gym that there's a much healthier way to build muscle.

When I started my plant based journey nearly 9 months ago, I was about 192-195 pounds. I was trying to gain muscle but my diet was not as good as it could be.

Then I discovered the many vegan bodybuilders online and I began to read Robert Cheeke's book "Shred It!". That changed my whole way of eating and the way I trained. Bodybuilders like Robert Cheese and many others are eating only plant based foods and are definitely getting results.

This past weekend, New York City hosted a Vegetable Food Festival and the proceeds went to the Humane League. I attended a good part of the event on both Saturday and Sunday.

Being plant based for 8 and a half months now, I was really excited when I heard about the NYC veg food fest! I really wanted to hear the vegan bodybuilders speak, as I am focusing on muscle building. To me, they are like rock stars and to hear their stories, it was an awesome experience!

It's not easy to workout five days a week, but I've been doing this for a while now. You might wonder what motivates me to keep going...

It's my belly. Yes, that ugly loose skin around my abs that still hasn't tightened. I know it's a losing battle but looking at my abs (the lack of a 6 pack after four years of sustained weight loss), it gets me to work hard.

It's nearly 7 months for me as a completely plant based athlete. During this time, I've been working out hard, 5 days a week and have been seeing results. It may not be as fast as I like, but I do see progress each week.

I never would have believed years ago that muscle building could be possible without meat. After all, nearly everyone I encounter eats animal products, and some use whey protein powder. But I discovered there are many athletes out there proving that "No Meat is No Problem"... people like Robert Cheeke, the first vegan bodybuilder that I read about.