With their toned muscles and determined stares, athletes have long been the picture of health and success. Vigilant in their training and nutrition, athletes’ dedication to fueling their active lifestyles has made headlines (for better or for worse) for decades. Lately, we’ve seen a steady rise in athletes who adhere to a plant-based diet. Below we share a round-up of recently lauded vegan athletes who are gaining as much attention for their diet as they are for their sporting accomplishments.
Scott Jurek
If you’ve been near your computer, TV or radio this summer, then you’ve surely read or heard about ultramarathoner Scott Jurek who set the speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail in 46 days, 8 hours and 7 minutes on July 13, beating the previous record by 3 hours. In a recent interview with Bon Appetit magazine, Jurek credits sandwiches, hash browns and ice cream for fuel on the trail while he tends to opt for smoothies, pancakes and salads back home. Jurek shares his love of cooking in his book Eat & Run, a great source of recipes for runners and non-runners alike!
David Carter
“Very early on I was taught that if I wanted to be big and strong there was only one way to go about it. You guessed it—eat meat and the more the better.” These words, taken from David Carter’s bio on his website, are sentiments we often hear from athletes. If you’re not familiar with Carter a.k.a. The 300 Pound Vegan, he’s the NFL defensive lineman who has made headlines recently for signing a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears after recent stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders. Like Jurek, Carter also sites smoothies as being a great source of fuel for his active lifestyle. White beans and sunflower seeds are also favorites of Carter, whose vegan meal plan can be found at Care2.
Mark Hunt & Mac Danzig
Just recently, UFC heavyweight fighter Mark Hunt announced he would be switching to a vegan diet after seeing an animal cruelty video on Facebook. While his announcement occurred only days ago, we hope Hunt will remain true to his word and join other combat sports fighters like UFC Lightweight Contender Mac Danzig in giving up meat for good. Danzig credits brown rice, quinoa and black beans as important staples of his vegan diet while admitting he still enjoys the taste of vegan junk food now and then!
Holistic Holiday at Sea Vegan Athletes
We’re excited to welcome several top-performing vegan athletes on our upcoming vegan holistic cruise. We welcome back vegan bodybuilder, author, entrepreneur and multisport athlete Robert Cheeke who will participate and host several exercise-related classes and lectures while on board. Also sharing his expertise about vegan fitness tips on our 2016 cruise is Matt Frazier a.k.a. The No Meat Athlete, whose upcoming lecture will inspire you to set and reach goals in all areas of your life. Vegan bodybuilder Derek Tresize will certainly be a busy man during the 2016 cruise, between teaching three classes and participating in an informative Q&A with fellow vegan athletes. Tresize’s scheduled classes will emphasize taking optimal care of your body, including tips for pain-free fitness, posture, and total body conditioning. Tresize will be sharing his expertise alongside his wife, Marcella Torres, also an accomplished vegan athlete herself. Torres’ talents include bodybuilding, dancing and running the popular blog Vegan Muscle and Fitness…that is, when she and Tresize are not running after their three-year-old son!
While you may not have plans of becoming a professional athlete anytime soon, it’s important to educate yourself on proper nutrition and self-care for an active lifestyle. We’re looking forward to learning more on this topic from our cruise presenters in 2016!
