The Vegan Revolution: The Athletes Who Proved Everyone Wrong
By: The Essentialist
Tags: Health, Vegan, Diet, Sports, Nutrition

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THE ‘SPORTS PERFORMANCE’ MYTH

‘Protein from Red meat is an integral way to boost your performance. As an athlete, you need more protein. The vegetarian diet won’t cut it, you ought to eat Animal Protein.’

How many of you are familiar with this? Are you part of that majority who was told that Vegetarians were weak and associated their poor performance with their diet?

Certainly, you are no exception.

For Centuries, we have seen a Vegetarian Diet as something that can never substitute an animal protein-based diet. For better athletic performance, you need more Carbohydrates, more protein, more healthy fats. All of this is available to us only in the form of other animals. This was something fed to us by successful athletes, celebrities, health coaches and our own fitness trainers. Sports stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Conor Mcgregor, Lebron James, Mike Tyson, all of them inspire us with their performance and we idolise them. Now, this became so inherent in our character that apart from following these athletes on Social Media, we follow their diets, their eating habits and their lavish lifestyle. This was the script of our Eating life for more than 200 years.

But then came a revolution. Athletes started taking “THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED”. They started adopting a new diet, due to different reasons. For some, it was to experiment with their recovery time after prolonged training. For others, it was a more Environment-friendly approach. And for some Exceptions, Vegan Diet is the Best diet an Athlete can ask for. It was not an invention of this Century. Record-holding Athletes like Emil Voigt, Paavo Nurmi, Murray Rose, Edwin Moses and Carl Lewis, all in the 20th Century were part of the initial dawn of this revolution.

WHO EXACTLY ARE VEGANS?

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Well, that is the Textbook Definition. And even though that might help you make an impression. In order to understand Veganism, you need a more subtle approach.

In my own words, Vegans are the Individuals who consciously choose a more Environment-friendly option to fulfil their need to survive. That’s because some people might argue that Plants too have lives, they are also something that is degraded under the wrath of human desires.

Amid this chaos, it may sound like choosing The Less Cruel Option.

You are right, It is. For me

And So is for the below mention athletes, all of them are on the pinnacle of their respective sport and proudly proved the Infamous Animal Protein Hypothesis by 19th Century German Chemist, Justus Von Liebig Wrong!

1. LIONEL MESSI → Professional Soccer Player

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GOAT

Arguably the best footballer who ever lived, Lionel Messi decided to shift to a vegan diet in 2017. Now, it is to be noted that Messi is not entirely vegan, but he tends to shift to a Vegan diet during Football seasons to get its benefits. And he himself said that reducing meat consumption improved his performance.

2. LEWIS HAMILTON → F1 Racer

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Who doesn’t know this guy?

Lewis Hamilton is the most successful Formula 1 racer to date. In 2020, while the whole world was choked by the uninvited COVID-19, Lewis equal Legendary Michael Schumacher's record of the most number of F1 title. This 35-year-old athlete is strictly vegan and he is a Vegan Entrepreneur as well. He has a chain of Vegan Restaurants, Neat Burger in London.

3. HEATHER MILLS → Professional Skier

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Who said this list is all men?

Model, businesswoman, media personality and activist, Heather mills is the only Paralympian is this list. She is a Ski player and predominantly vegetarian. After suffering an injury in ’93, she decided to change her diet. And she has this to say:

“The healing process actually advanced so quickly in fact, that I was able to have a prosthetic leg fitted whilst at the institute. This had been absolutely unthinkable whilst the infection was still present in my hospital bed just a short while before. I was finally able to get on with, getting on with the rest of my life.”

4. NOVAK DJOKOVIC→ Tennis Player

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The First in the Big three…

Novak Djokovic needs no introduction. One of the greats of the game, Djokovic has a different story that led him to Veganism. In 2010 Davis Cup, his nutritionist, Dr Igor Cethojavic offered him bread. As he was about to eat it, he warned him and told him to hold it against his stomach instead and stretch his other hand. Djokovic responded that his stretched arm is feeling weak. The Reason?

Djokovic was sensitive to Gluten, commonly found in bread. His body was unable to digest it, hence his low performance.

The result: 16 of his 17 grand slam titles came after 2010.

5. VIRAT KOHLI → Cricketer

All hail King Kohli!

Often regarded as the best batsman in the world, Virat Kohli is a Brand. This Indian Cricket Team Captain sets examples with his bat and his decisions as well. In 2018, during the South Africa tour, Kohli suffered from a cervical Spine issue that causes nerve sensation in his body. After some test, he found that his stomach was too acidic, the Calcium he was taking from pills wasn’t enough to digest and consequently, the stomach was taking calcium from the bones, making them weaker. He shifted to a completely Vegan diet before England Tour.

“Turning to Vegan was the best decision of my life.”

Kohli’s performance was improved, scoring 6 ODI centuries in 2018.

6. SERENA WILLIAMS → Tennis Player

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23 and counting…

Serena Jameka Williams, the most famous Women Tennis star, 23 times Grand Slam winner is Vegan. She adopted a plant-based diet in 2012, a year after her elder sister and fellow tennis star Venus William adopted it in 2011 after she was diagnosed with Sjogren Syndrom. Serena has credited his vegan approach as something that helped her in boosting her performance and well being.

7. TIA BLANCO → Professional Surfer

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Surfing her way through…

Tia Blanco is a Surfer Phenom won the first place Gold medal at the International Surfing Association Open Women’s World Surfing Championship 2015 in Popoyo, Nicaragua and successfully defended the title by winning the 2016 edition in Playa Jacó, Costa Rica.

She made a choice to turn vegan in 2013.

““I feel healthier on a clean, whole foods diet that is very simple — especially during competition. And since a plant-based diet is less calorically dense than other diets, I need to make sure I’m eating enough food so I up my portions a lot.”

8. DIAZ BROTHERS→ UFC Fighters

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The Vegan Brothers

Nate Diaz shocked the world when he defeated Conor Mcgregor in a bloody fight by ‘Chokehold’ submission and which, for a fact is considered The Biggest Upset in UFC history. Mcgregor mocked Diaz during their confrontation weeks before the fight.

‘Yeah! I am not surprised motherf*****s.” Nate replied when asked about how he feels after defeating Conor.

Just like his younger brother, Nick Diaz, an MMA fighter by profession is vegan too.

9. Kyrie Irving → NBA Player

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Beyond Meat…

A successful NBA star, this Brooklyn Nets player turned Vegan in 2018 and in his own words felt amazing after the switch.

“I was noticing that I wasn’t able to recover as fast after games and workouts. I did a lot of research and learned that my diet could be a factor.”

The Boston Celtics guard is starring in a new ad campaign for Beyond Meat, a health food company that produces plant-based meat substitutes.

10. VENUS WILLIAMS → Tennis Player

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The Elder takes the first decision…

One of the all-time great, Venus switched to a Vegan diet in 2011 after being diagnosed with Sjogren Syndrom, an immune system disorder characterised by dry eyes and dry mouth.

‘Knowing how important a role my diet plays keeps me on track’

The 7 time Grand Slam winner and Former number 1 started Happy Viking, a vegan protein brand to promote Veganism.

11. SCOTT JUREK → UltraMarathon Runner

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Running like a Champion…

A Living Legend, one of the greatest runner ever who completely dominated the sport, Scott Jurek is an American athlete and author who has various world records under his belt. Being Vegan for more than two decades, Scott has this to say for his reason to turn Vegan.

“I grew up hating vegetables, eating meat and potatoes,” he says. “When I was in college I started reading more about different diets and the vegetarian and vegan diets really came up quite a bit. As I worked in hospitals through physical therapy school it became clear to me that I needed to change my diet to avoid the health problems I was seeing.

12. CARL LEWIS → Olympic Sprinter

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The Vegan World Champion…

Frederick Carlton “Carl” Lewis, a 10-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist decided to turn vegan late in his career. In 1991, when he turned Vegan, he won the 100m at a freaking age of 30, which was a world record.

“I changed my diet to a vegan diet, and I set all my personal best record at the age of 30.”

13. SUNIL CHHETRI → Soccer Player

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Vegan for his health, not Environment…

The Captain of the Indian National Football team, Sunil is the 2nd highest active international goalscorer in the world, only behind Christiano Ronaldo.

Virat Kohli found a partner on his Vegan Journey when Chhetri decided to Join him. Chhetri was honest about his intentions, saying that he didn’t turn vegan for the animals, but for health and fitness reasons.

“ It is great, it is a good feeling. I didn’t start because of love for animals. Because after eating 2000 lambs I can’t say that. (But at my age) It helps in recovery”

14. PATRICK BABOUMAIN→ World’s Strongest Man

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World’s Strongest Vegan…

A bodybuilder, Powerlifter, Guinness Book record holder and Once The Strongest man, Pattrick defied all odds and shut every mouth who says ‘Plant-based Protein isn’t gonna give you big muscles.’

Baboumian was an ethical vegetarian from 2004 to 2011, when he went vegan for the animals. He said:

“I just found myself thinking that if I would have to kill the animals I ate with my own hands I couldn’t because I was too compassionate. I felt that I was fooling myself eating meat considering my inability to kill an animal, so I just thought I’d better be honest to myself and stop eating meat.”

15. MORGAN MITCHELL → Sprinter and Olympian

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Finishing in the Vegan Style…

Morgan, the Australian Sprinter and Olympic medalist is vegan for five years. A 400m champion, she said her Energy level increased incredibly and she was able to maintain all the essential nutrients which people initially doubted.