Page 47 - Living Aloha Magazine January February 2017 Issue

I started working with Abi Stearns, a trainer and coach and concluding in Kona. Each day entails a full ironman-
at the Kaua`i Athletic Club in December of 2014, initially distance: 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2 mile run.
following the plant-based nutrition plan in Robert Cheeke’s
book Shred It. Robert is a champion bodybuilder and a There are too many notable plant-based athletes to list
plant-based fitness icon. In the first year, I lost weight, them all here, but here are some of my favorites: Venus
gained a lot of muscle and felt better than ever. I then Williams (one of the world’s all-time best tennis players),
decided to compete in my first bodybuilding competition, Patrik Baboumian (Germany’s strongest man in 2011),
the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation’s Polynesian Mac Danzig (champion UFC fighter), Leilani Muenter
Muscle Mayhem in Honolulu in June 2016. I enlisted the (top female racecar driver), and The PlantBuilt team (an
help of Crissi Carvalho, a champion bikini bodybuilder and international team of plant-based athletes who compete
vegan fitness coach from Australia, to help get me ready individually and together in a multitude of sports).
for the competition. I ate mostly whole, plant-based foods, As you can see, you don’t need to eat meat or dairy to be
a high percentage of them carbs like rice, beans potatoes, fit or be a top athlete. A plant-based diet will support you
fruit and oats, took no supplements and maintained an in reaching and even exceeding your fitness goals, from
intense 6-day workout schedule. When athletes typically building muscle to losing weight to increasing athletic
prepare for a bodybuilding competition, they eat a high performance. Better overall health, better energy levels
percentage of protein, usually consisting of whey, eggs, and better recovery times are some of the key benefits to
chicken and fish and eat very little carbs. Those athletes living a plant-based life. And not only is a plant-based diet
tend to have low energy, are moody, don’t feel great good for your health, it’s also great for the environment, so
overall, and basically suffer through those twelve weeks it’s a win-win.
because ‘that’s how it has always been done.’ During my
entire competition preparation, I felt great. I had tons of So how do I get started?
energy, recovered quickly, and continued to build muscle There are tons of resources online (see some of my recommendations
while still losing weight. I ended up winning 2nd place below) to help guide your transition, as well as books and podcasts,
in novice bikini and 3rd place in open bikini. Since then, I
have been focused on Olympic weightlifting with David and wonderful coaches who can help support you one-on-one.
Dean at Altius Athletics in Kapaa, Kauai and am stronger ForKs ovEr KnivEs
and have more muscle than I’ve ever had. All achieved www.forksoverknives.com
while eating just plants.
vEgAn BoDyBuiLDing AnD FiTnEss
There are so many athletes in all disciplines who are www.veganbodybuilding.com
showing how powerful a plant-based diet can be. Known no MEAT ATHLETE
as the “300 pound vegan,” David Carter is a former pro www.nomeatathlete.com
football player, who has been plant-based since 2014. ricH roLL PoDcAsT
David said his results came quickly after making the switch, www.richroll.com/category/podcast
“More energy, shorter recovery time, increased stamina,
improved strength, and the peace of mind that no one ProTEinAHoLic
had to die in order for me to live. Every one of my nagging www.proteinaholic.com
injuries is gone. Tendonitis, inflammation, scar tissue, Stop eating animals and go vegan.
nerve damage, and chronic muscle fatigue all corrected That kind of compassion and strength beats
themselves within months…”
any weight you can lift.
Ultra-endurance athlete, and bestselling author, Rich Roll
is another amazing example of what plants can do. Rich
adopted a plant-based diet at the age of 40, when even a
flight of stairs left him buckled over in pain. Just two years
later, Rich finished in the top 10 in the 2008 Ultraman
World Championships in Hawaii (320 miles total – 6.2 Allison Jacobson is a certified plant-based health
mile swim, 261.4 mile bike and a 52.4 mile run). The next coach, bikini athlete, olympic weightlifter, and
year, he finished 6th even after sustaining injuries from a yoga instructor.
serious bike crash during the race. Rich also completed contact her at allison@allisonjacobson.com for
the first “Epic5” which starts on the island of Kaua`i before support in transitioning to a plant-based diet.
traveling on consecutive days to O`ahu, Moloka`i and Maui

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2017 | Living Aloha KAUAI 47