Plant-based diets can help athletes improve their performance by decreasing weight, creating leaner bodies, and improving stamina, highlights an article from the Berkeley Public Health Advocate. It’s further noted that while an improved performance is not dependent on a complete plant-based diet, athletes who have undertaken a vegan diet have reported numerous benefits. The choice to become vegan is often a highly personal one, with reasons that range from personal beliefs to health concerns and beyond. From professional surfer Tia Blanco to bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, each athlete has chosen to embrace a plant-forward diet in their own way. 

Surfer Tia Blanco

Californian professional surfer Tia Blanco grew up eating a vegetarian diet with her family. “When I was 15 or 16, we all went vegan — for the animals and our health,” the surfer stated in a Forks Over Knives interview. Lentil soup and red lentils are noted to be some of the athlete’s favorite foods, though the interview further revealed how Blanco’s diet changes based on the weather and whether or not she’s in competition mode. For example, the Forks Over Knives interview revealed that the surfer eats more fruits in the summer, and more hearty foods and vegetable soups in the winter. As for how her diet changes during competition, she notes that she eats more to fuel her active lifestyle. 

While Blanco embraces a plant-based diet, she acknowledges that it isn’t without its challenges. “Honestly, the hardest part about being vegan is everyone’s judgment,” Blanco writes for The Inertia. The surfer goes on to discuss how she began a plant-based diet before it became a trend, when others were unfamiliar with the concept. Blanco further discusses the difficulties behind finding the right manager, as many were concerned of the controversies of such a diet. “I found my manager, and he said, “Stay true to what you believe in. Be you, and people will be drawn to that.”” 

Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves pitcher 

Professional baseball pitcher Spencer Strider embraced a plant-based diet in 2019, highlights Plant Based News. The decision came while recovering from an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, though it wasn’t the only factor for the diet change, as Strider was diagnosed with high blood pressure at just 18 years old. According to Strider himself, two weeks of a plant-based diet resulted in benefits in the form of normal blood pressure levels without medication. Aside from medical concerns, the Plant Based News article points out Strider’s thoughts in regard to the value that a plant-based approach has had in relation to an athletic diet. In the past, Strider notes that he was very focused on protein as part of his diet. “And as a result, I was vicariously eating way too much fat and not getting enough carbs, which are really your fuel source,” he explained. It’s important to note that Strider’s diet is also motivated by environmental reasons, noting that a plant-based diet to be more sustainable. 

Strider isn’t the only professional baseball player to embrace a veggie-focused diet, as former Major League Baseball player Pat Neshek became a vegan in 2007. Great Vegan Athletes notes that Neshek went vegan after reading The China Study, which detailed the health consequences of eating animal products. Many professional athletes choose to embark on a vegan diet due to personal beliefs or experiences, and can serve as an inspiration to those who aspire to follow in their footsteps. When it comes to the discovery of the stories behind baseball’s greatest players, online resources can be a powerful thing. Dedicated biography websites, for example, can unveil the lives, careers, and achievements of those who have left their mark out on the field, from personal challenges to triumphs. With the help of a dedicated team of writers and researchers that work through historical records, interviews, and other reputable sources, readers can rest assured that accuracy is a priority. 

Building muscle with Arnold Schwarzenegger

While not fully vegan, ISPO highlights the famed Austrian bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been eating a (predominantly) plant-based diet for a number of years. While he makes the occasional exception for meat (steak or wiener schnitzel, ISPO notes), Schwarzenegger has noted that he feels that a plant-based diet is “altogether healthier and younger,” with benefits that include a lower LDL cholesterol level. 

One Men’s Health article highlights the fact that Arnold’s diet contains “80% less meat than it used to.” On his own podcast, Arnold’s Pump Club, Schwarzenegger reveals his favorite protein sources, which include eggs, salmon, chicken, veggie burgers, lentils, beans, chickpea soups, and a pea protein powder supplement. The Men’s Health article further details what Schwarzenegger eats on a daily basis, which features a healthy breakfast of oatmeal or greek yogurt with granola, a comprehensive lunch (which may or may not include salmon or chicken), and a light dinner of soup. “Some people feel forced to eat animal proteins to support muscle and strength,” Schwarzenegger said, the actor and bodybuilder then going on to cite new research published in Sports. The research unveiled that after eight weeks of strength training, differences in strength and muscular gains between those who consumed pea protein or whey protein supplements were negligible, the Men’s Health article notes. 

A plant-based diet isn’t a requirement for those who wish to become a professional athlete, though there are a number of pros out there who have embraced the advantages that come along with a veggie-focused regimen. The switch to a vegan diet is a personal one, as Tia Blanco, Spencer Strider, and Arnold Schwarzenegger each chose a plant-focused diet for reasons that range from personal beliefs to medical concerns and a healthier diet.