Athletes worldwide highlight the improvements going vegan can have on physical performance and wellbeing
(United States – January 20, 2022) – As part of Veganuary, the global campaign that encourages people to try vegan in January and beyond, athletes worldwide are sharing the benefits that going vegan has had on their strength, endurance, and wellbeing overall. To motivate people to try vegan this month and beyond, Ultra-Athlete Rich Roll, Bodybuilder Nimai Delgado, and Olympic boxer Cheavon Clarke are the latest athletes spotlighted in a digital video series hosted by Veganuary.
Vegan ultra-endurance athlete, wellness & plant-based nutrition advocate, popular public speaker, and author Rich Roll attributes going plant-based to not only saving his life, but for also giving him an entirely new one. At age 40, and after years of struggling with drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy living, Rich dedicated his diet to plants and his body to purposeful action. Just two years later, he began clocking top finishes at Ultraman World Championships and leading a community of others looking to transform their lives. Rich continues this journey today with his chart-topping podcast and bestselling books, including Finding Ultra, The Plantpower Way.
“Fifteen years ago, just before I turned 40, I was a classic middle-aged couch potato – overweight, lethargic, unmotivated, felled by a simple flight of stairs. I decided to go plant-based, and I experienced this extraordinary resurgence in my vitality,” says Roll.
Watch Rich Roll and his wife Julie Piatt’s full video spotlight here.
Nimai Delgado is a vegan professional bodybuilder, mechanical engineer, lifestyle coach, and motivational speaker. He’s been featured on the cover of Muscle and Fitness magazine as well as James Cameron’s documentary The Game Changers.
“Almost immediately after I went vegan, I noticed improvements in my performance, my digestion, and my mental acuity. I had shorter recovery times and so much more energy that allowed me to train harder and more frequently,” says Delgado.
View Nimai Delgado’s full video spotlight here.
British Olympic and professional boxer Cheavon Clarke says that he wasn’t satisfied with the nutritional quality of the meat he was eating, so he went vegan overnight to improve his performance. In his video spotlight, he explains how being vegan works for him and encourages others to see if it will work for them too.
“When I became vegan, my recovery time reduced. I was able to digest my food quicker, that meant I was ready and back in the gym faster,” says Clarke. “My performance has improved in some areas. I still lift the same numbers. There’s no loss of power, no loss of muscle.”
View Cheavon Clarke’s full video spotlight here.
Veganuary supporter and Los Angeles Lakers’ DeAndre Jordan says, “What you put in your body has a huge impact on your overall well-being. Luckily, eating plant-based is much simpler than people think. Find out for yourself this January.”
As superstar athletes continue to point out the health and performance benefits of a plant-based diet, veganism and the Veganuary movement are continuing to gain momentum worldwide. Over 2 million people have signed up to take the Veganuary pledge since the campaign’s inception in 2014. The Official Veganuary 2021 Participant Survey* reported that 49% of Veganuary participants saw improvements to their energy levels, and 46% saw improvements to their mood.
A new survey conducted by YouGov** indicates that nearly one-third (32%) of Americans plan to eat more plant-based/vegan foods in 2022. The survey also indicates that 30% of Americans say their perceptions of a plant-based/vegan diet have changed for the better in the last two years, since Veganuary’s initial launch in the United States.
About Veganuary
Veganuary is a non-profit organization that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. It was founded in the UK in 2014 and since then more than 2 million people have taken the 31-day plant-based pledge to help the planet, reduce animal suffering, and to benefit people, too. This New Year’s revolution has also been embraced by businesses, with restaurants, retailers, and brands around the world launching and promoting new vegan products and menu items for January.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jessie Lingenfelter
Veganuary US Media
[email protected]
803-730-2869
www.veganuary.com
Notes:
*The survey was sent by Veganuary to 76% of the 582,000 people who signed-up during the 2021 campaign. 43,982 people responded (10%).
**All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1296 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8th – 9th December 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).
