Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with the vegan fitness power couple themselves, Dani Taylor and Giacomo Marchese. Dani and Giacomo have been involved in the vegan fitness space for years now and originally met through the VeganBodybuilding.com message boards around 2008 during a meet-up event. They started their joint business Vegan Proteins shortly after which was an online storefront for all kinds of vegan protein brands. Over the years, they eventually converted it to a vegan fitness coaching team as the online storefront space became more competitive and have now also started Vegan Strong, which is a similar team consisting of athletes, nutritionists, authors and coaches with a goal of educating others at events about building a strong, healthy and impressive body on a plant based diet. They also started its subsidiary called Plantbuilt, which is a collective of high level, plant based strength and physique athletes who compete at events. Dani and Giacomo truly walk-the-walk also, and have both competed at high levels in both bodybuilding and other sports themselves. Dani and Giacomo get into the details of how they met, their reasons for going vegan, what drew them to fitness and competing, how plant based foods have evolved over the years, building muscle and strength on a plant based diet, and so much more. This was a really great episode with two amazing and influential people in the vegan fitness space and I think you’ll enjoy their stories and commentary just as much as I did! Dani can be found on Instagram at @veganproteins and Giacomo can be found at @musclesbybrussels . Check out their coaching website at veganproteins.com and their vegan health and fitness collectives at veganstrong.com and plantbuilt.com. They also have a podcast called Muscles by Brussels Radio which can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. Thanks so much again to Dani and Giacomo and without further ado, enjoy the show! - COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, I’m joined by vegan competitive bodybuilder and coach, John Thomas, AKA the bodybuilding vegan on Instagram. John was nice enough to take the time to come on to the podcast just several weeks out from competition which, for any of you who have dieted super hard before know, is a brutal period that often consists of low energy and brain fog. That being said, I have to say that it wasn’t obvious with John at all, as he got into some absolutely amazing points in this chat and I was feeling fired up and motivated right after! We get into John’s history and what inspired him to go vegetarian and vegan at a young age, how bullying can affect children years down the road, what drew him to pursuing bodybuilding, his experiences with building muscle on a plant based diet and coaching other vegan lifters, why more high level bodybuilders should consider eating plant based, government subsidies for the animal agriculture industry, and a slew of other amazing content. John is currently aiming to become the first ever vegan IFBB pro in the men’s open bodybuilding category and pave the way for a future of vegan competitors. He can be found on instagram at @TheBodybuildingVegan and for his coaching and more content, check out thebodybuildingvegan.com. I think you’ll find this episode as inspirational as I did and thanks so much again to John for taking the time to come and chat. Without further ado, on with the show! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Episode preview with John 00:30 - Intro to Podcast 01:00 - Intro to John Thomas 2:30 - Podcast episode start and intro 3:15 - John's contest prep update 4:45 - Who IS John Thomas? 6:45 - Vegan activism, forcing yourself out of your comfort zone, why vegan, being a good exmaple 10:30 - Being understanding and empathetic towards people who aren't vegan yet 15:15 - Why did John go vegetarian/vegan at first? 20:30 - Cognitive dissonance and personal experiences with animal sentience, fishing 25:00 - Meat and masculinity 28:00 - Government subsidies for animal agriculture industry 31:30 - The sugar tax and how big money influences the food industry 34:45 - What got John into bodybuilding? 37:30 - John's goals with bodybuilding 42:15 - Plant based diets for building muscle and strength 46:15 - High fiber and legumes on a high calorie, bodybuilding diet, managing digestion during a mass gain phase, carbs 50:15 - Plant based protein sources, getting enough protein is easy as a vegan 52:00 - Post competition diet plans, cravings, diet fatigue, John's mentality shift 54:30 - Closing statement from John, do what you want! 55:20 - Where to find John on social media, closing 57:00 - Episode outro COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, I’m joined by the one and only Dr. Eric Trexler. Eric has a PHD in Human Movement Science, earned his pro card as a natural bodybuilder, has been a coach since 2009, and is currently a metabolism researcher at Duke University in North Carolina. Eric is also co-owner of the MASS research review, which if you didn’t know, is a monthly newsletter that breaks down the most recent nutrition and exercise related research into easy to digest content. Eric has also published dozens of his own peer-reviewed research papers on exercise and sports nutrition related strategies and is at the forefront of the evidence based fitness community. I’ve personally been a follower of Eric’s content for years - probably since around 2015 - and have the utmost respect for the unbiased, high quality information he puts out which is why I was excited to find out Eric went vegan for ethical purposes in 2020 during his studies into Buddhism and spirituality. and I delve into why exactly he chose to follow a vegan lifestyle, how his experience has been so far both personally and within the fitness industry, the research on plant vs. animal protein, the health benefits of a plant based diet and general healthy diet practices, dietary nitrates, supplementation and so much more. We packed a lot of great content into this episode and I’m excited to share with you all. Eric can be found on Instagram at Trexler Fitness and at trexlerfitness.com and I definitely recommend checking out MASS and massresearchreview.com. Thanks so much to Eric for taking the time to drop the knowledge bombs this episode and without further ado, on with the show! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Episode preview with Eric 00:30 - Intro to Podcast 01:05 - Intro to Eric Trexler 2:45 - Podcast episode start and intro 4:45 - What got Eric into fitness and nutrition? 7:05 - Eric's experience with bodybuilding 7:45 - Eric's injury and working around it 9:45 - What led Eric to going vegan? His experience with spirituality, religion and morality 17:30 - Did Eric have any expectations going on a plant based diet at first? Pervasive myths 18:45 - Differences in plant and animal protein and muscle building 20:00 - When did Eric go plant based and the research then vs. now 23:30 - Powerlifting numbers in the past vs now 24:30 - Advantages or disavantages of plant based diet for health 26:45 - Three diets that have the most evidence as being most health promoting 28:30 - Challenges of a plant based diet 29:45 - Lower threshholds of plant based protein vs. animal protein for building muscle and how to calculate a cutoff number 32:45 - Protein inconveniency 33:45 - Micronutrients of plant based foods and supplementation recommendations 36:15 - Antinutrients 37:05 - Do benefits of plant based diets seem to be more with restricting animal products OR including more plant based foods? 40:45 - Example of why some people have bad experiences with plant based diets 42:15 - Advantages or disadvantages of a plant based diet on sports performance? 45:45 - Dietary nitrates and benefits of increased nitric oxide/blood flow 48:30 - The potentially beneficial compounds in the matrix of specific plant based foods and how they interact with each other in complicated ways 51:15 - Do nitric oxide boosting supplements have beneficial effects? Quality control in supplements 55:00 - Citrulline malate, efficacy, risk profile and taste 58:00 - What supplements would Eric recommend for plant based athletes for performance and/or health? 1:04:30 - Is creatine supplementation a higher priority for vegans? 1:06:45 - Closing statement, encouragement for being a good ambassador for veganism 1:09:45 - Where can Eric be found on social media? Mass Research Review, coaching, instagram 1:12:05 - Episode outro - COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, I’m joined by plant based body recomposition coach Maxime Sigouin who runs the fit vegan coaching program. Maxime has a very interesting life story about what led him to pursue fitness coaching and a plant based diet. As he shares in this episode, he’s experienced a lot in his life so far including caring for his partner who was going through cancer treatments, training seriously for cycling and ironman and using that as a form of fundraising for cancer patients, working as a high fashion model, pursuing natural bodybuilding, working with a mentor who is quite famous in the YouTube fitness industry and eventually starting his own business endeavors to help others get in their best shape on a plant based diet. I particularly found his story about why he adopted a plant based to be very interesting and contrarian to why most people initially do. All of Maxime’s social media accounts and services can be found on his fitness coaching website at fitvegan.ca if you’re interested in connecting and thanks again to Maxime for coming on and being so transparent with everything! I hope you enjoy this episode and without further ado, on with the show! COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com/coaching MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvKpJg... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9waW5lY2FzdC5jb20vZmVlZC90aGUtYWV0aGl4LWFwcHJvYWNo?sa=X&ved=0CAIQ9sEGahgKEwjg4ejxiPr_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ0QE Audible: https://a.co/d/is5LyHC Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

So this episode is going to be a bit of departure from what we’ve done before on the podcast but I think it’s a lot of fun. Eddie Baumgartner, a vegan powerlifter who was on the podcast in season 1, joins me again for this one but instead of the normal interview style that we’ve done before - we actually did a version of the hot ones challenge for this one. For those who aren’t familiar, the hot ones challenge is a challenge where celebrities are asked 10 questions and they eat a buffalo wing that gets increasingly hotter for each question - as the questions also get more heated. Eddie and I, two of your favorite celebrities, of course, did our vegan take on this. We both had a plate of five Gardein Ultimate tenders, which - side note - if you haven’t had yet, are absolutely delicious, and we picked 5 hot sauces that increase in scoville rating from 1,700 to apparently, possibly over 2.5 MILLION, although not OFFICIALLY confirmed. Needless to say, Eddie and I were goin’ through it here. After coating each tender in sauce, we went back and forth and asked each other an increasingly more complex question following the theme of controversial vegan opinions. So in our flustered, adrenaline fueled state post-bite, we’d have to answer our opinion on a controversial vegan topic which I think you guys will find very entertaining. To make things worse, we also didn’t allow ourselves any water, almond milk, or WHATEVER during the whole length of the challenge. This is one that I recommend watching in video form but if not, the audio recording alone is pretty damn entertaining, I’d say. You can find Eddie at @eddie.baumgartner on Instagram and YouTube and @theagentbaum on Twitch. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy our oncoming ridiculousness and suffering! - COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, I’m joined by none other than Robert Cheeke, the godfather of vegan bodybuilding, activist, motivational speaker, founder of veganbodybuilding.com, and best selling author. Robert was the first person I personally ever heard of competing in bodybuilding as a natural athlete on a completely plant based diet and he has done SO much over the years to promote veganism and eating a healthy, sustainable plant based diet. Robert won the title of INBA Northwestern USA Natural Bodybuilding Overall Novice Champion in 2005, placed competitively in the 2006 Natural Bodybuilding World Championships and won his class in the 2009 Northwestern USA Natural Bodybuilding Championships. Robert has written several books including the New York Times Best Seller “The Plant Based Athlete” published in 2021, “Plant Based Muscle” in 2017, “Shred It” in 2014, and “Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness” in 2010. During our chat, Robert walks us through his early life and reasons for going vegan, how he bulked up over 100 lbs on a plant based diet, the reasons people should want to go vegan, tips on getting the most out of your plant based diet as an athlete, his favorite meals and restaurants and TONS more. Robert is very knowledgeable, experienced and well-spoken which makes him an exceptional advocate for veganism and a big inspiration for me personally when I first decided to go vegan in early 2016 and to this day. I absolutely LOVED the discussion we had and I’m sure you will too so without further ado, on with the show! - COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Minil Patel - a London-based vegan doctor specializing in general medicine with a passion for health and fitness. Minil has been vegan for over six years, has been lifting seriously for well over ten years, and is a strong believer in keeping the mind and body healthy through nutrition, fitness and science. We get into all the details about how and why Minil went vegan, his lifestyle and diet before and after, what drew him to the medical field, and his experiences in medical school and as a doctor. We also get into the knitty gritty details on plant based protein sources and how they compare to animal based proteins, meat and masculinity and why men are less likely to go vegan than women, excelling in athletics on a plant based diet, pressure on vegans to be good examples and so much more. Minil is extremely knowledgeable and I particularly loved hearing about his evidence based approach to plant based nutrition, his recommendations and how he applies it to his own life. I think you’ll get a lot of really interesting information from this episode in particular and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed our chat. If you’re interested in connecting and following Minil on social media, he can be found mainly on Instagram at @DrIronJunkie . Thanks again to Dr. Minil and without further ado, on with the show! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro to Podcast 00:45 - Intro to Dr. Minil Patel 2:00 - Podcast episode start 2:45 - Quick intro to Minil 4:10 - Does Minil incorporate a plant based diet into his practices as a doctor? 6:20 - Moving up through the medical field 9:30 - What made Minil want to specialize in general practice? 12:00 - Why are medical students drawn to pursuing specializing in surgery? 13:15 - Do medical students get nutrition training? 15:45 - Minil's view on medications and changes in lifestyle 18:45 - How the general public interprets nutrition science 21:45 - Minil's reasons for going vegan 26:00 - Why do people NOT go vegan? 31:00 - Minil's experience switching to plant based diet while lifting 35:00 - Plant protein sources vs animal protein sources 44:00 - PDCAA (protein digestibility corrected amino acid) scores 46:45 - Leucine and muscle protein synthesis 48:15 - Study hierarchies and what studies are more applicable 49:45 - Differences in protein intake for various people, protein recommendations 55:00 - Meat and masculinity - why men are less likely to go vegan 1:03:00 - Examples of amazing vegan athletes 1:07:00 - Backlash against plant based diets 1:09:00 - Pressure on vegans to be good examples 1:13:45 - Stereotype of militant vegans, vegan activism 1:18:45 - Minil's recommendations for transitioning to a plant based diet 1:23:45 - Minil closing statement 1:25:05 - Where can Minil be found on social media? 1:26:15 - Episode outro COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, Jen Morgan joins me to talk all about her experiences as a competitive, vegan, strongwoman athlete in the masters’ 132 and 148 pound weight classes. Strongman is a competition that includes a variety of events where the goal is to demonstrate the highest feat of strength possible on that particular movement to beat out other competitors in the weight class. You may have heard of the World’s Strongest Man or World’s Strongest Woman, which is one of the most renowned competitions in the strongman universe and includes such athletes as Donna Moore, Andrea Thompson, Olga Liaschuk, Eddie Hall, Brian Shaw and Halfthor Bjornnsen, otherwise known by his role as the Mountain in the popular Game of Thrones series. Although the specific events in strongman competitions always change a bit, some staples that frequently appear include some variety of deadlifts, squats, lifting stones, log or axle press, farmer’s carries or yoke walks, vehicle pulls, keg toss and tire flips, for example. Jen walks me through the basics of what entails these competitions, how she trains for them, what got her into them, the strongman community in general, her reasons for going vegan, her experiences training for strongman and powerlifting as a vegan athlete and much more. Jen is insanely, mind-blowingly strong and it was super interesting hearing all about these things during out conversation. Jen can be found on social media at @jacked_jenny . I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I enjoyed our chat and thanks so much again to Jenny for coming on! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro to Podcast 00:45 - Intro to Jen Morgan and strongman competition overview 2:25 - Podcast episode start 3:00 - Quick intro to Jenny 4:30 - What is strongman, exactly? 6:00 - Training for strongman 11:00 - What qualifies to compete at nationals? 11:45 - Jenny's weight class, making weight 16:00 - When did Jenny start lifting? 17:45 - Jenny's competition plans for the future 19:00 - Peak age for strength sports, masters classes 21:00 - Women in strength sports, strongwomen 22:00 - How Jenny got into strongman from powerlifting, home gym 24:15 - Strongman community, training with a team at a gym 26:45 - What drew Jenny to strongman? 28:15 - What competitions has Jenny done and best feats of strength? 30:30 - Jenny competing at nationals 33:15 - Why Jenny went vegan? 36:00 - Jenny's diet approach, some favorite protein options 38:00 - Protein intake and going lower on protein 40:45 - Diet vices, coffee, how caffeine effects us 43:45 - Calorie and macro intakes as an athlete 46:30 - Does a plant based diet have any disadvantages? 48:45 - Vegan athletes, plant based food now vs. in the past, being an example 53:45 - Jenny's tips for transitioning to a plant based diet as an athlete 58:00 - Jenny's tips for getting into strongman 59:45 - Where can Jenny be found on social media? 1:01:00 - Episode outro - COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, Julien DesRoches joins me to talk all about bulking on a plant based diet. For anyone who isn't familiar with the term, bulking is the name for intentionally overeating to gain more weight and should be combined with a properly planned resistance training program. The goal with bulking is to put the body in a more anabolically-primed state to pack on more muscle quicker than the individual otherwise would while eating less. Under the vast majority of circumstances, bulking comes with some inherent fat gain alond with the muscle gain, so the goal is minimize the amount of fat cell accumulation. After reaching a target bodyweight or strength goals, a bulking or mass gain phase is usually followed by a cutting phase where the goal is to strip body fat back down while attempting to hold on to as much of that newly gained muscle tissue as possible. Julien is currently in a bulking phase and has been noticing some impressive progress, even after more than eight years of training. Julien and I get into the knitty gritty of bulking up on a plant based diet - who should do it, why they should do it, and tips for planning a successful mass gain focused training cycle. We also get into training as a natural after many years, body dysmorphia, our favorite sources of plant based protein, favorite meals for a bulk, specific tips and tricks we picked up over the years to pack on weight, and much more. I hope you enjoy the episode and you can find Julien at @plantsformed on Instagram or on our joint tiktok at BeeflessBros. Without further ado, on with the show! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro to Podcast 00:45 - Intro to Julien and bulking overview 2:25 - Podcast episode start 3:00 - When Julien and I met, how long we've been vegan, Julien's quick history of lifting 4:30 - Maingaining vs bulking and cutting 7:15 - What exactly is bulking and why do it? 8:15 - What a bulk looks like for Julien in terms of calories 10:00 - Body types, Julien's body composition predisposition 11:45 - Julien's recent bulking progress and training 13:45 - To really push progress as a more advanced natural lifter, bulking and cutting is essential 16:15 - Recomend bulk and cuts to beginner lifters? 18:15 - Novice gains, how many years have we been lifting, genetic differences 21:15 - Body dysmorphia, natural vs. enhanced, the struggle of bulking up and social media 26:00 - Natural potential for bodybuilding, bodybuilding is an illusion, hormonal decline through age 32:30 - Is it possible to reach optimal body composition WITHOUT bulking and cutting? 36:00 - Crash diets, how Julien approaches a cut now, cardio during bulks/cuts 38:40 - Tips for successful bulk/mass gain phase, are tracking calories/macros essential? 40:45 - Training practices for building muscle while bulking, any differences in training for bulking/cutting phases? 43:30 - Tips to gain weight on a plant based diet, our favorite vegan bulking foods 48:30 - Some of our favorite plant based protein sources 52:15 - Bulking hack foods - quick and easy on the go vegan options to gain weight 58:15 - Where can Julien be found on social media? 58:45 - Podcast outro COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Zachary Belknap, a natural WNBF pro vegan bodybuilder and NASM certified personal trainer. Zack placed first in his pro-debut bodybuilding show and despite it not being his direct pursui, also has some impressive strength numbers under his belt with a 495 lb squat, 345 lb bench press and 520 lb deadlift. Zack went vegan in 2015 mainly for environmental purposes but he quickly found himself drawn to the moral aspects above all else. Switching to a vegan lifestyle was a big motivator for him to push his bodybuilding pursuits to the next level. The myth of plant based diets being inadequate for building muscle is still a pervasive theory in the general population, and Zack uses that to drive his ambitions in the sport. Zack is an extremely impressive natural bodybuilder, reaching up to a massive 220 lbs in his off-season at 5’10”, and one of the best examples of what can be achieved without PED’s on a plant based diet. His fellow competitors are almost always in shock to hear about his diet after seeing what he has achieved which is great activism in itself. Zack can be found on Instagram at @boldbodyfitnessllc which is also the name of his personal training business and you can find info on that there. Thanks again to Zack for taking the time to come on the podcast and I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I enjoyed our chat! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro to Podcast 00:45 - Intro to Zack 2:00 - Zack introduces himself 3:15 - How and why did Zack go vegan? 4:40 - When did Zack get into lifting? 6:00 - Zack is huge 8:15 - Zack trains heavy, has he ever competed in powerlifting? 10:00 - What drew Zack to competing? 12:00 - Zack's competition history 14:00 - Zack promoting veganism through bodybuilding, using science to support plant based diets 17:00 - What does being a pro bodybuilder entail? What divisions can Zack compete in? 19:00 - What's Zack's training look like? Bodybuilding coaches 21:00 - Pushing to failure, progressive overload, the mistakes we made as novice lifters 25:00 - Off-season bulks, pushing bodyweight PR's 26:00 - Progressing after years of natural bodybuilding, Alberto Nunez, seeing bodybuilding shows in person 29:00 - Was Zack worried about losing progress when he first went vegan? How did his diet change? 32:15 - Does Zack count calories/macros? Appetite changes during bulk/cut 34:15 - Bodybuilding is inherently extreme, potentially unhealthy, drugs in bodybuilding 38:00 - Four pillars of veganism, why Zack went vegan and why others should be interested in going vegan 39:15 - Zack used to be a hunter 42:00 - Animal agriculture is extremely impractical and wasteful compared to just eating plants 44:30 - Whole Food Plant Based diet can reverse atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries) 46:30 - Going vegan isn't always easy at first but it's the right thing to do 48:00 - Antibiotic resistance due to animal agriculture and zoonotic diseases 50:00 - Different diets can result in benefits but veganism has a bigger purpose morally and environmentally 52:15 - The impracticality of free range, grass-fed meat 53:00 - Lab grown meat, would we eat it? The ethics of it 58:15 - How do other bodybuilders react to finding out Zack is vegan? 1:00:00 - What is the key to success in bodybuilding nutritionally? Plant based diet vs omnivorous diet for bodybuilding 1:05:00 - Plant based protein, being vegan is easy nowaways 1:07:30 - Transitioning from omnivorous to vegan diet for lifters 1:10:00 - Zack's closing statement, things are getting better! 1:11:45 - Where can people find Zack and his personal training services on social media? 1:13:00 - Podcast outro - COACHING: http://aethixfitness.com MERCH: http://www.aethixfitness.com/shop TRAINING PROGRAMS: http://www.aethixfitness.com/training TRUE NUTRITION - My absolute favorite, affordable, customizable vegan protein powder! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 5% off anything you order! Using the code helps support me! http://www.truenutrition.com/ JACK AND FRIENDS VEGAN JERKY - Super tasty jackfruit based jerky and a great small business to support! Use code "AETHIX" at checkout for 10% off anything you order! https://www.jackandfriendsjerky.com/ SOCIAL: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/aethixfitness Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tofustrong Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aethixfitness Twitter: https://twitter.com/aethixf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeflessbros PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Audible: https://www.amazon.com/The-Aethix-App... Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-aet... Support The Aethix Approach by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-aethix-approach