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A group of vegan personal trainers are running free sessions every Saturday for the local community in Ladbroke Grove.

In early 2016, Dwayne Cooper and his friend Chaka Clarke (Chakabars) started promoting free training sessions for youngsters in the area that weren't in education or employment.

Made up of personal trainers who specialise in callisthenics (a form of exercise based on gymnastic exercises and full body control), Spartanfam is centred on the ethos of community training. Primarily using outdoor space for bodyweight training, the team follow the philosophy of ‘anytime, any place, anything’. The community group has a large support base, with Chakabars himself leading a 513k strong Instagram following who support their plant-based lifestyle.

The workouts have since become a place where people can share information about holistic living and find solidarity with like-minded individuals.

Dwayne says of the idea: “Within good time we quickly became role models in their eyes as we were teaching them healthy living, eating, and self-respect as well as training.”

Other personal trainers began to attend the sessions to learn more about their plant-based diet and how it can maintain good muscle mass and strength.

Personal trainer Shea Jozana decided to make the transition to a plant-based diet after attending the Saturday sessions himself. After finding the move benefited his health enormously, he now promotes a vegan lifestyle.

Here, he shares his top-tips for combining a vegan diet with your fitness routine:

1. Base meals on a protein source

Think quinoa, beans and legumes. Loads of vegetables also contain amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.

2. Variety

Eat a variety of veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds to ensure you get all the nutrients you need.

3. Supplements

If you're eating a varied whole food diet then supplementation isn't strictly necessary, the only exception being vitamin B12. An algae oil omega 3 supplement can help maintain an anti-inflammatory environment within the body. Those wanting to grow muscle may want to consider a plant protein powder/supplement to raise their protein intake but again this isn't compulsory.

4. Healthy fats

Healthy fats are essential to the diet, they're also very calorie dense and can boost your intake if your trying to be in calorie surplus to retain size or grow - sources include avocado, natural oils, nuts/nut butters and seeds.

5. Low GI carbs

Eat carbs that are low GI to maintain stable energy levels and minimise fat storage.

The Spartanfam workout is held every Saturday from 2-4 pm and people are advised to contact one of the team for the precise location in Ladbroke Grove.