After attaining the Mr. Universe title in 2014 and joining the ranks of bodybuilding greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barny Du Plessis decided his next goal would be to “fight for a greater good,” which led him to convert to a vegan diet. In his first interview since going vegan, the bodybuilder describes himself as a “100 percent whole-hearted warrior vegan,” and says veganism is in tune with his ethics. Raised a vegetarian until the age of 18, Du Plessis struggled to eat meat but believed it was necessary for his sport. Since going vegan, the athlete exclaims that he’s “stuffed” with high-protein foods such as lentils, grains, and pulses. Now a vocal advocate of veganism, Du Plessis says he “doesn’t care if people think [he’s] trying to convert them.” He says our planet is “being ravaged from all directions,” adding that “if you don’t know, that’s one thing. If you know and choose not to act, that’s sick.” Similar to professional NFL player David Carter (aka, The 300 Pound Vegan), Du Plessis is training to prove to the world that extreme athletes can thrive on a vegan diet, ending the interview with an enthusiastic “ve-gains!”

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