The previous school of thought: In order to get big and strong, you need to eat meat, and lots of it. But now, tons of vegan and plant-based athletes are proving everyone wrong. In fact, recent research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that vegan athletes get the benefit of a higher intake of carbohydrates, fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other micronutrients than omnivores. And all of that can contribute to prime performance, whether they're lifting weights or running miles.

So yeah, you can totally stick to that veggie-centric life and crush those PRs. Need more proof? Check out some badass vegan athletes who are showing the world that strong bodies aren’t only made at a steakhouse.