3) Meagan Duhamel Meat wasnt behind the metals for this two-time figure skating world champion and Olympic gold medalist. After reading a book about veganism at an airport bookstore, Meagan told CBC she immediately cleaned out her fridge of meat products and made the switch to a diet focused on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Since switching to veganism, she's noticed major boosts in her energy levels and athletic performance on the ice. Harry How - Getty Images
4) Steph Davis Its always been difficult for this world-class rock climber to reconcile her love of animals and simultaneously consume them. So in 2002, Steph shared on her blog that she cut out animal products to stop funding an industry that holds animals captive in wretched living conditions [while being] killed violently. The vegan athlete adds that while fighting animal cruelty is her main goal, if I climb better and feel better on top of it, all the better. See the original post on Instagram highsteph@Instagram
5) Venus Williams When the former Grand Slam and Olympic tennis champion was diagnosed with autoimmune disease Sjorgen syndrome in 2011, she looked to a raw vegan diet to help her get back on the court in full swing. But more recently, Venus told Insider that she's added a few non-raw items back into her diet, like rice, potatoes, and lentils to sustain her training. Clive Brunskill - Getty Images
6) Hannah Teter After watching the documentary Earthlings, this animal-loving Olympic-snowboarding gold champion became a vegan athlete. But after taking a closer look at how factory farms treat animals, she decided to cut out animal byproducts entirely. [HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT THAN STRAIGHT VEGAN? OR DID WE MEAN VEGETARIAN ABOVE?] My plant-based diet has opened up more doors to being an athlete," Hannah said in an interview with HuffPost . "Its a whole other level that Im elevating to. I stopped eating animals about a year ago, and its a new life. I feel like a new person, a new athlete. Doug Pensinger - Getty Images
7) Jahina Malik Bodybuilder Jahina is known for a lot more than her impressive lineup of titles like NPC Eastern USA Bodybuiding Champion and IFBB Pro Physique Pro Card holder. As the first ever vegan bodybuilder since birth, she told Meat Free Athlete that she considers veganism a lifestyle, and not a diet. Plant-based foods like couscous, vegan chicken, and tofu help her recover from tough workouts. When asked about the advantages of being a vegan athlete, she told Plant Built : For me, its breaking all the stereotypes and barriers that vegans cant bodybuild. See the original post on Instagram ifbbjehinamalik1@Instagram
8) Morgan Mitchell Runners are notoriously focused on upping their carb intake to promote strength and endurance on the road or track, but this Olympic sprinter takes pride in finding wholesome protein-rich, plant-based foods to fuel her incredible feats of athleticism. Perhaps its no coincidence that she won her first Olympic medal two years after swearing off meat and its byproducts. I recover a lot quicker than I used to, the vegan athlete told Live Kindly . Its easier to keep my weight down and I havent been sick at all. Mark Metcalfe - Getty Images
9) Pat Neshek Baseball isnt all hot dogs and cheese fries. For free agent pitcher Pat, its about optimizing performance as a vegan athlete, he told the Star Tribune . While his teammates have teased him for his plant-based food choices, he takes solace in knowing his game has improved since first going vegan after reading The China Study . Hey, at least sunflower seeds are vegan-approved. Mitchell Leff - Getty Images
10) Colin Kaepernick Football fans know and love Colin for his boundless skill and agility as a quarterback and former San Francisco 49er, as well as his political activism advocating for racial equality in America. Its thus little surprise that Kaepernicks compassion extends towards animals as well, and he sticks to a vegan diet . [LET'S CITE WHERE THIS LINK IS GOING TO] Jeff Gross - Getty Images
11) Sarah Stewart Superstar Sarah won three Australian championships, placed in the All-Star Five for five years, and won three Paralympic gamesand she credits her success to a vegan diet, which she adopted in her late teens. I think being vegan makes me healthier," she told Great Vegan Athletes . "I certainly believe that vegetable carbs and protein along with all their nutrients build better, cleaner bodies, including muscles, without all the bad-for-you animal fats. And trying to avoid causing pain and suffering along the way is a great thing too. Adam Pretty - Getty Images
12) Abel Trujillo Having recently competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a mixed martial artist, Abel, also known as Killa, has a gentler side fans dont often see on camera. He told Raise Vegan that he wanted to make veganism a part of his life after taking up Kundalini yoga. Energetically, this type of yoga is a sacred science of becoming in your higher-self, so your diet must be pure and clean, he said in an interview. This is why all the holiest people on the planet [] dont eat meat. He looks to foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts to heal and purify the body. Alex Trautwig - Getty Images
13) Madi Serpico Professional triathlete Madi Serpico is all about life as a vegan athlete. "I did some research and watched Forks [O]ver Knives and Earthlings and decided that I didnt want any part of animal cruelty, not to mention putting poison in my body, she told Viva . See the original post on Instagram madifastpants@Instagram
14) Ruth Heidrich After being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in her forties, Ruth switched to a vegan diet, according to her website . Two years later, she became the first vegan athlete to run the Kona Ironman Triathlon. Now, at 83 years old, she's competed in over 900 races, including five more Ironman Triathlonsproving a vegan lifestyle can fuel incredible athletic feats, at any age. See the original post on Instagram auntie_green_jeans@Instagram
15) Rocky Luedeker Sure, age is just a number, but 63-year-old Leudeker wouldnt have been able to break 14 powerlifting world records and 33 state and national records without the help of the vegan diet she adopted 16 years ago. I eat a variety of foods with various grains, beans, vegetables, tofu and a bowl of fruit for dessert, she told Vegan Health and Fitness magazine. "The morning of a competition, I eat a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter mixed in, and a glass of grapefruit or orange juice. The only supplement that I take is turmeric. I do not use protein powder or take B12 or any other supplement. Rocky Luedeker
16) Dana Glowacka Dana Glowacka holds the women's world record for the longest plank. (FYI: It's 4 hours, 19 minutes, and 55 seconds, according to Guinness World Records .) To make it even more impressive, Dana is a vegan athlete. "Vegan diets are the best to prepare for endurance and recoveryI am absolutely convinced!" she wrote on Instagram . See the original post on Instagram dbg_plankdoyoga@Instagram
