IS COCONUT OIL UNHEALTHY? MAY BE DAMAGING FOR VEGETARIANS
Coconut oil may pose a serious health risk for people on a low-fat, plant-based diet.
Yes, that means most of our tribe.
If you’re a vegetarian that fits the description above, adding coconut oil can increase inflammation and decrease blood vessel flow, which can cause serious damage.
There are zero omega-3 fats, the essential fats people actually need.
I know this goes against everything you may have heard about coconut oil, and therefore not an easy pill to swallow.
Personally, I was one of many who got sold on coconut oil being a healthy food to eat and cook with as a “vegan supplement.”
It’s so popular, they even sell coconut oil for dogs. Many of the health and fitness websites I trust have advocated its use.
This goes to show how difficult it can be to know the difference between hype powered by industry (money), experts regurgitating what the last expert said, and actual good advice.
This reminds me to stay on my toes about what I advocate and write about.
“But, for now, I’d use coconut oil sparingly. Most of the research so far has consisted of short-term studies to examine its effect on cholesterol levels. We don’t really know how coconut oil affects heart disease. And I don’t think coconut oil is as healthful as vegetable oils like olive oil and soybean oil, which are mainly unsaturated fat and therefore both lower LDL and increase HDL.” —Harvard Health Letter
Coconut Oil “Benefits” Are a Joke
For years now, coconut oil has been branded as the new superfood, a cure-all oil with health benefits ranging from:
Antimicrobial properties (such as fighting viruses and bacteria, including HIV)
Are there any benefits to coconut oil?
This is what Forks Over Knives had to say on the subject in their article Is Coconut Oil Healthy or Hazardous?:
“Well, it is true that coconut oil contains some medium-chain fatty acids called MCFAs, which are less readily absorbed compared to longer-chain fatty acids. And these MCFAs have been shown to have less of an effect on LDL, bad cholesterol. But is that not similar to saying that burning your hand with a 300-degree flame has less of an effect on your skin than burning your hand with a 400-degree flame? Oil and fat are oil and fat.
That being said, we have read that MCFAs are absorbed directly into the liver, and as a result, have the potential [to promote] weight loss. Even if true—this was only theoretical in the study—this reductionist view misses the point that people don’t eat MCFAs. Rather, they eat coconut oil, and half the saturated fat in coconut oil is not MCFAs. At over 90% saturated fat, taking away the portion of MCFAs in coconut oil—which still requires us to make the huge assumption that MCFAs are all good and can’t be negated—then you are still left with 45% of the saturated fat. So even subtracting all of the theoretical goodness of MCFAs from the total saturated fat content, coconut oil is still worse than lard, which is only 43% saturated fat. And we all know that lard is not a health food.”
Also, we don’t eat foods because of their antimicrobial properties; therefore, consuming coconut oil for that reason is rather silly. Food doesn’t fight infection. Our immune system does. We eat foods for fuel and nutrients, which has the tendency to strengthen our immune system. This in turn fights microbes.
With that argument, we could recommend pounding Absolut Vodka as a health food because alcohol kills microbes.
What is coconut oil good for?
Your skin
Your hair
Sparingly in your favorite plant-based recipes
Take Away Message
Consuming coconut oil the way that’s its marketed is very likely to be unhealthy, and at best, it’s nutty advice, says the University of Berkeley. And it seems most vegetarians have even greater risk to face. I’m still going to cook with it, but the days of taking a teaspoon of it with my protein drink for fat-burning results are over.
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
In short, diabetes damages blood vessels, and the abovementioned problems occur when the blood circulation to your limbs, retina, heart, and brain is cut off.
Endothelial cells line your blood vessel walls. They are supposed to keep your blood vessel walls strong.
When these cells are damaged, the walls of your blood vessels start to disintegrate, which leads to a condition medical scientists call vascular leakiness.
…which often leads to blindness.
And when the body tries to replace these leaky blood vessels, they do not create normal ones, they create leakier ones.
Therefore, once a diabetic gets damaged blood vessels, the body just continues replacing them with even more damaged ones.
This is the process that leads to diabetic retinopathy, otherwise known as blindness, in diabetics.
Up to now, researchers have believed that the culprit behind this vascular leakiness was a molecule called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Unfortunately, drugs designed to stop VEGF only work for about one third of patients.
However, there is some hope. Scientists at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have discovered a protein called secretogranin III that acts like another culprit in the degeneration of blood vessel walls.
So far, the scientists have been able to block the protein in mice, but it’s a long way off human trials.
In type 1 diabetes, your body attacks and destroys your pancreatic cells that produce insulin. If you have no insulin, your blood sugar level spikes. This condition most often starts in early youth.
In type 2 diabetes, your body has become resistant to insulin and cannot use it properly. This leads to high blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes usually begins developing in people after 40. And before it’s called full-blown diabetes, doctors warn you about pre-diabetes.
But new info warns that your pre-diabetes may actually be a misdiagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes, even if you’re older.
This disease needs to be urgently treated in a very different way than Type 2.
When type 1 diabetes occurs in adults, it is called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (or LATA, in short).
As in the case of children, your immune system mistakenly identifies your insulin-producing cells as a threat and destroys them.
But, because it starts later in life and often progresses more gradually than type 1 diabetes in children, it seems to resemble type 2 diabetes and can be mistaken for it.
As a result of these similarities, a 2010 study in Diabetes Care has estimated that up to 10 percent of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes actually have type 1.
If doctors are unsure, they can test the patient’s blood for diabetes-related autoantibodies. The more of these types of autoantibodies in your blood, the more likely that you have or will develop type 1 diabetes.
This is a sure way to distinguish between the two.
But why is it so important that the conditions be separated and diagnosed correctly?
While type 1 diabetics can help keep their blood sugar low by eating low carbohydrate diets, they must receive insulin, usually taken through injections.
Without these injections, they will die, as their bodies have no insulin and no other way to control blood sugar. Therefore, misdiagnosing type 1 as type 2 can be deadly.
Type 2 diabetics, on the other hand, can remedy their condition through lifestyle changes like exercise and dieting.
Reverse Your Diabetes Permanently Before the Damage Is Done - Is Diabetes Caused by Global Warming?
While this sounds like a peculiar question, we all understand that we feel different on hot than on cold days. This is because environmental temperature affects how our bodies operate.
In the past, researchers have established that the weather accounts for most fluctuation in hospitalizations, and even that people with certain diseases were more likely to die on particularly cold or hot days.
But the question about type 2 diabetes was kicked off primarily by studies that found that a key diabetes indicator is more active in hot weather than in cold.
A growing number of studies is showing brown adipose tissue, the medical term for brown fat, was more active in cold than in hot weather.
Brown fat is usually contrasted with white fat, with the latter being the cells in which excess food is stored, and the former being the cells that burn large amounts of fat to produce heat.
As such, brown fat is often called good fat, while white fat is called bad fat, because brown fat reduces your stored white fat.
The studies discovered that researchers could activate brown fat by making their study participants live in lower temperatures.
In a 2013 study, scientists made 31 healthy volunteers spent 36 hours in 24°C and another 36 hours in 19°C.
After each period, they tested their subjects’ brown fat activity, finding that a five-point drop in temperature can increase the activity of brown fat by around 10%.
This leads to interesting conclusions about the relationship between diabetes and ambient heat.
Based on the conclusion that lower temperatures activated brown fat, researchers wondered whether higher temperatures deactivated brown fat and thereby put people at risk of excessive fat storage and its accompanying drop-in insulin sensitivity.
Considering most of the studies’ data together, evidence shows a 1°C rise in temperature can bring about over 100,000 new cases of diabetes per year in the United States.
This post is from the 3 Steps Diabetes Strategy Program. It was created by Jodi Knapp from Blue Heron health news thathas been recognized as one of the top-quality national health information websites.
In this program, Jodi Knapp shares practical tips and advice on how you can prevent and cure diabetes naturally. She also dispels myths commonly associated with diabetes, like for example, diabetes being a lifelong condition. There are also lots of information going around that is simply not true and she’s here to correct it.
Diabetes is a disease, and it can be cured. This is just one of the important tips Jodi reveals in her program. Also, she included several ways in preventing the onset of disease, choosing the right food to eat, recommended vitamin supplements, the right time of the day to take the blood sugar and many more.
But the most amazing thing would have to be her program which only takes 3 simple steps to help you to control & treat type 2 diabetes. What it does is cure diabetes without having to rely on expensive drugs, diets that make sufferers crave for even more food they are not supposed to eat, and exercise programs that make people feel tired and depressed.
Reverse Anxiety Symptoms Naturally -This Anxiety Disorder Connects to Pets
One of the reasons it has been so difficult to treat anxiety disorders is because there are so many types of it.
But a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders has connected one type to pets.
And no, it’s not about being afraid of dogs. It’s kind of the opposite.
Adult separation anxiety disorder (ASAD) occurs in people whose attachment to others coincides with extreme anxiety.
These adults have either a constant need for approval and/or are permanently preoccupied with their relationships.
Researchers wanted to know whether adults suffer from ASAD when removed from their pets, and whether it related to their attachments to humans.
313 adults completed questionnaires related to their attachment to humans and pets, their separation anxiety from humans and animals, and their perception of the social support they receive.
The scientists found that people who tended to suffer separation anxiety from their animals also experienced separation anxiety from people. This suggests that certain people are vulnerable to separation anxiety.
Moreover, people who tended to experience separation anxiety when away from their pets also perceived themselves as having less social support.
In general, separation anxiety was a lot stronger in relationships with dogs than cats, probably because cats are so independent.
People without children saw themselves as having less social support, they exhibited more people substitution, and they reported more separation anxiety in relationships with their pets.
Reverse Anxiety Symptoms Naturally -The Real Cause of Anxiety Disorder (not what you think)
In terms of worldwide health stats, 10 percent is huge.
This is the percentage of people that at some point will suffer from anxiety.
It is thought that there are many triggers of anxiety, but for many years it has been speculation or based loosely on old studies.
But now we have clear answers thanks to recent research recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Scientists obtained information from 26,991 Canadians.
The participants were roughly half male and half female, with 82.5 percent having been born in Canada and 58.5 percent being aged between 45 and 65 years old.
Approximately 8.5 percent of respondents reported suffering from an anxiety disorder.
The scientists were specifically interested in the mental health of immigrants, with the hypothesis that they may be more likely to have anxiety disorders than those who were born in Canada.
This idea proved to be wrong.
It is possible, of course, that many immigrant’s circumstances improved so much after moving to Canada that they no longer consider themselves to be anxious compared with how they used to be. It is also possible that they have developed resilience due to their previous circumstances.
But even though their original hypothesis was wrong, the other findings were very interesting.
1. Younger people were 79 percent more likely than their older peers to have an anxiety disorder.
2. Women were 25 percent more likely than men to have it.
3. People who were single had an increased risk of 27 percent.
4. Low earners had a 28 percent increased risk.
5. People with multiple chronic health conditions were 2.73 times more likely to have this disorder.
6. People who suffered from chronic pain had a 31 percent greater chance.
7. People who smoked regularly increased their risk by 35 percent.
8. People with a body mass index score of less than 18.5 had an increased risk of 87 percent.
9. Those who ate less than three fruits and vegetables per day and those who ate one or more daily pastries had a 24 and 55 percent greater chance respectively.
This suggests that younger adults should receive targeted intervention to help them with anxiety.
It also implies that people with a low socio-economic status should be monitored for anxiety in case it becomes a problem for them.
One thing that makes anxiety disorders so difficult to treat is how many different types there are.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for example, is about something that really has happened.
Other anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are often triggered by something that never has hurt us (a fear of spiders for example).
For the reasons mentioned above, we welcome a new study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, revealing a simple technique that heals a common type of anxiety.
This technique is already well known, but it just has never been used in this situation before.
Anxiety is often treated via a treatment called imaginal exposure. During a meditation session, you might vividly imagine having to confront spiders, go in an elevator, drive a car, and/or swim in a pool – basically you imagine anything that makes you anxious.
Because PTSD involves anxiety that arises from memories of real past events, the more common treatment is imagery rescripting, during which time you are helped to remember the events more accurately with the aim of teasing out the positive appraisals of those events that you originally missed. As a result, it leads to a complete alteration in your core beliefs about those events and closely related subjects.
Researchers divided 33 people with social anxiety disorder (SAD) into different groups – one received imaginal exposure, one received imagery rescripting and one received supportive counselling.
The thesis stated imagery rescripting would be more successful because, like PTSD, the anxiety in SAD is caused by past memories of being embarrassed in a social situation.
This was true. The problematic memories of the group given the imagery rescripting therapy became less vivid and intrusive and their core beliefs about themselves and their social worlds changed more than those of the participants in the other two groups.
This shows that SAD is closer to PTSD than to a general anxiety disorder, and it also proves that imagery rescripting works.
Imagery rescripting teaches you to re-invoke the memory first by describing it accurately, and then by imagining people who supported you and imagining calling out those that didn’t.
This post is from the Overthrowing Anxiety Program created by Christian Goodman. This program teaches you natural ways to manage your anxiety, clear the root cause of your anxiety and to create a calmer lifestyle. It provides you with an abundance of valuable information about your anxiety, what it is, where it came from, the triggers, the treatment, and so much more.
It talks about alternative therapies, healthy habits to form, thought patterns to look at and the system even has self-assessment tests you can take to help you determine which type of anxiety disorder you’re experiencing if you have not been diagnosed, as well as at home exercises and activities you can do to begin clearing the root cause and limiting beliefs that have manifested into anxiety.
The entire program is 100% safe and natural. The regime focuses on making simple changes each day that allow you to gradually and confidently work towards a life that is free of anxiety. In other words, it is not a quick fix option (those don’t exist). Instead, Overthrowing Anxiety is a program that allows you to slowly and gradually work towards clearing the root cause of your anxiety to create a calmer life and healthier mental state.
I became vegan for pure moral and ethical reasons. I never really liked to consume animal products. Just like most people, I was brainwashed to believe that I HAD to eat meat if I wanted to do bodybuilding.
But there came a point, especially after watching “Earthlings”, where I just thought: That’s it. I’m done with meat, I’m done with milk, eggs, or any animal products. I couldn’t support the inhumane treatment of animals any longer.
Q: Describe what you eat in a day.
My meals are also pretty simple. I’m neither a great cook, nor do I have the time to create fancy dishes.
I prefer to have a few big meals instead of several smaller ones. So usually I’ll have the typical three meals per day and eventually some snacks in between, mainly fruit.
Breakfast: Half a package (250g) of oatmeal, with cinnamon, bananas, and some soy or rice milk.
Lunch: Rice, couscous, quinoa 250g (uncooked) with some peas or kidney beans in tomato sauce or with curry, and some fruit after that.
Dinner: Huge salad and another portion of grains and legumes.
I always train early in the morning on an empty stomach. But even if i train in the afternoon or in the evening, I won’t eat for at least 3 hours before the workout. I feel better and more awake that way.
Q: Philosophy on supplements and which ones you take?
Supplements should simply be what the term indicates. They shouldn’t be the foundation of your diet, which is actually the case with a lot of athletes nowadays.
The supplement I will always take on a daily basis is B12, anything else is more or less optional. But I use kelp tabs, sometimes zinc, depending on what I eat.
For bodybuilding, I like creatine, glutamine and bcaa/leucine. Especially when in a calorie deficit during contest prep. Sometimes I use citrulline before my training to get a better pump.
Basically there are only two training setups that I use:
Full body workouts, with 1-2 days off in between
Push/pull split
Most of my training sessions take me about 80-90 minutes, and I rest 2-3 minutes between sets (depending on the exercise). The volume can vary a lot, depending on the exact training routine and goal.
Of course, the volume will be a lot higher when I do split training. For full body workouts I usually prefer a low volume approach that’s more geared towards intensity, like HIT.
Over the years I learned that a lot of completely different routines and approaches can and do work if you train properly. So it’s also question of personal taste in my opinion.
“A training routine should not only work, it should also be fun to you. That’s more important than anything else in my eyes.”
Because enjoying what you do will give you the long term motivation. Of course that doesn’t mean a training shouldn’t be hard or exhausting.
Q: What tips can you share that have led to your success in bodybuilding? How does that carry over into your life?
“I think consistency is the most important thing in bodybuilding.”
You won’t get anywhere without.
Why? Because you need constant training for YEARS, if you really want to reach your full potential.
You can train and diet as hard as you want, but if you’re only willing to do that for a few weeks/months per year, you won’t build the physique of a champion.
You have to hang in there year round, if you don’t:
You won’t have good days and workouts all the time.
You won’t always be in the mood for a tough training session.
You won’t always be happy when you have to restrict your calories or ditch your favorite foods.
“But hey, that’s part of the game! Nobody said it’d be easy. If it was, everyone would look like a top athlete.”
But if you have the will to stick with your plans, you will reach your goals one day. If you really want something, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find excuses.
It’s a lot easier to achieve other things in life, if you apply the same kind of mentality.
Q: What are the three biggest trends you see in fitness right now?
Crossfit is certainly a huge global trend at the moment.
Natural bodybuilding also gets a lot more attention.
Wherever you go, no matter which federation or contest, the physique class will always be the one with the most athletes! Sure, for some athletes it’s just the first step into bodybuilding, but I think a lot of the competitors really like and prefer this kind of look, instead of the mass monster look of modern professional bodybuilders.
Q: What are the next big goals you have for yourself?
Well, the most important thing to me right now is certainly to be a good father for my little boy! Besides that, I wanna improve my physique to place better in future competitions so I can be an even better example for what you can achieve as a vegan bodybuilder. I wanna reach as many people as I can, to show them that there’s no need for animal products.
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
2014 – Ironman Naturally: 1st Place in Bikini A & 2nd Place in Overall Bikini 2014 – Muscle Contest: 4th Place in Unlimited Open Bikini A 2014 – West Coast Classic: 2nd Place in both Novice A & Bikini A 2015 – Muscle Contest: 1st Place in Bikini A & 4th Place in Overall 2015 – San Diego Championships: 1st Place in Bikini A & 3rd Place in Overall Bikini
Q: Tell us a little about your childhood/life and how you eventually found the vegan lifestyle.
I was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but moved to Southern California with my parents at the age of 13. I have been a vegan for over two years and a bikini bodybuilder for one year, competing under the National Physique Committee.
“I have managed to place in all five competitions and earned four national qualifications.”
Having graduated from Cal-State Dominguez Hills with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, I have a wealth of knowledge and an understanding of the social issues related to diet and fitness. This knowledge, coupled with my love and empathy for all animals, led me to initially become a vegetarian and later, a vegan.
I understand both the health and environmental benefits of living a vegan lifestyle. I decided to become a vegan after my father introduced me to the cruel reality of animal abuse. To me, it’s all about the love and compassion for animals, and causing the least amount of harm possible to all living things.
“I consider one of my greatest achievements to be the moment I decided to use my hobby as a way to educate others about veganism.”
Q: What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome in your life?
Adjusting to change can be difficult, especially when the individual has to cope with stressful and complicated situations. For me, moving to California was one of the hardest things to overcome – a life transition filled with anxiety, feelings of uncertainty, and sadness.
Los Angeles became the unknown territory for me, making it difficult for my family and me to jumpstart a successful life. For instance, middle school became the center point of all my fears. The thought of setting foot in a classroom created a sense of doubt and refusal to attend school. Thanks to my parents’ love and support, I was able to fight my fears and continue with my education.
It was through social media that I learned about the beauty and elegance of being a bikini bodybuilder. Seeing stage shots of the competitors triggered a desire to follow in their footsteps. However, I was clueless on what it took to become a bikini bodybuilder.
Thanks to the guidance of my personal trainer, Benigno Tehuitzil, I was then able to step on stage as a “vegan” bikini bodybuilder. Benigno coached me for 12 weeks, guiding me through a strict vegan meal plan. Although it was a very long prep, it was also extremely rewarding.
“The prep taught me about discipline and the value of sticking to your long term goals.”
Q: What exercises would you choose if you could only do three?
It’s leg day, and the time has come to pre-set the squat cage, to unload the bar, and to prepare yourself mentally for what’s about to come. The mind starts to wander, and self-doubt pollutes the brain with negative thoughts.
Out of nowhere, you snap out of the mental struggle, and a rush of empowerment starts running through your veins. Before you know it, you are freeing yourself from all insecurities by fulfilling your mission: to squat.
Being dictated to the weights helped me overcome my fear of the gym. I did this by constantly performing three exercises:
Healthy Fats – Raw almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and hummus
Q: What did your training look like for a competition?
To build a complete physique during a contest preparation, one can perform isolation exercises.
“For instance, a great movement for isolating the hamstrings is the stiff-legged deadlift. It’s an exercise that I’ve incorporated into all my competitions’ prep, for detail and separation.”
During the beginning of a prep, I continue to lift heavy by performing four sets with a variation of 15, 12, 10 and eight sets per exercise. Toward the end of the prep, I transition into light volume, high reps at five sets of 15-20 reps routine. Below, you will find the six-day workout split for a competition prep:
Day 1 – Glutes (isolation movements)
Day 2 – Shoulders and Core (end with a 30-min cardio session)
Day 3 – Legs
Day 4 – Rest
Day 5 – Glutes and core (end with a 30min cardio session)
Day 6 – Back, Biceps and core (end with a 30min cardio session)
Off-season is the gateway to gains. After every contest, I create an off-season program, one to keep me motivated to continue working on my weaknesses. This particular off-season, I have been focusing on increasing all around muscle mass.
I still follow the same split as a competition prep, but with a different number of reps. Each workout is meant to be performed at a heavy volume with hopes of breaking personal records.
Q: What advice about fitness in general would you give that you don’t commonly see in magazines?
Most likely, each and every fitness enthusiast will advise future athletes that the key to building a better and stronger physique is dedication, discipline, and willingness to put in the work.
“In my opinion, there is no ‘secret sauce’ or recipe to fitness.”
For those who seek an easy way to get fit, to shred those extra pounds by next week, or to reach a fitness goal fast, I would suggest to stop investing in crash or fab diets.
Instead, invest in long-term goals, goals that will help you tailor your current lifestyle into one that’s more fitness-oriented.
For instance, set a goal to stay healthy and fit year round.
Q: What uncommon activity do you schedule into your daily routine?
Fitness is like a full-time job. One that requires discipline and consistency. What for some might seem uncommon, I see it as part of my daily routine. Like the process of prepping meals ahead of time, drinking a gallon of water on daily basis, and scheduling gym sessions before anything else.
“Like I mentioned before, fitness should be a lifestyle and not a goal with an expiration date.”
Two years ago, I switched to eating completely vegan. This new lifestyle has given me the opportunity to educate others about the misconceptions of veganism. I address false ideas and myths that could possibly discourage those seeking a healthier and compassionate lifestyle.
For instance, the belief that a plant-based diet is detox is a misconception in a way. Yes, it can be detoxifying and applied a few times throughout the year, but true veganism is a lifestyle, not a once-in-a-blue-moon cleanse. I’ve learned first-hand that all popular vegan myths are supported by incorrect mainstream beliefs, such as vegans can’t build muscle on a plant-based diet.
“Vegans easily get enough protein in their diets.”
A vegan diet has tons of plant foods that contain complete proteins. The truth is that we don’t need to consume meat to be healthy.
Q: What advice do you have for people who are thinking of becoming vegetarian?
I also found myself researching different meat alternatives to help fulfill the desire to consume meat. Plant-based meat alternatives (e.g. veggie burgers) helped make the transition into veganism much easier. I’ve also tried a variety of plant-based protein powders that contained different protein sources such as pea, brown rice, soy, algae, spirulina, and hemp.
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
“I believe childhood cancer has taught and inspired me that through proper individualized nutrition, moving one’s body, and keeping a positive, self-familiar mindset, anyone can overcome anything.”
Name: Garren “GARRENteed” Rimondi Occupation: Professional Personal Fitness Trainer, Fitness Model, and Professional Artist Location: Bonita Springs, Florida, USA Age: 28 years Height: 5’7.5” Type of Competing: Bodybuilding Weight: 165lbs. first competition weight (8/28/2015) – 172lbs. current weight
Q: Tell us about your journey as a childhood leukemia cancer survivor (details, details, details).
I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in 1990 at the age of four years old and went through ongoing treatment until I was eight years old.
In 1994, I was successfully cured of cancer at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.
In order to be cured, I underwent chemo therapy, and I remember a few hundred medical injections during the four-year time period. Now I have been in remission for almost 21 years. This childhood experience has a major influence toward my passionate pursuit of personal health optimization for myself and those I lead.
“The journey at a young age has especially influenced my diet and what I put into my body today. I was always aware of my difference at a young age, but not the severity of the illness. Since childhood, I also knew to be forever grateful for my survival.”
I’m thankful I was diagnosed at a young age for the reason that if I were to go through the treatment later in life or today, the far too common universal adulthood skepticism may have gotten the best of me – though I am a very positive person and my patience and resilience would have pushed me though, as anyone who is undergoing hardship must have the will to do.
I believe childhood cancer has taught and inspired me that through proper individualized nutrition, moving one’s body, and keeping a positive, self-familiar mindset, anyone can overcome anything.
Two of the first major contributing factors that shifted me toward leading a plant-based fitness lifestyle occurred in May 2014, during a vacation while traveling from my home in Florida to Spain and France.
The first thing that shifted my perspective was reading the book, “WHOLE,” written by Dr. T. Colin Campbell.
This book explained to me the science behind the evidence accumulated in his previously written book, called “The China Study,” which at the time, I had not yet read.
The book made me reevaluate my eating habits as it showed me how most of the knowledge we have of nutrition is all wrong.
I was ready to make the change to live a life of optimum health.
Simultaneously, while visiting Paris and before I made the educated decision to stop consuming meat, I was enjoying a beef tartar.
Fortunately, it happened before the following incident took place, and she did say yes. But the point is, I indulged, and then I paid the price. After that evening, the next five days were not as fun for me as I ended up becoming ill due to a bacterial infection.
In the next four days, I endured horrible symptoms from numerous trips to the bathroom, headaches, fever, and the inability to get out of bed for any reason – except to use the restroom – and I lost 16 pounds.
“Since then, I have not eaten red meat. That created momentum for me, a paradigm shift, and since that incident, I have weaned myself away from consuming every animal-based food with the exception of egg and honey.”
In the past three years, I have been asked many times about my thoughts on competing in the bodybuilding world. Since 2013, I have been a personal trainer working for myself, and since then, for the purpose of personal marketing and business development, I have also put together a small portfolio as a fitness model.
I know that I have built a muscular and athletic physique due to the intense training I regularly participate in. So, after slowly becoming more familiar with local competitors and large production statewide bodybuilding competitions, I finally decided that I would like to step on the stage and show everyone what all-natural, plant-based fitness looks like.
At the beginning of 2015, I became aware that Naples, Florida was going to host its First Annual Naples Sports Festival, which included an IFBB Bikini and NPC bodybuilding, bikini, figure, and physique competition, which would take place 25 minutes away from my home. That was the point in which I set a new goal for myself.
The commitment was made, and the drive, discipline and determination preceded for months after. After making the decision to participate in the show, because my legs are well-built, I committed to the category of men’s bodybuilding. The competition took place on August 29th, 2015 and every workout, every sprint, every meal, every hour of sleep, and every day counted toward achieving my goal of showcasing my work. I conquered a new goal.
Q: What was your experience like with competing?
In 2015, I really enjoyed the new endeavor of training as an athlete in competitive bodybuilding. I went into every day knowing that every training session, every rep, and every bit of food I consumed could make the difference in my physique.
“Although I finished the competition placing second, the experience in its entirety was extremely rewarding.”
I am aware of how my body looks, I know my strengths, my weaknesses, how hard I work, and that I am an all-natural, very health-conscious athlete. Competition in this sport is about showcasing the discipline and hard work you dedicate yourself to and taking the stage as a group alongside other like-minded athletes.
For me, the positivity within the community was the most unexpected and valued experience within the competitive bodybuilding journey. Of all the different aspects, including my own personal growth that occurred, meeting other individuals with similar fitness and health interests was the greatest.
“Some of the dieting methods, dehydration methods, and chemicals used are the unhealthy aspects of competitive bodybuilding.”
Healthy approaches are able to be taken in order to step into competitive bodybuilding, and that is the direction and method I practice.
Q: Describe what you normally eat in a day.
Monday through Friday:
I wake up at 3:45 a.m. in order to begin training with my first athlete at 5 a.m. I immediately drink about 30 ounces of water upon waking.
I then brew an eight to 10 ounce cup of hot organic black coffee, and I add a tablespoon of organic coconut oil. Besides water, coffee, and coconut oil, I start training without consuming any foods, and while I workout, I continue to drink 30 to 45 more ounces of water.
When I do begin to eat, around 7 a.m., my consumption of protein ranges from 28 to 45 grams of per meal. The fat and carbohydrate content that each meal contains varies based on the timing of the day.
Within a 20- to 30-minute window after my 5 a.m. workout, I eat something high in carbohydrates, high in protein, and low in fat. This allows for optimal protein synthesis and glycogen restoration. Ranging from oats, rice, quinoa, and plant-based protein powder, to fruit, vegetables and tempeh. Regardless of the food, the first meal is low in fat.
In about three hours, around 9 or 9:30 a.m., I will prepare a meal higher in fat and protein, but lower in carbohydrates. I will then lift again, and my third meal of the day is a high-carb, high-protein, low-fat post-workout meal.
I will then consume two to three more meals, diminishing fat as the day comes to an end, and raising the levels of carbohydrate intake, aiming for high-carb pre-bedtime. The food that I consume ranges from a wide variety of leafy greens, beans, lentils, seeds, nuts, and some fruits.
I will consume at least one scoop of Sunwarrior or Vega brand protein powder, as well.
I am for the consumption of a different leafy green every day and at least five types of vegetables every day. Chard, collards, kale, and spinach are some of the different leafy greens I eat regularly, and carrots, beets, a variety of potatoes, broccoli and green peas are other vegetables that are included in my daily diet.
Also, the implementation of black beans, navy beans, and lentils are included daily.
Since transitioning into a plant-based diet, the variety and amount of food I am eating has enhanced so much. I love it. I will never eat another animal again.
“I also never count calories. I am aware of them, but I do not model my nutrition program after calories. It is a macronutrient-based plan.”
Q: Describe your training splits.
I would describe my training as what most would call “over-training”. I train at least two times a day.
I have designed, followed, and coached a year-round training program that varies month to month and focuses on muscular strength, endurance, speed, plyometric training, and flexibility at different times throughout each year.
Every month, I change up the outcome goal. Every week, my workouts are different.
Every day, the goal is different.
I believe that the only way to continue growing naturally is to over-train, stressing the body in ways that it has no choice but to adapt and change its form.
I do implement vital rest time, for that is extremely important for growth in all areas of one’s life.
Monday is shoulder day.
Tuesday is back day.
Wednesday is leg day.
Thursday is chest day.
Friday is arm and/or back day again.
Saturday is usually a one workout day, usually legs and another lagging body part, or full recovery day where I practice yoga, bike ride, foam roll, and allow time for proper healing.
Sunday is usually another chest day, and often times, a high-intensity interval training day. The HIIT would consist of sprints, extra plyometric work, and so on.
EVERY DAY, I perform at least one leg exercise. I implement calf training every other day.
I also jump rope, jump squat, or perform any type of strength and endurance, heart rate-elevating type training in between my daily weight training. I usually do not go a day without implementing an arm exercise as well. I do at least 100 chin ups/pull ups every day, too.
Q: What does your eight-week competition prep look like (diet, supplements, and training)?
My preparation for stepping on the stage was not that much different in comparison to my year-round diet and training methods. If anything changed, it was the slight adjustment in timing of nutrition and excluding a few unnecessary, yet still healthy foods that are in my diet.
Fresh ground peanut butter and local honey were missed during the last few weeks of preparing for the show. That is my go-to snack … and probably the worst food I am consuming year-round, which I am proud to say because in moderation, they are not bad foods at all.
“I maintained the pattern of eating five to six times a day, about every three to four hours, and with each meal containing nutrient-dense, plant-based foods. I consumed about 150 ounces of water a day for three months prior to the competition, and the week of, I diminished water intake by 20 ounces each day.”
The Sunday prior to the Saturday competition, my food intake was high-carb, and I consumed about 200 ounces of water. By the time registration and weigh-ins took place, I was still drinking 100 ounces for the day, almost a gallon. So dehydration was a non-issue, which is the healthy approach in regards to water intake and competitive bodybuilding.
The volume of my training was raised within four weeks of the competition date. Posing in itself is also a challenging and rewarding aspect of enhancing body composition and strengthening the mind-body connection vital for seeing optimal results.
Aside from a daily scoop or two of plant-based protein powder, I would occasionally supplement with Universal Nutrition’s Animal Pump, which contains a daily dose of creatine and also a mild stimulant intended for a pre-workout burst of energy.
Q: What are your top three sources for bodybuilding tips (websites, books, etc.)?
There are a few online sources I find myself consistently referring to when I am seeking new information in regards to bodybuilding. The information I gather is usually found online, unless I find myself a book that correlates directly with a particular topic I am interested in obtaining more knowledge of.
Source 1: One of the most informative and educated people I like to follow and keep up with their latest research is Dr. Jacob Wilson, Ph.D., CSCS*D. He is a professor and director of the skeletal muscle and sports nutrition laboratory in the department of health sciences and human performance at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida. Publications of Dr. Wilson and his team’s research on human performance, muscle, nutrition, and supplementation are consistently being released to the public. If you are looking for science-based answers to some of your bodybuilding questions, Dr. Wilson’s work is something you should get familiar with.
Source 2: Another great source for bodybuilding information that I regularly reference is the social media pages of IFBB Professional Bodybuilder, Ben Pakulski. He is always a great source for information on movement science in regards to lifting technique, nutrition, and supplementation. Ben Pakulski briefly explains exercise movement techniques in a simple, yet scientific way that allows anyone who reads it to achieve a greater understanding of exercise execution through mind-muscle connection.
Source 3: When it comes to nutrition, I really enjoy gathering information from Michael Greger, M.D. at his website, NutritionFacts.org, and also another source, a YouTube channel titled, “SuperfoodEvolution.”
Q: What are the three biggest trends you see in fitness right now?
The more familiar I get with the fitness industry, unfortunately, the more I see performance-enhancing drug use. To me, and as many others can see, this approach contradicts the health and fitness lifestyle that leaders and models such as myself need to practice. This is a big, ongoing trend, and I do not see it fading away anytime in the near future. PEDs and supplementation are major contributors to the world of “fitness,” and new products and product use are always trending.
As far as diet trends, I see the paleo diet and the ketogenic diet trending high right now. I have experimented personally with the semi-trendy method of dieting known as intermittent fasting, and I practiced this for about six months. I sustained well by eating within an eight-hour “feeding window” and a 16-hour fasted window. Now, as an ovo-vegetarian transitioning into a vegan way of living, I think other, healthier routes are available as a means to achieve one’s personal goals. It’s great to see the fitness family growing.
Overall health awareness and action seems to be taking place among the masses, which is very inspiring. With the many different online social media platforms that have a large following, I believe the trend of sharing workouts, nutrition, and selfies is at an all-time high.
Q: How do you relax and refocus?
“I have many ways of staying centered. I practice breathing techniques for about 10 to 20 minutes as often as possible.”
I also take the time to stretch every muscle group multiple times throughout the day, while practicing controlled breathing. I sit and stretch in a sauna for 10-15 minutes, usually three times a week immediately after training.
I take Epsom salt baths every three to four weeks. I also love to sleep.
“On a regular basis, I take a 45-minute to an hour and a half nap mid-day. This is always a great way to charge up mentally and enhance the recovery process of broken down muscles.”
I am for six to eight hours of sleep every night. I do allow for the occasional five-hour nights, because I know that a nap will take place after a morning of intense training. Also, the enlightenment I achieve when reading new information: any type of personal growth material usually stimulates an inspiring energy within.
Q: What are the next big goals you have for yourself?
As a person who constantly strives for more, I will always have personal goals, both short- and long-term, that will be accomplished.
I do plan on participating in competitive bodybuilding within the NPC again, but I also would like to participate in a natural, tested federation.
I am big into cooking and sharing the diverse methods one can practice through implementing a variety of macronutrient-balanced plant-based meals.
We all have to eat to thrive, so I always put my heart and soul into preparation of meals.
I share these meals via social networking, and I do plan on taking my business to the next level by creating recipes that will be available for download.
I have also recently looked into the food truck concept.
I have investors ready, and I would love to spend a portion of my days offering fresh vegan and vegetarian, macronutrient-based foods with a customized look and feel … from a food truck.
Fitness modeling is also a reoccurring theme in my life. Inspiring people through visual stimuli is something I can achieve through the modeling aspect of fitness and health. Aside from achieving all of the above, I want to educate as many as I can in regards to plant-based living. IT IS possible to thrive … and see … the GAINS!
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
