Five Famous Female Vegetarian and Vegan Athletes ‎

Many people mistakenly believe that athletes need to consume meat products in order to perform their best and get an adequate amount of protein in their diet. This belief, although common, simply isn't true.

In fact, there are many female sports celebrities who practice a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, and kept on top of the game.

Venus & Serena Williams

Venus Williams decided to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle after learning she suffered from an incurable auto-immune disorder. Her sister, Serena Williams, showed her support by pledging to take on the same dietary changes. The two world-renown tennis champions have decided that together they will adopt a vegetarian lifestyle in order to improve their health, and hopefully, reduce some of the symptoms Venus experiences due to her health condition.

Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova, a tennis player who won 18 major international championships and placed as runner up in 14 others, chose to live a vegetarian lifestyle. Vegetarianism fits Navratilova well, as she is well known for acting as an animal rights activist.

Hannah Teter

Hannahaa Teter, a U.S. snowboarder, had found a passion other than the snow and ice: protecting and speaking out for baby seals being slaughtered for their fur in Canada. Teter posed for a PETA ad campaign to promote awareness for the seals. Teter is compassionate and concerned about the treatment of all animals, not just seals, and follows a vegetarian diet.

Ruth Heidrich

Ruth Heidrich, a triathlete and cancer survivor, has been living a vegan lifestyle for over 25 years. Holding a master's degree in psychology, as well as over 900 medals for her impressive running ability, Heidrich has proven to the world that an athlete doesn't need meat to perform his or her best.

Venus Williams Switch to Raw Vegan Diets for Health in 2012

Celebrity athlete Venus Williams is putting the spotlight on the benefits of eating a raw food diet to help improve her health as part of a New Year's resolution. Her sister Serena Williams is joining her. Both tennis players are role models for women and say they plan to fully embrace vegetarian diets in 2012. Other famous faces and sexy star celebs like Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Wilde, Pamela Anderson, and Chelsea Clinton are also vegetarians, and the news the Williams sisters have joined the list of Hollywood women who don't eat meat is helping draw more attention to the growing health food movement.

According to The Daily Mail, the professional tennis player first revealed that reason for her drop out of the U.S. Open during the summer of 2011 was due to her discovery she suffers from an incurable disease of the immune system called Sjogren's Syndrome.

The painful and debilitating symptoms caused her to cancel her second U.S. Open match, after winning the first.

Ecorazzi reports, "She says, though, that the diagnosis was a relief after years of going to doctors without results. 'I would go to the doctor and start crying. I couldn't help it. I just want a chance to play on the same field as other people, I want to feel normal, but as frightening as the diagnosis was, it was also a relief.'"

Her sister has pledged to join her on the raw foods diet in 2012, and the two women have already started.

Making preserving and improving health and fitness levels a New Year's resolution is a noble goal for both men and women. However, if the William sisters use their collective star celebs power wisely as fit and trim celebrity athletes in the new year, they stand to help not only the African-American community who looks up to them as fashion icons and role models but also to help promote the heath of all women.

Cheers for going vegetarian, eating a raw foods diet, and promoting all celebrities who care about their heath think about going vegan, Venus Williams! Bravo for your sister Serena Williams taking on the New Year's resolution challenge to make the diet work for both you and her in the 2012 year as well, as her move to support a lifestyle change (as a family member) makes her a hero as well.

May both of you enjoy good health and continued success playing tennis again for many years. Are you a vegan or vegetarian who has seen your health improve after eliminating meat or animal products from your diet? If so, leave a comment below to tell other readers how your life and health have improved.

Strongest Man Eats Green

He can raise a car clear off the ground, toss huge logs through the air and lift monster dumbbells – and he hates cruelty to animals. Patrik Baboumian, holder of the "Strongest Man of Germany" title, is a plant-eater!

Patrik Baboumian (born 1 July 1979 in Abadan, Iran) is an Armenian-German strongman competitor and former bodybuilder.

Since 2009 Baboumian holds the log lift World Record (-105 kg division). He lifted 162,5 kg in his second attempt in the German log lift nationals 2009. 2010 Baboumian also set a new German heavyweight loglifting record with 180 kg. 2011 Baboumian competed at the loglifting world championship and placed 4th with a new German overall-record of 185 kg. On 21 May 2011 he lifted 190 kg in Turku, Finland winning the local competition.

Patrik Baboumian is known as one of the strongest vegetarians of the world.

Patrik recognizes that a healthy, plant-based diet gives him the protein and nutrients he needs to build muscle and strengthen his immune system, without clogging his arteries with saturated fat. He also knows that only cowards hurt animals and that one of the most macho things a guy can do is to stop eating foods that cause animals immense suffering.

Sexiest Vegetarian

Mimi Kirk is PETA's Sexiest vegetarian over 50. She's just not over 50....she's 73!

Mimi Kirk was voted Sexiest Vegetarian over 50 a couple of years ago... She's looking great, and she credits her vegan lifestyle. She says she doesn't feel her age at all. She's in perfect health and has what seems like a charmed life.

Q&A With a Female Vegan Bodybuilder

The following article was written by Ashley Palmer.

One of the most frequently asked questions that many vegans receive is the always annoying "Where do you get your protein?!" By now, I'm sure you know that you'd have to be calorie-deficient to be protein-deficient. For people who are looking to build muscle, lose fat, and gain confidence, a vegan diet may be just the trick!

Take, for example, vegan bodybuilder Amanda Riester, who is in the hot seat in today's Q&A:

When and why did you first decide to go vegan?
I have always been a huge animal lover. I became a vegetarian in kindergarten after my 11-year-old cousin teasingly told me where meat came from. Although she wasn't a vegetarian, she was just trying to make me cry—it worked! I was horrified at the idea of eating an animal friend and never touched a piece of meat again. I remember being 5 years old asking at restaurants if things were made of meat before I ordered! Although I have always lived a vegan lifestyle (never wore leather or fur), two years ago I finally got the motivation to cut out all dairy. I read Skinny Bitch and The Ethics of What We Eat, and that sealed the deal for me!

What was the biggest change that you experienced when you switched to a plant-based diet?
My energy level skyrocketed. The bit of belly fat I had melted away within weeks. I always say I lost my "cheese fat" because if you actually look at fat, especially on the back of thighs, it really resembles melted mozzarella!

What is your favorite vegan meal?
I absolutely love homemade seitan! I eat it four meals a day. I find it to be the perfect protein source for me. It has approximately 150 calories, fat free, sodium free, 9 grams of carbs and 27 grams of protein! And you can season it any way at all. I usually add chili powder, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and some diced tomatoes, onion, and green peppers. Yum! If I want a healthy apple cobbler, I add sliced apples, dried cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, and a bit of brown sugar. Then I add some cooked and sweetened quinoa on top and bake it. It's a great base to do anything with! The possibilities are endless.

How frequently do you work out, and what do these workouts usually entail?
I am a complete gym addict! I train six days a week, twice a day. I do morning cardio before breakfast for about 45 minutes. I prefer to jog outside with one of my dogs, but if they aren't up for it, I head to the gym and enjoy hitting the heavy bag or walking on an incline on the treadmill. In the evening I head back to the gym and hit the weight room for about 90 minutes of intense weight training. I lift heavy on legs and light on upper body since my upper body is way more developed then my lower from years of boxing. My favorite body part to train is legs. I can lift 720 pounds on the leg extension 10 times! I always have a crowd around me watching when I do leg workouts!! I love showing up the guys and telling everyone I have "vegan superpowers"! ;)

What advice do you have for other people who want to lead an active and healthy lifestyle?
When you start out, begin with an activity that you will really enjoy so you have the motivation to be consistent. Take it one day at a time and work at your own pace! Start out with whatever you can do ... if it's five minutes on the treadmill, tomorrow do five minutes and 30 seconds. Every day try to improve just a little bit. It will add up in no time!

*****

Amanda's activism for animals doesn't end when she leaves the gym. In addition to being the proud mom to three rescued dogs, she works full time as a professional animal communicator and pet-loss grief counselor.

While I may not be headed to a bodybuilding competition anytime soon, Amanda's advice is spot on, and I admire her for her hard work and dedication. Are you inspired by Amanda's words?

Source : PETA