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Plant-based diets are on the rise. More and more people are cutting meat from their diet, and there is a growing number of athletes who have gone vegan to stay healthy. One place that has seen an influx in plant-based eating is the NBA!
There are 5 vegan basketball players currently in the league, each with their own story as to why they chose this lifestyle. In this blog post, we will discuss these amazing athletes and share what it takes (and doesn’t) to be a successful basketball player on a vegan diet.
5 Vegan Basketball Players in the NBA
1. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is most likely the most famous NBA vegan player, and his name should be mentioned first.
A vegan diet has made the star of the Brooklyn Nets feel more energetic and his body feels better.
Kyrie has grown popular in part for his physical power and athletic abilities. He excels with a tough workout routine to maintain his perfect body.
Kyrie Irving, a vegan basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, has his own workout regimen and diet plan. His workouts are designed to maintain or improve muscle mass while still maintaining flexibility. Their diets focus on foods with high protein content but fewer carbs without leaving them completely out of their meals.
Five meals of Kyrie Irving Diet Plan:
Meal 1: Oats and Eggs and Oats
Meal 2: fruit and protein bar
Meal 3: Rice, Broccoli, and Chicken Breast
Meal 4: protein shake
Meal 5: sweet potato and steak
His energy levels, which were “through the roof,” according to Kyrie Andrew Irving, are one of the aspects he loves about his plant-based diet.
He says, “I have been able to keep my energy at the highest level just by understanding what the diet is like for me.”
2. Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard changed his diet to vegan meals and now he wants to maintain the benefits.
After eight seasons in Portland, Lillard had one goal – to be lighter on his feet. After sampling vegan recipes and watching Dr. Greger’s videos about the benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes, he decided it was time try it out for himself
After losing 10 pounds, Jeremy Anderson felt much lighter and noticed he “easier on his joints and knees”.
In addition to wanting to eat a cleaner diet, Lillard is very aware of the importance aging can have on our health.
He foresaw that a vegan life, both body and soul, is as life without the use of meat consumption.
3. Chris Paul
This is an NBA player who has won 9 times. He is also a vegan.
In his recent interview, the point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder has made us all think twice when he talked about how he raised his son.
In short, we need to look after the next generation. The best way is to start right now and watch what you eat.
For vegan basketball player, new eating habits to avoid certain foods not compatible with a plant-based diet helped him greatly. His aches and pains after long gym sessions completely disappeared.
4. Jahlil Okafor
Okafor is also one of those NBA players known for losing a lot of weight. Going vegan changed his life and his troubled right knee now at almost 100 percent.
New Orleans Pelicans’ player Anthony Davis had an inflamed knee, a condition he blames dairy products for.
This NBA star started to adopt a vegan diet gradually. First, he cut dairy foods from his diet then chicken and eventually red meat.
Veganism provided us a healthier lifestyle and improved our physical well-being.
5. Wilson Chandler
Chandler is someone who speaks out on being vegan. He deserves to be on the list of people who are outspoken about being vegan.
Perhaps the maturity in him is speaking. When you have doubts about going vegan, he might be a good person to ask advice from.
Since adopting a vegan diet he’s been feeling much better, including more energy.
He described the impact of his dietary changes with great enthusiasm. He sleeps better, wakes up in a much better mood and his stamina level has soared since he became vegan.
Steve Johnson, vegan basketball player for the Chicago Bulls explains how eating a plant-based diet has improved his game.
Like many other players, he tries to be as well informed as possible. However, what truly inspired him were the documentaries “Food, Inc.” and “GMO OMG”. After that, nothing was ever the same.
Conclusions
Eating is as important as training, especially if you want to be a champion. The NBA is like a ferocious arena with battles like gladiators. Diet is more important for these guys than it is for other people because they need protein in their food too.
Eating plants alone can provide enough energy for an NBA star. It can also provide enough energy for us, “regular people” who have a lot less needs than they do.
