r/autisticvegans

If you need help going vegan, or want to get fit as a vegan, go to @vegansquadcoaching

In these 20 years as a vegan, I’ve been met with a lot of criticism and misinformation. The first time I ever stepped into a public gym, a trainer told me, “You need meat to build muscle.”

I proved the trainer wrong and built an impressive physique by my early 20s before my first bodybuilding competition.

Here’s a side-by-side of myself as a vegan in 2012 at 200 lbs, fully natural (not even caffeine), and today (13 years later) at 270 lbs, fully not natural and still vegan (until I die): https://imgur.com/a/bJGcHfJ

I didn’t quite plan to become vegan, or a bodybuilder, they just felt right to me at the time, but now with my platform (both my physical presence and online social media) I view it as my responsibility to share the message that hit so hard to me: the animals need our help. 

I have seen misinformation holding a lot of people back from giving the vegan lifestyle a try. The truth is, it’s not that difficult to get all the protein you need on a plant-based diet.

I use a variety of protein sources like TVP, seitan, tofu, tempeh, mock meats, and of course some from foods like beans, lentils, and nutritional yeast.

Over the years in the gym and learning about vegan nutrition I became a coach. I have worked with over 500 people, showing them how to thrive on a plant-based diet.

Any question is welcome. Thank you for being vegan 🙏💚🌱 

Dr. Matthew Nagra, ND recently shared some really helpful information on our podcast that I thought might benefit anyone here who's ever been told by a doctor they "can't be vegan."

For those who aren't familiar with him, he's a naturopathic doctor based in Vancouver who focuses on evidence-based nutrition and spends a lot of time addressing nutrition misinformation using the available research.

Dr. Matthew Nagra shares how he first adopted a plant-based diet for health and athletic performance before becoming ethically motivated after watching Earthlings.

He discusses facing pushback in naturopathic medical school, how that challenged him to study the research more deeply, and why he ultimately adopted a more objective approach that acknowledges healthy animal-food dietary patterns are possible, though not necessary.

We also explore medical ketogenic diets for intractable epilepsy, protein requirements and sources, the limitations of raw diets, common nutrient concerns such as protein, iron, and calcium, the uncertainty surrounding vitamin D recommendations, the claims behind "I was told I can't be vegan," and practical advice for effective activism, including consistency, diverse approaches, and avoiding perfectionism on social media.

Quick note: If anyone wants to debate veganism or discuss my views, feel free to message me directly. Let's keep the comments focused on helping vegans connect and supporting one another.