While writing my upcoming nutrition book(s), I got somewhat distracted during my research phase. Drawn into the world of industrial meat production, a corrupt self-regulating industry where profits are placed above nutrition or health, I became conflicted.
On one hand, I’m a Modern Viking leading over 12,000 men towards an improved definition of modern masculinity and self-improvement. A manly man. A warrior. A fucking beast!
But on the other hand… I’m an intelligent academic who has been recently blessed with the luxury of making my personal health into a full-time profession. Privileged with the extra time, both in research and lifestyle, to pursue alternative diet lifestyles, I don’t need to make the same health compromises of a typical stressed-out white-collar worker.
So fine. I’ll risk reputation, ridicule, and gains to switch to a vegan diet.
(I slept better immediately, just so you know.)
First thing I had to learn a LOT about is protein. Damn fucking plant protein.
I originally mocked plant-protein eaters in earlier editions of my book. I said vegans were weak and would have diet on the battlefield in minutes.
Honestly – I still stand by that, in part. Most vegans I meet are much smaller and weaker. Because despite what anyone might tell you, finding high concentrations of plant-based protein is harder!
That doesn’t mean you can’t be just as strong on a vegan diet! It just means many vegans do it wrong. It’s possible to get it wrong on a meat-eating diet, and still gain muscle and strength. But a vegan needs to do their homework!
People told me I’d get “protein deficiency”… Haha don’t be fucking stupid! Do you know how much protein a human needs to get by each day? Around 50-70g. That’s easy. No one in the Western World get’s protein deficiency unless actively trying to starve themselves.
“2g of protein per kg of lean bodyweight” is an infamous protein guideline that only really applies to people trying to gain new muscle mass. The average person is not. The average person can kinda just stumble through their days and accidentally eat enough protein.
I’m not talking about medical protein deficiency. But finding the obscene amounts of protein that a warrior needs? A strongman, a bodybuilder, a powerlifter… yeah that’s harder.
