| David Tyree may have been the star of the | | | | herbivores. |
| Super Bowl, helping the New York Giants beat the | | | | International Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness |
| previously undefeated New England Patriots, but in | | | | Federation and International Natural Bodybuilding |
| my eyes, Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Tony | | | | Association bodybuilder Robert Cheeke is perhaps |
| Gonzalez is the biggest NFL champion. His team | | | | the world's most recognized vegan bodybuilder |
| may not have made the Super Bowl, but as The | | | | and popular strength trainer Mike Mahler says that |
| Wall Street Journal recently reported, Gonzalez | | | | "Becoming a vegan had a profound effect on my |
| proved that a football player can be powerful | | | | training. ... [M]y bench press excelled past 315 |
| without eating heaping helpings of meat, eggs, and | | | | pounds, and I noticed that I recovered much |
| dairy products. Gonzalez has acknowledged that | | | | faster. My body fat also went down, and I put on |
| the meat-heavy diet typically eaten by football | | | | 10 pounds of lean muscle in a few months." |
| players can lead to serious health problems, | | | | Other vegetarian athletes, including tennis |
| including heart disease and cancer, and is | | | | superstar Martina Navratilova and Dave Scott, a |
| promoting plant-based foods. | | | | six-time winner of the Ironman triathlon, have |
| A number of other professional athletes and | | | | repeatedly beaten their carnivorous competitors. |
| Olympic superstars have touted the benefits of | | | | Swimmer Murray Rose, a vegetarian since birth, |
| vegetarian and vegan diets. Four-time Mr. Universe | | | | has six Olympic medals. Debbie Lawrence is an |
| Bill Pearl, powerlifting champion Bill Mannetti, 1951 | | | | Olympic racewalking champ, and discus thrower Al |
| Mr. America Roy Hilligenn, Stan Price, the | | | | Oerter has won at least four Olympic gold medals. |
| world-record holder in bench press, and football | | | | A healthy vegetarian diet helped propel two-time |
| player and Heisman Trophy-winner Desmond | | | | Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses over the |
| Howard all reportedly did not eat meat. These | | | | hurdles, and Olympian Carl Lewis has said that his |
| powerhouses aren't alone-some of the strongest | | | | best year of track competition was the first year |
| animals, such as apes, elephants, and giraffes, are | | | | that he ate a vegan diet. |