“Horrified” by the Nature’s Devastation, Bodybuilder Turned “Vegan” and Never Looked Back

Zachary Belknap began bodybuilding when he was 16. The Oregon native played sports like football, basketball, and baseball. However, Zachary realized he loved the working out aspect more than the sports he played. However, Belknap didn’t take bodybuilding seriously until he turned 22. Zachary wanted to become a natural bodybuilder and began competing in 2017.

By 2018, the Oregon native won his WNBF pro card. Besides being natural, Zachary is also vegan. However, Belknap wasn’t always a vegan. A hard-hitting documentary changed how Zachary viewed food.

Why he became vegan

A friend had pushed Zachary to turn vegan but couldn’t convince the bodybuilder. However, after watching the 2014 documentary “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” Zachary changed his mind. The documentary affected the WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) pro, and he switched to veganism. Zachary once recalled how he after watching the hard-hitting documentary.

“One day I watched the documentary Cowspiracy, and I was horrified at the devastation to the environment that is caused by the consumption of animals,” said Zachary. The natural bodybuilder also said he doesn’t regret turning vegan. “After that, I immediately made the switch and never looked back!” said Zachary.

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Zachary became a vegan bodybuilder nearly seven years ago. However, he hasn’t faced issues putting on or maintaining muscle mass. Zachary often posts physique updates on Instagram. In a recent post, the natural bodybuilder wrote, “I’ve been on the lookout for that protein/iron/calcium/b12 deficiency, but I still can’t find it. Guess I’ll just keep looking!”

Cowspiracy argues that animal agriculture is the leading cause of nearly all environmental issues, like global warming, water consumption, deforestation, habitat loss, etc. 

Belknap’s vegan bodybuilding diet

Belknap’s diet is entirely plant-based. The natural bodybuilder eats vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, rice, and legumes. He eats a wide variety of foods because of his high protein requirement. Most plants do not contain complete proteins, so Belknap has to ensure he is eating the right combination of foods. While soy does contain complete proteins, Belknap avoids soy-based products.

The natural pro doesn’t shy away from indulging during the offseason. However, Belknap eats plant-based versions of conventional foods like stroganoff, burgers, etc. The WNBF pro also likes to catch up with friends and has a few drinks when he isn’t preparing for a competition.

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Zachary Belknap didn’t become vegan until he saw Cowspiracy. However, once he switched, the natural bodybuilder stuck with his vegan diet.