Name: Lisa Gawthorne
Year of Birth: 15.05.1981
Height: 5ft 6in
Weight: 8 stone
Birthplace: Ormskirk, Lancashire, England UK
Current Residence: Liverpool, Merseyside UK
Sports: Road running, track & cross country running. Interval training & weight lifting

Tell us a little about yourself, what you do for a living, what hobbies / interests / passions you have
I am Managing Director of Bravura Foods in the UK – a sales marketing and distribution business that deals in healthy, ethical foods. I adore strength training and love what it has done for my overall running speeds, I train six days a week and I am completely plant powered. I enjoy running both for fun and competitively when I run for LPS Athletics in Merseyside. I am a huge animal lover and committed vegan – I also sport two vegan tattoos. I believe that the kindest act a human can do is offer animal compassion and I am dedicated to that cause. I am also author of the health and fitness savior “Gone in 60 minutes” that challenges people to overhaul their entire health & fitness regime in just 60 minutes of reading.

Why did you become vegan?
I became Vegan at 25 but I turned Vegetarian when I was 6 – the catalyst for this decision was seeing a leaflet about battery hen farming and even at that age, I knew from that day forward I would never eat animals. I absolutely adore animals and believe that they should be honored, protected and respected at all cost in life.

When and why did you become interested in fitness?
I wasn’t sporty at school but as soon as I started Uni, I found fitness the ultimate sanctum – the best way to escape worry, anxiety or stress and feel great. Ever since then, the endorphins have had me!

How would you describe your nutrition program?
Clean, green, ethical, plant powered & above all cruelty free. All plant proteins and almond milk! Fairly low carb, high protein.

How would you describe your training program?
Focused, directional, ever changing, ever evolving & a proven successful way of working out. I combine strength & conditioning training with interval running sessions for the best gains.

What kind of supplements do you use if any, and why?

Multivitamin for daily top ups of all good vitamins and minerals

Sea Kelp for Iodine

L Carnitine for fat burning

Calcium for bones

Glucosamine for joints

Chromium for blood sugar control

Chinese herbs to keep cortisol nice & low

Branched Chain Amino Acids to help my muscles recover & repair any damage

Magnesium to assist restful sleep

Vitamin C for immunity

Probiotic for gut health

Zinc for healthy skin

Flaxseed and Chai seeds for essential fatty acids

Pea Protein to boost my daily protein intake

How do people react when they find out you are vegan?
Most are surprised as I am full of energy and successful in athletics. Everyone always asks questions – “how do you live without this and that etc” it’s always the common questions but I enjoy speaking to others and hopefully inspiring them to clean their diets up and make more ethical choices in life.

What are some common misconceptions about veganism?
That Vegans are weak, ill & unhealthy. You only have to look at this page of athlete profiles to see that clearly is not the case. Protein and Vitamin B12 can easily be acquired through plant sources and green supplements. I can’t remember the last time I ever had a cold – I must be doing something right!

Have you had success in promoting veganism / vegetarianism to others? If so, how did you go about it?
Yes I helped turn my Sister and my Business Partner into committed vegetarians. I would never opt to brain wash anyone as that leads to contention. Instead I empower people with the knowledge to make the right decisions & I also let them understand how important, voiceless, innocent and cute animals are. It may be only two people but it’s a massive thing for me – knowing I have helped to make a difference and helped to save animal lives.

What do you think the most important aspect of training is?
Training needs to change often – it needs to evolve and take on new routines at least every 4-6 weeks to keep the body guessing and to continue to reap the results. Balance is also important – when the muscles are sore or you are tired, you need to take rest days to recover otherwise your fitness will start to go backwards.

What do you like best about being vegan?
The clear conscience it gives me knowing that I have not relied on an animal to provide me with food, clothing or any other product and that I am doing what I can personally to live by my morals because of my overriding respect for all animals.

What do you like best about being fit?
Winning races, collecting medals, trophies and prizes. Appearing in newspapers with my successes. Above all I love the feeling I get from being fit, lean and strong – being empowered to take any challenge on in life.

What advice do you have for people who are just starting out with training?
Acknowledge your weak points – be aware of them and work on them so that you can stay at peak fitness and become a better all rounded athlete.

What advice do you have for people who are thinking of becoming vegan?
Give it a try – because it not only makes you feel mentally better, but your body will thank you for it – as it is a much healthier way of eating to limit cholesterol & fat levels.

What motivates you in life?
The chance to continually succeed and improve – there is nothing more enticing to me than knowing I can set myself a program in fitness, or even in business to further my achievements. That opportunity keeps me motivated at all times.

What do you think of veganbodybuilding.com? Has it helped or inspired you?
The athletes featured on this web site are truly motivational. They are fast becoming important figureheads in the “Vegan World” and veganbodybuilding.com is the catalyst for making this happen. It’s a fab site for amassing knowledge and learning new things about Veganism all the time. A total inspiration.

Do you have any other thoughts you’d like to share?
Keep up the fab work, if you inspired me – there are bound to be thousands of others that feel the same. Keep the message going that Veganism & Body Building can and do work. Out with the carnivores, in with the herbivores!