Name: Robert Cheeke 
Age:  28, Born March 2, 1980 
Height: 6’ 
Weight: 185 lbs 
Birthplace: Corvallis, OR 
Current Residence:   Portland, OR
Sport:  Bodybuilding 

Why did you become vegan? 

Growing up in Oregon, I lived on a farm and had many farm animals as pets. I always had a love and appreciation for animals and from an early age, I was concerned about their well-being. However, it wasn't until Dec. 8, 1995 that I decided to give up consuming meat. My older sister, Tanya, was organizing Animal Rights Week at my high school. I decided out of respect for her (a vegan since the age of 15) that I would become a vegetarian for the week. I attended lectures, listened to speakers, read literature about animal cruelty and watched videos about factory farms and animal testing, and that week of becoming vegetarian has lasted since that day and continues to drive my passion for my work today. 

Ten months after becoming vegetarian, I became vegan. Ironically, two years after giving up animal products, it was me who organized Animal Rights Week at my high school in Corvallis, OR. I also became active in an environmental awareness group at school called "Students for Peace through Global Responsibilities (SPGR). I was active in promoting veganism for a long time, and I still am through my fitness company. I have been able to promote vegan bodybuilding on a worldwide stage through articles in FLEX Magazine, Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Magazine, VegNews Magazine, dozens of other publications, and my through my documentaries and websites.  

I love being vegan and knowing that I am having a positive impact on the environment and society. I have more energy than most people I know and I very rarely ever suffer from any illnesses or fatigue. I eat a vast array of natural and organic foods that keep my body fat percentage low, protein intake high, energy levels high, keeping my bones strong, and allow me to put on quality muscle. I believe that an animal-free diet is one of the best things you can do for your health, and the well-being of our environment. 


 

When and why did you become interested in fitness? 

I’ve been interested in fitness my entire life. For as long as I can remember I’ve always been athletic and have excelled in athletics. I was a runner, a soccer player, a basketball player and participated in other sports in high school and after high school.  Bodybuilding would come later for me. 

Ever since I was a little kid, I was fascinated with larger than life muscle heroes like He-Man and professional wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. I was always small and skinny. Genetically, my little brothers, my older sister, and I were all tiny. I was often the smallest boy in my class in grade school and at the age of 14, I only weighed 89 pounds. 

Since the age of eight, all I ever wanted to do in my life was to become a professional wrestler. I absolutely lived for pro wrestling and was determined to work for the World Wrestling Federation. By age ten, I started wrestling through a program at Oregon State University. I walked into my first Gold's Gym at age 14 and lifted off and on in high school. I picked up wrestling again in high school, and at age 17, I weighed 133 pounds. I always had lots of muscle definition and vascularity but no real muscle size at all. I graduated high school weighing 153 pounds. I was so into muscles that my senior picture in the yearbook has me with my shirt off hitting a "most muscular" pose.  

After high school, I competed in Bill Phillips' Body-For-LIFE Challenge and gained 19 pounds over 12 weeks. I finished at a solid 176 pounds. The main reason why I experienced gains were because of my meal frequency combining protein, carbs, and water with each meal, number of total meals, grams of protein, calories, supplementation, and intensity & consistency of my workouts. 



After I completed the Body-For-LIFE program, I moved back to Oregon and met up with one of my best friends, Jordan Baskerville. He introduced me to my first FLEX Magazine. He showed me images of guys I had never heard of: Shawn Ray, Lee Priest, and others. I decided that bodybuilding would help me get a job with the World Wrestling Federation so I began training again. I got as close as you can get to being hired by the WWF (now WWE). I had phone calls from their corporate office saying they were really interested in hiring me, etc….but at the last minute it didn't work out. Therefore, I decided that I would put wrestling behind me and focus on bodybuilding, my new passion. 

I moved to Phoenix, AZ and I met Troy Alves, now IFBB Pro Bodybuilder. Troy was a really nice and outgoing guy and he became my personal trainer. In March, I flew Jordan out from Oregon to Arizona and we had a training session with Troy. The next day we headed to Columbus, OH for the Arnold Classic. We arrived at the airport and met Jay Cutler and Aaron Maddron when we got off the plane. The three-day fitness festival at the 2001 Arnold Classic was perhaps the greatest event I had ever been to. I had the opportunity to meet: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman, Lee Priest, Nasser El Sonbaty, and everyone else I was hoping to meet. Over the three days, Nasser became my favorite pro bodybuilder. He was the most fun person to hang out with, would talk to Jordan and I for a long time, sign many autographs for us, and took many photos with us. Other people I really enjoyed meeting were Mike Matarazzo, Gunter Schlierkamp, Flex Wheeler, and Jay Cutler. 

After the Arnold Classic, I decided I wanted to be a bodybuilder too. I told Nasser that he would see me on the big stage in seven years. The next time I saw him at the USA Championships in Las Vegas, he reminded me that I had 6 ½ years left. After the USA Championships, I went to lots of amateur NPC and INBF shows. The next pro show I went to was the 2002 San Francisco Grand Prix. I continue to follow the pros as well as any amateur show that is within driving distance. 

I have done well in my short time with bodybuilding, including media exposure in FLEX Magazine and Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Magazine. After my magazine articles came out about Vegan Bodybuilding, I knew it was time for me to start my own company called Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness. Everything is going well, I look forward to a bright future in bodybuilding, and hopefully someday I will be able to write to the World Wrestling Federation and ask them, "How do you like me now?" 
 

How would you describe your nutrition program? 

Currently I follow a traditional bodybuilding nutrition program.  I eat 6-8 times a day focusing on quality sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats.   Like any nutrition program, no matter who you are, I’m sure mine can use some improvement but I do focus on it and do make it a priority, especially during contest preparation.  

Some of the foods I eat the most are the following: 

My favorite fruits are: 

Apples, bananas, grapes, mangos, oranges, berries, avocado and lots of other fruits.  Fruit is probably my favorite type of food to eat, period. 

My favorite veggies are: 

Potatoes, yams, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, peas, green beans, celery, carrots, and plenty of others. 

My favorite grains are: 

Quinoa, brown rice, white rice, wild rice, buckwheat, and others I eat occasionally but those are the main ones. 

My favorite nuts and seeds are: 

Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts (I know not really a nut), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and really all nuts and seeds. I can’t think of any I dislike.  

My favorite legumes and beans are:  

Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and others. 

I also eat tofu, tempeh and a wide variety of plant-based whole foods. 

My favorite “types” of foods are: 

Burritos, sandwiches, wraps, bowls of grains and greens, Thai food, Indian food, and Ethiopian food.  I like a lot of ethnic foods and diversity but I’m also content with rather plain and simple foods as well. 


 

How would you describe your training program? 

Like my nutrition program, my training program is rather typical for a bodybuilder.  I train one or two muscle groups per workout and train with weights about 5 times a week. 

A typical week may look like this: 

Monday – Chest

Tuesday – Legs

Wednesday – Back

Thursday – Rest

Friday – Shoulders

Saturday – Arms and Abs

Sunday – Rest 

I don’t follow that exact plan, but it is an example of what an average week may look like. 

I train for 60-90 minutes at a time and I train with intensity and I also have fun. 

I train with a purpose based on what my short and long term visions are. When I am preparing for a bodybuilding competition my training changes significantly and the time I spend in the gym increases to 2-4 hours a day.  I try to make training fun because the more fun it is the more I want to do it and the more I train the better results I get and that brings personal fulfillment. 


 

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

I primarily use Vega.  www.myvega.com.  Vega is a plant-based whole food all in one health optimizer that is formulated by my friend Brendan Brazier (co-star of Vegan Fitness Built Naturally).  I have used a variety of supplements throughout my bodybuilding career and have gone for periods without using any at all. 

In 2005 I earned a sponsorship from Vega and have been sponsored by them ever since.  It has been a harmonious relationship that has served us both very well.  In addition to Vega, when I’m preparing for bodybuilding competitions I use a Nitric Oxide supplement, BCAA’s, Tribulus, creatine, L-glutamine, and a few others.  I also eat a few other bars like ProBar. 

I use supplements to assist in my bodybuilding efforts and I like the results.  Being a sponsored athlete is really cool too! 
 

What are some common misconceptions about veganism? 

Whatever misconceptions there are for veganism, I hope to dispel them and show another side of veganism that speaks to a large audience. 
 

What do you think the most important aspect of fitness is? 

There is no doubt in my mind that that the most important aspect of fitness is having a vision for what you want to accomplish and then following a program consistently, to achieve it.  Consistency is key; you can’t adapt without it. 

What motivates you to continue to be a successful vegan athlete? 

I find motivation from the visions that I have for what I want to achieve in my life. If I know that in order to get to point E, I first have to go through points A, B, C,  and D, I’ll go through those and have fun all along the way.   

I find meaning in my actions and discover passion in my life and I support my intentions with my actions to create a desirable outcome that I find very rewarding and fulfilling. 


 

How has the website www.veganbodybuilding.com helped or inspired you? 

I created this website in 2002 and the growth of the website and the opportunities I have had and the friends I have made as a result have inspired me a great deal. 

What I enjoy most is seeing how others are positively impacted by this website. When I see lives changing for the better, I am pleased. When I see people who lacked confidence begin to believe in themselves and set high standards for their own personal achievement, I feel very proud to be of service. 

Is there anything else you would like to add about your vegan fitness lifestyle? 

I would like to thank everyone who has supported Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness over the past 8 years.  I have had an incredible time being part of this community, this cause and this industry and I look forward to many more outstanding years ahead.