Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

My name: Steve J
Status: Student/work
Age: 23
Weight: 200lbs
Height: 6'3

I thought I would post a pic of me taken after getting a case of Organic Bananas and let everyone know a little about me.

When I started lifting weights and getting serious with my health I was not a vegan (2 years ago). I was 220Lbs 8 months before this picture and lost all my muscle because I had to stop lifting weights (rotator cuffs).

My rotator cuffs gave out during my 3rd set last rep on the bench; I forget how much was on there - not enough haha (last summer). December 06 I went vegan and then a month after raw and it has been a big adventure.

I have been doing rotator cuff rehab for a while now and my shoulders are feeling great. I am still taking it easy with weights and my goals are to be cut with a decent amount of lean muscle. I no longer want to be huge like before. I am enjoying the sport of road biking and would love to get into triathlons later on.

None of my friends are vegans and when they found out - Most thought I would be the last to become a vegan... I changed because I wanted the best health I could get, but don't get me wrong I love animals and now that I see how the system works I would never touch any animal products. After changing my diet the first week I researched about factory farming and all the crap and lies we get fed by the food industry. I thought I was healthy before having not touched any fast food for over 2 years and I was very wrong.

Right now I am in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and I am moving to Kitchener in 3 months. Anybody want to make a new friend around Kitchener?

Cheers,

Steve J

That's a lot of freaking bananas man.

Finally someone who eats more bananas than I do! Nice intro, great to hear your decision.

Yeah, that is an overwhelming number of bananas!

Welcome(not that you haven't been around)...hopefully cycling gives to you what it has given to me

I like your...bananas

Usually a 40lb box of Bananas lasts me 7 days depending on how active I get through the week.

Potter: my Insurance ends on the 16th so I get the best excuse to go riding 24/7 without friends thinking I'm crazy. August I will get my insurance back because I need to move to Kitchener. I can't wait to get a kit on, it will be interesting - as well I think I will shave my legs... I'm thinking next summer we will have to get a road biking crew together for a week of fun!!!

Liz: I will gladly give you some Bananas

Dude..
how are things with your bananas???Shame on you for not updating yer blog. I might have to your hah!!

OK OK,

I know Liz I should start posting of my adventures and goals!!!

Right now I am working 12h shifts... In one of the biggest steel makers in the world and the sh*t I am breathing in and getting on me is making me wanna leave.

Here I am the big health freak getting myself into some of the nastiest lines of work available!!! I am going to leave asap... Plus I only have 2 months to work until I move. I am trying not to rant on how bad it is there for a health conscious vegan. I also really hate how I am helping in a small way destroy our planet with the amount of pollution this place makes.

Well My goals are almost like everyone else's - I am wanting to shed as much fat and get into the single digits!!! as well as weigh in around the 180 mark. This will probably take me some time and effort which I am more than willing to get into - the only thing holding me back is my bad shoulders which seem to be doing pretty good right now...

I am also really into road biking right now and would love to compete sometime in the near future - probably next summer!!! I can see myself creating my next training program around cycling. Along with this I shaved my legs and my band members all made fun of me as well as family. haha

I gotta get some sleep for tomorrows shift so G'night everyone!!!

Side note: after Liz and her whip -

Steve

Alright,

I am leaving my job in a couple weeks tops... This makes me feel so much better, job hunting as well...

I have not been on my road bike - this is pissing me off a bit... My free time is all screwed up right now - I will fix this starting now. Besides that my bike is at the LBS getting my free computer put on and my fork cut for a better riding position.

My shoulder work has been doing pretty good and I hope in a couple months I can start my upper body workouts again. My shoulders feel so freaking good compared to 8 months ago, when I had constant pain and could not sleep.


My band is doing really good - writing alot of songs and hope to record in about 4 months... We are not going to mess around with crap recordings and go into a friends studio... I am also going to be ordering a new set of custom drums in the next 3 months if money is still good...

Steve

OK OK OK,

I am done with that job - Wooooot

My gym area in my basement is all cleaned up and I am back to regular workouts. It's amazing how much better you feel working out in a nice clean and neat area!!! I can't believe I just left weights sitting around everywhere - I know it was because of my shoulders and some people moving their stuff out and putting it in my way... don't yea love blaming things realistically on other things haha... not good practice!!!

My shoulders are amazing right now and they are just getting better and better - I may be able to start hitting the weights hard soon I'm actually looking into body weight training as I would like the ease of using my local park to workout and tuck my weights away for space saving... Plus I know I am just going to spend more money as I run out of weights...

I thought I was in good shape before, yet most of these bodyweight exercises I can't even do one Rep - shows how much I need to improve!!! After a couple months of a weight program I am making - to get myself back to where I was, maybe start up some bodyweight programs.

Liz you better be reading these



Steve

Of course I am!


Personally I think own body weight is to prefer over weights. But that is just my oppinion. It's sooo much kooler and totally impressive to be able to do 500 pushups than 5 rep with 100kg dumbbells, 50 pullups than heavy latpull, awesome plyometric jumps and squats on a big pilates ball (ive seen someone do that) than 1 ton inthe leg press machine.

But that's just me
And the other good thing is - all you really need is yourself! Google for great exercises and tips, and don't forget the negative (resistance part) part of the repetition, that's when you grow stronger...

ME TOO

Thanks Tasha...

So I am going to give up the bench press and just do push ups - working my way up to a weighted vest and different positions. I am loving the pull ups right now as well.

The push up is so underrated and there are so many ways to make the movement extremely challenging. I find it harder to perform most of the bodyweight exercises than to lift some set weights - which makes sense.

As I recall - when I was lifting heavy I still had a hard time with the push up and endurance - even though I loved my circuits mixing cardio and strength training together.

I can really see myself giving up my regular weight workouts I have been making as I go for the last 2 years. I am making up a bodyweight workout with some weights for a little while, work my way to a full bodyweight routine.

I need a couple weight exercises to get my posture muscles strengthened - this will be the face pull and some different shoulder shrug movements. I really want to make sure my back and posture are in perfect strength, balance and alignment.

Side Note - I am fasting today and giving my body a break for the day - if I feel up to it I may carry it on to tomorrow as well. Plus I am stuck with a box of green bananas

Steve

How is the cycling going???