Rich Gaspari discusses the vital nutrients that humans need that aren’t included in a vegan diet.
The Game Changers documentary sent ripples through the bodybuilding world – mostly because the film included Arnold Schwarzenegger stating that humans shouldn’t eat meat. This was quite a surprise as it’s generally understood that bodybuilders need protein and meat to accomplish the kind of physique that made Arnold famous. Since then, there has been a small wave of bodybuilders stating they would try to become a vegan. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Rich Gaspari explains why he thinks the vegan movement is a gimmick and doesn’t work for bodybuilding.
Rich Gaspari doesn’t have a problem with people who chose to live a vegan diet. There are certainly various reasons to do so between moral consideration for animals and also dietary reasons. And while for some people a vegan diet can be helpful – Gaspari warns against the lifestyle as being 100% more healthy than eating meat. Specifically due to the fact that a vegan diet misses important fats and nutrients that humans need.
That’s why Rich Gaspari thinks the recent rise in veganism is a gimmick. This is especially true for bodybuilders claiming they can compete on a pro level while maintaining a vegan diet. The Game Changers‘ push for no meat at all is specifically the gimmick to Gaspari. To him there’s no one right diet. He doesn’t support a carnivore diet any more or less than a vegan one. We are omnivores and it’s all about balance and doing the research to make healthy choices.
Rich Gaspari admits that today’s processed meats and farm factories are not healthy. But that doesn’t mean meat itself is unhealthy. It’s about taking the time to find grass fed cage-free meat.
But what about examples of people saying they feel so much better after switching from meat to a vegan diet? Rich Gaspari thinks that’s simply the drastic switch and that he has known long term vegans who feel less healthy than they once did. He also admits that for some people who simply have awful and unhealthy carnivore diets, a veganism forces them into healthier habits. Perhaps not as healthy as a balanced well researched omnivore diet, but certainly more healthy than a snack filled crap diet.
Ultimately, Rich Gaspari believes that bringing more vegan foods into a diet is a good thing. But it shouldn’t be all vegan. Like most things in life, there is no one size fits all and humans, especially bodybuilders, shouldn’t fit into one “trend diet” and instead find a balance of what works for their body and health.
You can see Rich Gaspari’s full remarks on veganism and bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
