Meet professional and all-natural bodybuilder, animal rights activist, and long-time vegan.
That's right. He's competed in (and won) numerous competitions, looks like that, and eats a plant-based diet.
I know what you're thinking...how?
Well, despite the common misconception that sufficient protein can only come from meat, you'll find protein (and lots of it) in a ton of plant-based foods. Even more, you probably don't need as much protein as you think. Scientists found the recommended daily allowance of protein should be about 8-10% of your total calories...which is more than doable when eating plants. (Check out some of our favorite plant-based protein sources here.)
We recently got to talk with Torre about his success as a bodybuilder, his philosophy on life, and the question on any aspiring plant-based athlete's mind...what's on his plate?
Everyone wants to know - what do you eat?
Now this is a question that can either have a simple response or one where I say, just look into my website and social media you'll see anything "vegan" is fair game! To be honest, I eat a lot of beans and bean-based foods like tempeh, tofu, Japanese sweet potato, beanitos, grapefruit, apples, blueberries, strawberries, oatmeal, all greens. I consume green smoothie shakes and lots of water.
A lot of people in our society (people are aren't even bodybuilders) get very focused on counting proteins, carbs, and micronutrients. You seem to have a more intuitive approach to how you eat - not focusing on counting carbs for example. Could you talk about how you got to the place of understanding what your body needs without obsessive management of your diet?
Well, to be completely honest, I never counted. It was more about getting food into my system on a continuous basis rather than tracking how much protein. So after doing this for so long, I could watch my body change and then adjust accordingly to how I wanted it to look. Now, it's subconscious at times so it's an easy process.
What's your biggest challenge and what do you do to manage this challenge?
My biggest challenge is being able to explain the beauty of how being a vegan isn't a challenge at all. We are designed to consume life from the life-giving source, Mother Earth. So I focus on bringing awareness with thought-provoking messages filled with as much compassion as I can muster up. Society focuses on scarcity and negativity, rather than the abundance. Land is free but man puts a price on it and then animal agriculture increases that land consumption. By putting my thoughts to digital form, I get the opportunity to share my message.
Beyond eating a plant-based diet, what one or two things do you currently do in your training that are key to your success?
One or two things I do in my training are: putting focus on areas where I can improve in order to create a completely balanced physique. Secondly, ensuring that my water intake is optimum.
What's your greatest fear?
That I'll be successful beyond my wildest dreams and at the same time, I won't.
Do you have a philosophy in life by which you live?
My goal in L.I.F.E is to Live In Freedom Everyday.