Raw Vegan

Nature’s Path to Bodybuilding

By Danny Dalton

www.rawvegannaturespath.com
 Disclaimer

Information contained within this book is provided for informational

purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by

your physician or other healthcare professional. Information in this book should

not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or

prescribing any medication or other treatment.

Copyright 2011 Danny Lee Dalton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this

book may be reproduced in part or whole, by any means, except for brief

quotations embodied in articles and reviews, without the express written consent

of the author.
 Acknowledgments

This book is in appreciation to those who are willing to create a

better world for themselves and those around us through health. My

raw vegan friends deserve much gratitude for motivating me to share

my experience. I also want to thank my parents Myrna and Dan for

their dedication and support.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
MY RAW FOOD STORY
THE RAW VEGAN ADVANTAGE
ASSIMILATION
RAW FOOD AND EXERCISE
SUNSHINE
RAW NUTRITION
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
RAW RECIPES
WEIGHT TRAINING AND STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT
SEASONAL PRODUCE AVAILABILITY
CONCLUSIONS
 INTRODUCTION

For most people, the idea of eating a diet consisting of 100 percent raw

plant food is new and strange. They envision a diet of deprivation and bland,

unpalatable food, and when asked to envision what someone on such a diet

might look like, I'm probably the last person they'd think of. Far from the skinny,

weak stereotype of a raw fooder, my journey with a raw vegan diet has helped

transform my health and body in incredible ways.

Adopting a raw vegan diet has given me renewed health. It has also

opened my eyes to how important it is to help others discover the benefits raw

vegan nutrition delivers. Very few have had the opportunity to benefit from raw

food because they never have the chance to contemplate it. Our world is in the

dark about the power of living foods. People have been misguided by a culture

which, from addiction to the standard junk food diet, is likened to the reliance on,

and abuse of drugs. The damage caused by nutritionally dead food on the

human body cannot be overemphasized. Using the new found vitality and vision

a 100 percent raw plant diet gives us, it’s our obligation to help others realize

this truth.
 Being raised in a military family, constantly traveling, and never having

access to healthy alternatives in food, I grew up in the traditional junk food

environment. After serving in the U.S. Navy, I moved to Las Vegas where I

worked various jobs, most recently as a taxi driver. As a cabbie in Sin City, I get

the chance to meet and talk to people from all over the world who come from a

diverse range of backgrounds. These conversations often provide eye-opening

glimpses into people's lives. While most people visit Las Vegas for the glitz and

glamor, they also come for the food. When asked for dining suggestions, I'll tell

passengers that I eat a raw vegan diet. They're frequently stunned and ask how

I can be so big and fit living on just “rabbit food.” I always take the opportunity to

tell them my story. It's the same one I endeavored to tell within the pages of this

book. So sit back and enjoy the ride.

 MY RAW FOOD STORY

Some people have the impression that a person living on a raw vegan diet

is undernourished. This perception has a variety of reasons. One is that you

could live an entire lifetime never meeting a person who lives strictly on raw

food, and if you do, the chances are high they are in the transitional period of

detoxification. In this mode everyone endures massive weight loss. This weight

loss is, however, the prerequisite for a new beginning.

I became a raw vegan between the years 2000 and 2002. I had a cold

which did not go away for months. I happened upon a restaurant one day where

the owner told me diet could alleviate disease. Out of desperation, I purchased

the first edition of Stephen Arlin’s book Raw Power. His book emphasized the

importance of exercise while adhering to a totally raw vegan lifestyle.

Following his guidelines, the sickness was gone in about three weeks. I

began exercising, but my weight was decreasing rapidly. The impact the weight

loss had on me was very strong. My family was frightened of my emaciated

appearance. I was afraid to look in the mirror, trying to avoid the image which

could potentially guide me away from what had cured my illness.

 Stephen Arlin’s book warned me that on a 100 percent raw food vegan diet

there can be obstacles in the beginning. His words were very encouraging,

which helped to prepare me. I experienced nausea. I felt extremely weak when

standing up. I became disheartened over the entire process of this “raw

rejuvenation.” I learned that gaining “healthy” weight can take many months

depending on how toxic one is initially. Great strength can be attained on this

diet, but the key is determination.

I had now understood and witnessed the importance of this lifestyle, but it

was still arduous for me to eat. I was not enjoying my food. I decided to focus on

eating for health, and not for pleasure.

As time went on, raw plant food became steadily more enjoyable. The

greatest motivation for me to remain 100 percent raw was that even though I

was getting thinner, I was getting stronger. I went from 205 pounds to155

pounds in about two months. After six months I began to gain weight.

About 18 months later I had gained 20 pounds of muscle mass and was

actually able to enjoy fasting one day per week. Raw food is so highly nutritious

the body lets us know when we have an ample supply. Fasting can be

necessary as the body will use flawless nourishment to fuel recovery and needs

to eliminate what it does not have use for.

 After being a raw vegan for 18 months and experiencing an

unprecedented level of health, I assumed I was invincible. I then decided to try a

cooked meal. Pizza was always my favorite food, and after eating it, I felt

intoxicated. This was followed by side effects likened to beginning on raw foods

(headache, nausea, and lack of wellbeing).

Staying “devoted” to 100 percent raw vegan food in three to six month

increments for a number of years, with non-raw vegan fare on occasion, I

continued to feel ill when eating small amounts of bread or meat, with meat

causing me to feel the worst. Even cooked plant food alone, after as much as

six months of strict devotion to the raw vegan diet, caused the same symptoms.

Before I knew it, I was again on the standard American diet of hamburgers, etc.

Living became a downward spiral from then on.

My weight increased from 175 pounds to 205 pounds. Injuries and serious

health issues followed. I had to endure constant sprains, tendon and ligament

damage, keeping me out of the gym for months at a time. Even though I was

training with weights regularly, every time one injury would heal I would quickly

find myself reinjured before I could make any real strength gains. I decided to go

vegetarian with just eggs and cheese for protein which lasted several months,

until I became ill with two kidney stones, and the potential for renal/kidney
failure. At this point, my doctor told me problems of this sort can have a great

deal to do with what we eat. I rationalized, through a mindset of addiction to

dairy products and cooked foods, that the cholesterol in milk and eggs could be

related to my troubles. I decided to go strictly vegan, and upon doing so, my

weight barely decreased in that I lost only five pounds. I soon came back within

a few months to 205 pounds. This was the heaviest weight I had ever been. I

suffered another kidney stone, my weight dropped to 190 pounds due to lack of

hunger, and even though I was addicted to a vegan cooked food diet, I promised

myself to never stray from a 100 percent raw vegan diet again. Through my own

personal ordeal, I have found that the key to success with raw food nutrition is

not to sway at all, for it is an unending road to health.

Upon resuming my raw lifestyle, the loss of weight did again transpire, but

it was very brief. I continued weight training through my detoxification and went

from 190 pounds to 165 pounds in one month. I then gained 10 pounds of

muscle mass over the next four months. Now I no longer have any health

problems. I have consumed only raw plant food for more than two years. I am

still weight training and seeing huge results. At 55 years of age, I am in the very

best physical shape I have ever been.

A still from a YouTube video I was featured in. To watch the full segment, visit
www.rawvegannaturespath.com/about-danny.
 THE RAW VEGAN ADVANTAGE

As a raw vegan, the body becomes resilient in athletics. Our bodies heal

when we rest. Consuming living food allows the body to rest while awake. The

digestion of food in the body is the single most laborious process it must

undergo. Living plant enzymes (which are the heart of cellular regeneration) are

destroyed with thermal fire. Enzymes are crucial to assimilation of nutrients.

They are the life force in food, helping lodge proteins in the tissues where they

belong. Supplying your body with enzymes gives the pancreas, liver, and

digestive system maximal function. If these enzymes are eliminated in the diet,

the body stores food which is not used as toxins. Our recuperative ability in

training is highly decreased from enzyme-deficient food, as the metabolism is

severely fatigued.

We are the only creature in the world which cooks what it eats. The

damage caused from applying heat to food for many centuries has resulted in

decreased immunity to illness. We have become addicted to cooked food and

we use drugs in an effort to repair what it has caused.

In the bodybuilding “culture,” emphasis has been based for years on illicit,

pharmaceutical based strength enhancement (steroids). I have met many

people who used these with dangerous side effects and were forced to stop due

to balding, impotence, anger syndrome, etc. Only a few months later they

appear anorexic. Like a balloon deflating, the body is making an effort to

eliminate the problem and return to its natural state. This would never happen to

a raw vegan bodybuilder. On 100 percent raw food the muscles react to activity

and inactivity with the responsiveness nature gave them. Sadly, I have met 30-

50 year old potential competitive bodybuilders telling me their doctors have

advised illegal steroids for increased health.

Refusal to follow the laws of nature can easily lead to dependence on

drugs and alcohol as perception becomes blurred. If you feed a horse or a cow

meat he cannot exist because his body was not designed for it. Any creature

who violates his proper diet will suffer. Why would we be any different? When I

abandoned raw food for the common junk food existence most follow, I was

extremely depressed from lack of ability to exercise due to recurring physical

injuries. When I was unable to train I felt useless and resigned myself to the idea

that age had gotten the better of me. I assumed it was time to give up trying to

be physically fit. As I gained body fat from inactivity, I became further

disappointed in my lack of self worth. This modality has led many people to

substance abuse and even death. Our health is the only path to true happiness,

because without love for life, we have no alternative but to search for it. The
incentive to balanced, radiant physical fitness without any desire whatsoever to

abuse drugs, alcohol, or any other abomination comes from the dynamic energy

the raw vegan diet will give.

People have informed me their personal strength trainers are discouraging

them from living as raw vegans because their weight loss is caused from a lack

of animal protein and therefore, their body is “eating its own muscles.” This is a

perfect example of what happens when we experience peer pressure and it’s a

load of garbage! Animal flesh does not attach itself to human muscle. The

protein in what we eat cannot be used initially by the body. The body has to

break the protein down into amino acids. Proteins are comprised of chains of

amino acids. When we ingest food the bonds linking the chains of amino acids

are broken, which then isolates the amino acids to use in building muscle tissue.

Raw plant foods contain all the proper amino acid profiles and carbohydrates to

build a naturally strong and powerful body.

Many who have been vegan for years tell me they cannot put on muscle

mass. Some of these have professed to be raw vegans because they are mostly

raw. There is no sugar coating it. If you need to consume any cooked food you

are not experiencing the real benefit of raw living nutrition. While the premise

behind the vegan way of life deserves respect in the refusal to condone the
slaughter of innocent animals, it must be completely understood that cooked

food causes a lack of efficiency in the body. Lifeless nutrients work against us in

different ways. They cause obesity in some instances or lack of weight in others.

The use of nourishment in the body is in no way synonymous between a person

eating raw as opposed to cooked. A vegan athlete can never aspire to his

highest abilities with food exempt of energy.

 ASSIMILATION

Our bodies are acclimated to the raw food diet. We have a long intestinal

tract which gives us the necessary time to break down the fiber (cellulose) from

plant foods and use the nutrients they contain. We are not designed to

accommodate the multiplication of bacteria in meat, which is caused by the

prolonged trip through the digestive system. The risk for food poisoning and

colon cancer are increased by this process. We are not carnivores. A carnivore

has a short intestinal tract which affords the ability to quickly expel animal tissue.

In detoxifying, you may encounter aches, pains, or return of old illnesses

which have been lying dormant for a long time as the body breaks through

barriers limiting potential. The expulsion of negative dead energy is followed by

the introduction of positive living energy in alleviation of poisons. The blood

thins, allowing toxicity at the molecular level trapped in the lymph to

continuously pour into the bloodstream, setting the foreground for renewal of

cells.

The white blood cells/corpuscles which represent the immune system will

rise significantly after the consumption of cooked food. This same reaction, or

leukocytosis, occurs when virulent infection is introduced into the body. These
corpuscles job is to fight disease in the body. Conversely, when raw plant food is

consumed the body has no such reaction. The body “thinks” it is sick as a result

of this abnormality, and sends streams of mucus to the intestines, which

becomes a hardened mucoid plaque. The assimilation of nutrients into the

bloodstream through the intestines at this point becomes difficult. The deletion of

waste from the intestinal folds is aided by the raw vegan diet.

In the stomach food is broken down by acid, but cooked food lowers

stomach acid levels. Stomach acid kills bacteria, fungus and viruses, and low

stomach acid levels allow them to live. This can lead to the overgrowth of

candida and other microorganisms.

Cooked food causes inorganic minerals to circulate through the

bloodstream, lodging in veins and arteries, which lose their resilience. Nerves

are no longer receptive, tissue contracts, and flexibility is lost. Atrophy from dead

food accelerates the aging process. The entire physical/internal structure must

work in accord for health and muscular development. If the body cannot

replenish, a domino effect ensues which will cause even vital organ functions to

break down.
 RAW FOOD AND EXERCISE

Raw plant food gives supreme versatility in training. The musculature is

supple and free of stress, causing power which was confined to be unleashed.

The positioning causing pulls and sprains from years of atrophy are no longer a

detriment to proper growth. The youthful flexibility raw food can give is amazing.

I have met people who can do difficult yoga positions as raw vegans even

though they have never practiced before.

There are many believing life can no longer be abundant due to age. I

idolized Jack LaLanne as a superman on television when I was very young. He

was in his 50s at that time. He and Charles Atlas were both tremendous role

models for millions. They publicly performed inconceivable feats of strength

without the aid of steroids. They were not raw vegan, but they were a testament

to the significance of exercise. If we are resolved to the raw vegan guideline we

have a completely new beginning. Acquiring youthful energy through raw food

can bring anyone aspiration to athleticism regardless of their years.

The majority of our culture is lost in reliance on the false premise that

killing and eating animals is the correct way to build strength. There are many

renowned athletes past and present who do not eat meat. Bill Pearl won the title
of Mr. Universe four times without eating meat. Arnold Schwarzennegar, who

was a friend of Bill’s, also acknowledged that you can be a champion

bodybuilder without eating meat.

 SUNSHINE

“A child is a beam of sunlight from the Infinite and eternal, with possibilities of

virtue and vice- but as yet unstained.”

-Lyman Abbott

Most of us have heard the term “sweat it out.” The Sun is the sustenance

of our entire planet and you should exercise in the sunlight as much as possible.

Sunshine is fundamental in the elimination of waste from the body. The sun and

fresh air increase potential for muscular growth as toxins are released through

the skin. Bodybuilding on raw food starts with inner health, and you must be

protected internally with a raw vegan diet. If you live where there are long

winters, or where it is often overcast, you can still benefit from the rays which

penetrate through the cloud cover. I no longer sunburn even when the

temperature is 120 degrees after lying out for 45 minutes. It is truly a relief for

me to no longer fear, but to enjoy a beautiful sunny day.

 RAW NUTRITION

The food you eat is what your body is demanding, so eat what you desire.

Everyone has different nutritional needs, and these needs are satisfied based on

lifestyle. What you put into your body is used best when your body is compelled

to be fueled after exercise. It is a good rule of thumb not to eat until hunger

requires it. Your body will become steadily more aware of its nutritional demand

as you detoxify on raw foods

As a raw vegan, you experience the benefit of no longer feeling tired after

a meal. Most only speculate about how it feels to be energized all day from

healthy food and not from deficient nutrients causing endless fatigue. I have

ascribed to a general rule which not only gives me endurance in training but

most raw vegan athletes I have met agree with. This is to consume a diet

consisting of 1/3 greens, 1/3 of any fruit and vegetable desired, along with1/3

essential fats, which consist of fatty fruits, nuts, coconuts and seeds. It is

important to eat a large salad every day. Greens are the best source of

chlorophyll rich, alkaline mineral salts, with wild greens, dandelion, thistle, etc.,

being the number one choice. Dandelion greens are growing wild in the yards of

many of our homes. Be sure they are not sprayed with pesticides if consuming

them, as they are perceived as “weeds.” Organic kale and romaine lettuce are
also superior leafy greens. There is an unlimited resource of books and

information available on foods that occur in nature at www.gorawnow.com.

It is recommended to eat a mono-diet of one fruit at a time in the beginning

as you adjust to the raw food diet. The transition to living foods can cause

varying reactions in each of us, so eat the foods that your body responds well to.

The essential fats and greens are the muscle builders. Nuts and seeds are a

protein source which provide fuel for exercise and they can provide the extra

energy needed for long workouts. There is protein in fruit and leafy green

vegetables as well, so don’t be concerned about consuming huge quantities of

nuts.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Over the past few years, I have been asked questions through magazine

interviews, internet videos and e-mail. Here are some answers to the most

common ones.

Q: What motivated you to share the knowledge you have gained with raw food?

A: There are too many in the world today who have never been given the

opportunity to consider a new beginning as a raw vegan and it is very unfair. The

health/happiness that I now understand is within everyone’s grasp. It is what

motivates the raw vegan community worldwide to educate others. As a

hardworking, blue collar individual I'm in a great position to help others identify

with raw food.

Q: What standards must be adhered to for someone to follow a raw vegan diet,

in terms of food and supplements?

A: A raw vegan diet uses plant food as the sole source of nutrition and the same

applies to supplementation. A raw vegan diet does not allow cooked ingredients

in food or supplement.
Q: Why do you avoid all supplements and super foods?

A: Stephen Arlin’s (now known as Thor Bazler) first edition of Raw Power, which

I have followed scrupulously over the years, advised not to use supplements. I

have never felt the need to use supplements for strength maintenance or

improvement. I have no desire to stray from what has provided long term

effectiveness.
Q: What type of strength increase have you seen on a raw vegan diet as

opposed to a vegetarian/vegan diet?

A: I tried a vegetarian diet for a few months about 20 years ago which was

based on eggs and milk products only as the source of protein. I lost weight

immediately and felt very weak. I was experimenting with boxing training at the

time and while sparring I broke my hand. I then assumed the omnivorous diet

was necessary to avoid deficiency. I went on a vegetarian diet again many years

later for ethical reasons and acquired serious health problems shortly after. I

noted a difference upon changing to a vegan diet in energy levels, but still

gained excess weight, and again had health issues. Following the raw vegan

diet has allowed me to exercise without the deterrent of anatomical injury and

illness. Continual time in the gym has allowed for maximum strength gains. I

have also found that far less sleep is required for me to maintain training

consistency.
Q: How long have you been a raw vegan?

A: The first time I followed the raw vegan diet, I was 100 percent devoted to it for

a year and a half. For approximately four years I included cooked food and

animal product meals about one week out of each year. I then returned to the

standard American diet of meat and animal products, etc. for a number of years

following, which destroyed my health. I have now again been a 100 percent raw

vegan without any exception for well over two years.

Q: If the diet made you healthy and vibrant, why would you discontinue it?

A: Cravings for addictive foods can last in some people, myself included, for a

very long time. The loss of health and consequent return to health which I

experienced was a driving force for me to share the message. For those who

have found renewal with raw food, and lost balance with empty nutrition, the

changes caused by deficient nutrients become clear when conceding to illness.

Q: How do you consume enough protein as a raw vegan?

A: All of the protein needed to build true muscle is available in raw plant foods. I

eat one to two cups of nuts/seeds per day as the “recognized” protein source,

but there is protein in fruits and vegetables as well. What is important is the

“usable” protein which is absorbed by the body, and raw food creates the

groundwork for the body to appropriate nutrition at the highest levels.

Q: Some feel that nuts and seeds contain excess fat and should be eaten in

very small amounts by comparison to the rest of the diet. You stated that you eat

1-2 cups of nuts per day. Do you not feel this amount to be excessive?

A: Every individual needs to eat what is best suited to his/her own application. If

I do not incorporate enough nuts and seeds into my diet, I do not have enough

fuel for training. Raw vegans have varying lifestyles and everyone should follow

their own instinct. The main objective is to eat 100 percent raw, living plant food

as priority and adapt in accordance to necessity through your own inner

guidance.
Q: Soaking nuts and seeds is said to be a priority in the raw vegan diet, as they

are believed to be unhealthy due to enzyme inhibitors. Wouldn’t you agree?

A: I have read much regarding the benefits of soaking and have heard contrary

opinions. Soaking is not the way nuts occur in nature. The majority of nuts I eat

are not soaked. This is due to my busy schedule and my preference for the

flavor before soaking them. I have seen no side effects from consuming nuts

which have not been soaked, but there is no reason to refrain from soaking

them if preferred.
Q: There is some confusion in the percentage of raw plant food in the diet

necessary to gain the proper benefit. Can you elaborate on this?

A: People simply eat cooked food or they do not. Most would rather enjoy as

much as possible the foods their metabolism has acclimated to and become

reliant upon. Defeating addiction to cooked food and animal products requires

discipline and the transition can be overwhelming. It is for this reason that many

who find raw food do so as a desperate measure when struggling with health

and are compelled to give up what they have learned to appreciate. There can

be no consideration for percentages. A raw vegan does not eat cooked food.

Living, nutritionally complete food cannot be compared to dead food.

Q: The raw vegan diet has been referred to as extreme. What is your mindset?

A: For the beginning raw vegan, it really is extreme. The level of difficulty

required to overcome cooked food addiction is daunting, but as raw food allows

the health and energy level to increase, so does insight. Desire to exercise will

follow. Confidence and dedication are a must in detoxifying the body with raw

food.
Q: People who have tried the raw food diet have stated their body was not

adaptable to it and they are simply not designed for it in comparison to others

who have a different metabolism, blood type, etc. What is your perspective on

this?

A: The mind can play tricks on you, particularly in the beginning phases of the

raw vegan diet. Added to the huge amount of weight loss and peer pressure

from nutrition “experts,” it can be a psychological battle in the transition to

becoming a new and vital person. I have met those who have stated they saw

decreased energy initially and lost their enthusiasm, but my energy level

increased from the beginning and still continues to do so. People very often

become depressed in the change they see as they lose weight and they leave

the entire process out of fear and stress from their environment. Rome wasn’t

built in a day and you must be willing to do whatever it takes to reach your

purpose.
Q: Why do you feel people view raw vegans as unhealthy?

A: Society in general has had very little prior information with which to gain

understanding. Important and prominent people worldwide are now making the

enormous benefits of the raw vegan diet known.

Q: As you have said, many people become disappointed with the weight loss

factor on the raw food diet. How long does it generally take to gain “healthy”

weight?

A: It is all dependent on the level of toxicity prior to beginning. Some can take a

few months and others a few years’ time. A drug addict will take longer than a

person who lives a substance free life, but exercise also plays an important role

in the body’s ability to detoxify. The directive is in that the loss of weight needs to

be embraced with confidence.

Q: How many meals per day do you eat and how often do you train?

A: I only go to the gym two days a week and eating one meal per day is most

common for me. I eat in the evening and have no hunger during the day, unless

I train in the gym the night before. I rarely wake the day after working out with no

hunger, especially if I had not eaten enough following the prior evening’s

training. I never exceed two meals in one day. On raw food I find that

predominantly eating once a day keeps my weight stable. If I were to eat more

than one meal per day on a regular basis, I would be sluggish and gain body fat.

Gaining weight from eating more than needed is not a problem for me, because

I only eat when hungry. I find it very odd that people are told to eat all through

the day as a prerequisite to gaining strength.

Q: Have you lifted throughout your lifetime or was it only as a raw vegan that

you were involved with bodybuilding?

A: I was involved with weight training in my high school years, but discontinued

lifting until I began on raw food, which would leave more than 20 years of

bodybuilding inactivity by comparison.

Q: At what age did you first become involved in physical training and what was

your motivation?

A: As a weak and frail 12 year old moving from New Mexico to California, where

the severity of air pollution causing respiratory problems is much greater, I

suddenly had difficulty in breathing. Within a very short time I was rushed to the

hospital and put on oxygen. The doctor simply said I had asthma, which is a

“catch all” explanation. He prescribed some medicine which made the

symptoms worse. I decided that if I could strengthen my body I would strengthen

my lungs. I had read ads about bodybuilding with Charles Atlas who was then

known as “the world’s most perfectly developed man.” I sent away for his

information. After a few months of wheezing through his body weight resistance

work-out program (dynamic tension), I became much stronger and found I could

breathe normally again. I have believed from that point on that exercise is an

important contributor to health.

Q: Some have said that the raw food diet is only for adults who can make time

daily for preparation and fit into their schedule the social changes necessary.

What is your view?

A: For children and teens to eat a 100 percent raw food diet, they need to adapt

to a different social structure, but the level of commitment is the same for

anyone. I have seen raw vegan children relieved of the hyperactive tendencies

caused by poor nourishment. Formative years are a time when supreme

nutrients are a must. Once while attending a raw food support group, the

organizer of the meeting showed us a picture of a child which he informed us

had been eating only raw plant food since infancy. This child, who was doing the

splits on two chairs, was physically built like an eight year old version of

Superman. The photo I saw that day was an inspiration I will never forget.
Q: Do you not feel that bodybuilding is self-complacent?

A: No. I have wanted to be strong and healthy since Jack LaLanne and Charles

Atlas inspired me growing up. They provided proof to millions of the importance

of physical fitness and that exercise allows fulfillment in life with no hindrance

from age. Weight training in the gym is not something I enjoy, but if it was easy,

most of us would have a beautifully chiseled physique. The term “bodybuilder”

often gets attached to those who have muscle mass. It is paramount raw vegans

symbolize health and/or strength providing clarity for others.

Q: The common approach to building muscle has been based on the importance

of eating many small meals daily. You stated that you predominantly eat once a

day. How do you find that you can build strength and gain muscle as a raw

vegan on only one meal?

A: A person living on a raw vegan diet lives outside of “the norm” in too many

differing aspects to list by comparison. As a raw vegan, you can tune into what

your insight compels you to in a brand new way. It is not a drug or “mystic

secret” that gives you the propensity to know how your body works, but simply

understanding yourself by doing what you were designed to do. For me, it is

very straightforward. If I eat more than once a day, I gain weight and become

sluggish, but the advantage is that desire to consume more than I need no

longer exists for me. The way to understand the benefit of the raw food way of

life is to use your instinct and become your own expert. You gauge your

performance as a body builder/athlete in muscular/strength improvement. Your

energy level is the base.

Q: Scientific studies have found that cooking some foods before consumption

are actually better for absorption/assimilation than eating them raw. Would you

not agree with these conclusions?

A: Science can be very difficult to perceive when you can easily find variance

from one study to another. I feel it cannot be overemphasized that we listen to

our inner voice and apply practice to theory. Is it not odd that one can eat

massive amounts of raw plant food and not gain, but lose, an enormous amount

of weight, which is followed by weight gain for a strengthened physicality?

However, that same food when cooked and eaten in comparable quantity

causes one to be overweight. The incredible effects of the raw vegan diet are

poorly understood since very few follow this way of living. Because of this,

success stories based on raw food have been labeled by proponents of the

standard American diet as “anecdotal.” I do not consume any cooked food,

regardless of its type, because I react badly with headaches, dizziness, etc. I

have no time for food which alters performance.

Q: Some have stated that wheatgrass is unnatural and therefore not beneficial.

What is your opinion?

A: It is not the way it occurs in nature before the juice is extracted from the plant,

but I have met people who claim to have seen countless benefits from it. I have

used it before and seen no significant changes in performance levels. It is also

very expensive, but if one is able to afford it and they see improvement, it could

be a good choice. It is raw and nutrient rich. See Ann Wigmore’s The Wheat

Grass Book for more details.

Q: Do you ever eat grains or beans?

A: I have eaten raw wild rice and even oats on occasion but the oats leave a

bitter after-taste. Beans are generally very difficult in that they require much

soaking prior to consuming. I do not promote most beans or grains as they are

difficult to digest. I eat hummus made from raw and sprouted garbanzo beans

once or twice a month. Many raw vegans often include garbanzo bean hummus

in their diet.
Q: How do you feel about potatoes, beets, etc.?

A: If I have a desire to have raw beets or potatoes, I will eat them on occasion,

but it is very seldom. In the beginning phases of the raw vegan diet I consumed

potatoes about six days out of the month, but now it is once every 3-4 months.

Beets are quite tasty with onion and a touch of raw apple cider vinegar, but I eat

those only once in a 2-3 month period based on an infrequent hunger I have for

them. Some have referenced the toxic chemicals that are said to be in potatoes,

but there is always going to be contradictory opinion. I feel that if we listen to all

the “expert” advice in the world today, there would be no food left to eat.
Q: Do you ever eat dehydrated food?

A: When I am out of town I have the pleasure of visiting some of the local raw

food restaurants and partake of their cuisine. These restaurants specialize in

dehydrating foods to taste very similar to cooked food, but keep the enzymes

intact through very low temperature dehydration.

Q: Because the raw food diet is lacking in the flavor people typically enjoy in

cooked food, do you have any recommendations in getting through the

transition?

A: Dehydrated raw foods can be very palatable. These gourmet foods can aid

someone in the transition due to the difference in flavor, texture, etc. The

problem is that dehydrated gourmet raw foods are very labor intensive and

costly, which most people cannot afford daily. When I began the raw vegan diet,

I was experiencing great difficulty in consuming my food also. I was just not

accustomed to the lack of taste. In my particular case, I was eating strictly for

“health” and this is what one may need to prioritize. The “taste factor” changes

over time. An example of this is that many in their childhood despise green

vegetables, but in their adult years relish them as they had to “adjust” as a

youngster. A person needs to be prepared to do whatever it takes to accomplish

their goal. In the same way as building muscular strength requires tolerance,

discipline results in reward. Every meal consumed which is 100 percent directed

to improving health brings one closer to their focus. Exercise lets them see it

even more clearly.

Q: Many say that humans have evolved to eat meat and that we are omnivorous

due to the structure of our teeth and jaw muscles. Do you feel there is credibility

in these opinions?

A: No. The best answer comes from one’s own experience. I was a meat eater

for my entire life. I saw strength improve rapidly as a raw vegan and was never

sick or injured from training. Upon returning to the standard American diet of

cooked food, meat, and animal products, four years of weight training gave me

no strength gains. I was sustaining constant injuries which would result in many

months away from the gym every year. Becoming weak and losing my health

was sufficient evidence of the negative reaction from consuming animal tissue.
Q: People have referred to vegans/raw vegans as “fanatic” in their posture

toward food and compassion for animals. How do you feel in this regard?

A: If a person discontinuing the consumption of animal products in their diet

finds renewed health from doing so, they should become alert and dedicated to

spreading this message. Our society has been built from a general acceptance

of killing innocent sentient beings as necessity to survival, and it has fallen into a

mentality void of emotion. Festivities and celebratory events are centered

around this ideology. The majority of our culture has been acclimated to this

dogmatism for a very long period, with tragic effect. Hunting for the purpose of

sustenance has become increasingly irrelevant to mankind. Killing is now titled

“sport.” I feel it is the most priceless gift to know that we can dominate the earth,

with maximum vitality simply because we choose not to kill. The term “fanatic”

bears no significance.
Q: Do you prefer heavy weight training with fewer repetitions or lighter weight

with high reps? Also, what type of strength gains have you seen in your workout

routine since your return to raw foods?

A: In training, I strive to achieve a longer workload to muscle through high

repetitions. This can be accomplished only with lighter weight. Bodybuilding

requires uniformity in the physique. I feel all the muscle groups which provide a

sculpted appearance need to be used for the maximum amount of time. Power-

lifting differs in that the highest amount of weight to be lifted is the goal. In terms

of strength gain, when I returned to weight training on raw food over two years

ago, I started my routine by performing 200 pushups in 20 minutes. I now

perform 500 pushups in the same amount of time, which is the greatest strength

increase I have seen. Following the push-ups, which I use to warm up the

muscles, I begin my workout, in which I’m now much more able to focus higher

intensity into all routines.

Q: What is your opinion on hiring a personal trainer?

A: Some seek a friend with knowledge to confide in while they are adjusting

themselves to exercise. Many strength coaches, however, have different ideas

as to what works, and for the beginner, it can be frustrating. I went to the gym

with a personal trainer once and I didn't enjoy it. He was more akin to a

cheerleader. He was so robotic in clapping his hands to encourage me that it

kept me from focusing on the potency of my workout. I feel that if you hire a

trainer he/she should be a physical example of the results you seek and not

someone who gained their knowledge from only reading about what it takes to

develop strength. True knowledge can only be achieved through application.

Q: Can you explain any unique differences in training that you may have

experienced as a raw vegan in terms of function or how your body may have

reacted in comparison to someone eating the standard American diet?

A: I noticed a difference in my capability to accomplish tasks throughout the day

with far less sleep required, as well as the ability to continue my training in the

gym without fatigue. Blood pressure, which was sometimes almost dangerously

high, dropped and stabilized to perfect. One of the most important attributes to

my pursuit of strength and muscle gain was that I saw an enormously increased

capacity for deep breathing. With the ability to breathe deeper follows

application of controlling the breathing. Increased oxygen intake also allows for

flexibility within the musculature, which promotes healing and fast recovery. I

was a bit concerned in relation to bones and joints that would make cracking

noises as I was training because I had never experienced this in exercise, but

as my body became continually stronger and my physique became much more

supple and limber, I understood. There were also pains I experienced which

moved from one portion of the body to another, as circulation and flexibility

increased, but there was very little discomfort. The increased “flow” within the

body becomes very evident on raw plant foods.

Q: The goal for many following the raw food diet in the first phases is to retain

weight and avoid the emaciated appearance which follows. Understanding that

the weight loss is necessary, do you have any suggestions?

A: It is surprising to many people that eating one meal per day slows down the

metabolism. I usually eat before sleeping, which was a choice I made in the first

year of the raw vegan diet. I have been comfortable with this guideline in terms

of strength/muscle gain, and continue to. That said, it is important to remember

that the weight will still fall due to the removal of toxins from the body. As you

begin the raw food diet, I feel it is not a good idea to eat only once a day, but to

eat as much as you desire, because the body craves sustenance to replenish

itself. I continued to eat multiple meals through my weight loss until I started to

gain muscle mass, which was also correlated with a desire to consume less.
Q: Do you feel that a raw vegan could conceivably compete with those who use

steroids in bodybuilding?

A: Absolutely. There have been bodybuilders throughout history before the

introduction of steroids which have attained huge muscle growth, even while

eating unhealthy food. The impression that a raw vegan cannot compete in the

world of bodybuilding, as well as other athletics, comes only from a lack of

evidence. It is clearly a healthy body which creates a strong body, and steroids

compromise that health. People using steroids are willing to sacrifice their

longevity and life. One need look no further than the former bodybuilders and

athletes who have completely wasted away in their 50s for proof. There is no

way to build the “perfect” body from a deficient origin and raw vegan

bodybuilders can affirm this.

Q: You were mentioning fasting earlier. What do you feel is beneficial in this?

A: Fasting allows the body to “catch up” to cleansing itself from time to time.

Exercise will also aid in the performance of this function. When our body is

healthy it lets us know when fasting is needed.

Q: Since you have “fallen off the raw vegan wagon” and returned, what do you

feel people should be aware of if abandoning the raw food vegan lifestyle?

A: There are a plethora of answers, but I would need to say the most important

is to completely understand the mindset toward raw plant food caused when

leaving it, as the mentality that a raw vegan diet is not beneficial prevails. This

situation is very detrimental; it makes resumption of the diet an extreme

challenge. “We are what we eat” should not be taken lightly. When we consume

food which clouds our judgment, we become lost in false reality.

Q: It is understood that a raw vegan can develop a muscular physique, and

there is much discussion based on its advantages. What in your opinion gives a

person following this discipline the “edge” philosophically speaking, when

applied not only to athleticism, but to everyday living?

A: “The ability to completely grasp the necessity of living at peace with all life as

the first order of importance.” Every time we consume animal flesh, we have no

choice but to subconsciously observe that food source as something we do not

have feelings for, because we can never be emotionally content when eating

something for which we have regard. This daily ritual results in a lack of ability to

balance our emotions, and will languish focus. The end result is nullification of

the compassion needed to exist with nature all around us, and hence, to obtain

goals. Raw, living nutrition devoid of deficient, cooked food and/or animal

products, allows the highest level of clarity needed to rise above the

mental/physical obstructions created in forcing the body to partake in food we

are not designed for. It strengthens us from our very core. The knowledge that

we are a creature of peace can only be fully appreciated when we understand

that destroying life for food weakens us and infests our body with disease. The

raw vegan diet is today centered neither in athletics or everyday living, for the

most part, but the inspiration provided by those following it will be clear.
Q: What is your average daily intake of carbs, calories, nutrients, grams of

protein etc.?

A: I have never counted calories or broken down the nutrition of what I eat

separately, and all the raw vegans I know do not. I consume no more than two

cups of nuts per day which amounts to a maximum of about 80 grams of protein.

The remainder of my food intake is a large salad (three quarters of one head of

kale usually) and any preferred fruit and vegetable. This balances out to provide

what I need to completely satisfy my activity levels.

Q: What do you prefer for drinking? Do you use nut milks and smoothies?

A: I do not like the flavor of any water aside from distilled water. I very rarely

make nut milks. I make smoothies regularly (mostly fruit based).Two or three

days out of the month I use green smoothies in place of salads to accommodate

my schedule.
Q: How do you feel about frozen fruit?

A: Freezing destroys some of the enzymes in fruit, but I have not experienced

any negative effect from eating frozen fruit (totally unlike cooked food). I rarely

eat frozen fruit, because I enjoy the flavor of fresh fruit.

Q: What are your future objectives with bodybuilding and the raw vegan diet?

A: My focus will be helping people see that I have gained health and strength by

following a raw vegan diet just as all the other herbivorous mammals on Earth

do without any supplementation (pills, powders, etc.). I would love to compete in

bodybuilding events soon. I am also planning to do a bodybuilding DVD which

will include my raw vegan dog Tigger.

 RAW RECIPES

Many find themselves craving specific foods when beginning a raw vegan

diet. During the transition you will be needing a much higher level of nutrients,

so trust your intuition. Tune your diet to your body’s demands.

NUTS, SEEDS, GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Soaking nuts and seeds will allow for softer texture and greater ease in

processing them. Grains must be soaked before consuming, and can be difficult

to digest. I find wild rice the easiest grain to digest. It does not sprout, which is

why I rarely use it in my diet. Wild rice, which is grown in the Great Lakes area is

the preferred grain among many raw vegans. It becomes soft and chewy 3-5

days after soaking. I do not use it at home, but it is the only grain I will eat if I am

traveling. Sprouted garbanzo beans are the only legume I enjoy on occasion in

the form of hummus. Most raw legumes are not edible because they do not

soften sufficiently in water.

 ORGANIC VS. NON ORGANIC

Organic produce is very important, as pesticides are extremely hazardous

to our health. Buying organic fruits and vegetables when they are in season will

greatly reduce the expense of your foods. Distilled water is also a very clean

source and is recommended in all recipes.

SPICES AND TOPPINGS

I only use sea salt in my recipes. Table salt is irradiated and treated with

chemicals. Some health food stores will give you access to spices and

seasonings which have not been irradiated.

NAMA SHOYU

Nama Shoyu is not truly raw. It is an unpasteurized organic soy sauce in

which ingredients are boiled and aged in wood. The wood fermentation process

allows enzyme activity. For the purist, it is not an option.

 DEHYDRATED FOOD

I do not use a dehydrator, but they are an excellent way to provide a flavor

similar to cooked food without the destruction of living enzymes. A safe universal

temperature is 105 degrees if you would like to include dehydrated food in your

diet. Dehydrators which are reasonably priced are available in many stores, and

recipe books for them are easy to attain. The dehydration process can be a bit

time consuming, but if you can fit it into your schedule, you can create gourmet

raw vegan food at home.

 SALSA

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tomato

½ small onion, peeled

½ teaspoon lime juice

1 serrano pepper

¼ cup cilantro

½ clove garlic

Blend lightly all ingredients except two chopped tomatoes in food processor. Add

the chopped tomatoes for chunky consistency.

 HUMMUS

3 cups sprouted chickpeas (garbanzos)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic

½ teaspoon Nama Shoyu (optional)

Sea salt

Put all ingredients except salt, into food processor and blend until smooth. Add

salt to taste. Combine two cups hummus with one cup salsa for a Mexican style

treat.
 WILD SPANISH RICE

Three cups soaked wild rice

One cup salsa

½ cup parsley

One teaspoon cumin

1 cup minced celery

Soak rice for three to five days until soft, changing water once daily. Add celery,

cumin and salsa. Garnish with parsley.

 SPICY SEAFOOD BURRITO

1 cup salsa

1 cup raw hummus

1 cucumber

4 raw organic nori sheets

½ bunch spinach

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Nama Shoyu (optional)

Raw nori sheets are very popular in raw vegan cuisine. The nori sheets are

available in many health food stores.

Spread ¼ cup hummus on each nori sheet, and slice cucumber in thin strips.

Place cucumber strips over hummus. Top with salsa and sliced tomato. Cover

each with spinach leaves. Roll to form burritos.

 RAW PUMPKIN SEED CHILI

2 cups salsa

1 cup pumpkin seeds

This is easy to make if on the go and you want a convenient meal with the flare

of Mexican cuisine. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent protein source and one of

my favorites for flavor. Soak seeds overnight, drain and combine with salsa. For

variation, add raw pine nuts and pitted sun dried black olives.
 ASIAN KALE SALAD

1 head of kale

3 cups raw organic sunflower seeds

3 cups raw organic mushrooms, sliced

3 cups bean sprouts

2 cups Nama Shoyu

1 small onion, chopped

1 avocado

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Marinate mushrooms in the Nama Shoyu overnight. Chop kale into small pieces.

Add mushrooms, sunflower seeds, onion, bean sprouts, garlic and lemon juice.

Toss salad. Slice avocado thin and garnish over top. Add a little soy sauce to

taste.
 CREAMED KALE SALAD

1 head kale

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 tomato

¼ cup Nama Shoyu

¼ cup onion

½ clove garlic

1 avocado

Tear kale into small pieces. Combine and blend remaining ingredients in blender

or food processor until smooth. Add distilled water for consistency. Spread over

kale and coat all leaves thoroughly.

 ESSENTIAL FATS-PROTEIN SALAD

1 head romaine lettuce

1 bunch spinach

3 cups raw pitted sun dried black olives

2 avocados

2 cups alfalfa sprouts

2 cups raw sunflower seeds

½ cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

½ cup raw apple cider vinegar

Tear lettuce and spinach into small pieces. Mix apple cider vinegar with olive oil

for dressing. Combine remaining ingredients and toss. Pour dressing over salad.

This salad is high in essential fats to replenish energy after rigorous workouts.
 DRESSINGS

There are numerous ways to create raw organic dressings for your salads and

even for the main course in meals. The base ingredients which comprise many

raw vegan favorite dressings are as follows:

Olive oil, extra virgin

Lemon juice

Raw apple cider vinegar

Sun dried herbs

Sea salt

Garlic

Spices

I have found these ingredients, when combined with vegetables, fruits, nuts, and

even dates produce a plethora of delicious dressings.

 CREAMY VEGETABLE VINAIGRETTE

¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar

1 small avocado

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup chopped zucchini

½ cup water

½ clove garlic

Blend all ingredients. Add water for consistency.

 THICK N’ SPICY ALFREDO SAUCE

2 cups pumpkin seeds

2 avocados

½ cup onion

1 tomato

1 jalapeno pepper (or 1 habanero for extra hot)

1 stalk celery (chopped)

1 ½ cups water

½ teaspoon sea salt

Blend ingredients in blender until creamy, smooth consistency is attained. You

can add water to use for salad dressing or pour over freshly sliced vegetables.
 CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

2 tomatoes

½ cup raw cashews

½ cup water

½ clove garlic

Sea salt

This recipe can be used as a soup or a dressing. Mix all ingredients in blender.

Add salt to flavor. Use less water for dressing.

 SUNFLOWER PATE

1 clove garlic

2 cups sunflower seeds

¼ cup chopped red onion

1 tomato, quartered

½ cup parsley

½ teaspoon sea salt

Soak seeds for one hour and then drain. Blend all ingredients in food processor

until smooth.
 PUMPKIN SEED PATE

2 cups pumpkin seeds

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tomato, quartered

½ clove garlic

1 teaspoon Nama Shoyu

¼ cup chopped red onion

½ jalapeno pepper

Soak seeds for one hour and drain. Combine all ingredients in food processor

until smooth.
 MAC/CASH PATE

1 cup macadamia nuts

1cup cashew nuts

Juice of ½ lemon

1 cup chopped bell pepper, any color

1 tomato

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Add salt to taste.
 MASHED POTATOES AND KALE

1 small head of cauliflower

1 large avocado

2 large kale leaves

¼ cup chopped red onion

Nama Shoyu

One cup mushrooms marinated in nama shoyu (optional)

Combine ingredients in food processor until smooth. Add Nama Shoyu to taste.

Slice marinated mushrooms and garnish over mix. Kale is often referred to as

the “king of calcium,” but some transitioning to a raw vegan diet find it has an

intolerable flavor. This recipe can allow easier palatability for the inclusion of

kale in the diet.

 AVO-MUSHROOM SOUP

1 cup mushrooms

2 cups Nama Shoyu

2 avocados

2 stalks celery

¾ cup water

Marinate mushrooms in Nama Shoyu overnight. Blend all ingredients. Add water

for desired consistency.

 CREAMED CELERY SOUP

2 stalks celery

1 avocado

½ cup distilled water

1 roma tomato sliced into chunks

Sea salt

Blend ingredients and top with tomato. Add salt to taste.

 PEANUT APPLE RAISIN BUTTER

3 cups raw Spanish peanuts

2 tablespoons raw, extra virgin coconut oil

1 cup raisins

2 bananas

2 apples, quartered

This will satisfy your sweet tooth and provide extra energy for intense workouts.

When making nut butters, it is very important to keep the temperature in

machining them low to avoid damaging enzymes.

Combine oil and nuts in your high powered blender or food processor. Blend

until a cookie dough consistency is reached. Set mixture aside. Blend raisins,

bananas, and apples until smooth. Pour ingredients over peanut mixture and stir

with spoon until creamy.

 SHERBET SMOOTHIE

2 carrots

2 bananas, refrigerated

1 stalk celery

1 date

2 oranges

This smoothie is sweet and nutrient-packed. Blend all ingredients until smooth

and frothy.
 WEIGHT TRAINING AND STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT

“I do it as a therapy, I do it as something to keep me alive. We all need a little

discipline. Exercise is my discipline.”

- Jack LaLanne

Aerobic and anaerobic exercise combined are the formula to perfection in

fitness. Aerobic exercise causes the body to use oxygen in the creation of

energy, as the breakdown of glucose caused by oxygen allows energy

production. Aerobic exercises, which deliver oxygen to the muscles, include

running, swimming and biking. They strengthen the lungs, heart and circulatory

system. The opposite applies to anaerobic. In anaerobic exercise, the body’s

energy is created without oxygen. As the need for energy is increased, the body

must rely on its natural chemicals to produce it. Anaerobic exercises are based

on movements which the body can only briefly withstand as intensity increases.

Anaerobic exercises can be categorized as isotonic, isokinetic and isometric.

Isotonic exercises are movements causing tension to remain the same as

the length of the muscle changes. Isotonic exercises emphasize full range of the

muscle used. A bicep curl is an example of isotonic exercise because the

muscle works against set resistance through the entire movement.

 Isokinetic exercise uses an apparatus to give resistance variation in

movement. The speed of motion in the exercise is constant regardless of the

amount of exertion. Isokinetic exercises allow the muscles to be pushed to a

maximum level of force in complete range throughout all repetitions. Nautilus

machines are a very well-known form of isokinetic training.

Isometric exercise is based on contraction without motion, such as force

against an immovable object. Isometric exercises cause the muscles to contract

without changing length, and joints remain stationary. Isometric exercises can be

performed by pushing against a wall, an imaginary weight which does not move,

or by clasping your hands together with force. Isometric positions should be held

until greatest muscle burn is reached.

Bruce Lee, who many people feel was the greatest martial artist ever, was

a huge proponent of isometrics in training. He was known to hold a three pound

steel ball at arm’s length until his muscles failed, then he would switch to the

other arm, repeating this for eight hours. Some feel his training was too extreme,

but that is why he was “The Dragon.” Charles Atlas also used isometrics to

develop his phenomenal power. All these forms of training are ideal for men and

women to develop strength. Women need not be averse to weight training in the

concern they will become masculine. Raw vegan women training with anaerobic
exercise become more beautiful as strength is gained and health improves. The

testosterone required to have the physical appearance of men is not present in

women.

Start with weights which are comfortable to you. The main goal in sculpting

muscle is to acquire the longest burn possible in every exercise. Use weight

which is easy to lift at first and follow with the most repetitions you can perform.

My regimen, which I have practiced for years, is based simply on the

attempt to push muscles to failure. It employs the principles of isotonic (weight

training, resistance training and calisthenics), isokinetics (Nautilus machines)

and isometrics (using muscle without movement).

The idea of following an exercise routine covering many parts of the body

without alteration came to me from Charles Atlas. Being very poor at a young

age, he could not afford exercise equipment and had tried different options in

strength development which did not work for him. His only asset was the

fortitude to reach success with pure determination. It was said he took notice of

the way huge jungle cats in the zoo exercised by pressing their claws into the

stationary cage causing muscles to be pitted against each other. He found using

natural isotonic and isometric contractions to be effective and gained astounding

strength without changing his training.

 Higher repetitions, correlated with strength increase, is the only difference

in method. The key is in finding the most effective means to muscle fatigue. At

the point of highest stress to tissue, microscopic tearing of the muscle starts and

growth begins. In the movement through each repetition you will sense when the

burn of muscle is at its peak. Utilizing your own body weight with isotonic (slow

movement) or isometric (no movement) exercise can boost muscle tissue to the

failure point. If you are achieving an extreme degree of stress to muscle sinews,

isometric flexing of muscles (such as performed in bodybuilding competition) will

be intolerable in the muscle being used.

It is important not to wait long between sets. Let workload remain constant.

A general rule is to allow breathing to begin to slow down before a new

repetition starts.

The exercises you choose should be well rounded, having enough

variance in working different muscle groups to give smoothness to the

symmetry. Many have won bodybuilding competitions based not on size, but on

uniformity. The total appearance of the physique is not appealing without

evenness in the musculature. Equality in structure is a must.

 I work the upper body in each of my sessions, with the addition of 45

minutes in leg training every other workout. I complete 5-7 sets per exercise and

use isometrics to focus intensity to muscles being worked.

Avoid “locking out” with smooth even motion when performing repetitions in any

exercise.
 Keeping the angle of movement straight will provide fluidity in repetition and

stabilize concentration to the muscle group being worked. “Jerking” the weight

can decrease effectiveness.

Immediately at the end of sets, using isometric resistance to muscle (no

movement) and very light weight provides the edge in continuity. Breathe

deeply.
Focus maximum energy on pushing or pulling an imaginary immovable object as

I’m doing in this photo. Again, breathe deeply.

If you are a raw vegan bodybuilder planning to compete, facial expressions are

the communication between yourself and the audience. It is important that the

judges feel comfortable and not intimidated with your presence. Body language

and a confident relaxed composure tell the story on stage.

 Aerobic exercise is great before and after anaerobic training. Walking or
jogging on a treadmill are good for warming up and cooling down. Remember
that cardiovascular exercise will enhance function throughout the entire body.

I start anaerobic training with pushups. I perform as many as possible and

when I cannot do another, I remain in the original or “plank” position without

touching knees or elbows to the floor until breathing is slowed to a level where I

can do more. This is continued until I feel that utmost energy has been

expended.

Lat pull downs follow, which are similar to a “pull up” motion using a

Nautilus machine. In the lat pull down, the pulling of the weight is done from a

sitting position. It is important not to jerk the weight, but to use smooth even

movement.

I use bent over rows with free weight for building back muscles. In the bent

over row, the hand and knee support the body on a bench while the opposite leg

is slightly back to the side. The weight is then lifted from the floor up to the ribs.

Bicep curls with free weights and bicep curls on the Nautilus machine

provide both isotonic and isokinetic benefit. In curling, the movement should be

constant as the weight is lifted from the extension of the arm up to the bicep. I
adjust weight on the Nautilus machines after each set to accommodate the most

repetitions (longest burn to muscle tissue).

After curls, I use the Nautilus forearm machine. This allows the upper arms

a brief rest. The machine uses a wrist rolling motion and is great for forearms.

I begin bench pressing with free weights in addition to the Nautilus bench

press machine, training the chest and triceps. Bench pressing is done lying flat

on a bench pushing the weight straight up until the arms are fully extended.

I stay with free weights for shoulder shrugs, training the upper trapezius

muscles running from the neck to the shoulders. In the shrug, the shoulders are

lifted up toward the ears with weight held in both arms.

My last isokinetic upper body exercise is tricep pull downs. This involves

pulling the weight from shoulder level down to the waist and trains the large

muscles (triceps) on the back of the upper arms.

Sit ups are great for abdominal development. I use them to conclude all

sessions. They impact the musculature from the core and balance the routine.
 In the training of leg muscles, I use only isokinetic (Nautilus) equipment. I

prefer the constant speed of the weight without the need to stabilize posture. I

begin leg training on the leg press, which is done keeping the back flat against a

seat while pushing the legs upward on the machine. I perform calf raises raising

the weight platform very slightly using the balls of the feet.

The leg extension machine is excellent for quadriceps (front thigh

muscles). Extending the legs from a straight sitting position, the weight is lifted

slowly up and down. I finish with the leg curl machine. Lying face down curling

the weight upward toward the back benefits the hamstring muscles (the large

muscle group at the back of the thigh). Nautilus machines can be forgiving in

terms of postural stability, but every form of training has its own unique

advantage.

Building strength and muscle never gets easier for many. Work effort

combined with the nutrition of raw food can turn your body into a highly tuned

machine craving the energy flow created. Rebuilding requires more than

exercise alone. Nutrition is the fuel which not only sustains us, but reconstructs

us. The great Jack LaLanne once said, “Exercise is King, nutrition is Queen, put

them together and you’ve got a kingdom!”

 SEASONAL PRODUCE AVAILABILITY

Nature provides an abundant variety in each form of produce dependent

on season. Buying seasonal produce is cost efficient, higher quality and more

flavorful. This list gives the availability of fruits and vegetables in peak season.

FOOD SEASON

Acorn Squash Winter, Fall

Apples Spring, Summer

Apricots Spring, Summer

Artichokes Spring

Asparagus Spring

Avocado Year round

Bananas Year round

Beets Summer

Belgian Endive Winter, Fall

Bell Peppers Summer

Blackberries Summer

Blueberries Summer

Bok Choy Winter, Fall

Boysenberries Summer

Brussels Sprouts Winter, Fall

Cabbage Year round

Cantaloupe Summer

Carrots Year round

Casaba Melon Summer

Cauliflower Fall

Celery Year round

Celery Root Fall

Chayote Squash Fall

Cherimoya Winter, Fall

Cherries Summer

Chives Spring

Coconuts Fall

Collard Greens Spring

Cranberries Fall

Crenshaw Melons Summer

Cucumbers Summer

Diakon Radish Fall

English Peas Spring

Fava Beans Spring

Fennel Spring

Fiddlehead Spring
Figs Summer

Garlic Summer, Fall

Ginger Fall

Grapes Summer, Fall

Green Beans Summer

Green Peas Summer

Guava Fall

Honeydew Spring

Honeydew Melons Summer

Kale Winter, Spring,

Kiwi Fruit Summer

Lima Beans Summer

Limes Spring

Loganberries Summer

Mangos Spring

Morel Mushrooms Spring

Mustard Greens Spring

Nectarines Summer

Onions Year round

Oranges Spring

Parsnips Winter
Peaches Summer

Pears Fall

Persian Melons Summer

Persimmons Fall

Pineapple Spring

Potatoes Year round

Radishes Summer

Ramps Spring

Raspberries Summer

Red Currants Winter

Rhubarb Spring

Rutabagas Winter, Fall

Snow Peas Spring

Sorrel Spring

Spinach Spring

Spring Baby Lettuce Spring

Strawberries Spring

Sugar Snap Peas Spring

Sweet Corn Spring

Sweet Potatoes Winter, Fall

Swiss Chard Winter

 Summer Squash Summer

Tangerines Winter

Tomatillo Summer

Tomatoes Summer

Vidalia Onions Spring

Watercress Spring

Watermelon Summer

Winter Squash Fall

Yams Fall

Zucchini Summer

There are far too many edible plant foods to list. Many grow wild

throughout the world and provide superb nutrition. We have only touched the

surface of the nourishing food available to us.

 CONCLUSIONS

“A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

- Walter Gagehot

Natural nutrition is the ultimate road to success. You will gain healthy

weight with persistence. Commit to exercise. Be emotionally centered in

knowing that you are dedicated to creating a much better existence. Relax with

assurance that the dynamic, vibrant individual you are is becoming stronger

every single day as you replace the negative with positive.

Remain true to yourself. Your new found energy and strength builds

integrity, as ambition to help others see the new life respect for the laws of

nature will allow guides you.

Toxicity is out of control in the human race. Culture has become reliant on

drugs to lessen physical and emotional burdens. Again, our health is the only

path to true happiness. Without it we fall. Be enlightened with a new beginning

as a raw vegan.