Competitive bodybuilders. Owners of Richmond, VA plant-based personal training studio, Root Force Personal Training since 2012. Authors of The Vegan Muscle and Fitness Guide to Bodybuilding Competitions. Between us we’ve got four degrees in subjects from biology to mathematics, various personal training certifications, three vegan kids, and a vegan dog named Buddy. Our mission: to generate as many fit vegan role models as possible to get the message across that a plant-based diet isn’t a handicap in the world of athletics – it’s an advantage! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram!
Derek
I’m the last person anyone would have expected to go vegan. Originally from San Diego, I grew up deep sea fishing, loved red meat, and thought being vegetarian was unhealthy and would make you weak and sickly. In 2007 I met Marcella, and she showed me the evidence supporting a plant-based diet; that it is empirically healthier, far more resource efficient, and inarguably more ethical. After researching this for myself, I decided to give it a try and to my amazement I felt better than ever – tons of energy, great gym performance, and even better digestion. I never looked back, and in 2011 I decided to take to the stage and show that a plant-based diet is not a liability for health and muscle mass by competing in natural bodybuilding. By 2017 I’d finished 1st four times, been awarded Pro status in the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation and the Naturally Fit Federation, and qualified for NPC Nationals.
I’ve loved fitness, health and performance since I was old enough to start watching Schwarzenegger movies, and I finally pursued this professionally by became a certified personal trainer in 2007. I honed my craft while completing my degree in Biology, and by 2010 I was the Director of Personal Training at Gold’s Gym in Richmond VA. In 2012 Marcella and I opened Root Force Personal Training – Richmond’s only plant-based gym where I still train clients today! At the same time, in 2009 we launched this website Vegan Muscle and Fitness to blog about nutrition, workouts, recipes and offer custom plans and online coaching, as well as our social media platforms and Youtube channel. My goal was and is to lead by example, showing that a plant-based diet is the best strategy for improving your health, performance, reducing your resource use, and maximizing your lifespan and healthspan, and I’m thrilled to help anyone who’s curious to learn more.
I am a:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist
Certified Muscle Activation Techniques Practitioner
BS in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University
Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University
World Natural Bodybuilding Federation and Naturally Fit Federation Men’s Physique Pro
Founding Member of Team Plantbuilt
My competion history:
2011 NPA Master’s Universe: Men’s Open Middleweight – 3rd
2011 NANBF Washington State Natural: Men’s Open Middle Height – 3rd
2012 OCB Bodysculpting Open: Men’s Novice Tall Class – 1st, Men’s Open Tall Class – 2nd2013 OCB Battle of Tidewater: Men’s Bodybuilding Open Tall Class – 4th2013 INBF Southwest Natural: Men’s Bodybuilding Light Heavyweight – 1st2014 INBF Southwest Natural: Men’s Physique – 1st, WNBF Pro Card Awarded2015 WNBF Pro Universe: Pro Men’s Physique – 2nd2017 Naturally Fit Super Show: Pro Men’s Physique – 2nd2017 NCP Jay Cutler Classic: Classic Physique Novice – 1st, Classic Physique Open – 2nd (National Qualification), Men’s Physique Open – 5th2017 WNBF Pro Universe: Pro Men’s Physique – 5th
Breaking Muscle Article: How To Build Muscle on a Plant-Based Diet
The Big Inside FTNS Radio Interview
Nutritionfacts.org Video on Plant Based Bodybuilding
Vegan Health and Fitness magazine
ACE Fitness Article: Can Vegan Athletes Match Their Meat-Eating Competitors?
The Daily Beet (Engine 2 Diet Blog)
Marcella:
My best friend gave me a copy of Diet for a New America to read in 2002 and I promptly cleared out my fridge of every scrap of meat and dairy and never looked back. Ethics was and continues to be my primary motivator, but as an analytical, logical – even “science-y” – sort of person, I’m also powerfully motivated by the diet’s efficiency and sustainability and the compelling biological evidence in it’s favor. It also didn’t hurt that, after a lifetime of obesity and chronic illness, a plant-based diet brought me to a healthy, energetic place for the first time ever!
I’m excited that so many more people are exploring plant based eating, whether for health and performance or for ethical and environmental reasons: I want to be a part of that change.
About me: I’m a professor and mathematical biologist, researching inflammation and response to diet and exercise changes – see my published work at Google scholar
PhD, Systems modeling and analysis/Mathematical biology
MS, Applied mathematics
BS, Applied mathematics/Physics
Vegan for 23 years
Amateur vegan bodybuilder
Semi-pro fusion dancer for 15 years
Things I’ve been in:
Vegan Health and Fitness magazine
The Daily Beet (Engine 2 Diet Blog)
WHO// Max “The Wolverine” Seabrook
WHAT// Vegan Physique Competitor, Personal Trainer, Medicine Student, Vegan Society Mentor
WHERE// London, UK
WHY// A strong passion for animals and human health and fitness
EXPERIENCE/ KNOWLEDGE:
ACT Certified Personal Trainer
BSc Human Biomedical Science
PERSONAL:
I’ve always been into health & fitness but when I began working out on a vegan diet I reached my performance and weight-loss goals insanely fast. I reached a new level of confidence with my body as well as feeling awesome! I’m now a personal trainer and I love helping people realise the best versions of themselves through diet and exercise.
I became vegan 2 years ago when my brother’s girlfriend became vegan and I started researching on the internet to find out why. I was then vegan after a few days of researching animal cruelty, health benefits of plant-based lifestyles and finding vegan bodybuilders online. I couldn’t find a logical reason to eat meat/dairy anymore. I then changed my career from Doctor of Human Medicine towards Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Check out Max’s transformation here!
WHO// Forest Crosbie
WHAT// Vegan Men’s Physique Competitor, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist
WHERE// Melbourne, Australia
WHY// A desire to achieve the purest possible lifestyle
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:
NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Over a decade of strength training experience
Vegetarian Since Birth
PERSONAL:
I was fortunate enough to grow up in a vegetarian household, and I carried that lifestyle through into adulthood as well. As my passion for health and wellness grew and I learned more about the profound impact of diet, both on personal well-being and the environment as a whole, veganism was the only choice that made sense to me. I discovered Derek and Marcella’s work early in my research on plant-based nutrition, and was immediately inspired by what they do.
It is now my distinct privilege to be able to share the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the course of my fitness journey, and to serve as a role model for others seeking to improve their quality of life through the power of the vegan diet. I enjoy working with people of all ages and backgrounds in the pursuit of their fitness goals, and I am excited to be a part of the VM&F team and participate in the global vegan movement!
Competition History:
2017 Naturally Fit Super Show: Men’s Physique Novice – 1st, Men’s Physique Open – 4th
Dear Derek and Marcella,
I hope this message finds you well.
I’m a UK-based personal trainer turned award-winning freelance health and fitness writer, as well as being a lifelong vegetarian turned vegan. Over the years, I’ve worked with plenty of clients following plant-based, and some mostly plant-based diets, getting the best out of them even as they managed to stay happy, healthy, and ethically minded.
Vegan fitness is obviously a big, big deal to me. I wholeheartedly love and support your mission to generate as many fit vegan role models as possible.
Given this is where I honestly I think this is where the future is taking us, I want to move more into writing specifically for a plant-based dieting audience. I was wondering if you have any need of any freelance writing on any areas related to vegan health and fitness? Or if you might be accepting pitches?
I would love to chat if you think we might be able to work well together. If not, thanks for your time anyway.
Best,
James
Please cancel this post — I received my refund. Thanks for all your help. Have a great day.
I was introduced to you through Matt Frazier’s No Meat Athlete through his trial subscription — which just ended. I asked him and his customer service to cancel it. yet he has charged me beginning today. Could you please ask him to refund me?
Here’s what I wrote : Matt, can you please refund me for charging me for the free subscription? I asked Customer Service and emailed you to cancel my trial subscription and received no reply from either you or your website. As promised, if you don’t cancel my subscription, I will go on every YouTube video and let others know of the quality of your website — you don’t honor your word, and therefore, I’m letting people know — that you will not answer their emails, but you will just charge their accounts without hearing their request to cancel their trial subscriptions.
Hi I’m a 54 years old woman with no weightlifting nor resistance training experience. I have a difficult time understanding portion control and don’t know anything about macros.
Can you tell me how much it would be for your 12 week transformation program? I need someone to tell me how to do the workouts/exercises and how to burn fat and how to set up a meal plan with appropriate macros?
Hi Yuderky,
Thank you for reaching out! Congratulations on getting started – it can be intimidating asking for help when you don’t have experience in structured fitness. I think we can definitely help you get to work on your goals, and yes the 12 week package is a great place to start. We’d be happy to schedule a free consultation if you’d like to go over your goals with us and see which option is the best fit.
It’s difficult to find educated people in this particular topic, however,
you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks
Thanks, we try!
Hi Derek!
We are developing a web series that facilitates conversations between two individuals on a complex issue. This episode we are currently working on requires a Vegan Bodybuilder to address ‘Hyper-masculinity’. Your conversation is behind the scenes (via online platform) and the resulting conversation is transcribed into a script and performed by actors for an episode. If this is something you might be interested in get in touch.
Here is a premise explaining short clip
https://vimeo.com/334364443
Warm Regards,
Sean & Alina
Hi, I’m Nicole I’m form Peru, my question is
I’ve been vegan for 3 months already and at the same time I’ve started to go to the gym my trainer says that now I need to consume protein by suplementing myself and I’ve been searching for one and I wonder if you know about a vegan suplement o kind of that.
I love your website 🙂
Hi Nicole: actually we would disagree that you need to supplement with protein powder. It’s not necessary – you can get everything you need from whole plant foods. If you choose to take a protein supplement there are many vegan options such as Vega, Sunwarrior, or Plantfusion. Good luck!
I’m the founder of VegetarianBodybuilding.com and I wanted to check in with you guys…
I agree completely, it takes significantly more land, water, and food/plants to produce meat. Even if people can’t connect with the inhumane practices being deployed (watch a documentary for crying out loud), the math here is pretty clear regarding the environment. It’s unfortunate things like this have to get “politicized” when all that’s required is objectivity and common sense. This shouldn’t be a political issue, but I digress.
That said, as a compassionate vegan, I try to remove the hate from my voice when voicing certain truths about the matter. I think this is key in attracting more folks to listen in the first place.
Thank you for your part in this conversation.
Hi everyone
I have some question and I would ike to clarify them, I want to become vegetarian but in gyms the rule is: “you have to eat meat”.
1) Some people against vegetarianism say that if we just consume a plant based diet, there would not be more land and it would colapse, it wouldn’t be sustainable. So in your experience, if you have to consume 100g of protein, how would you compare in kg the quantities in meat and grains (plants)? Is it sustainable? if we just consume plants, do we need a lot of grains an plants to compensate the meat based diet?
2) I heard from a guy that “health is relative” and there are some people who have good health despite thier eating habits. I know this is true, but it is a tiny portion of the human race. So my question is: if genes hypotheticlly adapt to erradicate the dangers of junk food and bad life style (sleeping a lot, driking alcohol). Do we really need to do exercise? what are the benefits? People are starting to make “health” something relative because “genes adapt”. Please tell me your comments.
3) where Can I find a good vegetarian diet, I live in Bolivia. Is it true that quinoa has the 8 essetial aminoacids?
Hi Pablo,
I’ll answer your questions one by one:
1) Far, far more land, water, and plants are required for meat and other animal products to be produced. Here are some facts and figures for you:
– 7 kg of grain to produce 1 kg of beef
– 4 kg of grain for 1 kg pork
– 2 kg of grain for 1 kg poultry
– Between 1 and 2 kg of grain for 1 kg of fish
– It takes about 15,000 – 68,000 liters of water to produce 1 hamburger
– It takes about 109 liters of water to produce one soy burger
– It takes about 1000 liters of water to produce 1 liter of milk
– It takes about 246 liters of water to produce 1 liter of soymilk
– Approximate area required to grow 1 person’s diet that includes animal products: 31,000-63,000 square feet
– Approximate area required to grow 1 person’s VEGAN diet: 7,000 square feet
Some references that might be helpful for further information:
2) Yes, good health in spite of poor lifestyle choices is the exception to the rule, and the questrion will always remain – if someone hadf such good health eating poorly, just how long and disease free would their life have been with better diet and exercise habits? As far as genes adapting to new environmental stressors like poor diet and exercise, 1) Genetic adaptations require multiple generations to occur (generally thousands of years) and 2) the situation in which genetic adaptations opccur the most rapidly is one of survivorship. Since people’s bad eating and lifestyle habits are not killing them before they reproduce, there is virtually no adaptation happening becuase everyone’s genes are being passed on, not just the genes of people who can best tolerate modern diet and lifestyle practices.
3) Potatoes, beans, rice, vegetables, fruit, and other whole grains are all you need. All foods, except gelatin which is an animal product, contain all the essential amino acids. Eat a variety of foods rather than searching for foods that contain specific amino acid ratios – the idea that you need each food to contain a certain amount is an old myth that is taking too long to die!
Hi
I do you have further information for the second question (health and gene’s adaptation?
Article from Dr. McDougall on epigenetics
Thanks so much
Hey Derek I just started reading your book and immediatedly it answered some concerns I have. I am 58, be 59 in June and have been working out for some time now, but I have noticed I do not have the energy to complete my Bi/Tri workouts at the end of my Chest and back workouts. I am currently working out Tue/Wed and Thur/Fri, Legs, Chest, Back, Shoulders. After reading some of your book I am thinking of going to Total Body on Mon/Wed/Fri with Cardio and Ab’s on Tue/Thur/Sat. Your thoughts please?
Thanks
Lank
Hi Lank, I’m glad you’re enjoying the book! Yes, total body programs are a great option for anyone at any point so I would definitely recommend it. If you want to give a split program a try again I’d train total body workouts for 6-8 weeks, then be sure to include a bis and tris only day in your next split to avoid the fatigue you mentioned. I hope this helps, good luck!
Derek
Hey, I read on here somewhere that you have a vegan potluck, and I would love to come! How often/when do you have them?
Hi! We used to have them regularly, but it has been a while – something like 2 years. We’ve been talking about hosting one again soon and when we do we’ll post about it here first!
I need some advice. Im trying to go vegan, I’ve been on a smoothie program for a month now, all raw foods. I drink 5 total a day, 2 consisting of vegan protein shakes. I am trying to drop 10 lbs, and nothing seems to be working, getting frustrated. No weight loss at all. I go to the gym every morning for 1 hour, 5 days/ week. I do kettlebell routines, that include cardio and weight training. I feel like going back to low carb program. what am I doing wrong? I counted my calories in these shakes and they seem to add up to 1400 calories in total for the day….I drink 1-1.5L water a day… probably could use little more…
You likely need to eat more calories, more complex carbohydrates and less fat but it’s hard to say without details. Whole foods would be a better choice than shakes and protein shakes all day. You can read through our posts for example menus and recipes. We also have an “online training studio” with weekly meal plans and video lectures on fat loss, meal planning, etc. BUT there’s lots of free information on our site and http://www.veganbodybuilding.com that can help you if you look around!
Love the blog. I have been unhealthy and heavy pretty much most my life. For the last yr I switched to plant base on and off Jan 24 2013 I was in a terrible semi accident and I have had a hard time getting back on track I do we’ll for most the day then the mentality of soda or pizza kicks in any suggestions to get going forward.
Hey Marcella, I’m trying to find a woman’s vegan muscle building while staying lean program. Do you have yours posted anywhere? I see a lot about what the men eat and how they train, but not too much for us ladies. Specifically how to gain musle and burn fat on a vegan (plant based) diet.
Thanks,
Karen
Yes, I’ve shared many routines and menus on this site. There really is no difference in training and nutrition between myself and Derek except that I need to do more cardio than he does to get lean. Other than that – same nutrition (lots of whole foods, plant-based calories) and same workouts (lots and lots of heavy weight lifting)!
Hey there, I sent you an inquiry through your website for coaching, are you still doing that at this time? I love your site, I can almost coach myself using it all with such personal and diverse resources, but if you are still doing 1:1 let’s talk and see if we’re compatible for coaching?
Hello,
Derek you are freaking hot dude. Listen, I would like to know what are the best excersices to do to get my pecs round and muscular like yours. That is what I have trouble with. If you are able to share anytips I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Ha, thanks Carlos! A great technique for bringing out roundness in your pecs is heavy compound moves followed but an isolation FST7. So try doing something like barbell incline press for 5×5, Db bench press, then a peck deck FST7 (seven sets of 12-15 with 30 seconds of stretching between each) that should give you a crazy pump and fill out those pecs!
Derek
Have been vegan since November 2011 and love the energy I have and how much leaner my body looks as I have lost 33lbs. I am hitting the gym more now than ever before. I have gone from 30% BMI to 14% in that time. I want to share that going Vagen does NOT mean you lose muscle or are unable to gain mass where needed. I weigh less now that I did in high school and I want to thank you for the website, links and resources. It is very much appreciated.
I just started reading your blog and i am impressed. I am a Vegetarian and a runner as well. I live in Richmond and go to Golds gym as well. I am a the one at Willow Lawn and it would be nice to find a trainer there who was educated on being a Vegetarian athlete??
Hey Dereck, getting ready for a contest atm but really struggling on last 2 or 3%.bf. Any tips 2 weeks out? Cheers.
Sorry for the slow response! I would have said try calorie/carb cycling by eating less total calories and a lower % from carbs on 2 or 3 days per week to see if that gets you there. Good luck!
My hubby says you’re the new “Conan the Vegetarian” — thanks for all the recipes and inspiration!
Love that title! 🙂
A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. You both look amazing and are a powerful testimonial to what can be done. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you so much!
Derek, one of your clients brought me to see the documentary with T. Colin Campbell at Crossroads. I’m a nurse practitioner and last year presented a free workshop each month for all interested patients/family/friends. One of the most popular was Moving Toward A Plant Based Diet, and of course, Campbell’s work was key. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak as part of my training at Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
Anyhow, I loved those black bean burgers you guys made, and have been back twice, and now have a pretty good recipe from PCRM website.
I’m teaching a class July 22 at TaZa Coffee Shop, helping people get in touch with their Body Compass, from 9-11. Would welcome both of you as my guests. Might be some helpful overlap for working with your clients.
I’ve sent several patients to your website. they can’t believe one can be a vegan and look like you two!!
Very inspirational! I look forward to my healthier changes…even at age 40!
Great website, great ideas, great set-up and thank you for the dedication to healthy vegan lifestyle! This is my new go-to super source. I just ran across your website while browsing the Richmond veg festival site. Way to go you two!!! And I do hope to make whatever event you’ll next be a part of – as a vegan foodie it’s quite exciting.
Thank you! Keep checking in and we’ll keep you posted on our next events! We have a potluck at least once a month so feel free to email us about that!
Lots of love from DQL. Lots of luck, too. I read Diet for a New America in my Comparative Religions class (don’t ask).
GRICEND!!!
You guys are so awesome!!!
I just checked the blog and its perfect! exactly what I needed…. diet related suggestions 🙂
thank u…. I will be regular here from now on!!!
Awesome! Thanks Rahul!
I love that you are both spreading the word about veganism and health!
Thanks Gretchen!