Mr. Universe Has Gone Vegan
Barney Du Plessis, Mr. Universe 2014 (NABBA), has become a:
“100%, whole-hearted staunch vegan… [a] warrior vegan.”
In a recent interview Barney expresses the moral dilemma he struggled with for many years as a meat-eating, bodybuilding competitor in a sport where eating several pounds of chicken and beef per day isn’t just an expectation, but essential for success at the top levels (e.g. Mr. Olympia). It’s an excessive lifestyle for which he has no interest moving forward. His decision to become a vegan is “…in tune with my ethical beliefs” as he found that eating meat caused a personal disassociation between his point of view and the innate suffering of the animals he was consuming, and that this sentiment simply doesn’t jive with his personal beliefs. Having begun life as a vegetarian, his new focus is activism, educating the masses as an example of a strong and healthy individual living a meat-free lifestyle that doesn’t require the unnecessary destruction of animal life, a choice that he explains is morally-motivated. He even mentions that “the food is delicious” and finds himself “stuffed with” lentils, grains, and pulses.
Moving forward Barney has committed to vegan activism. It’s inspiring to see someone that’s excelled in a sport that’s so firmly linked to meat consumption not just make the change to a cruelty-free lifestyle but to commit to the cause as a whole.
