Vegan Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke

By: Matt Frazier

It doesn’t matter whether or not you give a damn about bodybuilding.  As a vegetarian or vegan, you should be proud to call Robert Cheeke one of your own.

Robert is one of the most passionate people you’ll ever come across.  Besides running his vegan bodybuilding website, Robert tirelessly tours the country speaking about veganism and motivation, with little apparent interest in cashing in financially on his status as “The World’s Most Recognized Vegan Bodybuilder.”

Robert’s only motive, as far as I can tell, is to be the best advocate for veganism he can possibly be, driven by a love for animals rather than a perceived benefit on athletic performance.

I spoke to Robert just days after he signed a book deal for his vegan bodybuilding manual, Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness, which prior to now has been self-published.  Let me tell you: Robert’s incredible attitude and positivity absolutely shine through in his writing and speaking. I’m the farthest thing from a bodybuilder, and I thoroughly enjoyed both reading his book cover-to-cover and the chance to speak with him for an hour.

Hope you enjoy the interview.  Below you’ll find estimates of where I asked certain questions, in case you can’t listen to the whole thing.  If nothing else, listen from minutes 40-47 for just a small glimpse of the positive energy that makes Robert so special.

• 0:45 – How come you’re vegan?
• 4:30 – Is being vegan an advantage or a disadvantage in bodybuilding?
• 9:50 – You used to be an elite endurance runner?
• 10:40 – Did you lift weights when you were a runner?
• 14:15 – Competing in bodybuilding vs. training in bodybuilding
• 15:50 – Lifting weights for sports where size is a disadvantage
• 18:00 – Any recommended lifts for those of us in endurance sports?
• 20:00 – What’s your favorite type of squat?
• 22:30 – Are you into motivational authors and speakers?
• 26:00 – Protein! Why do you say we need MORE than others do?
• 30:20 – How much protein should we be getting?
• 33:40 – Starchy carbs vs. sugary carbs
• 36:25 – Do you find that bodybuilders tend to ignore vegetables?
• 37:45 – What about creatine? Should vegetarians and vegans supplement with it?
• 40:35 – Any general advice for non-bodybuilders? (My favorite part)
• 47:25 – Anything else you’re working on?

Here’s the list of vegan protein foods that I mentioned in the interview.

Huge thanks to Robert for taking the time out of what must be an insanely busy schedule to do this for us!  For more, check out his bio page, follow him on Twitter, or visit his Facebook page.