David Carter: NFL's Vegan Defensive Lineman
David Carter is a defensive lineman for the Oakland Raiders and a competitive powerlifter with Plant Built. He will soon launch his website, The 300 Pound Vegan, and admits "this is a chapter in my life I was never expecting". That's not surprising to hear from someone who grew up eating every kind of meat, and lots of it, at his grandfathers barbeque restaurant in LA, and who believed the mythology that if you eat muscle, you become muscle. His recent evolution to veganism, initially sparked by his wife's same decision, is controversial for a guy who plays professional football and has to stay big and beefy. But he's more confident than ever that "being vegan is not only the most efficient way to be full-body strong, it’s also the most humane; everyone wins.” On his forthcoming website, he explains his journey since he went vegan in February of 2014:
Very early on I was taught that if I wanted to be big and strong there was only one way to go about it. You guessed it—eat meat and the more the better. Every coach, trainer, nutritionist, and doctor all pointed me in the direction of animal products. From protein shakes to weight gainers there was no other alternative, so I did as I was told and followed the standard athlete’s diet regimen. Whey protein, raw eggs, gallons of milk, and casein were in just about every supplement I took...
The more I learned, the more my body benefited and my results came quickly. More energy, shorter recovery time, increased stamina, improved strength, and the peace of mind that no one had to die in order for me to live. Every one of my nagging injuries is gone. Tendonitis, inflammation, scar tissue, nerve damage, and chronic muscle fatigue all corrected themselves within months of adopting veganism.
...by making this one small change not only have I saved my own life but the countless lives of voiceless and defenseless animals everywhere. Not to mention veganism is great for our planet as well. Becoming vegan has given me a greater purpose, something bigger than myself to fight for, and fight I will.