Sometimes life slows you down and reveals the best kept secrets. I had the joy of interviewing Brendan Brazier, a professional Ironman triathlete and two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion. Brendan has been experimenting with different diets since he was 15.  Injury lead to discovery as Brendan’s life shifted him into a high-raw and 100% vegan diet.

Brendan is the author of Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life, and more recently
Thrive Fitness.

How Brendan Recovered From Injury

One day in 2003 Brendan was hit by a car while cycling, and  landed on his hip. Unable to pedal, he couldn’t train anymore and had to stop racing.  Frustrated that he was not healing as quickly as he felt he should be, he again re-examined his diet.

Using this downtime Brendan formulated a type of recovery shake rich in plant-based protein, vitamins, chlorophyll rich algae, superfoods and omegas (click here to find out more).  He was then able to recover from the accident at an incredible rate. He credits this fast recovery to a mostly raw vegan, alkalizing diet and the very low nutritional stress it generates.

As a result, he’s able to train more and recover in less time.  Most of the time, athletes consume lots of meat-based protein, which is acid forming, but choosing plant-based protein offsets the acid and helps the body recover much faster. This journey has taught Brendan that eating lots of leafy greens, chlorella, and seaweeds will improve an athletes overall health and recovery.

He now spends his days not only as a full time athlete but as a writer and educator of the amazing benefits of a his raw/vegan lifestyle.  He is one of only a few professional athletes in the world whose diet is 100 percent plant-based. Thank you Brendan Brazier for sharing this gift with us and for being such an inspiration!

Get More From Brendan

Check out Brendan’s latest book: Thrive Fitness: The Vegan-Based Training Program for Maximum Strength, Health, and Fitness, where he explains his approach to healthy living for athletes and the regular guy or gal!

Thrive Fitness includes:

• Benefits and usage of the top 15 foods to fuel workouts
• 30 vegan, performance-enhancing recipes
• Strategies to boost creativity, productivity, and mental sharpness

Let me know if you enjoyed this interview with Brendan Brazier, and who you’d like me to interview in upcoming series!

Today I have a very special guest video interview for you to watch.

Please welcome Amber Zuckswert of Epic Self, who writes about fitness and nutrition, while traveling and living the good life. I got to ask Amber some of my personal exercise related questions that I’m sure will help you as well!

Video Interview with Amber Zuckswert

(Click here to watch the embedded video.)

I hope you enjoy this interview with Amber, she’s got loads of fitness expertise. We had a great time filming, and hopefully the audio quality isn’t too much of a deterrent for you to watch this interview.

Recap of the interview

Question: What is your number one workout tip for people who are busy but want to make exercise a part of their lifestyle?

Amber’s answer was spot on. She recommends that we make moving a part of our day throughout the day. For example by taking the stairs, walking places, biking to work, getting up and taking breaks throughout the day and just moving your body more. I think that’s great advice and I think that all of us can really appreciate it and make happen it in our lives.

Question: What is your advice for people who need help getting motivated to work out?

Amber recommends that we take a look at ways to make exercising fun for us. She mentions that taking a class or doing a fun activity as an exercise routine is the greatest way to really embody this type of exercise. Also getting a buddy or having a friend exercise with you is a great way to keep you going.

Question: What keeps you motivated to work out what you love about?

Amber explains that dance has been part of her life since she can remember. She loves the idea of dancing and moving and she loves the way it makes her feel. She says it’s just something that has become a part of her lifestyle.

Question: What is your diet like and how do you feel on a daily basis?

Amber mentions that her diet consists of a lot of fruits and vegetables and she is moving more towards a plant-based diet. She avoids processed foods. She still consumes meat or fish about twice a week, and she also enjoys experimenting with all kinds of new foods. She mentions that she is always experimenting with different ways of eating.

Amber and I share a very similar point of view when it comes to health and nutrition, and I hope that she shared a lot of interesting tips to get you moving again and exercising for fun.

Let us know your motivation and fitness tips…

You can check out Amber’s blog at Epic Self and be sure to leave a comment and let us know what your favorite motivation and fitness tips are…