We had been following John for quite some time when we bumped into him at VegFest London last October. We loved his profile @plantbasedhealthandfitness, which is aptly named and John is quickly gaining notoriety in the world of plant-based health and fitness. Already an inspiration to many, John is driven and focused to help others who want to commit to a healthy plant-based lifestyle. He believes in looking and feeling great, whilst at the same time helping to protect the environment.
John's values reflect our own, and we were interested to get his take on adopting a plant-based diet, what inspired him to go vegan and how important sustainability is to him.
What did you have for breakfast today?
Which one? Haha. I'm currently in a bulking phase of my diet as I'm trying to add more muscle so I'm having 2 breakfasts. I always start the day with a big bowl of oats, with added chia seed, hemp and flax seed as well as walnuts to make sure I get my omegas along with lots of other healthy ingredients and a plant-based milk. I then workout and have my 2nd breakfast after which is a smoothie with, watermelon, blueberries, banana, dates and Vivo Life protein powder.
When did you decide to become vegan and why?
I’ve been vegan for nearly 2 years now after being vegetarian for about 18 months before that. What made me make the switch to vegan was watching a video I came across on Facebook called ‘Dairy is Scary’. Before seeing this, I was unaware of the awful process behind dairy farming and my wife and I made the switch there and then.
Why are health and fitness so important to you?
Health and fitness are the pillars which hold everything else together in my life. The healthier and fitter I am the better I feel. The better I feel the more productive I am. The more productive I am the better I sleep. The better I sleep the more I can feel positive and have positive relationships. Health and fitness is not just about muscles and six packs.
"A 1 hour workout is 4% of your day."
What advice would you give to somebody considering veganism?
Just go for it! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from feeling healthier to having a clean ethical conscious. Also don’t put too much pressure on yourself to switch immediately. If it means cutting out meat and dairy a day at a time or making small steps to eventually being vegan then that’s fine, everybody can do it in their own way.
What do you base your buying decisions on?
First I always check the product is vegan friendly. I then ask myself if I need this product, will it benefit my life? I try as much as possible to live a minimalist lifestyle and I heard a good guide to making purchases which I try to stick to, it also helps save money and makes you know you definitely want the item. If an item is £50 then wait 5 days and see if you still want the item, if it’s £60 wait 6 days and so on. It’s a really good guide to stop wastage and impulse buying.
How important do you think sustainability is and how does it influence how you live your life?
Sustainability is very important to me. We live in a crazy fast paced world where production comes first and environment comes second. I'm always keen to buy from sustainable companies who care about the environment, this includes everything from clothing to food. I took part in plastic free July in 2018 which really taught me about the impact of plastic and how it isn't sustainable, having a month where you are as plastic free as possible is something I’d really recommend as a learning tool.
What would be your desert island dinner/ favourite meal?
This is a tough one as I'm a big foody. I'm going to have to go with a smoothie bowl though as I'm addicted to them, even in winter.
“Eat nutritious. Life heavy. Cuddle often. Work hard. Enjoy Life.”
Who has been the most influential person in your life?
Again, this is tough to answer. So many people have impacted my life, my wife, friends, even influencers but I'm going to say my parents as they have been in my life the longest. They taught me from a young age about core values such as hard work and respect which I follow every day of my life.
What do you listen to when you’re working out?
If I'm weight training then it’s some kind of rock or Indie music, I'm a big fan of old music so it could be something like that. If I'm doing cardio I like to listen to a podcast, something like Generation V by Nimai Delgado, Joe Rogan or Rich Roll.
How do you retain your wonderful positive attitude?
I'm a big believer in positivity and the law of attraction. I surround myself with positive people and cut all negative people from my life a long time ago. I always try to be positive whenever I'm sharing something online as that can influence other people. Just remember that what you see online is just a glimpse of someone’s life and everyone has their periods of feeling down, myself included.
Plant-based health can be tough to get your head around, but influencers like John make the shift easy with tips, recipes and training videos to make sure people reach their fitness goals whilst maintaining optimum health. Through the power of social media and his own determination, John is proving that one person really can make a difference.
You can find John on instagram - @plantbasedhealthandfitness, visit his website PBH Fitness or subscribe to his YouTube Channel
John likes to carry the Watson & Wolfe Slim Card Holder in black as his everyday accessory.
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