If God wanted us to be vegans, he would have created us with a mouth full of molars and four stomachs. Since we were meant to eat meat AND vegetables, vegans have to supplement their diets with certain micro nutrients if they want to truly thrive.

I’m not dissing vegans here. I do respect anyone’s commitment to a cause for any reason as long as it’s moral, but it is certainly more difficult to become healthy, and especially more difficult to be truly lean as a vegan.

I am an omnivore, but the majority of my calories come from grass fed beef, wild fish, or free range organic white meat. The rest of my calories come mostly from dark green vegetables.

At the end of each day, my total calories consumed are 4,000 or more. Since I own the X Gyms, I am mostly administrative. This means my activity level is low, my job is sedentary, and I workout a little less than 1 hour per week.

I know that my metabolism isn’t anything special, because back when I was eating different foods to the tune of about 2,500 calories a day, I was struggling to stay below 10% body fat. This is important because I need to stay lean and fit to be a good example to the X Gym members and to the personal trainers who work for me.

Now that I have about DOUBLED my caloric intake but changed the TYPE of calories, I sometimes get TOO lean! On occasion (like twice a week) I have to eat faster carbs like bread or fruit or supplements such as this bcaa optimum nutrition to FATTEN BACK UP to 5-7% body fat, which is my most comfortable range.

I eat all day. I feel great. I have the most energy of my life, and I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m never hungry and always feel satisfied. If I was a vegan, I would be eating lJay MadrigalJayess than half those calories, I’d be tired all the time, and would be battling a weight issue. I know this because I’ve tried it.

X Gym clients who follow this plan to the “T” have told me that it works TOO WELL, and TOO FAST! Nice problem to have though. They certainly aren’t complaining!

Traditional Inuit Indians are among the healthiest populations on the planet. Their incidence of disease rivals the lowest of any humans, yet their diet is over 90% animal flesh. The Hindus on the other hand, who don’t eat meat, have all sorts of health issues.

I know I will tick off some vegans with this post, but the facts can’t be argued with. Meat is your only source for a number of essential nutrients. Here are just a few examples and their benefits:

• L-carnosine: Ramps up brainpower. Vital to muscle growth and repair. Clears the body of toxins.
• L-carnitine: Boosts muscle power and bone strength. Burns fat off your gut, even when you’re just sitting there.1,2,3
• Vitamin B12: Powers your brain and nervous system. Crucial to making blood cells and to DNA formation. Necessary for healthy metabolism and digestion. Has even been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. 4

There has been more data recently, particularly on Vitamin B12. Recent studies from the U.S. Framingham trial show one in four adults in the United States are deficient in this vitally important nutrient, and nearly half the population has suboptimal blood levels. Vitamin B12 deficiency is extremely common in strict vegetarians and vegans. B12 is not readily available in plants, so if you do not eat meat or animal products you are at risk.

Again, I respect the plight and commitment of vegans, but if you are eating organic/wild/grass fed animals who are humanely raised and killed, you are doing your mind and body a huge favor by eating the way you were meant to eat.

If you are a vegan, you’d better be supplementing with some micro nutrients that only come from animal products, and you will have to settle for less energy and slower fitness results, with a lot less calories, and a lot more exercise than your omnivorous friends. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.

If there is a 100% vegan out there (not just vegetarian) who can eat as many calories as I do, sits at a desk most of the day, exercises less than an hour a week, and is below 7% body fat (and tells the truth), please respond to this post. I would love to hear from you!

I do of course welcome any and all other responses to any of my posts, so please feel free to comment for any reason no matter who you are. It’s the discussion that is the most fun for all of us!

1. Bernard et al. “L-carnitine supplementation and physical exercise restore age-associated decline…” 2008.The Journals of Gerontology A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. 63(10):1027-33.
   2. Hooshmand et al. “Dietary L-carnitine supplementation improves bone mineral density by suppressing bone turnover in aged ovariectomized rats.” 2008.Phytomedicine. 15(8):595-601.
   3. Chiu et al. “Correlation of serum L-carnitine and dehydro-epiandrosterone sulphate levels with age and sex in healthy adults.” 1999. Age Ageing. 28(2):89-91.
   4. M. Flint Beal, “Oxidative Mechanisms, Inflammation, and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathogenesis,” 9th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, June 2005.