{"id":3066,"date":"2020-10-21T11:23:05","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T11:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/?post_type=people&p=3066"},"modified":"2021-04-01T17:29:56","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T17:29:56","slug":"arnold-schwarzenegger","status":"publish","type":"people","link":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/people\/arnold-schwarzenegger\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Arnold Schwarzenegger Vegan?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Arnold
Arnold Schwarzenegger (kathclick \/ Bigstockphoto.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arnold Schwarzenegger has had quite a life and, at the time of writing, the 73 year old is still going strong. He\u2019s been a professional bodybuilder, a successful businessman, a frontline politician, and a Hollywood icon.<\/p>\n

Starring in such iconic films as The Terminator<\/em> series and Predator<\/em> (not to mention Kindergarten Cop<\/em> and Twins<\/em>!), he is one of the most recognisable faces on the planet. But let\u2019s cut straight to the important bit, is Arnold Schwarzenegger Vegan?<\/p>\n

A \u201cMainly Plant-Based\u201d Diet<\/h2>\n

People who are not familiar with plant-based protein<\/a> might scoff at such a suggestion. Surely someone as bulky as Arnie couldn\u2019t possibly be a weedy vegan?! Well, it\u2019s true to say that during his professional bodybuilding days, Schwarzenegger consumed plenty of meat, eggs and dairy. But in recent years he has transformed his eating regimen and has moved towards a \u201cmainly plant-based\u201d diet.<\/p>\n

Though, by his own admission, he is \u201cnot 100% vegan\u201d, he has stated that he has significantly reduced his meat and dairy intake. Based on the information we\u2019ve encountered, he\u2019s not really close to being vegan, but even so, he\u2019s at least moved towards the more plant-based end of the spectrum.<\/p>\n

Schwarzenegger was interviewed in 2019 for the Men\u2019s Health YouTube channel about his gym and what\u2019s in his fridge (see the YouTube clip below). When asked what his diet looks like, Arnie replied:<\/p>\n

As you can see, I am health conscious. I was not always health conscious\u2026 and now I eat more oat meals and greens and vegetables, and healthy foods\u2026 stay away more from the meats, and more from animal products, animal proteins because there was this misconception that it\u2019s the only way you get big and strong. So now I\u2019ve backed off that and I feel much better for being more on greens.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But, His Favourite Thing to Cook Is Steak…<\/h3>\n

Okay, that\u2019s hardly conclusive but it does hint he\u2019s turned his back on animal products completely \u2013 certainly there are lots of vegan bodybuilders<\/a> who have done that. Later in the interview, though, Arnie says his favourite thing to cook is steak. This is despite saying he stays away from meat for health reasons.<\/p>\n

He also puts eggs (complete with shells!) in his protein shakes. He does say that he \u201chates\u201d cow\u2019s milk and he drinks almond milk instead, which he suggests is \u201cmuch better\u201d.<\/p>\n