Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness by Robert Cheeke Review

18 tofu hot dogs.

When you’re passionate about something, it doesn’t matter what it takes. If that means you eat 18 tofu hot dogs to get your daily calories and protein to build muscle while living a vegan lifestyle then that’s what you do.

Not that Robert Cheeke regularly eats 18 tofu hot dogs anymore. His diet has evolved over time, just like anyone on a mission.

And make no mistake; he is a man on a mission.

His book, Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

, details his mission.  From a skinny farm boy to the World’s Most Recognized Vegan Body Builder, it’s quite a story indeed.

In my opinion, it’s his story and passion for being vegan and for fitness that makes this book a great read.  While I found the chapters covering meal plans, supplements and workouts interesting it was his story I enjoyed the most.  I always enjoy the journey, hearing personal stories of transformation. I always find ways that I can connect and identify with someone whom I may have never met. It seems there is always something we’ve “shared” on our journeys.

For example, he describes his first real bodybuilding program as the one from Body for Life

. I had to chuckle for a moment when I read that. I also started my journey using Body for Life as one of my tools. I was certainly not interested in “bodybuilding” when I started, I just wanted to lose some fat and get my body back!  I would say he was much more successful than I was but I did achieve my initial goal of losing fat and starting down the road to health and fitness. I also remember the tofu dogs. I would eat a tofu dog with a bun to get my combo of protein and carbs.  It’s amazing how much I think we’ve both learned since then.

I also got a much needed nudge.

We all have times in our lives that we coast a bit.  After the first of the year I found myself in one of those places. I was doing what had to be done to get by but not a whole lot more, both personally and professionally. I was letting my stress control plan be the excuse to not get out and meet people as much or turn off the computer before all my work was really done for the day.

Then I read the essay included in the book called Increase Your Work Ethic to Create Your Own Results. Talk about a much needed swift kick in the pants.  The reason things weren’t progressing was because I wasn’t really giving it my all. The reason positive things weren’t happening was because I wasn’t making them happen.  I wasn’t working nearly has hard as I could have been and that was why my results weren’t as great as they should have been.

When I read this essay, not too long after returning energized from SXSW, I realized I needed to step up my efforts. Once I did, things turned around almost instantly. Now I go as hard as I can every day, every workout. I make every day, every minute count. If I don’t give everything I can to those things I am passionate about, then what’s the point? No more coasting for me.

There are lots of good reasons to check out this book. Interested in a vegan lifestyle? There’s lots of great information and resources for you.  Interested in learning more about a solid bodybuilding workout plan? There are plenty of great examples that are easy to follow. For me, however, the best reason to read this book is to be inspired. Need some help with motivation and reigniting your passion? Then check this one out for sure.