Diet Power: Olympian Gets Stronger, No Longer Eats Meat | Kendrick Farris

Can an athlete become stronger, recover faster, and clean and jerk more than 440 pounds without eating meat?

Three-time Olympian Kendrick Farris says the answer is yes.

Kendrick represented the United States at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games and was featured in the hit documentary The Game Changers. He ate a standard American diet during his first two Olympic appearances. By his third, he was completely plant-based—and he says the difference was extraordinary.

Kendrick tells Chuck Carroll that he did not lose explosiveness after changing his diet. He believes he gained more, recovered faster, completed more work, and became stronger.

He also opens up about growing up in poverty in Shreveport, Louisiana, where there were days when his family did not have enough food. When he asked his mother what they were eating, her answer was sometimes, "Fast and pray." That experience helped build the faith and discipline that would eventually carry him to the Olympic stage.

In this episode:

• How much protein an Olympic weightlifter eats
• How his performance changed after going plant-based
• His experience competing nine times in one year
• Why recovery became his greatest advantage
• Why he replaced whey with plant-based protein
• The bloating he experienced before changing protein sources
• How to order plant-based food at any restaurant
• What The Game Changers did for plant-based athletes
• Why he believes strength is physical, mental, and spiritual

The Physicians Committee's Plant-Powered Performance sports nutrition course begins Sept. 14 and features live instruction, expert Q&A, recordings, athlete-focused recipes, and practical strategies for improving energy, endurance, strength, and recovery.

🎉 PCRM Sports Nutrition Course

👉 https://bit.ly/PlantBasedAthletePCRM

🏋🏿‍♂️ Kendrick Farris

👉 https://blessthegymforever.com

🙏 Support The Exam Room Podcast & PCRM

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This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

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The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated action