Shreveport native and three-time Olympic weightlifter Kendrick Farris talks about his vegan diet and how his eating habits extended his career as a world class athlete.

Farris, featured in the widely acclaimed film, "The Game Changers," a documentary about a number of top athletes who eschew animal products, says he turned to a vegan diet in the latter stages of his career.

"I started eating this way about seven years ago and I actually put on weight," Farris says, "I was able to eat a lot more and recover a lot faster.

"Protein...that's in meat form. We know that the animals that we eat, they eat plants. That's how they're getting their protein. Nobody's asking the cow how he got his protein. Take the middle man out and get right to the source."

Farris then emphasizes that, despite what amounted to a radical change in training, he never felt intimidated or lacked confidence in his methods. "Actually, I didn't feel that I would be at a disadvantage. If you know anything about weightlifting, you know that it has a dark side and being clean, I've already gone up against other countries who have been caught with these (banned substances). And when it came to the food, I actually had results within a week and was better able to eat, sleep, recover."

Farris also the star of a currently running TV ad for Wonderful Pistachios, in which he trumpets the nut as a major protein source.

 

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