Kendrick Farris, 30, is currently the only U.S. male weightlifter competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. He began to lift weights back when he was 11, and was encouraged by a friend to practice the sport on a professional level when he was 18.
Since then, Farris has trained intensely to further his career. He has earned many Pan-American Championship titles, as well as the Best Snatch medal in the 2015 World Championships, and has even represented the United States in Beijing and London at the Summer Olympics.
Given Farris’ decorated career, it seems almost impossible that the weightlifter is actually vegan, and has been for the past two years.
Farris chose to omit meat from his diet because he doesn’t “necessarily trust the way food is being processed. I don’t agree with the way the animals are mass-slaughtered.”
When he first told his wife of his decision to change his diet – via text when he was at the gym – she found it “so random” and responded with “LOL.”
But the text wasn’t as arbitrary as it seemed – Farris and his wife, Katrina, are both still following a vegan diet at home.
“I think [the diet]’s made him better,” Katrina said.
Farris agrees wholeheartedly, “My mind is extremely clear. I’m not easily flustered [now]. My attitude is totally different.”
When asked about how he gets all the protein he needs to maintain his weightlifting capacities, Farris explains that it’s all about research. He looks into the protein content of all the foods that he’s eating and tries to be “efficient” by asking, “How much protein is in this…?”
While Katrina doesn’t completely follow the guidelines of a vegan diet – she’ll still order chicken and other meat dishes while she’s eating out with friends – she is extremely supportive of Farris’ lifestyle choice at home.
“We have been growing in this journey together,” Farris said.
“At home,” Katrina adds, “we don’t bring any products that aren’t vegan into our home, or I try not to…I do respect my husband and respect anything he’s doing.”
The couple’s secret to staying vegan while maintaining a healthy level of protein consumption?
Black beans.
Cook of the family, Kristina, jokes, “It’s like, OK. What can I make with black beans? Originally there’s a plan but by the end it’s about, what can I put together?”
