Hi, I’m Leif.
Welcome to The Vegan Gym!
I’m on a MISSION to show the world that vegans are strong, healthy, compassionate BADASSES who are leading the charge against chronic disease, animal abuse, and climate change.
My Story
When I began my senior year of college, I thought I was going to die.
Just a few days before beginning my fall semester in late August 2013, I had surgery to remove a walnut-sized tumor from my lower abdomen.
When the surgeon received the biopsy results, he urgently called me into his office to tell me the tumor tested positive for Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), an incredibly rare form of cancer.
I spent my first weeks of my senior year in and out of cold, sterile oncology centers, being poked, prodded, and scanned to determine if the disease had spread.
For the first month of school, I couldn’t go to class or spend time with family and friends. I withdrew myself from everything and everyone. I felt utterly alone.
When my oncologist called me into his office a few weeks later to tell me that my disease had not spread, I was overcome with gratitude and relief. Life slowly returned to normal, but the experience remained.
I swore I would do whatever it took to never face this hell again.
I became obsessed with learning everything I could about natural disease prevention, which ultimately led me to adopt a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet in May 2014.
By taking control of my health, I felt empowered, but I was also resigned to leaving my bodybuilding aspirations behind without animal protein. I had bought into the common misconception that a meat-rich diet is the only path to achieving a superhero physique.
But after a bit of poking around online, I began seeing super muscular vegan athletes like Nimai Delgado, Patrik Baboumian, and Derek Tresize who defied conventional bodybuilding wisdom.
So I ditched the bodybuilding magazines and steroid pumped “gurus” and dove into the scientific research of muscle growth.
I discovered 3 laws that govern natural vegan muscle growth and fat loss:
1.You MUST progressively overload your muscles.
2.You MUST focus on heavy compound exercises like the squat, deadlift, and bench press.
3.You MUST eat plenty of protein and use macros effectively to optimize body composition.
Since learning these 3 simple laws, I’ve gained 15 pounds of lean vegan muscle and become ripped.
I’ve never used anabolic steroids or fat loss drugs, and here’s my shredded look of about 7% body fat.
Along my vegan bodybuilding journey, I’ve become a certified personal trainer and received a certificate in plant-based nutrition from Cornell.
More importantly, I’ve had the opportunity to help thousands of vegans reach their fitness goals.
But I’m just getting started. My goal is to help ONE MILLION vegans get in the best shape of their lives.
Are you next?
