# @thebodybuildingvegan on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Daatu4FuCxT
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/67617780-thebodybuildingvegan-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/f01193d056.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-05T16:12:43.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** John Thomas (@thebodybuildingvegan) — https://gondola.cc/thebodybuildingvegan

## Caption

Comment “💚” if you are a fit vegan! Hey everyone! It’s John, thebodybuildingvegan. Thank you all for being here, being vegan or vegan-curious, and supporting the movement to save animals!

A little about me:

At 10 years old, my best friend pointed to my hamburger and said “If you eat this, you’re killing a cow.” I was upset and defensive at first, but I knew she was right and that it didn’t align with my morals and values. After about 3 months, I fully committed to become vegetarian.

Fast-forward 3 years: my mom gave me a PETA magazine to learn some recipes. On the cover it said, “Why vegetarian isn’t enough.”

I went in to that magazine ready to debate that PETA writer and win… and came out shocked about the dairy & egg industries… and vegan.

At 15 years old, I decided to step into the gym.

On my first day, a jacked, 250 lbs trainer told me, “You’ll never be able to build muscle as a vegan.”

I was a bit disheartened, but decided to keep going out of my love for the weights. No matter if I could build muscle or not, saving the animals was more important to me, and I didn’t care.

I kept training, dove more into bodybuilding, built muscle, and compete in my first show at 21 years old.

Since then I’ve compete in 5 bodybuilding competitions, coached 500+ athletes, and founded vegansquadcoaching - a team of compassionate, driven vegans who are passionate about helping people thrive & build muscle as vegans, saving animals, and helping the world go vegan.

That trainer was misled by society, like most of us are. Like I was until age 13 when I learned the truth.

The Vegan Squad Team and I are all examples that we do not need to eat animals.

I’d love to learn about you. Were you also told you “couldn’t be vegan”? And where are you now on your health & fitness journey?

#vegan #vegancoaching #veganbodybuilding #veganfitness #veganbusiness

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 394
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- **Comments:** 7

## Tags

veganfitness, vegan, veganbusiness, vegancoaching, veganbodybuilding

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