My interview with Jordan David of Conscious Muscle
Not too long ago I ran across a fellow vegan by the name of Jordan David of Conscious Muscle. He caught my eye immediately because he is the perfect example to answer the most popular question we get, “You are vegan…so how do you get protein?”
One look at Jordan and his brand Conscious Muscle, you have to wonder why people really ask this question. Honestly I get it…..most people don’t think vegan’s get protein yet Jordan proves the doubters wrong.
But Jordan of Conscious Muscle is more than just a guy who is vegan with a great physique. He is also an animal advocate, father, bodybuilder and health coach.
After following him for a few months I decided to connect and see if he would be open to answering some questions for us.
He graciously said, YES!
So let’s get started with Jordan David of Conscious Muscle! I hope you enjoy this interview today.
Question: Could you begin by telling us a little about yourself and the reason why you went vegan?
Jordan: My name is Jordan and I’m a vegan Fitness and Nutrition lifestyle coach. I am also a father of two beautiful little girls and have a small animal sanctuary out here in my neck of the woods. I have been in the fitness industry for 10 years and vegan going on two years. In terms of going vegan I had a client talk to me about the benefits of veganism and the horrors and negative effects factory farming entail. Like any non vegan approached with veganism I met her with hostility and ignorance as it questioned everything I was conditioned to believe my whole life. We tend to be very identified with ego at times and very resistant to new information as we identify with our opinions and at times Sikh Identity or value from them. Needless to say I actually did my due diligence and read studies, looked at the data and proceeded to watch documentaries like Forks Over Knives, Earthlings and Cowspiracy. Needless to say there was no looking back. My journey started for health and sustainability reasons and quickly shifted to the moral and ethical aspects of veganism. Now veganism is the driving force behind every aspect of my life ranging from my family to my business down to every decision I make. I believe activism is our rent for living on this planet and it is the very least we can do.
Question: What does being VEGAN mean to you?
Jordan: Simply put to me veganism means living your life causing the least harm possible. It really is that simple, leave this world a better place than the one we were born into.
Question: What do you feel are some of the top “myths” about being Vegan and how do you respond?
Jordan: Some of the biggest myths I encounter regarding veganism is that we are protein deficient and weak and there is no good food to eat. People ask me what I eat and I tell them everything! I sum it up very simply if it doesn’t have a face or a family I will eat it. In terms of protein I can tell you it is the absolute least of my worries as all foods contain the protein and amino acids we need to thrive.
Question: What is by far your favorite VEGAN meal?
Jordan: This is a tough question, I don’t know that I can pick my favorite vegan meal lol. At times I really dig a good vegan pizza and sometimes I’m all about raw foods, sprouts and greens. I wish I could give you a more definitive answer but there’s so much yummy vegan food out there!
Question: A lot of people have a difficult time transitioning to vegan and honestly it seems it’s because they are not eating a well balanced meal. So what should someone do to make sure that they’re staying nutritionally balanced while vegan.
Jordan: My biggest advice when transitioning to vegan it’s just keep in mind the current macro profile you are eating. Essentially that means the caloric value, carbohydrates, proteins and fats you’re currently eating. You could easily translate this into a vegan diet so you are getting the same macronutrients with an abundance of vitamins minerals and phytonutrients. If you are not sure how to do this I strongly recommend seeking out a coach like myself who can assist you in the process. I wish I had someone to help me along the way as I help others. That being said just keep in mind what your dietary needs are and they can easily be achieved through a vegan diet.
Also if there is a specific subject you are interested in in regards to Foods or whatever it maybe utilize YouTube as it is an amazing resource with countless videos on vegan foods, recipes and so on.
Question: Do you think there will ever be a period of time where we see a majority of people going vegan?
Jordan: I feel there is already a huge shift in Consciousness and more people than ever are going vegan or at the very least contemplating it. I hope this transition happens faster because eventually it will occur out of sheer necessity due to the diminishing of our natural resources.
Question: What advice would you give to someone who wants to take the next step on their journey to become vegan? Maybe suggest things you wish you had known when you went vegan, advice, books or documentaries.
Jordan: My biggest advice to someone starting is check out the documentary Forks Over Knives and Cowspiracy for starters. I think it is important to have a good grasp on the benefits of veganism therefore the transition is that much easier as you will know your purpose and drive. I also recommend easy to follow recipe books like Thug Kitchen on amazon.com.
Question: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle – both online and in the real world?
Jordan: In terms of responding to negative comments if it is truly someone who disagrees and they are up for a debate or discussion I will do my best to inform and educate those I am speaking with. I do not take it personally as I once met veganism with ignorance myself. I’m sure as you know as well as everyone reading this knows there is no shortage of trolls on the internet who like to give vegans a hard time. At this point I just ignore it, it used to really bother me but I realize that all of these trolling comments don’t really come from a place of maliciousness but rather ignorance and unknowing. People fear what they do not understand and if you question their way of doing things they take it personally. Essentially I have learned not to take any of it personal. I know why I do what I do and will do everything in my power to spread veganism in any way possible and I will not let other people’s negativity rob me of my positivity nor their weakness rob me of my strength.
Question: What does your typical day look like as far as breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Jordan: A typical day of eating is pretty simple for me. I start my day with a room temperature glass of water and lemon juice due to the alkaline nature of this drink. After about 20 minutes I have 3 ounces of wheatgrass and then after letting that digest for 20 minutes I have my first meal which is a shake. It’s essentially a protein-packed superfood supergreens Shake. I then have my meals throughout the day with either consistent beans, lentils, vegetables or non GMO meat substitutes like tempeh as protein sources. I reserve fruits to be consumed after my training / for post-workout due to the glycogen replenishment and effect simple sugars have on body chemistry which are very beneficial in conjunction with protein after training. Then I have dinner which is much like the meals I had earlier in the day and on occasion something sweet… I’m sure as you know there is no shortage of yummy vegan desserts.. This is a blessing and a curse lol. Also just to elaborate on what a meal might look like I’ll give a quick example. As my protein source let’s say 4 ounces of tempeh flavored to my liking, 4 ounces of broccoli, 4 ounces of spinach and something like 3 ounces of quinoa for a carbohydrate source.
Question: One last easy question….where can people find out more about you?
Jordan: To find out more about me and what I do and how I help others you can check out my website at www.ConsciousMuscle.net.
I hope you found value in this post and please give us a comment below to show appreciation to Jordan David of Conscious Muscle for taking time out of his day to answer my questions.
