Welcome to Raw Epicurean where a passion for raw vegan food + ideas + inspiration is shared through pixilated pages.
Raw food is for everyone! You don't have to be 100% raw to receive the benefits and enjoy it.
Recent Entries
- Saffron :: Herb of the Month
- Kyocera Ceramic Knife + Peeler Giveaway
- Apricots
- Coriander :: Herb of the Month
- Apple Sour Tonic
- Caraway Macaroons
- Red Clover :: Herb of the Month
- Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution
- Appetizers + Snacks (11)
- Book + Ebook Reviews (7)
- Breakfast Recipes (4)
- Cacao Recipes (5)
- Condiments (10)
- Cookie Recipes (9)
- Creams + Sauces (5)
- Dessert Recipes (24)
- Dressings + Vinaigrette (2)
- Drink Recipes (25)
- Eco-Friendly Products (3)
- Equipment + Gadgets + Tools (17)
- Etcetera (27)
- Foodie News (2)
- Health and Wellness Articles (4)
- Herb of the Month (14)
- Holiday Recipes (6)
- Main – Entrée (15)
- Make Your Own (2)
- Movie Reviews (2)
- Opinion (4)
- Organic Vegan Wine (3)
- People (18)
- Plant Food (13)
- Raw Kitchen Pantry (4)
- Restaurant Reviews (1)
- Salad Recipes (14)
- Side Dish Recipes (8)
- Soup Recipes (10)
- Suggestions + Tips (16)
Raw Vegan Recipes + More
Ingredient Index
Lists
Brendan Brazier :: An Interview and Giveaway
September 7, 2009
Brendan Brazier, who was named one of the 25 Most Fascinating Vegetarians by VegNews magazine, is a professional Ironman triathlete, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and health and wellness advocate.
First and foremost Brendan is a passionate athlete with a desire to excel. Through his extensive research and personal experience, he has narrowed down one of the key elements to becoming a high performance athlete. That key element is diet, and not just any diet, but a plant-based whole food diet. He knows what he speaks of, he lives it, and is one of a hand full of professional athletes whose diet is 100 percent plant-based, 80-85% of his diet consists of raw vegan foods.
Brendan’s dietary acumen spans beyond the athletic arena. He shares his knowledge as a sought-after speaker and presenter, and has addressed US Congress on Capitol Hill on the topic of improving personal health through better diet.
Among his other accomplishments, Brendan was nominated in 2006 for the Manning Innovation Award, Canada’s most prestigious award for innovation, has authored Thrive – The Vegan Nutrition Guide, and the soon to be released Thrive Fitness – The Vegan-Based Training Program. He is the creator of a product line of high quality whole food plant-based nutritional products called Vega.
In this interview, Brendan shares with us his projects and upcoming events, gives advice to aspiring athletes and those of us who simply work out to keep fit, tells us about his most memorable competition, and more.
Enjoy the Interview…
Ingrid Weithers-Barati: Tell us a bit about your background. What inspired you to become a professional Ironman triathlete?
Brendan Brazier: I first got into the sport of triathlon when I was 15. At the time, I started running to be a better hockey player. My skating wasn’t very good. So I thought if I could be fitter, I could be a better hockey player. I found that I really enjoyed running and started taking running really seriously. I did too much too fast and got injured so I started riding a bike to allow my running injury to heal and discovered I really liked cycling. Then I thought if I could learn how to swim I could do a triathlon. I fell in love with triathlon and the lifestyle. If I could make a career out of this and turn professional that would be ideal. I started training really hard and realized I would need every advantage I could get to reach an elite level. So I got a hold of the top athletes training programs and compared them to the average athlete and what really surprised me was that they were basically the same. So there was another factor that made some athletes great and others average. My goal became to find out what that was, which was recovery or the rate at which your body can repair itself. I found that 80% of recovery could be attributed to nutrition. I knew I could train more and improve faster if I recovered quicker. And I could recover quicker if I ate high quality food.
IWB: Which part of the competition do you enjoy the best – swimming, cycling, or running?
BB: Running. It has always fit into my lifestyle best. I can train wherever I am; whether on the road or at home.
IWB: What do you enjoy most and least about being a triathlete?
BB: Most: the training. Every day, I get to do what I love. Least: the time it takes. Triathlon training doesn’t leave much time for anything other than training making it difficult to fit in other projects.
IWB: Do you experience nervous jitters before a competition?
BB: No, I believe that if you run through all the steps of the race and training in your head, there’s no room for jitters. If you feel well-prepared, you can be confident you’re going to have a good race. I make sure I’ve taken all the steps I can to prepare and even have a backup plan like a spare tire for my bike or extra food and water just in case. Plus, if you enjoy what you’re doing the whole experience doesn’t seem as daunting and you’re less likely to have nerves.
IWB: Which is your most memorable competition, and why?
BB: My most memorable race was Ironman Canada in Penticton in 2001. It was the most “mental” race I’ve ever done. About 100km into the bike, I was in 6th place and started having back spasms. They continued throughout the remainder of the ride and into the run. This race was a real test of mental focus. I had to summon all my strengths to get past the pain and focus on the race. I ended up finishing a respectable 11th overall but really took away the biggest lesson from the power of mind over matter.
IWB: What one word would you use to describe yourself?
BB: Persistent.
IWB: Aside from being a professional triathlete, what are some things that bring you the biggest joy?
BB: I get to do what I love every day. I get to travel around the country and share information about plant-based nutrition and sustainability. I meet amazing people and open many eyes to the benefits of eating this way.
IWB: If you could be or do anything else what would you be or do?
BB: I’m doing what I love.
IWB: Tell us why you chose being vegan over being vegetarian, and when and why you decided to transition to a raw vegan diet?
BB: I initially set out to discover the best diet to improve my performance as an athlete. As I looked at the training plans of pro athletes, I discovered that the actual training didn’t vary that much from person to person so next I looked at their diets. It seemed that nutrition had a significant impact on recovery time – then I began to research foods that would improve recovery. My research directed me to a nutrient-dense vegan diet. Once I switched to a plant-based whole food diet it hasn’t changed a lot. I’ve included more raw than I started off doing initially. I’d say I eat 80 or 85 percent raw now. When I’m on the road, I don’t have the time or facility to prepare the food that’s in the meal plan, so I graze even more. I’m fortunate that I’m at a lot of health food stores a lot of the time so I can get good food.
IWB: Are there any particular plant-based foods that help you to prepare and/or acclimate yourself to different weather conditions [warm, cold] before a competition?
BB: When I first started eating largely raw I found it a bit hard in the winter—in Vancouver, it was raining for months on end. But after going through a couple more springs and summers of eating raw, when winter came I developed the desire to eat less cooked foods. I wasn’t forcing myself to eat raw, I just ate whatever I felt like if it was whole, plant-based foods.
IWB: Do you enjoy preparing raw recipes? If so, what do you enjoy making?
BB: Since I’m on the road a lot, I don’t have as much time as I would like to prepare to prepare raw recipes. But when I am home, I like to make some of the raw energy bar recipes in The Thrive Diet.
IWB: Some athletics venture into the culinary world by becoming restauranteurs. Would you considering opening a restaurant?
BB: No, while I think it would be great to have a place where people could get healthy, convenient food while on the go, I think my energies are better focused on creating new Vega products and letting others share their expertise in the restaurant business.
IWB: What was your most memorable raw food meal?
BB: The white nectarine I just ate was pretty good! I like such a variety of food, I really can’t choose just one.
IWB: Besides eating a plant-based diet and as much of it locally grown as possible, what others things do you do to help sustain the health of our environment?
BB: While on tour and through my books, I’m able to spread the word about plant-based nutrition and the impact that this choice can have on the environment. Sharing this information is one of the biggest way I can do my part to help sustain the health of our environment.
IWB: Do you have a hobby? If so, tell us about it.
BB: Honestly, napping! I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies but when I do get a little down time – a nap always sounds good!
IWB: What is the one thing about you few people know?
BB: I think I’m a “what you see is what you get” kind of person.
IWB: Tell us about your products line Vega?
BB: I had been making a blender drink since I was 15. I found plant-based sources for complete protein, B12, iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, blended them into a drink that I had after workouts and it made me feel exceptionally well. As a result, I was able to start my pro career earlier then the other athletes I was training with – even though we were doing the same exact things. I teamed up with Sequel Naturals, makers of ChlorEssence and MacaSure plant supplements, to produce a convenient version of this blender drink that was the first product in the Vega line. Vega now has a line of plant-based, nutrient-dense whole food products including drink formulas, snack bars and oil blends that are all-natural, gluten, wheat, soy and allergen-free products.
IWB: What is your favorite Vega product?
BB: I would say Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer. It was the first product I created and it’s how I start every day.
IWB: If there is one important tip or piece of advice you could offer an aspiring athlete or the everyday person who works to keep fit, what would it be?
BB: Find what you love to do and make the most of it. If you find a form of fitness that you love, you are more likely to stick to it and won’t need to force yourself to get out for your workout.
IWB: Are there any projects and/or events that you are involved in that are coming down the pipeline?
BB: My speaking tour starts up again this month. First, off to Philadelphia, then up to New York and Boston and later this year, on to California and Florida. Dates are available at vega community. My follow up book, Thrive Fitness is due to release in the US in January 2010. I recently released a free online program called Thrive in 30, which shares videos and emails about optimal health through plant-based nutrition. I wanted to make the information provided in my book accessible by all; I realized that the people who need this information most are the least likely to buy the book so by posting online anyone can learn about plant-based nutrition. We’ve also created an online community Vega Community, which provides a supportive online community for anyone on or interested in learning more about plant-based nutrition.
IWB: Is there anything that you’d like to add, any closing thoughts?
BB: Thanks for doing the interview.
Brendan has generously offered a copy of his book Thrive – The Vegan Nutrition Guide to one lucky Raw Epicurean reader. He and Sequel Naturals have also offered Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer Snack Pack Singles in four delicious flavors [chocolate, berry, natural, and vanilla chai] for another Raw Epicurean reader. Thank you Brendan and Sequel Naturals team!
Raw Epicurean also offers a copy of Brendan’s book Thrive – The Vegan Nutrition Guide to one reader.
To be eligible to win one of these awesome gifts, simply answer this question:
What type of workout do you incorporate into your healthy lifestyle?
One entry per person, please.
The drawing for this giveaway will take place Thursday, September 10th, and I will use my favorite random number picker to choose the winning participants. The winning participants will be contacted via email and an announcement will be posted in the comment section of this post.
Thank you and best of luck to all who participate.
More about Brendan Brazier
Visit Brendan’s website
Purchase Vega Products
Join Brendan Brazier’s free, 30-day online wellness program to achieve optimal health and vitality. Sign up now at Thrive in 30
Join the Vega Community
Stay connected with Brendan and Team Vega via
VegaTeam on Twitter
Tweet This: Send Page to Twitter
Comments
56 Comments so far
| Get The Raw Epicurean Report free monthly food news in your inbox |
Receive the latest raw vegan recipes and related posts via email alerts | RSS subscription
Let's connect via Twitter
Join our fabulous community
Herb of the Month
Red Clover our featured spice for April. We'll highlight its benefits, showcase it in raw vegan recipes, and at the end of the month a reader's name will be drawn from the comments, and our sponsor
will send that person products featuring red clover. Thank you for participating!
I try to be active everyday. I power walk with friends and run with friends. I also try to do yoga a couple of times a week. I live in North Carolina, so just being outside and being active is great!
I’m a yoga teacher, and practice often, I also workout
with kettlebells several times a week to keep more muscle
on my older body.
I thrive on a balanced and well rounded approach to fitness. I incorporate weight training 3 times a week but also balance and flexibility training and am planning to add hula hooping and a kettlebell into my fitness routine. I have recently ordered a bokken (a dull wooden samuria sword)and the forza book to start training in samuria sword fighing moves. The things that help my workout the most are planned periods of rest and making time for laughter in my life.
I love incorporating spinning into my workout, and have found that it is GREAT cross-training while I’m training for the marathon!
I have heard such great things about the book!! :)
Since I’m trying to move less and to work WITH my body, I only do yoga now. I love the serenity that I get from it.
I incorporate hiking, spinning, cycling, and yoga into my healthy lifestyle.
Pilates, cardio and weights. I’m also lucky to have a commute that doubles as exercise–a brisk 20-minute walk, mostly around a lakeside path, twice a day–and nice California weather to enjoy it in!
I try to do pilates type excercises at least 4 or 5 times a week and light weight training for my upper body. I walk everywhere.
Great interview! I work out six days a week and I like to keep it varied. I usually mix about 40 minutes of cardio (elliptical training, running, interval training, bodyweight exercises) with some basic strength training.
I have recently discovered the joy of walking, especially as we enter the autumn. I happen to live in a beautiful area of the country, and my small city has just completed a walking trail from one end of the town to the other. Nice to see my tax dollars at work!
i do bikram yoga every day; i find it to be an amazing compliment to the raw food lifestyle; gr8 detox duo!
Here is what I do for exercise:
Weight training 4 times a week
Spin class 2 x a week
100 push ups each day
running 1-2x a week
bike ride 1-2x a week
rebounding 1-3x a week
yoga when I can find the time!
Elliptical trainer 2 x a week
And I love every minute!
Brendan’s tips help me so much and I would love some of his Vega packets!
deb xo
I love to run but I also enjoy hiking in the mountains around my house!
Part of my workout includes taking my dog for long walks in the woods. I also practive yoga and cycle often.
I used to race triathlons but when I got married and had kids I set it aside for making money. We did a family triathlon with my two girls and I as a relay and my wife as a biker for another relay at Catalina in 2007. Want to do it again but real estate was not kind to me . . . Right now we eat 40% raw and are working towards more raw with the kids (challenging). Our workouts are nonexistent at the present time except riding the bikes to shop at Trader Joe’s and the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. But after cleaning the garage yesterday we uncovered our static contraction equipment, the rebounders, dumbbells and yoga mats come out today. Then we will see what we can do for consistent training of the body and soul. If we manage to get some extra cash we may yet do Catalina 2009 – I am still limping from a torn knee ligament so the relay is perfect for us.
Loved the interview! I’m fortunate to work at home, which makes it easier to incorporate daily walks and yoga practice. Having just survived breast cancer surgeries, I realize how my good nutrition helped me heal through the process. My husband and I are off to climb some 14ers in Colorado, along with our two Weimaraners. This time around may be slower than previous years, but I’m going to try to incorporate Brendan’s power of mind over matter to summit each peak we set out to climb. Thanks for being so inspirational!
What a treat!
My choice of exercise is Power Yoga–unlike other types of yoga it concentrates on all muscle groups, leaving out the aspects of yoga that some of us are not interested it. It is more like weight lifting, only your body is your weights. It is quite amazing.
For the Brendan question ( and drawing )
I incorporate spin class, total body workout, fast walking, hiking and soon, boot camp.
Thanks for the great interview. I have one of Brendan’s books and we give the shakes to our kids.
I either use a trampoline or a bike five days a week. I often wear a pedometer to make sure that I get at least 10,000 steps in a day. (Not as easy as one might think when spending so much time at a computer!)
Great interview!
I try to do something everyday, either walking, jogging, spinning or a yoga at home with podcast! :)
What type of workout do you incorporate into your healthy lifestyle?
I either walk an hour or jog a half-hour, or do water exercises in the pool when I have access to one.
Thanks for entering me in the contest, I presume this is the way to do it.
Love your website – thank you for your service to humanity!
Solyra
Thanks for the great interview! I always love to hear from raw vegan athletes :)
I’m learning Yoga as my fitness plan. Currently, I’m still very overweight, though it is slowly, steadily coming off, and my joints still hurt a lot. Yoga gives me some strength and flexibility while not stressing me overmuch.
Whether it’s working in the yard, walking the dog, or some time at the gym, I’m a constant mover. But my guess is the best “workout” is smiling and laughing…positive attitude and happiness gives one the best healthy lifestyle.
This time of year when the days are sunny and warm, I like to get out just about every day to go walking. I am also just starting to incorporate a yoga practice into my life.
I do something every day – it’s usually yoga, walking, or rebounding (or some combination of the 3!). I’m in Northern California and I’m lucky to have great weather most of the year. When I get time I enjoy hiking :)
I have some physical limitations so my main exercise is simply walking. Living on 40 acres, there are farm lanes and neighboring lanes to keep me safely off the roadways. In the winter, I use a treadmill –
Walking keeps me healthier in a lot of physical ways, but it is also one of my “mental health” tools!
i am trying to start running more. i used to be a hard core gym-goer but i am just so tired of it. I am trying to workout more outdoors.
I use workout routines that are on my ipod – they motivate me to do much more then I’d do if I had to figure out the routine on my own. I’m also trying to get into running but it just hasn’t clicked yet.
I run/walk 4x a week and power yoga 2x a week. I’m planning to add swimming into the mix this fall.
I walk to class every day (which is about 40 minutes of walking round trip). I also weight train 3 days a week and ride horses 5 days a week. I rock climb on the weekends.
Hello, and thanks for in interesting interview. Brendon Brazier seems like a very down-to-earth guy.
I currently use the Turbo Jam and P90 workouts from BeachBody as my primary exercise. It incorporates cardio/abs and weights in a fun way with music. I also walk to and from work everyday. It’s nice being outside everyday to see the changing of the seasons!
Hiya!
I like to workout 6 days a week with one day for rest. I alternate weight training with cardio and I use a similar program to that one used with Body for Life. And I feel awesome!
:D
I love to hike and walk and do one or the other daily along with stretching and weight training.
I do weight training to build lean muscle, cardio, yoga and most importantly a healthy green smoothie loaded with live foods.
What a fabulous interview!
I always make sure to incorporate some walking into my day- it’s easy to sneak it in considering I go to school in NYC!
I love Vinyasa yoga and also do interval training 3 days a week and kickboxing! Great interview, Thanks!
I’m all about running! and yoga (especially power/bikram) and zumba!
and brandan brazier is my hero! I loved Thrive and almost every page is dog-eared!
if i win, i’d pass it on to a friend!
thanks for the great interview and giveaway!
I actually have Brendan’s Thrive book. I read it about 4 months ago and I absolutely love it! I keep it in the kitchen as a reference. His book is what introduced me to Maca and Chlorella – my new fave wonder supplements. Although I loved the book, the Vega Whole Food Optimizer is a little expensive for my budget, but i would love to try it out and determine if it is as amazing as i think it is. I can’t wait for his new book to come out.
Anyways.. I am an aerialist and contortionist so obviously those things keep me very active! I am currently working on adding hand balancing and hooping to my circus skills! I am also an avid runner. As a vegan and an athlete, Brendan’s products are incredibly important to me.
Thanks so much for this interview!
I do weight training every other day, and do cardio everyday, i feel SO good, a runners high i guess. I love the way i feel, it keeps me going, i play volleyball 3 nights a week and soccer once,life’s great!
Training for my first Ironman this last August in Penticton. Every day was a test of planning to get in a swim, a bike, a run, or weights, and still work, move into my first home and enjoying time with my wife in our first year of marriage. I look for any opportunity to turn a daily activity into a workout. Take the stairs at Skytrain or work, Stretch while waiting for the bus. Bike to the grocery store. Walk to dinner down by the Quay. I work in a shoe store and I often suggest that the customer go for a quick run in there shoes!!
At 35 I suffered a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) I was never supposed to walk or talk again. Every minute of every day is a blessing and we can do anything we want to.
Dave
I thrive on aerobics classes, five times a week. They give me boundless energy.
Thanks for this post and information as well as the giveaway.
I love a variety of workouts, from pilates, to walking, weight training, plyometrics, to getting a workout from daily activities. I think keeping it fun and interesting is helpful.
The workout routines I incorporate into my healthier lifestyle include: yoga, cycling, stairmaster and jogging.
I have a crosstrainer that I use about three, four times a week and I use my bicycle to go to work and to do my grocery shopping.
I also love to walk.
Running – but I would love to add swimming & biking, I have been reading a bit on blogs about raw & vegan – want to learn more
I’ve recently taken up hooping! its a great workout- burns lots of calories, builds coordination, tones…. love it!
I incorporate a variety of workouts, including running, spinning, yoga and strength training.
And like Brendan, I eat a mostly plant-based, whole foods diet. I start each day with a green/protein smoothie – by far the best-tasting, healthiest necessity for energy, digestion, exercise recovery and more.
dancing mostly, to music as i prepare raw dishes but i also get out and clear my head with a motorcycle ride to anywhere there is water. i know, not much of a workout but it sure does work out the kinks in my head. i also have a stretching routine to relax and flow…
I do free-weight training 3 days a week and interval cardio. I vary my workouts every month to keep my body from getting in a rut. I have one dog that is my workout partner while weightlifting and the rest join in for the interval cardio as we run along dirt roads and paths from our home in rural Arizona.
Bellydancing keeps me in great shape and super flexible. :)
I am a dog walker and I ride barrel horses every day. I also like to jog/walk and look forward to a 1/2 marathon in October in Des Moines, Iowa. I am adding fresh fruit and veggies to every meal and love the energy. I am saving money for a juicer and a food processor so I can incorporate a raw food meal in at least once a day.
I just bought the thrive book and am slowly going through it. I bought some hemp oil. I’m currently training for a 10 K, a 10 miler, and a half marathon. I would love to try the health food optimizer to see how it improves my training and recovery.
I cycle to work and back that’s about 50 mins of exercise a day especially that it’s on hilly terrain. I also dance the 5 rhythms by Gabrielle Roth once a week in a group and I do horse-riding and yoga.
Martie receives a copy of Brendan Brazier’s book Thrive – The Vegan Nutrition Guide
and
Elena Wilkins of Eat Healthy Be Happy receives a copy of Brendan Brazier’s book Thrive – The Vegan Nutrition Guide
and
Kate Morris receives Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer Snack Pack Singles in four delicious flavors [chocolate, berry, natural, and vanilla chai].
Enjoy your gifts. :-)
I can’t believe I missed this interview! It must have snuck past me on Google reader: (
I love Brendan’s online Thrive program, he is an enthusiastic guy!
I know it’s past the deadline but I would say I love working out at home. My latest program was Cathe’s STS, it’s great!
I train for triathlons to stay active!