Mr. Universe’ Shows off his Vegan Physique in New PETA Ad

For Immediate Release:

29 March 2016

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 222; [email protected]

‘MR. UNIVERSE’ SHOWS OFF HIS VEGAN PHYSIQUE IN NEW PETA AD

Vegan Bodybuilder Credits Meat-Free Meals With Boosting

London – 2014’s Mr. Universe, Barny du Plessis, strikes a pose for the camera in a new ad campaign for PETA (video available here), proclaiming, “The world’s strongest animals are plant-eaters: gorillas, buffaloes, elephants and me”. Du Plessis – a lifelong bodybuilder – once believed consuming vast amounts of meat and eggs was the only way to build muscle. However, a growing list of health issues made him reassess his diet and ditch the flesh for protein-packed vegan meals. Since then, his health has improved dramatically, and he’s never been happier with his physique. Alongside bodybuilding vegan fiancé Josie Keck, he now competes at an elite level as the world’s first professional vegan bodybuilder.

In an exclusive PETA interview, he said, “Since becoming a vegan my training has been amazing. I wake up feeling good, I’ve got more energy, my recovery’s really good and I’ve got no aches and pains. Best of all, I’m not contributing to the suffering of animals.”

Going vegan is a great way to improve your health, as vegans are less prone to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and obesity than meat-eaters are. And each person who goes vegan prevents approximately 100 animals every year from being killed on factory farms, in slaughterhouses and on the decks of fishing boats.

Du Plessis joins a growing list of athletes – including Germany’s Strongest Man, Patrik Baboumian; American Ninja Warrior veteran Tim Shieff; football great Phil Neville and many others – who have teamed up with PETA (whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”) to promote healthy and humane meat-free meals.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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