The Protein Myth: How Eliminating Meat Cleared His Acne

Interview with Brian Turner

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Instagram: @brianturnerofficial

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Q: How has food impacted your life/ health? You had pretty severe acne trouble; what made you try a vegan diet?

A: Food has had quite an impact in the last few years of my life! At first I used Accutane to help clear my severe and cystic acne, but then after it started to come back I tried removing dairy and saw great improvements! From there I switched over to a vegan diet and about a month or two later it was extremely clear. My face was smooth and any pimples that would pop up would disappear within 24 hours!

Q: You were a bodybuilder before turning vegan; have you noticed any improvements since changing your diet?

A: I’ve been lifting for nine years now and what I noticed when I went vegan was a spike in energy, a large reduction in bloat, a complete elimination of mucus, and improved sleep. Before I was vegan, I had a huge intake: a ton of dairy, close to a gallon of milk a day, and tons of protein supplements, which caused my cystic acne and also caused me to always be bloated, slow to wake, and sick.

Q: What advice would you give to somebody who wants to gain mass?

A: Research as much as you can and plan things out so you can be smart about your time. You don’t need nearly as much protein as you think. I intake roughly 140-150 grams at 200 pounds. You should always aim to increase reps/weight/volume/ time in your lifts while keeping great form (this is called progressive overload), keep alcohol to an absolutely minimum intake, and make sure you are getting seven to eight hours of sleep as often as possible. I think those four principles are so incredibly important and also oftentimes overlooked!

Q: What advice can you give to someone transitioning over to veganism?

A: Take your time and do your research! Too often people try to go 100% overnight and they don’t adhere to the lifestyle because they didn’t switch over at a natural pace. People also forget to look around for inspiration on what meals they can make and end up eating very boring, tasteless dishes, which leads to them going back to their old diets. Watch Full Day of Eating videos on vegan YouTube channels (like my own, Jon Venus, and ChelseaLifts) and you’ll quickly build an arsenal of go-to meals that don’t make you feel like you’re missing out on anything!