Noel Polanco Is a vegan fitness
athlete & print model from New York City. Growing up as a chubby kid in
Washington Heights, Noel lost weight through jumping rope. Little Noel was an
animal lover so he soon adapted to a vegetarian diet and later went completely
vegan. Now he is a vegan health and fitness advocate, defender of animal rights
and protector of women who have been victims of domestic violence. Noel focuses
on inspiring younger kids who are now affected with diabetes and obesity. He
makes inspiring videos to motivate other people into living a healthier
lifestyle.
Why
Vegan?
I am vegan because I love animals. After
seeing so many people suffering with diseases such as diabetes, obesity and
cancer, I asked myself if the Standard American Diet (SAD) was in fact so
healthy then why are people getting sick? All of these diseases could be
prevented though a Vegan diet. As we have now seen, even Bill Clinton went
vegan to reverse his own heart disease. I am vegan because I love animals and
want to prevent sickness.
How
long have you been vegan?
I have been Vegan now for over 3 years. Was
mainly vegetarian before.
What
has benefited you the most from being a vegan?
I have more energy. I haven't had a cold,
or flu. I love it.
What
does veganism mean to you?
Veganism to me means living in peace with
the animals that share this planet with us. As well as living without causing
any harm to our bodies, planet and animals.
Training
What
sort of training do you do?
I do all kinds of training from bodyweight
exercises, to exercises with a weighted vest. I am always doing different stuff
whatever my body feels like doing on the day.
How
often do you (need to) train?
I train every day.
Do
you offer your fitness or training services to others?
Yes, I offer fitness advice and help people
lose weight, and also make inspiring workout videos that you can see on my
YouTube channel.
What
sports do you play?
I play Basketball, Football, and Track.
Strengths,
Weaknesses & Outside Influences
What
do you think is the biggest misconception about vegans and how do you address
this?
Biggest misconception about vegans is that
vegans are weak. When they see me workout, I prove them wrong.
What
are you strengths as a vegan athlete?
My strengths as a vegan athlete are that I
have mastered my own bodyweight. I can do Human Flags, one arm pull ups, one
arm pushups, one legged squats. Basically, every difficult exercise with your
own bodyweight I am able to do. I still train hard every day because you can
always find harder stuff and exercises to do.
Are
the non-vegans in your industry supportive or not?
Not every non-vegan person is supportive.
When people can't do something them self they want to tell you that you can't
do it.
Are
your family and friends supportive of your vegan lifestyle?
Most of them are, they are open-minded and
give it a try. I have inspired and helped more than 20 people become vegan.
What
is the most common question/comment that people ask/say when they find out that
you are a vegan and how do you respond?
Where do you get your protein? I think
every person that is vegan gets asked that same question over and over again. I
answer it in a friendly way and tell them the truth about the protein myth.
People should be worrying about NOT consuming too much protein to stay healthy.
Who
or what motivates you?
It's kind of sad but my motivation is my
family, the people around me, and my results. By seeing my family, friends etc.
suffering with diseases and being overweight, it motivates me to workout every
day, to keep following a vegan diet to not end up like them. My main goal in
life is to prevent sickness, and be healthy. I want to inspire the younger kids
because I once was chubby and not healthy when I was little. Also, seeing my
results, my energy and the way I feel and look. That keeps me motivated.
Food
& Supplements
Everyday is not the same I don't eat the
same thing over and over again. I wrote down what I ate today.
What do you eat for:
Breakfast: quinoa With tofu and 1 cup of
vanilla soy milk
Lunch: Ezekiel cereal with chia seeds and
raw oats
Dinner: brown rice and beans, raw
cucumbers, tomatoes and hummus.
Snacks (healthy & not-so healthy) Clif
bars, Larabars, any fruits, any nuts or seeds, raisins, and fruit smoothies.
What
is your favourite source of:
Protein: Quinoa
Calcium: Broccoli
Iron: Broccoli
What
foods give you the most energy?
Fruit Smoothies
Do
you take any supplements?
I don't take any supplements. I believe
don't believe in artificial or powder stuff. I get all my nutrients from the
food that grows on the planet.
Advice
What
is your top tip for:
Gaining
muscle: My tip for gaining muscle would be TRAIN HARD. When you feel you don't
want to train, that’s the day that you need to train the most. Get enough sleep
and just train every day. Make training a daily routine in your lifestyle.
Don't rush into getting big muscles just train to be healthy and fit. Then when
you look at yourself after 5 years you will be like: WOW hard work pays off.
Never rush into trying to get results. Have fun when working out and train every
day. Don't follow the rules in magazines etc.
Losing
weight: My tip for losing weight is that if you own or use a treadmill throw it
out the window. Go outside and run or walk. That’s how you lose weight. Stop
focusing on using all these machines and fake equipment. Run, Sprint, Walk or
climb up and down the stairs. Eat non-processed food, more fruits and veggies.
Also following a plant-based diet will help you lose weight.
Maintaining
weight: My tip for maintaining weight would be to eat enough calories. Never
starve, and don't be afraid of consuming avocados, nuts, and coconut milk.
Improving
metabolism: My tip for improving your metabolism would be simple: Just
eat more fruit.
Toning
up:
My tip for toning up would be to exercise EVERYDAY.
How
do you promote veganism in your daily life?
I promote veganism everyday either in
person or online via websites and social networks. I also make videos where I
talk about the benefits of a vegan diet, and show people how to exercise like I
do. I also share disturbing images of what the meat is like before it get to
your plate.
Source: Viva La Vegan