Jenna is a vegan, female powerlifting athlete currently residing in California. Checkout her full and fun interview below. Follow her on her gram @fitnessingg
Jenna let’s kick things off with you telling us something interesting about yourself. Also how long have you been a vegan?
J: My other favorite hobby other than powerlifting is raving! It doesn’t mesh well with powerlifting because of recovery, but doing it sober makes it easier 🙂
As of August 2022, I’ll be vegan for 6 years!
For some, health and diet are the most important aspect of choosing a vegan lifestyle, but for others motivation is firmly rooted in compassion for animals. What are your motivating factors?
J: In the beginning, it was mostly for health and diet. I’ve always been well versed in the amount of torture that animals go through, but it never seemed like my problem. I went vegan for the wrong reason (to lose weight). The longer I’ve stayed vegan, the more i’ve realized that being vegan is not a diet, and it is a lifestyle. I’ve stayed vegan because I can’t imagine eating an animal again. They’re not food in my eyes.
For the general fitness enthusiast, female, or male, do you think basing the majority of their training routine on the principles of strength training would be beneficial?
J: It comes down for personal preference as well as goals. I think it absolutely is beneficial to have functional strength, which can be built in the gym, but I don’t think everyone needs to lift heavy weights. There are so many other ways to build functional strength!
What made you decide to get into powerlifting and how has it changed your life?
J: Getting into powerlifting was a mix of being in the gym and wanting to do something different than just a normal ‘bodybuilding’ split and being interested in the community on Instagram. It’s changed my life by giving me a sense of belonging in my life. I’ve found an amazing support group through Instagram and gym!
My life revolves almost completely around lifting now because I do it for work and it is one of my main hobbies.
What does strength mean to you, and why is being strong so important?
J: Being strong is badass and it is a huge confidence booster! Strength and powerlifting are so important to me because i am super goal oriented. It gives me something to work towards every single day.
What, in your opinion, are the biggest misconceptions regarding strength training today?
J: I think society is slowly getting away from this idea, but many people assume that strength training as a woman will automatically lead to gaining lots of “bulky” muscle. This is hard to do. If it were so easy to lift one single weight and build bulky muscle, more women would be bodybuilding champs!
Another misconception is that you “need” to eat meat to build muscle. As a vegan, can we just tear these myths down once and for all. How are your energy levels, gym gains and overall happiness all contributions of being a vegan?
J: I’ve been vegan for nearly six years, so I can’t tell you if I feel better/worse than before. However, I can tell you that I train 5 days a week for 2 hours at a time and I feel completely fine.
I also started lifting weights AFTER becoming vegan, so any muscle I’ve gained has been done with completely plant-based foods.
What does it take to excel and succeed in your sport?
J: Dedication and consistency. Motivation dies down fast in powerlifting because powerlifting is boring. We do the same programmed exercises for months at a time. Dedication must take over!
What would be the number one vegan protein source you absolutely love and can’t live without?
J: I love tofu so much. I grew up eating tofu and always loved it and I could never give it up!!
What advice would you give to other up and coming vegan powerlifters, and to those women considering giving it a try but who feel a little apprehensive about entering a largely male dominated sport?
J: As a vegan, it’ll be hard, but don’t neglect the protein intake.
As a woman, the powerlifting community will welcome you. Your friends and family might think that it’s weird to be a woman powerlifter, but the community will have your back!
What has been the most challenging aspect of your vegan lifestyle to date?
J: It’s so hard to be vegan and come from a very cultural family. All the food was so good when I was growing up and I don’t eat any of it now! My family/extended family was also unaccepting to begin with but it’s getting better! It will always get better.
What are some words of wisdom you live by?
J: Consistency is key. It’ll all come together if you’re consistent.
