Want to Be Stronger? Patrik Baboumian Shows You How

Want to be stronger? Germany’s Patrik Baboumian, a proud vegan and one of the strongest men in the world, has some advice for how to do that—and it has nothing to do with pumping iron. Check out what Patrik has to say on the subject (and keep in mind that this is coming from a man who can walk for 10 meters carrying more than 1,200 pounds on his shoulders—the equivalent of giving a large horse a piggyback ride):

As Patrik points out, true strength isn’t about bulging biceps or how many pounds you can dead lift. It’s about extending kindness, showing gentleness instead of cruelty, and exercising our compassion—and that’s why Patrik decided to go vegan. Patrik recently published a book about the benefits of the vegan lifestyle entitled VRebellion-1: How to Become a Vegan Badass.

Powering yourself with plants can make you strong on many levels. You’ll build your compassion by saving more than 100 animals every year from being exploited and killed for meat, milk, and eggs, and you’ll slash your risk of suffering from some of our country’s biggest killers, including heart disease, cancer, and strokes. You may even get to celebrate more “happy new years,” too: Vegetarians and vegans live, on average, six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters.

Resolve to go vegan and order your free copy of PETA’s vegan starter kit today.