WATCH: Soccer Star Erika Tymrak Changed Her Game by Going Vegan

“I recover faster, I sleep better, and I feel like I’ve been able to put on muscle a lot easier.”

These are just some of the benefits that decorated soccer pro Erika Tymrak has experienced since she made the same decision that more and more professional athletes are making: to go vegan.

Tymrak is a midfielder for the brand-new National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club the Utah Royals, which played its first-ever home game on April 14. The two-time NWSL champion sat down with PETA to discuss how ditching eggs, meat, and dairy has changed her game and the rest of her life. Watch her video now to see how this vegan professional athlete is crushing it both on and off the field:

“We could make a lot more peace in the world if everyone realized that animals are here with us and not for us.”

Tymrak has always cared about animals. Before she made the transition to vegan eating, she was already staying away from leather and making sure to buy cruelty-free cosmetics. She’s also a loving guardian to her adopted canine companion, Chai.

She also takes to Instagram to show off the delicious, beautiful vegan food that keeps her feeling energetic and ready to take on the competition. Tymrak wants everyone to know where she gets her protein: from vegetables, fruits, and grains—particularly spinach. Take a look at some of these tantalizing shots that she’s shared:

In addition to helping her reach peak athletic performance, Tymrak shares that going vegan helped clear up her acne (within months!) and reduce fatigue. It also resolved the conflict in her conscience: She says that once she stopped eating animals, she felt freer and happier—more at peace.

“Never be afraid to follow your heart. … I would love if people could reach out to me and ask me questions, because I asked a lot of questions when I was going vegan, and the mentors that were there for me helped me a lot. So I hope that I can be a mentor for future vegans.”

—Erika Tymrak

Join Erika and go vegan today!

You don’t need to be a professional athlete to feel the positive effects of ditching animal-derived foods. If you’re thinking of going vegan, let us help. We’ve got all the tips and tools that you’ll need to make the transition easy.