Part-time almost-vegans.

[Gliondrach]

This is from The Sun online. Kevster posted it on another forum. I received an e-mail with it in. There are two good comments from readers on the site, which I've added on after the story.


September 01, 2007

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

FAKE telly adventurer Bear Grylls has been unmasked as a VEGAN.

The ex-SAS hardman kills and cooks whatever he can catch in Channel 4’s Born Survivor.

But the 33-year-old, who bit the head off a snake for breakfast in one show, yesterday said: “I’m vegan nowadays, except when filming.”

An insider added: “When the cameras stop he’s straight on the veg. He’s not as much of an adventurer as he makes out.

“He turns his nose up when the crew are having sausages for lunch.”

The revelation is the latest blow to Grylls’ hardman image.

The star dined in hotels while “surviving” in the wilderness and “wild” horses he lassoed came from a trekking centre. His agent did not comment.

thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2007400824,00.html

Comments:

The notion that great athletes cannot be vegetarian or vegan is just plain ignorance of the facts.

There are hundreds of famous top level athletes -even Olympians- who are vegetarian or vegan. “Olympian of the Century” track star Carl Lewis, tennis champions Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, cricket star Anil Kumble, Mr. International bodybuilder Andreas Cahling, Heisman trophy winner Desmond Howard, Debbie lawrence Olympic race-walker, four time Mr. Universe Bill Pearl, 4-time Olympic gold medalist Al Oerter, WBC World Middleweight Champion Keith Holmes, double Olympic Gold medalist in hurdles Edwin Moses, and Dave Scott, six-time Ironman triathlon winner, to name but a few.

And finally, two-time winner of the most grueling ultramarathon on earth is vegan Scott Jurek. Here is a description of the race quoted from a running magazine writer whose name I cannot remember or locate: "Starting in Badwater in Death Valley and stretching 135 miles, the Badwater Ultramarathon is known as "the most demanding and extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet." "The race covers 135 miles, nonstop, from Badwater in Death Valley to the trailhead of Mount Whitney in the Sierras, the highest mountain in the Lower 48. The successful runners cross three mountain ranges with a combined, cumulative vertical ascent and descent of 17,400 feet, which is like a flight of stairs three miles high. 85 contestants from across the world show up in the 123 degree heat for the ultramarathon. "Ultra" because this race is five marathons back-to-back with another three miles tacked on to the end." "The winner? Vegan competior Scott Jurek, who also won the Badwater last year.

Here is Scott's bio: "On his own journey towards optimal health, Scott began transitioning to a vegetarian whole foods diet in 1997, while competing in several ultra trail races per year. In 1999, he adopted a vegan diet out of further health and environmental concerns. Scott continues to fuel his body on completely vegan diet while competing in 10-12 ultramarathons per year in addition to his rigorous training schedule. All seven of his consecutive wins at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run were performed on vegan fuel."

So, anyone who claims that vegans are not tough guys is really uninformed.

From Gayle Dean, USA.
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So what if he is a Vegan? How does that make him any less tough than someone who by eating lots of red meat increases their risks of rectal cancer and heart disease.

From Manjo, UK.

[dreamer]

I agree with the letter writers' points up to a certain point: of course "tough" men and athletes can be vegan. However, that's not part of the "macho" image to care about animals (or even much for other people). But if he's "vegan," how can he justify killing and eating animals even for a TV show? (I guess that's why the title of this thread is "part-time almost vegans" ;) ) It sounds to me like he's more of a mostly complete vegetarian.

[Gliondrach]

He must sometimes eat vegan food for health reasons. It can't be out of compassion. I've never watched his programmes. I did watch the Chris Ryan series where he had to escape capture in various places. But he is a confirmed meat eater.

[Bowwowmeow]

No, a compassionate person could never do what he does for a TV show or any other reason. But people are so ridiculously complex. Maybe he does feel remorse when he's not working, and thus avoids eating dead animals at least, but can't stop himself from harming animals other times. It makes me think of those monks of long ago (and maybe not so long ago) who were into self flagellation for their sins. Instead of simply not sinning, they sin, and punish themselves for it, and sin again, on and on in a stupid, pointless cycle. Its one of the aspects of human nature I don't understand.

My views are more simpleminded, I guess. If you know its wrong, don't do it. If you do it anyway, learn from it, and don't do it again. But lots of people like setting themselves up for failure, guilt trips, and the punishment they think they deserve. :dizzy: :drool: :crazy 2: :rolleyes2:

[Soynut]

I've never understood "the eating meat sometimes" people - veganism is so easy in this day and age. I quit meat when I was around 6 years old, so if I could do it then (with all the pressure and lack of vegan options in the seventies) why couldn't a grown up person do it if that's what they desire? It's a mystery to me.....