“We’re vegan body-building champions!”

Fitness fanatics Clare and Mark Bennett ignored critics and achieved their dream bodies with a plant-based diet

WE HAVE LOADS OF ENERGY AND IT’S ALL DOWN TO THE GOODNESS IN PLANTS

Husband and wife duo Clare, 47, and Mark Bennett, 51, owe their honed bodybuilding physiques to their all-natural, vegan diet.

The couple, who own their own gym, were told veganism would crush their fitness dreams, because they needed protein and vitamins found in meat to help them build muscle.

But Clare and Mark insist their strict, plant-based diet has helped them get into shape and maintain their chiseled figures – and they both have the six-packs to prove it.

Clare, who lives in Hull, East Yorkshire, says, “I’m stronger, fitter and leaner than I’ve been in my life. How many people can say that when they’re approaching 50?

“Mark and I achieved results by eating a clean, wholefood diet, including lots of vegetables, lentils and beans, alongside our intense fitness routines. We lift weights five times a week in the gym.

“We have loads of energy – and it’s all down to the goodness in plants.”

CHANGES

Despite now being committed vegans, Mark and Clare were both meat eaters when they met in their late teens at the factory where they worked.

Clare explains, “Growing up, I always ate meat and rarely ate any fruit or vegetables.

“I loved eating chicken off the bone and would savour the smell of bacon frying.

“I didn’t really think too much about my diet – but I loved fitness. I met Mark on my first day at the factory, and he was just as obsessed with exercise as me.

DREAMS

“During our breaks, we’d look at pictures of famous bodybuilders and talk about how we’d love to enter competitions one day.

“Mark told me he dreamed of running his own gym. It was thanks to him that I was inspired to leave the factory and train to become a gym instructor myself.”

It was during Clare’s training that she decided to give up meat. She says, “A friend told me about how badly animals were treated when they were bred for meat.

“It was enough to make me become a vegetarian, and after three years, Mark decided to do the same.”

In July 2000, Clare and Mark fulfilled their dream of owning their own gym, which proved so popular they expanded twice in the following years.

Clare says, “Everything was perfect. We had a successful business. Our daughter Amy came along in 2008, then two years later we had our son Dax.”

In 2013, Clare and Mark decided to try bodybuilding. Clare says, “We both love the feeling of finishing a workout and seeing our figures grow stronger and leaner with each session.

“Owning a gym meant

Mark and I could lift weights whenever we wanted.

“I was always a fan of bodybuilding and when Mark asked me how I felt about competing on a regional stage, I knew we had to do it.

“We wanted to prove to

ourselves we could go up against strong competition and bag first place. Then we could say all of our hard work had been worth it.”

The pair stepped up their training – working out seven days a week – and Mark placed third in their first competition.

Clare says, “We’d caught the bodybuilding bug and couldn’t wait to do more.

It was around this time that I was also learning more about veganism.

“In 2015, I read a book called The China Study, which suggests animal products may cause cancer. Already a veggie, I didn’t think it would be too hard to go vegan.

“Mark used to suffer from migraines, so he decided to try dropping dairy to see if it helped.”

Not only did Mark’s migraines disappear, but Clare says eating solely plant-based meals has helped them with their bodybuilding.

She says, “Clients at the gym told us that flesh builds flesh and we’d struggle to bulk up on a vegan diet, but that’s not true. We eat like typical bodybuilders when we are prepping for a competition and maintain a regimented low-calorie diet.

“We get all of our protein from vegetables, lentils, oats, tofu and Quorn products – it helps us bulk up, and because they’re comparatively low in calories you can eat lots and always feel full. Once the training season is over, we incorporate brown rice, potatoes and quinoa back into our diet.

“The goodness in plants has helped us sculpt our figures and become better versions of ourselves, ph physically.”

HARD WORK

Now, Claire and Mark say they’ll continue to enter contests. Clare says, “I’ve learned to cook delicious meals that don’t feel like we’re substituting our favourite foods.

“Being on stage is the most exhilarating experience. Nothing compares to the feeling of having your name called out – especially when you’re standing next to someone ten years younger than you. Our kids are often embarrassed when they come along and see us compete, especially as we’re wearing very little clothing – but we really hope that other people will see how great a vegan diet is and what you can achieve.”

By Kaya Terry