Re-FLEX-ions & Upcoming Events for this Vegan Bikini Competitor

Well, I just got back from a small trip to Los Angeles with my mother! I was going there for a VgirlsVguys photo shoot so we decided to turn the lil’ excursion into our first-ever mother/daughter vacation. Honestly, it was awesome in every way. I know the thought of spending five days with one’s 66-year-old mother perhaps sounds like torture but I literally wept tears of joy in my apartment after she left. I know I’m sounding like a total cheese ball right now but I was just so overwhelmed with love and appreciation for my family after it ended. It was pretty cool…and trippy.

With the LA trip out of the way, I’m now ready to focus on three majorly important events happening in the next couple of months.

#1:  I’m putting on a “vegan fitness” workshop at Veg Expo on June 8th! How cool is that?! I am incredibly excited and blessed to speak at THE biggest vegan and vegetarian event Vancouver’s ever had! I plan to cover everything from my diet and training programs to supplements, getting started in competitive bodybuilding and of course, why I’m vegan!

Event #2: As soon as Veg Expo is over, I’m doing the BIGGEST, most important bikini competition I’ve done to date. The BCBBA Provincial Championships on June 28th is a big deal here in BC. The competition is going to be REAL STIFF. I’ll be up against all the other shows’ winners over the past two years. I’ll no doubt be the only vegan and it’s an untested show. But I’m gonna try my best. I’m consuming PVL BCAAs more than ever and eating cold, plain tempeh straight outta the package just to add on as much muscle as humanly possible. If I place in the top three of my division, I will go to Nationals so cross your fingers for me!

Lastly (saving the best for last of course) is July 26th aka The Naturally Fit Super Show in Austin, Texas! An event in vegan history: the day I get to walk on stage with Team PlantBuilt: group of like-minded, strong AND kind individuals who all share the same passions & interests as me. Top vegan athletes from all over the world–my own personal heroes & inspirations–together we will break stereotypes, make history and dominate as one solid, cruelty-free unit. Insert tagline here: “the only thing we kill is the stage.” **Goosebumps**

I’m so excited to meet everyone else and learn from each other. We’re currently trying to raise money for the team and animal sanctuaries through various forms of outreach.

And if you respect what we’re doing, please consider making a donation, of any amount, to our fundraising campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/plantbuilt-vegan-muscle-team

I will also send a FREE E-BOOK to anyone who makes a $50+ donation before July 1st, 2014!

Yup, lots of exciting vegan times ahead! I’m not gonna lie– it’s hard juggling all the responsibilities with work, training & food prepping. I fully admit I basically have no social life until August. I keep joking that this is the summer of my hottest body yet… for me and me alone to enjoy… in my apartment…. starving & miserable. 😉

And on that note, time to eat more tempeh! Big thanks to everyone who enjoys my scribblings enough to make it to the end of this less-than-informative post.

You know, I sincerely love hearing from each and every one of you and hope I can always help others in their own getting “JACKED ON THE BEANSTALK” journeys.

– Sam Shorkey