Austin Aries is a former championship WWE wrestler known not just for his maneuvers in the ring, but for being a vegetarian in sea of meat eaters. Aries, author of a memoir, Food Fight, talks about what led him to a plant-based diet – and why he’s a fan of organic cold-pressed Living Juice.
How did you come to embrace a plant-based diet?
Growing up in Wisconsin, I never was a huge fan of eating the animals I was raised around. Eating meat has always been somewhat off-putting and I just really didn't care for it. I became vegetarian in 2000, and then transitioned to a vegan diet in 2011. Once I began to learn about the realities of animal products negatively affecting our health, on top of everything else, it made the decision pretty easy.
What were the biggest challenges going plant-based?
The biggest challenge early on was convenience. Since I am constantly traveling I never know what type of options will be available, but I quickly figured out that I would need to plan ahead to stay consistent. I make sure to pack food to take with me just in case there are limited options where I am.
Speaking of convenient options, how does Living Juice compare to other cold-pressed juices?
The juice was favorable to others I’ve tried in the past. I could tell right away that it was really fresh, high quality, and packed with flavor.
And your favorite flavor was…
I really enjoyed the Fresh Start with lemon, apple and ginger. It has a great combination of flavors. The Carrot Kick was the runner up; it was really fresh and tasty as well.
How do you recommend people incorporate Living Juice into their diets?
Cold-pressed juice is a great morning, or mid-day pick-me-up, and works as a good replacement for coffee or tea, or energy drinks. A shot or two of fresh juice can give you a jolt of energy to carry you over.
It's also a great mixer and healthy option compared to concentrated fruit juices. I encourage people to be realistic. If you're looking for ways to be healthier and still want to have an occasional drink, use fresh juice as a mixer instead, and you probably won't wake with a headache because of the amount of sugar in most mixed drinks.
What was the biggest life lesson you learned as a wrestler?
No one cares about you and knows you as well as you do. You will never go wrong if you stay true to yourself no matter what you do or where you end up.