Vegan Bodybuilders Find Love at the Gym

In a recent feature on UK media outlet Daily Mail, vegan bodybuilders Barny du Plessis and his fiancé Josie Keck share their unlikely love story and spoke about their vegan lifestyles. Ten years ago, Keck—who holds a title for UK’s Strongest Woman—was unhappy and overweight. Then she met du Plessis, a former Mr. Universe, at the gym. Keck pursued du Plessis and eventually, the two began supporting each other in their goals to both gain muscle and raise awareness about veganism. “We’re on a lifelong crusade to protect our planet and save the animals,” du Plessis says, adding, “I truly believe that the only way we can ever survive as a species on this planet is to adopt a gentler, healthier, less-selfish approach to our existence, and that means adopting a vegan lifestyle.” A vocal advocate for destroying the notion that eating meat equates to masculinity, du Plessis recently launched an educational campaign with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, frequently touts that meat is unnecessary to build muscle on his social media channels, and calls himself a “vegan warrior.” The vegan power couple has been together for 10 years, and their wedding is set for the end of the month.