Chris Paul, the Phoenix Suns point guard, has eaten plant-based since 2019 and shared his experience with GQ in a recent interview. “The biggest thing when I went plant-based is it opened me up to the diversity of foods that you can have,” he told GQ.

CP3 says that now at age 37 and heading into his 18th NBA season, eating clean is essential for his career. In 2019, Paul decided to take the jump and make the transition to a plant-based diet.

Source: ThePostGame/Youtube

Initially, he said, he only made the switch with performance in mind. When he saw how quickly his body responded positively to the diet switch, he decided to make it a permanent change. His numbers and efficiency went up the following season, and he says his routine inflammation and body aches that he usually got during the season weren’t a big issue for him anymore.

When asked if he maintains a plant-based diet throughout the year, Paul replied, “Absolutely. When I first went plant-based, it was for performance purposes but once I saw how my body changed and how I felt—it was for life. Years ago, I probably wouldn’t have even gone outside to run around with my kids and all the other activities because my body would be aching. Now, with the constant lifting and making sure that my body is always ready, it’s been a good lifestyle change for me.”

He says that the hardest thing to give up was fried chicken and pulled pork (don’t worry CP3, check out these vegan fried chicken and vegan pulled pork recipes). He says he loves vegan cookies like cinnamon and raisin, chocolate chip, and even churros.

When asked what his breakfast, lunch, and dinner look like nowadays, he said, “There are so many different foods that you’re able to eat.”

He told GQ that for breakfast, he has pancakes a lot. “A lot of people don’t realize that the only difference between plant-based pancakes and regular ones are eggs.” He also likes Just Egg scramble with vegetables, Beyond Meat sausage patties, a side of fruit, and vitamins.

For lunch, he has a salad, a sauteed vegetable bowl with rice, and a protein drink. For dinner, his chef makes him a nutritious meal that usually included things like a variety of beans, grains, and veggies.

Source: Beyond Meat/Youtube

Paul is a huge investor in all things health and wellness. When asked why he focuses so much of his energy on that space, he said, “One of the biggest things that excites me about these different investments in health and wellness is spreading the knowledge—you don’t know what you don’t know.”

“When it comes to health and wellness, the one thing we can’t purchase is health. You can buy cars, houses, clothes, and jewelry but not health.”

“The only way to get more educated on health and wellness is by communicating with one another and finding out things that you’re not necessarily taught in school, and a lot of times aren’t taught in the black and brown communities. I was blessed to be able to find this information out at 34 and I’m still learning.”

Check out this Ultimate Guide to Being a Vegan Athlete! and Weekly Meal Plan: Budget-Friendly Plant-based Recipes for Athletes!

Curious about ways to get enough protein on a vegan diet? Check out the following resources:

• 25 Delicious Vegan Sources of Protein (The Ultimate Guide!)
• Sample Meal Plans for the Female Vegan Athlete
• 5 Plant-Based Foods that Will Help You Build Muscle
• 5 Clean Muscle-Building Foods for Athletes That Are All-Vegan
• 15 Clean, Vegan Protein Powders That Prove Protein is Way Better Without Whey
• Athletic Performance Problems That Can be Helped by Eating Plant-Based
• 10 Must-Read Articles For Plant-Based Athletes
• 5 Plant-Based Athletes That Blow the Protein Myth Out of the Water
• Plant-Based Weekly Meal Plan By Diet: ENDURANCE ATHLETE MENU
• Common Benefits Athletes Experience When Switching to a Vegan Diet
• What Do Vegan Athletes Eat?
• An Endurance Athletes Guide to Preparing and Eating Vegan Food
• The Ultimate Guide to Being a Vegan Athlete!
• 10 Tips on Eating Plant-Strong for Athletic Performance
• 10 Amazing Athletes that Eat Plant-Powered for Performance
• The Best Fitness Aids for Plant-Based Athletes
• How to Make Your Own Energy Gels For Endurance Athletics
• Eating for Endurance: 15 High Carb, High Protein Products to Fuel Your Workout
• 15 Protein-Packed Vegan Recipes That Feature Beans, Chickpeas, Lentils, and More Pulses!
• 15 Easy High-Protein Tofu Recipes That are So(y) Tasty!
• Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Spices for Athletes
• Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for the Vegan Athlete

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• Soccer Player Caleb Richards Releases Book for Plant-Based Athletes

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