Saturday, October 06, 2012

77-Year-Old Bodybuilder Jim Morris: Vegan For 12 years

Bodybuilder Jim Morris gave an interview to Frugivore Magazine this week:
Black Male Vegan: 77-Year-Old Bodybuilder Jim Morris Proves Vegans Can Be Muscular & Healthy

This is what Morris looked like 2 years ago, after 10 years of being a vegan:



Some quotes from the interview:
"Prior to becoming vegan I suffered digestive problems all my life, mainly constipation. I started taking anti inflammatory medication in 1966 for my joints. At one point I was getting cortisone injections directly into both elbows every week. The arthritis kept me awake at night."

"I would get 2-3 colds yearly and allergy attacks as often. Since becoming vegan all my health problems have completely disappeared."

"Most miraculously, after wearing eyeglasses for 35 years my sight improved to where I only wear them on rare occasion for extremely small print. I no longer take any medication. I do take a weekly injection of Testosterone and vit B-12. My yearly checkups are perfect."
Morris, on his website, Jim Morris Personal Training, said:
"I decided to become a vegetarian in 1985 at age 50. In 2000 at age 65 I became a vegan."


Here are some quotes from his blog, The Art of Bodybuilding. It's an interesting read. I like that he's up-front with his steroid use. I also like what he says about animals.
"I believe every creature is born with the inalienable right of freedom. Freedom to live its life in its natural environment, with its kind, making its decisions. I believe the law should prohibit the enslavement of non humans for any reason whatever, including as pets."

"I used steroids during the entirety of my competitive career from 1966 to 1996. I have never used HGH [Human Growth Hormone] or any thing like it. I also ate meat during my competitive years. I became a vegetarian in 1985 but continued to eat fish. In 2000 I stopped eating fish. I take a testosterone injection once a week (200mg) along with 1cc of vitamin B-12. Nothing else. Like most mesomorphs I am an easy gainer and if I were taking steroids now I would be above my normal weight of 185. I attribute my current condition more to lack of fat than any unusual amount of size. And that is totally because of my eating habits and regular exercise."

"If I were building a residence where I planned to live the rest of my life, I would use the finest quality materials available to me. Because I am going to spend the rest of my life in my body, I’m using the finest quality materials available to me, unprocessed, unrefined, whole natural vegetables, beans, grains, fruits and nuts"

"My diet is very simple. I eat only from five food groups. Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Beans and Grains. I do not eat anything made FROM any of the foods in these food groups. I eat the fruits and nuts uncooked. I microwave some of the vegetables sometimes but mostly eat them uncooked. I cook the beans and grains as little as possible so as to destroy the least amount of nutrients. ... Every nutrient, with the possible exception of B – 12, is in those 5 food groups. Every craving can be satisfied with something in those 5 food groups."
________

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Helluva body!

Ronald said...

Remarkably similar to my build, albeit a bit scrawny.

RB said...

I like this guys diet: unprocessed, unrefined, whole natural vegetables, beans, grains, fruits and nuts.

In everything I read about food, nutrients and diets, Jim Morris has chosen the best of the best when it comes to eating the right foods. I would add seeds.

I try to incorporate these items into my diet as much as I can.

Reijo Laatikainen said...

Still uses testosterone though.

"I take a testosterone injection once a week (200mg) along with 1cc of vitamin B-12."

Does anyonne believe in clean bodybuilding?

Bix said...

I believe on his blog he said he stopped taking steroids 20 years ago, when he stopped competing.

Bix said...

Ronald, the image of you in my mind is spectacular. Beer must have life-giving properties!

Bix said...

RB, as usual I agree with you. I don't know Morris, don't know his state of health, but at least on the outside he's a good advertisement for a vegan diet.

Bix said...

I want to change that ... I think it's better to say that Morris is a good advertisement for a whole-foods, plant-based diet. That's not the same as a vegan diet.

Angela and Melinda said...

But a whole-foods, plant-based diet *is* a vegan diet, no? You're just saying there are other things one could eat and still be considered vegan, yes?

Angela and Melinda said...

Personally, while I admire his youthfulness, I find his body (as w/ all body-builders) grotesque and unnatural.

Bix said...

I've come to see that a "vegan" diet is primarily a diet devoid of animal food for ethical reasons. It could include lots of other refined, processed, packaged food - soda, chips, candy.

A whole foods, plant-based diet is mostly plants but could include some animals. And it's done primarily for health reasons.

Bix said...

Beauty. I do see beauty in him. In truth, I see beauty in most things.

Anonymous said...

Just because he injects testosterone doesn't mean he doesn't need it! I mean the guy is 75! (men this age usually have a Testosterone deficiency)

Anonymous said...

he looks as hes only really lost chest volume.

Anonymous said...

I don't particularly care for the bodybuilder look, however I love the diet. Good for you Sir!!! I'm so glad you've achieved your goal and are considered healthy. I will incorporate your diet into my life since I share some of the health issues that you did. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

The testosterone is probably because as men age just like women (progesterone) normal levels decrease. It more like prevention.

Mr. Russell said...

hmmmm....I'm pretty sure there are no "certified vegan/cruelty free" testosterone products available.

Pretty interesting what passes for "vegan" when a "vegan" wants or needs it badly enough.

I say this as a former "vegan".

Unknown said...

200mg a week of testo is not a super steroid dose, its a normal replacement dose for any male - and especially at that age levels would have declined a lot. That is really non harmful and very common. If I had low levels at that age I wouldn't hesitate for a second to replace it. He's not "doing roids", he's replacing a hormone.

Anonymous said...

Living naturally means accepting the natural course for the body, which includes the natural reduction of testosterone. Any testosterone intake at any time is not natural living, regardless of its beneficial effects.

I have known Jim since the early 70s. We both trained at Bill Pearl's gym back then. I am also a whole foods plant based bodybuilder, and if you are curious about my longevity ideas, an article I wrote appears here:

http://trikeasylum.wordpress.com/stevestuff/steves-longevity-model/

I use no hormone "therapy" of any kind, and certainly would advise to think twice before doing so.

steve

Anonymous said...

I still can't find a vegan with a great body that doesn't do steroids.
This guy admits to using steroids... and is still using steroids (200mg a week by his own words).
:(

Pamela937 said...

He looks amazing. The key is finding what works for each of our own bodies. He's found the key for his.

Pamela937 said...

He looks amazing! The key is finding what works for our own body. He has found the key components that work for his.