I've been enjoying Lee Downing-Keat's YouTube videos for quite some time now and agree with much of what he says. As a longtime vegan myself, I love connecting with others of the same mindset and asked if I could send him some questions for an interview. He graciously agreed, so I present our discussion:
Lee: My health is the most important thing to me and strive to become healthier each day. At the moment I am trying to get bigger and stronger and will then show that in my videos to help inspire others that going vegan is better for your health and you can still build muscle and actually perform better in the gym, which I feel there are a lot of men that would consider going vegan but worry about this. While doing this I am trying to create a channel that people can come to that will help them go and, most importantly, stay vegan, help people in their transition and ultimately help the animals, the planet and their health. The end goal I guess is to become a better person and to make a difference to the world.
How long have you been vegan? Were you vegetarian first, did you transition, or make a rapid change?
From what I can gather it seems as though you became vegan for your health. What were the primary reasons you went vegan and what actually prompted you to go vegan - did you see a documentary or video?
Lee: I have been vegan for nearly 2 years this December. I originally went veggie first as a kind of trial as a friend said they were and I thought I would give it a go.
While I was on YouTube one day I cam across a vegan gains video, it was on a fitness person I had once got info on and found it quite entertaining as we have the same idea that fitness models and YouTubers are lying to people about being natural and taking people's money. I watched a few back to back and as I was listening, I picked up lots of info on veganism and how it was better for your health. I then decided to look more into it and after a few days to a week decided to give it a go.
So originally went for my health. While I was vegan I decided to learn more about it, I decided to watch some documentaries. Ones like Forks Over Knives helped instill that I was doing right by my health, I then watched Earthlings and my decision of going vegan for my health was no more, looking back I would say I was plant based but after watching Earthlings, it became about the animals too and then I truly became vegan.
I did go vegan basically overnight. Once I decided to go I did it straight away.
What are some of your favorite meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Lee: I love yogurt and berries. I eat a lot of lentils and green veggies and have that most days for lunch at work. I make a great potato, chickpea and spinach curry and love pizza.
Any words of advice and/or encouragement for those considering a vegan or plant-based lifestyle?
Lee: Do your research, learn as much as you can, I have a video on the best 5 docs to watch and after that I'm sure you will want to go vegan. Enjoy the transition of trying new foods and get excited on the difference you will feel with your health.
I consider YouTube videos one form of activism; what other activism efforts do you do? (Protests, leafleting, Cube of Truth, etc)
Lee: I only do YouTube and sharing things on social media and of course talking to friends and which I feel all helps.
Even though you make a tremendous impact and help multitudes of animals who would otherwise live in cruelty, how do you maintain a positive attitude amongst all the suffering and not let depression get the best of you? It can be difficult to avoid depression when you are an activist fighting for the rights and lives of animals. How do you stay mentally/emotionally happy and healthy? Do you have a lot of support from friends, family, an online community, or what?
Lee: It can be hard, my gf and her family, who I live with all eat meat, and regularly make jokes and that but I just try and shut it off. I guess being a meat eater before and what many do now is they shut themselves off from it, so I guess I try and do that, do what I can, share what info I can, try and motivate people as best as I can and take pride in the difference I have made. It can be hard and being round it is difficult as I know what those animals have been through, but I have got to keep going and can only make a difference if I stay motivated and keep going.
Please discuss something that has touched your heart or any experience where you've tried to make a change for the better in someone's life.
Lee: I guess its the comments I get back from people that have either gone vegan or the info I have shared has kept them on their path. Connecting with people with a similar lifestyle and sharing info and helping each other. We are building a community and I look to grow my own on YouTube.
What are some projects you have lined up for the near future?
Lee: At the moment all my energy is going into making video and growing my channel. It's a like another full time job, as when your not making or editing a video you're thinking of the next thing. I am trying to get bigger and stronger to show that vegans can, so I'm in the gym a lot trying to reach that goal.
How do you respond to people who think veganism is not manly?
Lee: I guess I try and get across to them that standing up against cruelty, standing up for defenseless animals, going against the normal and not being a sheep and standing up for your beliefs is more manly than just following everyone else.
It's easy to follow the crowd but going against it is more brave, knowing you will received hate, or discrimination and still doing it is manly. To stand aside and put taste over the lives of animals isn’t manly, eating meat isn’t manly at all.
Lee, thanks so much for sharing your views and beliefs. I appreciate all you do! Best wishes to you and all your endeavors.
Be sure to subscribe to Lee's YouTube channel and leave him comments to spread the love! Let me know in the comments here why you are vegan or considering this lifestyle. Thanks for reading!
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