🎙 What Does Strength Really Mean? John Thomas on Bodybuilding, Mindset & the Hidden Cost of Chasing Size
What if everything you thought strength was… wasn’t the full story?
In this episode of the Plant Fuelled Podcast, I sit down with John Thomas better known as The Bodybuilding Vegan to dig into the messy, honest, and often misunderstood world of bodybuilding, performance, and personal growth.
From childhood bullying to chasing validation through muscle, from steroids and shortcuts to building a new mindset grounded in self-worth, John’s story is as much about psychology as it is about physiology.
But this isn’t just one man’s journey. It’s a mirror for all of us. Because behind every rep, every diet, every obsession with size or strength there are deeper questions: What are we actually chasing? And at what cost?
🔥 In this episode we cover:
✅ Steroids, shortcuts & the toll they take on health and identity
✅ The myth of endless muscle growth and the trap of never feeling “enough”
✅ Building strength on a vegan bodybuilding diet performance, recovery & myths debunked
✅ How childhood experiences and bullying shaped John’s early relationship with fitness
✅ The mental health side of bodybuilding no one talks about
✅ Why muscle isn’t just about the gym it’s about mindset, discipline & purpose
✅ How John reframed bodybuilding into a path of longevity, compassion & authenticity
✅ What it really takes to fuel, recover, and thrive without animal products
This isn’t another “before and after” story. It’s an unfiltered conversation about what performance culture gets wrong, what we can reclaim, and how strength means more when it’s built on clarity, not chaos.
🌱 Discover more about John:
Instagram: @thebodybuildingvegan
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🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & everywhere you get your podcasts
🔗 Link in bio Step inside the world of bodybuilding, mindset, and what strength really looks like.
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📲 Let’s connect:
Instagram: @plantfuellednutrition
Website: www.plantfuelled.co.uk
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⭐ If this episode got you thinking about strength, health, or even your own story drop a review, hit follow, or share it with a mate who’s still chasing size at all costs. It makes a bigger difference than you know.
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