4 WWE Superstars that adopted a vegan lifestyle

Going vegan is a lifestyle choice that requires a lot of commitment; this is doubly true in the case of WWE Superstars. Due to the rigorous health care routine WWE Superstars are expected to maintain, going vegan can prove to be a bit of a challenge. However, that hasn't stopped a number of superstars from trying out a vegan lifestyle.

Whether it was for health reasons or beliefs, these superstars decided to completely cut meat and dairy from their dietary plans. If you're looking to go vegan or just curious about WWE superstars that did, here's a list of four WWE Superstars that adopted a vegan lifestyle.

#4 CM Punk went vegan to test his self-discipline

Former WWE champion CM Punk is a vocal advocate for the straight edge lifestyle. In fact, a majority of his time in WWE was spent portraying the Straight Edge Superstar, where he would spin the lifestyle based on whether he was a heel or a face.

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As a face, he projected it as a higher moral standard. As a heel, he used it as an angle to make himself a cult leader. This eventually led to the brilliant but short-lived Straight Edge Society angle. Moreover, Punk also had one of his best rivaleries when going up against Jeff Hardy as a purvyor of the Straight Edge lifestyle.

To test out his self-discipline, Punk also introduced veganism in his life. While he was definitely a vegan in 2012, he eventually gave up on a diet due to the pressures of being on the road. It is unclear if he ever went back to being a vegan after his time with WWE came to an end.

Punk has since retired from the WWE but he made a name for himself in the industry with his razor sharp promos and ability to push the envelope. His time with the company may be over with no return looking possible in the forseeable future, but he has left an indelible impact on the fans.

His popularity is apparent whenever WWE holds a show in Chicago and the crowd takes over with CM Punk chants. Since his exit from the company, Punk has also been a part of UFC where he trained and fought two bouts. However, he couldn't win either.

#3 Lita transitioned to being a vegan after her time in WWE

Amy Dumas, better known as Lita to the WWE fans, is a passionate animal rights advocate. She founded the animal charity Amy Dumas Operation Rescue and Education (A.D.O.R.E.) in 2003. It does not take a giant leap of reasoning as to why Lita adopted a vegan lifestyle, revealing the choice during an interview in 2014 and remaining a vegan to this day.

Talking to Whatculture.com, she revealed:

"Another big lifestyle change is transitioning back to vegetarianism and now vegan. I was vegetarian since I was 14, and then I wasn't when I was on the road wrestling. It was just hard for me to find healthy choices, especially at that time when I couldn't punch whatever I wanted into my phone, and my phone would just take me there. So when I retired, I transitioned back."

Lita was one of the pioneering members of the women's revolution in WWE and was involved in the first three Monday Night RAW main events featuring women. In addition, she also faced Victoria in the first-ever women's steel cage match in November, 2003. Making her debut in 1999, Lita left quite an impression on the WWE universe, leaving the company as a four-time WWE Women's Champion.

Lita was also associated with the Hardy Boyz as a part of Team Xtreme, while her feuds with real-life best friend Trish Stratus have produced some of the best matches in women's wrestling. She was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014 and remains a dedicated animal rights activist to this day.

#2 Maryse chose to adopt a vegan lifestyle

One half of the 'Most Must-See' couple in WWE, Maryse Ouellet is a former Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada who went on to become a professional wrestler. 'The Sultry Diva' stated that she was a vegan while re-tweeting a post from PETA in 2015.

@peta this is why I'm 100%Vegan
— Maryse Mizanin (@MaryseMizanin) January 18, 2015

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This has also been explored in the reality TV series 'Miz and Mrs', where she is the main star alongside her husband, The Miz. It is a spin off from the reality show Total Divas, where Maryse appeared in the sixth and seventh seasons.

Maryse also tried convince The Miz to adopt vegetarianism during the reality TV show, Total Divas. During a trip to a farm, she challenged Mike to go a full week without indulging in meat. and if he succeeded, she would then eat anything he asked her to.

Maryse signed on with the WWE back in 2007 and during her time with the company became a two-time WWE Divas Champion. She has also found success as a valet/manager of superstars like Ted DiBiase and Miz.

#1 Daniel Bryan became a vegan in 2009

Much like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan's career in WWE has been heavily influenced by his personal life choices. His vegan diet was part of his early wrestling personas in WWE. More recently, he returned as a heel prophesising the superiority of choosing a vegan lifestyle.

His on-screen character became a frenzied environmentalist who constantly berated the WWE fans for their blatant consumerism, as well as damaging the environment. The new persona elicited sizeable heat from the crowds.

“[Vegan food] is the stuff that makes me feel good,” he once shared with Sports Illustrated. Bryan became a vegan in 2009 after suffering from elevated liver enzymes and several staph infections.

In 2012, he was awarded a Libby Award from PETA for being the Most Animal-Friendly Athlete. However, Daniel explained later in the year that he was no longer a vegan due to the complexitiy of traveling with WWE. In addition, he had also developed a soy intolerance and could not find enough non-soy vegan food. Despite that, he keeps a mostly vegan diet while on the road.

Edited by Alex Turk