There are only a few hours left of this year and I won’t belabor the point more than to state the obvious – it’s been one crappy year.
Like most things in life, though, where there are negatives there are also positives. So let’s look at that instead!
I’ve previously written a summary for 2015, 2016, and 2019. What happened in 2017 and 2018 is anyone’s guess, hehe.
Anyway, here’s my account for what happened in the Athlegan world during 2020 and what we’re looking forward to in 2021.
In the spotlight
Let’s first have a look at all the things we worked on in the open, that you might have already seen parts of.
Newsletter
We’re very proud to have more than a thousand fitness vegans subscribed to receive our ramblings. That’s why we, during the last quarter of the year, decided to ramp up our email game and try to deliver something useful every week.
We managed thirty-one emails and I think every single one of them was useful! We now have a newsletter I would like to receive myself.
If you haven’t yet, subscribe now and get a weekly email with tips, tricks, and tools for vegan athletes.
Recipes
Our team has grown this year (more on that later) and we’re proud to have Lauren as our new Head of Grub! With her expertise, we’re steadily building an impressive library of vegan recipes.
Here are some of my own favourites:
Cuban Black Beans – This vegan alternative is not only a great alternative for the family during the holidays, but is also inexpensive, easy to make, and incredibly balanced, nutritionally speaking.
Moroccan Tagine – This luscious dish is made with an array of spices to give it a powerful burst of flavour which can be an exciting change from only salt and pepper.
Articles
We got back into the groove of publishing articles again this year and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing some of them myself. Look out for more useful information this coming year!
These were the best performing ones:
The optimal rate of fat-loss for YOU – Definitely go for a fat-cut if you want to shed some fluff but let’s paint a more nuanced picture first. Let me tell you what I wish someone had told me before I began my first cut.
A guide to jaw-dropping before and after photos – Very few people want to lose weight. Instead, they actually want to improve their looks. So why do we cling to using the scale as our only measurement of success?
Interviews
Our powerlifting coach, Bartosz, sat down to chat with some other vegan strength-enthusiasts about lifting, life, and everything else that’s worth talking about.
Learn from these gentlemen (and expect some gentlewomen up next):
Scott Shetler – Being a multi-talented athlete and strength coach with decades of experience, we can learn a thing or two from listening to Scott Shetler.
Mike Mahler – A true role model, Mike is full of insights and experiences we can all learn from.
Tools
Still going strong, these two calculators have been used by many thousand people this past year:
Calculate your One Rep Max (1RM) – You can measure strength in many different ways but the king of them all is the One Repetition Max (1RM) – how much weight you can maximally lift for one full repetition.
TDEE calculator – The first step to taking control of your weight is to determine your maintenance level. This calculator will tell you exactly that – your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).
Evergreen
Forever in the top of our most visited articles, these articles keep helping vegans navigate the most common questions for vegan athletes:
What you need to know about vegan protein – It’s said that once you go vegan everyone around you suddenly turns into a nutrition expert. Never is that more true than when it comes to protein intake and never are people more uneducated.
Why creatine supplement makes you a stronger vegan – If I were to recommend one supplement for vegans who train, my choice might surprise you – I’d say creatine monohydrate.
Behind the scenes
Beyond the above, A LOT has happened in the Athlegan sphere that you probably didn’t see. I’d love to invite you in and show you some of the things that happened behind the scenes.
During 2019 we renewed our efforts and this year we’ve built on top of that. Much work has gone into fundamentals, which we hope will enable us to help more vegan athletes during the coming years.
Company
Athlegan AB is now a registered, legal entity. This probably has no implication for anyone else but us but it’s a sign that we’re taking our mission seriously and are committed to our vision of a vegan future.
The team
The results we want to accomplish and the changes we want to bring about can’t be done by just one person. It’s simply too big of an endeavor.
That’s why we’ve focused on building a great team this year. Finding talented people and bringing them together, we’re stronger than ever and I’m so grateful for everyone who has committed to our cause!
For an (incomplete and slightly outdated) list of our awesome people, check out The Team.
The website
We were facing some technical limitations with our old platform and so this year we rebuilt the website with newer technology. It’s snappier than ever and so much easier to work with, enabling us to share more information faster and in much smarter formats.
More than sixty thousand people visited Athlegan.com and learned from our ever-growing library of information.
The clients
We continue to coach vegans online to become the strongest and most fit versions of themselves.
This year we’ve had twenty-five new trainees join our ranks and reach new fitness levels. Thank you so much to every single one, new and old, for your trust and for setting such an excellent example
Looking forward
One of our biggest disappointments this year was the cancellation of the annual Athlegan Retreat. Be sure that these plans will resume as soon as we’re able to travel and meet each other in person again!
Apart from the retreat, we’ve got A LOT of plans for next year. Here are some teasers for you:
Athlegan Track – Our mobile app which will be available in the beginning of next year. I’ve got it installed on my phone and can already tell you that this will be a game-changer.
Recipes, articles, interviews, and VIDEOS! We’ve got a packed schedule, full of good stuff to share with you in the coming year.
Meal plan – Know what to eat, and when to eat it, to lose of gain weight on a plant-based diet.
Vegan Fuel – Everything you need to know about vegan nutrition.
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