What Celebrity Personal Trainer Kollins Ezekh Eats in a Day on His Vegan Diet

Kollins Ezekh is a personal trainer to Hollywood stars with an impressive client list including top athletes like Floyd Mayweather, and Mena Massoud. Ezekh goes by the Instagram handle, @BuiltbyGod where he's gained 87K followers who come for his fitness content, and his passionate plant-based diet, which sets him apart from most other trainers in the industry.

Six years ago Ezekh moved to Los Angles and opened Mayweather Boxing + Fitness on Wilshire Boulevard and built a devoted Hollywood clientele, a few of whom also happen to be plant-based.

"Right when I moved to LA, I was curious why people were avoiding meat, fish, and dairy because a lot of people who live here are vegan. There are a lot of vegan restaurants, and there are plenty of vegan options everywhere you go," Ezekh told The Beet. "This was a huge lifestyle change for me," he added.

Ezekh explained that he has always been a strong, fit athletic person and is constantly looking for ways to improve his health. So when he found himself surrounded by the plant-based lifestyle, he gave it a try. Six years later, he hasn't looked back.

Before Ezekh went vegan, he recommended his clients eat lean chicken and wild-caught fish to build strong, lean muscle, but now he recommends they load up on vegetables since they are full of fiber and protein, as well as essential nutrients and vitamins.

In the very first week Ezekh went vegan, he noticed changes to his energy level. His body "felt good," he recalls, and he felt like this was the "right thing" to do, for himself and his career. "I used to eat meat and would have at least four to five egg whites in the morning because I used to think I needed it for energy and to build muscle because that's what the media had taught me."

For breakfast: Ezekh eats avocado toast or oatmeal with berries in the morning. Or, when he's in need of a quick breakfast, he'll make a meal replacement smoothie with kale, oatmeal, banana, and plant-based protein powder.

Lunchtime is his biggest meal of the day: He normally eats pizza with dairy-free cheese and extra vegetables, plant-based burgers, or a hearty bowl with kale, quinoa, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, and some kind of healthy dressing.

Dinner is usually early, no later than 7 p.m. Oftentimes, it's just a big bowl of green vegetables, avocado, and some kind of plant-based protein.

Now six years into his vegan journey, Ezekh said: "I've never lost any muscle, had protein deficiency, or loss of energy. I feel better emotionally because I'm not hurting any animals, my digestion is better, I lost a bit of body fat, and I feel a big difference in my boxing practice, I'm much stronger and quicker."

For anyone who is looking to start a plant-based diet or might even want to become a personal trainer with a plant-based approach, Ezeh advises that it's important to "educate themselves because there is so much most people don't know about food, like how much protein is in vegetables, including superfoods like broccoli." Check out our list of 20 vegetables with the most protein.

Ezekh also notes that it's easier to start slow instead of jumping into the diet. "Start as a vegetarian and work your way to being fully vegan," he suggests. He also believes that having accountability will help keep you committed. "You need some kind of social support. It really helps if you have someone else helping you on the journey."

Interested in trying out a plant-based diet? Join The Beet's Plant-Based Diet and you'll get a daily newsletter with four recipes per day, weekly shopping lists, and daily expert tips. And join the Facebook community for even more support.