Tennis greats Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova and other star athletes have long touted tofu and praised peas. They know that a vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients you need to be an MVP.

Check out the new crop of athletes who fuel their strong bodies with veggies.

Sensational Snowboarder Tim J. Gargiulo
It’s cold on the slopes, but snowboarding star Tim Gargiulo is always warm-hearted toward animals. As a kid, Tim saw photos of animals trapped for their fur—and he’s been an animal defender ever since. He gave meat and dairy the boot years ago. With a bazillion animal-free options, this top snowboarder is never bored with his vegan diet.

BMX VIP Corey Coffey
Nineteen-year-old freestyling fave Corey Coffey switched gears seven years ago by going veggie. She knows her meatless ways give her an awesome advantage—she’s rarely ever sick, which she credits to her healthy diet. Corey urges everyone to go veg: “It really makes a positive difference on your body.”

Slammin’ Street Skaters Jamie Thomas and Ed Templeton
These two dynamos jumped at the chance to pose for a vegetarian ad by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). These top street skaters know a smooth switchup to a vegetarian diet can help wannabe champs get to the top of the ramp.

BMX Biker Taj Mihelich
Taj is a vegetarian trailblazer—he rode away with first place at the World Championship. His healthy, meatless diet gives him all the energy and muscle-building protein he needs to pedal his way to the top. “It just doesn’t make sense for something to be killed for my lunch when I’m perfectly healthy without it,” says Taj.

Karate Champ Caitlin Beadle
This karate kid has won multiple events in dozens of tournaments—she’s also an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) karate champion and Junior Olympic gold medalist who plans to try out for the Olympics. Caitlin’s been a vegetarian almost all of her life—she and her parents kicked meat for good when she was 2 years old. She knows that her veggie diet keeps her strong and healthy. “It also helps my spirit knowing that I don’t contribute to the suffering of animals in my diet,” says Caitlin.