NFL tight end (word play!) Tony Gonzalez and wife October are the latest pair to pose for PETA’s “rather go naked than wear fur” campaign. The 33-year-old made waves two years ago in the sports world after announcing that he was going vegan; something he credits for dramatically improving his health. “I’m going into my 13th year in the NFL, and I switched over [to a plant-based diet] two years ago. … [T]he day after a game, everybody’s sore … and I’m jumping rope and they’re looking at me like, ‘Man you’re supposed to be the old guy on the team. You’re acting like you’re the youngest guy on the team.’”

Check out PETA interview with Tony and his wife by jump here.

[Update: Thanks to YourDailyVegan.com for pointing out that Gonzalez is no longer vegan.]

Kumar is teaming up with PETA to promote the vegetarian lifestyle and propagate the cause of animal protection. Sushil said, “I am a vegetarian myself and I want to send out this message to everyone that vegetarians are powerful, they have the stamina. Look at me, I defeated non-vegetarians from America and Kazakhstan in the Olympics. So, you can see that vegetarians have a lot of strength.”

You need only look at famous vegan athletes like Kumar, NFL star Tony Gonzalez or Ultimate Fighting Champion Mac Danzig to realize that vegetarianism packs a serious punch!

If you want to find out more about how to bulk up on a vegetarian diet, visit veganbodybuilding.com!

Oprah Winfrey’s new reality show, Big Give, is getting some help from actress Jennifer Aniston. The show — which premieres March 2nd — challenges 10 people to help change the lives of complete strangers. At the end of the challenge, the contestants will be judged on their leadership, accomplishments, creativity and presentation with one “giver” being eliminated. The judges include “world-renowned “Naked Chef” and philanthropist Jamie Oliver, NFL star Tony Gonzalez, and Malaak Compton-Rock, charity founder and the wife of comedian Chris Rock.”

Aniston will join John Travolta, Jada Pinkett-Smith, tennis legend Andre Agassi, skateboarder Tony Hawk and racing star Danica Patrick in assisting the contestants with the various challenges. Judge Jaime Oliver couldn’t be more thrilled to work with her again — after meeting her and then-husband Brad Pitt at a private dinner party he helped cook for. From the article,

“‘Jennifer’s a friend of mine, she’s a beautiful, beautiful character,’ he tells OK!. ‘She was perfect to be a part of Oprah’s Big Give because that’s her personality — she’s a beautiful, giving person. It was lovely to have her involved, to have a friend be involved in the same show as me, and she comes along to one of the shows to pat the winners on the back.’”

No doubt that as with anything Oprah touches, this 8-episode series should be a big hit. Obviously, we really love the concept of helping out others in need and having Winfrey spearhead this effort is wonderful. Let’s hope there’s another season of giving in the works.

Case in point: NFL star Tony Gonzalez. Afraid his diet of high protein and high fat was going to kill him — he decided to embark on a change in eating habits that ultimately led him to choosing a vegan lifestyle. This isn’t an easy option for an athlete that goes through thousands and thousands of calories per day. From the article,

Teammates nicknamed him China Study and razzed Mr. Gonzalez if he missed a block. But he wasn’t ready to give up his new diet completely. After a preseason practice, he accompanied Mr. Hinds to learn a skill he believed as important as blocking techniques: how to shop for groceries. Mr. Hinds showed him nutritious fish oils and how to pick out breads dense with whole grains, nuts and seeds. “The best bread for you,” says Mr. Hinds, “is if I hit you with it, it hurts.” Mr. Gonzalez also learned how to make the fruit and vegetable shake he drinks each morning. He stocked his pantry with tubs of soy protein powder and boxes of organic oatmeal; soy milk and Brazilian acai juice crowded the fridge. His favorite dessert became banana bread topped with soy whipped cream from the vegan cafe near his home in Orange County’s Huntington Beach.

This should put to rest any argument that vegan diets are not good for you. With the right balance of supplements and nutrition — staying meat and dairy free is a realistic lifestyle choice. Just ask a man who weighs 247lbs and broke records this year. Congrats Tony for taking a risk — and sharing the results. Check out a video of Tony showing how to make a high-protein vegan shake below.