Victoria Pendleton
Victoria Pendleton CBE is a former British track cyclist and former Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion. Her two Olympic gold medals and one silver, make her one of Great Britain’s most successful female Olympians. The nine-times world champion won the gold at Beijing in 2008 and took home a silver and gold at the London 2012 games.
In 2012, Victoria also competed in Strictly Come Dancing,
Why Victoria Pendleton is vegan
Victoria Pendleton is vegan for the animals and the environment.
Victoria Pendleton never liked eating meat and “was only eating meat because her nutritionists at the time were advising her to for the protein content.”1Moore, M. 2022. Exclusive: Olympian Victoria Pendleton reveals surprising life change since quitting sport. Hello. Available: https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/20220223133847/victoria-pendleton-health-daily-diet-exclusive/ [Accessed 21 September 2026]. However, after retiring from professional cycling in 2012, Victoria had more freedom to choose what she ate and due to being a self-proclaimed animal lover, and with growing concern about the environment, she immediately became a vegetarian. Then around 2016, she made the transition to a plant-based diet.2Connor, L. 2020. Victoria Pendleton on veganism and why she thinks everyone should eat less meat. Wise Living Magazine. Available: https://wiselivingmagazine.co.uk/health/diet-nutrition/victoria-pendleton-veganism-eat-less-meat/ [Accessed 9 September 2021]. Although she had a very brief stint as a jockey after her cycling career – putting her vegan credentials into question – she walked away from that in 2016, around the same time she adopted a fully plant-based diet.
“I’m a massive animal lover, but I’ve always felt the environmental impact of meat was an easy way for me to lower my carbon footprint… I’ve always been very environmentally conscious, so for me, it was about finding a way that I could fit it into my life – as I knew it could make that significant difference.”3Connor, L. 2020. Victoria Pendleton on veganism and why she thinks everyone should eat less meat. Wise Living Magazine. Available: https://wiselivingmagazine.co.uk/health/diet-nutrition/victoria-pendleton-veganism-eat-less-meat/ [Accessed 9 September 2021].
“I’ve also gone vegan, because of the carbon footprint and impact on the environment. So, for me it’s something that’s very real. And like so many things in life – like training, like everything – every little tiny bit we do counts.”4Johnson, M. 2018. Olympic medallist Victoria Pendleton on adopting animals and going vegan for the environment. Tempus. Available: https://tempusmagazine.co.uk/news/olympic-medallist-victoria-pendleton-on-adopting-animals-and-going-vegan-for-the-environment/ [Accessed 21 September 2026].
References:
- Moore, M. 2022. Exclusive: Olympian Victoria Pendleton reveals surprising life change since quitting sport. Hello. Available: https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/20220223133847/victoria-pendleton-health-daily-diet-exclusive/ [Accessed 21 September 2026].
- Connor, L. 2020. Victoria Pendleton on veganism and why she thinks everyone should eat less meat. Wise Living Magazine. Available: https://wiselivingmagazine.co.uk/health/diet-nutrition/victoria-pendleton-veganism-eat-less-meat/ [Accessed 9 September 2021].
- Connor, L. 2020. Victoria Pendleton on veganism and why she thinks everyone should eat less meat. Wise Living Magazine. Available: https://wiselivingmagazine.co.uk/health/diet-nutrition/victoria-pendleton-veganism-eat-less-meat/ [Accessed 9 September 2021].
- Johnson, M. 2018. Olympic medallist Victoria Pendleton on adopting animals and going vegan for the environment. Tempus. Available: https://tempusmagazine.co.uk/news/olympic-medallist-victoria-pendleton-on-adopting-animals-and-going-vegan-for-the-environment/ [Accessed 21 September 2026].
