Guilherme Abomai
bodybuilder
Guilherme is an accomplished bodybuilder who has taken a hard-working and intelligent approach to bodybuilding. It has yielded results, with an IFBB Pro Card and some high-profile placings.
- 2021 Musclecontest São Paulo Champion
- 2024 Podium place at the Arnold Classic South America
- 2024 Mr. Olympia Brazil Champion.
After starting to compete in 2016, the Brazilian heavyweight attracted interest when he became IFBB Beginners Champion. He was Mr. Brazil Champion in 2018 and the São Paulo Overall Champion for the same year. In 2019 he was the Musclecontest National Champion (2019) and the Mr. Olympia Brazil Champion (2019).
“I followed a traditional diet focused on aesthetics and performance” he explains. “However, around 2020, I started having many intestinal issues. While researching ways to improve my health, I tried a plant-based diet and experienced significant improvement.”
The move attracted some scepticism, although Guilherme, who is a professional nutritionist, learned to consider the doubts carefully,
“I was already a recognized athlete, and I received a lot of criticism when I announced my new lifestyle. Many people said I had retired. I also had to cut ties with some sponsors because it no longer made sense for me to promote products from companies that did not share my values. It was a period of many changes and uncertainties. However, I received support from those who mattered most: my friends, my family, and especially my wife.”
The proof came when Guilherme continued winning.
“after five years as a vegan and seeing how my physique and mental strength have evolved, people have come to respect my lifestyle based on results”
The next year saw him become the Musclecontest São Paulo Champion and in 2023 he was the Musclecontest Bauru Overall Champion. In the following year he took a podium place at the Arnold Classic South America and was the Musclecontest Guarulhos Overall Champion. He was also the Mr. Olympia Brazil Champion.
The change became more than a diet and Guilherme has enthusiastically embraced veganism as a lifestyle.
“I also came to understand why people choose to become vegan and decided to adopt this lifestyle in support of our animal brothers” he says. “In the beginning, due to the lack of references of heavyweight vegan athletes, I wasn’t sure if it would be possible to maintain a high level of performance while being vegan. But over time, it became clear that a plant-based diet is extremely advantageous—to the point that I improved my physique and achieved professional athlete status, a dream I’ve had since the beginning of my athletic career.”
The dream became reality in October 2024 when Guilherme was awarded his Pro Card.
Dedicated Training
Successes like these come only after hard work, and Guilherme trains to win.
Speaking with him in 2026 his routine starts on Monday focussing on he back, biceps and calves. Tuesday sees him train chest, shoulders and triceps before Wednesday sessions targeting quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. After a rest day, Friday targets chest, shoulders and triceps and back before Saturday and work on the hamstrings, quadriceps and biceps.
“I do cardiovascular training by cycling. I commute to the gym by bike at least three times per week. Each round trip totals about 90 minutes of cardio. Cycling is a great way to stay active while also clearing the mind.”
This requires fuel. It’s always vegan, and if he travels, he plans ahead.
Speaking in 2026 ahead of his first overseas competition, he was aiming to gain weight. The warm and articulate muscleman is aiming to add more to his 125 kg bodyweight.
“I prioritize foods with higher caloric density such as nuts, peanuts, oils, and avocado. Overall, my diet is very simple. I am also a nutritionist, and I notice that vegan athletes often tend to vary their food choices daily, which in my view can be risky. We need consistency to truly understand how each food source affects our bodies.
“Since a plant-based diet opens up a huge range of food options, there is a risk of following an overly flexible routine that interferes with body awareness.
“I eat five meals per day. Breakfast and my last meal at night are based on plant milk (currently oat milk due to its caloric density), oats, sugarcane molasses, nuts and seeds, a peanut-based plant protein (here in Brazil I use a revolutionary product called AmendoPro, a peanut protein with 85% less fat than peanut butter), and two types of fruit, which I rotate over the days.
“The other three meals are based on white rice, unlimited vegetables, “Culinary Protein” (a protein made from carioca beans and soy, with no fat or carbohydrates), nutritional yeast, and vegetables (usually carrots, beetroot, and tomatoes).
“When I want some variation, I replace the Culinary Protein with textured soy protein. After every training session, I always use one serving of ISO PEA, an isolated pea protein from a Brazilian company called RAKKAU, composed of 85% protein. It is excellent.
“AmendoPro (which produces the peanut protein) is one of the largest exporters of high-quality peanuts in Brazil. VidaVeg (which produces the oat milk and the Culinary Protein) is the largest plant-based food company in Brazil. RAKKAU (which produces isolated plant proteins) are my sponsors.
“They are innovative companies that believe in sport and in a more compassionate world.”
Making Memories
Guilherme reflects on his years in the sport, and values his memories. He started to compete while ne new categories such as Men’s Physique and Classic Physique were being launched, so athletes willing to compete in bodybuilding already debuted with considerable muscle mass.
Working in business auditing, he trained cardio by stair running in the office during lunch breaks. Turning vegan was a big change.
“I was already a well-known athlete in Brazil, and many people said this decision was a mistake that would lead to my retirement. It was a time of uncertainty and challenges. However, I could not go back, because veganism for me is tied to values and ethics — something greater than my passion for performance and results.
“When I returned to the stage, I won two Overall Champion titles at regional NPC competitions, placed Top 3 at the Arnold Classic Brazil, and won the Mr. Olympia Amateur title, which qualified me as a professional athlete. My first competition in 2016 and these most recent achievements as a vegan are the most meaningful to me, because they required the greatest resilience and focus on my goals.”
“Now, after five years as a vegan and seeing how my physique and mental strength have evolved, people have come to respect my lifestyle based on results. That said, veganism is still viewed with prejudice, and I still receive criticism on social media, often with arguments about hormone use or the fact that I had already won titles before becoming vegan.
“The truth is that I evolved as a vegan to the point of becoming a professional champion. People without prejudice understand my message: we do not need animal products to achieve aesthetic or performance results. And even if someone continues to eat meat, the nutritional strategies I use can benefit everyone. Ultimately, my goal is for fewer people to consume meat and for more people to respect animals.”
Forward with Bodybuilding – and Veganism
As well as organising his own nutrition, Guilherme is a nutritionist, often working with non-vegans.
“The health and performance results of those who reduce their intake of animal-based foods are very significant” he notes. “I believe this process works like a seed, helping people gradually understand the true reasons why vegans adopt this lifestyle.”
“I would like to encourage all vegan friends to explore their maximum potential in whatever field they choose. Our way of thinking and acting must inspire new people to look at veganism without prejudice, understanding that our purpose is to create a more compassionate world for humans and animals alike.”
Guilherme recognises the support he has had from his sponsors RAKKAU, AmendoPRO, and VidaVeg.
“And I have a loving ‘Eu te amo’ to the person who is always by my side — my wife, Pâmela.”