One of my favorite quotes is from Pam Popper, PhD "you build muscle in the gym not from your plate."
One of the myths out there is that you must eat meat to build muscle and to sustain you in endurance training. People are so fearful of carbs, but carbs are what give you energy so that your brain will function and carbs sustain you through your workouts, it is those workouts that will in turn build muscle. (And, of course burn the fat away.) But, when I say carbs, I am specifically talking about whole food, plant based carbs. Sweet potatoes, organic corn, rice, quinoa, millet, oats, squash, beans, peas, fruit, etc. Not the standard American diet of white bread, white pasta, processed and fried everything.
Eat whole grains, whole foods and enjoy your carbs! Eating a variety of whole, plant based food, and eating until you are satisfied will ensure you get enough of all the essential nutrients. (Yes, it might be wise to occasionally, supplement with B12 and vitamin D) As an athlete, you do need more protein, carbs, etc than the average person. But it is about needing more calories in total not just specific nutrients. As you workout more, you burn more calories, and you will need to eat more. If you stay focused on eating a variety of whole, plant based food and eating until you are satisfied, you will naturally be eating more protein and all the nutrients that your body needs.
This blog post just hit my email today: Where Do You Get Your Protein?
As I am not a nutritionist or a Doctor, I will not pontificate further but below are a few examples of plant based athletes. I look to these people as inspiration. They all eat a plant based diet and achieve extraordinary physical accomplishments from ultra marathons to the Tour De France. Read what they have to say about being fueled by plants:
Ultraman- Rich Roll
Tour De France Cyclist - David Zabriskie
Triathlete - Rip Esselstyn
Vegan bodybuilder - Robert Cheeke
Professional Triathlete - Brendan Brazier
Newly converted - Lance Armstrong
Other - No Meat Athlete
Allyson,
ReplyDeletePlease go to one of the internet providers and purchase the plantrunner.com domain. I almost bought it and found your cool blog. You should own the name (9.99@ godaddy, probably cheaper other places). Thanks!