you name it, tofu can provide it. I call it a flexitarian Plant--based, and Concentration and focus in a digital age see it as a do-able road to veganism in the near future. All extra amounts of food more than needed are stored as fat regardless of the nutrient it is consumed from.

Plant-based protein sources for athletes -

This is my daily routine……. I do change up the potatoes for pasta and brown rice for variety and I through in steamed veggies if I have the time. The fruit smoothies are usually the organics mixed berries from Safeway which contain strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and I throw in some frozen pineapple and some ground flax.

I usually do my workouts at 1pm so I have two meals on board before the workout and the 3pm meal makes a great post workout meal. I have never felt and looked better and I came from being on pain management for multiple spinal cord surgeries and sever chronic pain. The vegan diet has been nothing short of amazing for me.

Ok all your posts got my attention and I ordered Thrive, I just read it this weekend and I like the concept…I think I understand better now his thoughts, but in some ways it does feel to strict or too raw for my tastes. This post was good to help remind me to lean in to it and keep finding ways to make it work best for me.

RunToTheFinish, yeah I like to think of Thrive as the benchmark that I strive to get as close as possible to while still enjoying the food that I love.

The principles are great, so you can keep them in mind while you choose your meals, and the smoothie and gel recipes are the most valuable part, for me. Hey there,love thee blog been following for long now, i just cant seem to lose weight.

My diet reflects your a lot. Keep up the great work. Chris, thanks for such a nice comment. Congratulations on taking that challenge! This is great info. for newbies. I think they often believe that becoming vegetarian is harder than it really is.

I think the key is variety, eating lots of different whole foods ensures all bases are covered. Awesome post! But this post is really helpful in giving me ideas of what I should be eating.

I do know that when I went vegan, my energy greatly improved, and my sleeping patterns became so much more regular. At annual exams, I have consistently showed great cholesterol numbers with no deficiencies. Lisa, g? Do you know of any research that supports the idea for athletes?

Many government- and organization-recommended protein amounts seem reasonable, but then when authors talk to athletes, they say athletes need so much more. Thanks for the list Matt! Once I became vegan, I noticed even more significant gains. Any animal fat is a big No, No for me.

Great post Matt! We need to get together someday and come up with an action plan for Harford County. It sucks to be veg here. What do you think? I just ran a 5k near D.

for an animal sanctuary and noticed they had several vegan running clubs there. Joe, a Harford County vegan or vegetarian, for me running club is a great idea.

I keep trying to enter my email address to download the book but every time I enter a it goes right away??? Well first of all, I love the post! Thanks for writing it — it is very informative, especially for a newbie vegetarian and a newbie athlete.

Also, I appreciate the caloric breakdown… I thought I should be eating a lot more protein and after reading this I Googled it and realized that I was off.

I should obviously still include it, but I was going a little overboard with protein and neglecting the carbs! Perfect timing! I just recently cut our red meat, pork and chicken still working on fish and shrimp and this is a great guideline. Also helpful would be maybe a day or two of your typical meals, if you feel comfortable 🙂 Thanks!

Matt, I have had a similar experience as you. About a year ago I started following the Thrive diet fairly religiously and noticed gains. HOWEVER, I always wonder whether it was Thrive or the fact that I was no longer following the standard american diet.

I have since transitioned to a modified Paleo diet and have not noticed any drops in performance yet. BTW, first comment, but I love your site! It makes sense that almost any well thought-out diet is going to be better over the standard Western diet.

this was an excellent read thank you so much! saving this for future refernce, i have a 14km run in aug this will help alot. Getting a wide arrange of food is definitely essential. Do you have any suggestions for getting the necessary nutrients on the go? For example, do you suggest always keeping something like Vega powder on-hand or making nutrient-rich smoothies with local fruits and veggies?

Raam, the nomad thing is awesome! I just checked out your blog. The idea of bringing Vega powder along to put in smoothies is certainly a way to get a lot of good, necessary nutrients.

Almost all of their products cost more than a dollar per serving. Check out my post on pinole. You might be able to adapt it with local ingredients or to add nutrients that you think are necessary.

Thanks, Matt! That suggestion is fantastic. Looking forward to learning more. Also, check our Mike Wardian as another vegetarian endurance athlete. Your foods list looks very similar to what I prefer to eat.

I do have a bit more low fat organic dairy, organic cage free locally sourced eggs, and processed soy in my diet. Those foods are still in my diet since my husband is not a vegetarian and they keep him more satisfied eating a vegetarian diet. Cooking with some of those foods keeps him from eating meat except on holidays.

I used to eat a lot of that stuff when I first became a vegetarian 18 years ago, but slowly over time transitioned to a more vegan diet. I think the title is Mexican vegetarian chili with rice.

It does look good! that list there that you have? thats MY list… :O i am pleased as punch too since i came up with my list all on my own!!!! well from reading a lot of blogs, but eventually it came down to exactly what you wrote.

i am anxiously awaiting my No Meat Athlete shirt 🙁. But I survived 8 years of competitive h. But I agree with others who commented — you have to find what works for you.

And I have to say…for some people, that means eating meat. Thanks for such a great breakdown!! Good points, Lauren. Great article! I am also of the opinion that we need far less protein than is being touted out there, provided of course that we consume high quality carbs and not junk.

Matt, a thought-provoking post. After years of steadily decreasing meat consumption resulting from healthy diet concerns, I went vegetarian late last year. At that time, I could no longer reconcile meat consumption with my views on the environment and humane treatment of animals.

Shortly after going vegetarian, I started training for my first marathon, which I completed on May 1. Training on a vegetarian diet, my running was stronger than ever, and my pace improved by 1 to 2 minutes per mile. The trend has continued in my post-marathon training. I attributed the improvements mostly to the training program itself, partially to increased cross-training, core and upper body work, and partially to a little extra weight loss during peak training mileage.

It very well may be that the vegetarian diet itself was also a major contributor to the improved performance.

At the very least, it has been totally compatible with building strength and endurance! Hey Vern, thanks for sharing your story. Not so different from mine, except that I was already a runner. And I became so much stronger as a runner after I became vegetarian.

Glad to see you have a blog to help spread the word! Fitness Model Competition I am entering 1 possibly 2 fitness model competitions this Oct 23rd or Nov 6th and am going to enter as a Vegan.

I will keep you posted on my progress and my workouts — lots of weight training and endurance cardio. Wish me luck! Matt- I love your blog! I am also a vegan runner. I was a runner before I was vegan but I think the 2 go perfectly hand in hand. I am also a blogger, residing in San Diego.

Where do you live? Thanks for all you do!! Love your blog. I am new to the world of vegan and running. Hi I am a football player and I want to eat more vegetarian meals. I am concerned about lower protein amounts in my foods. This article will help me to know that it is possible. Do you have some tips for this?

possible vegetables that help facilitate this better. Hershel Walker is vegetarian now, right? And hemp is good for smoothies and energy bar recipes. lots of helpful tips. I think for the most part i eat well balanced meals of course without meat.

I am working on cutting out the cheese and eggs though. The last time i attemped that it was cold-turkey and very hard. Now that i have more control over things i think i can do it. Thanks for the post!

Hi Matt! I have been reading your blogs for a few months and they are so encouraging. So I have been on vegan diets off and on and he mentioned your blog and I instantly became a fan. I find it hard to live without my precious dairy, but I finally stopped eating meat.

I have been feeling so much more energetic and I have just been feeling so good. I now view food in a totally different light.

Keep up the good work and keep those blogs coming! The problem that I am having is that I am seriously disorganized and desperately need comprehensive, step by step daily balanced meal plans breakfast, lunch and dinner on the same page s that will fit a large family budget.

Through much research, I am learning that an alkaline diet is the healthiest type of diet. I also know that even good fats are not good for you when they are over-consumed — yet there is a huge emphasis on the fattier foods in the rew cookbooks that I have purchased thus far.

Your help in this matter would be tremendously appreciated! I need a diet that will not only help our weight to balance out properly, but give me and my family the athletic stamina and endurance we need.

I also need one that contains recipes for making your own protein powders if those are necessary for athletes.

Can you please help me or at direct me to someone who can? She makes her hubby protein powders. Hi Matt, I became a vegetarian when I joined the Seventh Day Adventist church but have never found website like this.

Amazing meals. Thank you so much. What is the dish that is up at the top with the garbanzo beans, Spanish rice, jalapenos, pintos, and guacamole? One of our Doctors at the Loma Linda Hospital is a vegan and still performing surgery at age 93!!

Thanks hope to hear from you. I have been a vegetarian for 17 years and I ran my first half and full marathons this last year all on vegie power. I eat most of the things on your list of course.

Heavy into bean and rice combos while training to ensure complete proteins. I also love fat free cottage cheese.

Are there any supplements that people would suggest as vegetarians? Great post! I have essentially been a vegatarian while saying I was a pescatararian for about 2 yrs. Now am pretty much vegatararian. I still eat sashimi tuna a couple of times per wk but really tiny amounts.

I am running faster than ever and mt new love is vegan thumbprint cookies- weekend treat and unsweetened chocolate almond milk.

Emma my baby dog is not happy!!! This site totally saved me! NMA rocks :. I was just curious: what is the name of the dish in the photograph at the top, and do you have a recipe for it? It looks gorgeous! Thanks 🙂. Hey guys im a long distance trail runner and I just recently went vegan.

I eat very very healthy and get my proteins from soy and beans and humus mostly so im not sure where I am going wrong.

Any ideas?? I like your non-preachy flexible approach. For me, cutting out dairy made a bigger positive change than cutting out meat. I call it a flexitarian approach, and I see it as a do-able road to veganism in the near future.

Thanks for a great web site. would someone please help me!!!!!! The way I did it was gradually. The main thing is to switch how you approach food. Even a slight shift towards a healthier diet is a step in the right direction.

I started by making my diet more healthy: Lower my intake of corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and other processed ingredients. Then I lowered my meat intake to one meal a day, then a few times a week. I removed all pork from my diet at first. I eat almost no red meat.

I still eat chicken and fish every now and then, and because I eat chicken so rarely, I opt for the more expensive, but real meat from the whole foods market. I take a multivitamin to boost my B12, calcium, etc.

I notified my doctor of my dietary switch so he can monitor my health. Where am I now? I am buying less from the standard chain supermarkets. Buying more healthy choices from the whole foods markets and farmers markets.

Down the road, I may cut out all meat, all supermarket food, all processed food. I just need to move myself towards those goals. I read more about diets and food. There is a lot of misinformation on the Internet and in books. Use your best judgment, and stay in tuned with your body to know what seems right for you.

I loved this—especially the part about how much to eat. No one ever listens. Another great post Matt, it can be frustrating trying to explain it to doubters that you can run and lift weights well on a meat free diet and take it to vegan also - the mainstream is very much controlled by upbringing and perceived ideas that straying from the norm creates fear and insecurlty in some people.

Cheers, ZAC. and most important, how can I keep myself healthy and strong? No meat or dairy or eggs and ZERO issues with energy at all.

Fruit, veges, some grains usually wholemeal bread occas, quinoa, cous cous, nuts and seeds, i still use caffeine also , i use non gmo soymilk YES i was once ANTI soy- but with further research am not convinced its a problem in moderation on healthy people at all.

I use oat milk occas, rice milk, almond milk whatever floats ur non dairy boat :P. Keeping strong is a case of getting enough CALORIES and exrecise for your given desires. I have a sub 4hr MARATHON in 12days and can stil lbench Enjoy the journey 🙂.

Hi Matt, love your site. I was just wondering whether you recommend protein shakes for that extra protein boost? There is a lot of information about the what, and almost none about the how much???

I think you should be more specific about the amount of every food group, mainly the fats and carbs. So im trying to go vegetarian purely bc I believe animal crultey is the most evil thing possible. But I run cross country and play lacrosse. Will drinking whey protein with soy milk every time I go to the gym going to get me the same workout as when I was a meat lover???

Any tips on this? Much appreciated 🙂. I get my protein from avocados, nuts, broccoli, kale, etc. Most plant food contains protein, and all have fiber unless it has been processed out , so I lose nothing nutritionally, environmentally, compassionately from avoiding animal-based food.

In addition to protein, legumes are also high in fiber, which is essential to healthy digestion. Venus Williams, who was previously a raw vegan to treat an autoimmune disorder , has since said adding more legumes, and especially lentils, to her diet has helped her fuel an intense training regimen.

Soy is also a great source of protein. One-hundred grams of tofu contains This is comparable to ground beef, which has 19 grams per grams. Because soy is so nutrient-dense, there's good reason to include it in a plant-based diet to acquire nutrients like B vitamins , potassium, magnesium, and sometimes calcium.

Still, many people, including Diaz, avoid tofu and other soy products due to their purported high amounts of estrogen, a reproductive hormone associated with women. Some believe eating soy can have an adverse effect on men's testosterone levels.

But the truth is that while soy products do contain phytoestrogen, a plant-based compound similar to estrogen, research has shown it has no significant effect on testosterone levels. However, studies on soy's other health effects, including on postmenopausal women, have been mixed.

Elite personal trainer Azad Singh is one of many who include tofu in their vegan diets. Seitan pronounced "say-tahn" is wheat protein, otherwise known as gluten, made from kneading wheat flour and rinsing it to remove the starch.

If you've ever eaten mock chicken, duck, or pork, perhaps at a Chinese restaurant, you've eaten seiten. Seitan is often used as a meat substitute because its dense, chewy texture holds up well in recipes that call for chicken or pork, such as fajitas, stir-frys, and even sandwiches and burgers.

It contains about 19 grams of protein per gram serving. It's also high in iron , an important nutrient for healthy blood cells. If you're gluten-free, however, you'll want to avoid it, since it's literally made of gluten. People don't typically think of grains as high-protein foods, but that's because refined grains in typical Western cuisine have protein-dense bran and germ stripped away in the milling process.

Whole grains and grain-like seeds like quinoa are naturally high in protein. Some of the top nutritious grains per cup, according to the USDA include:. Whole grains are also a good source of complex carbohydrates, which are key to fueling the body during long workout sessions, according to dietitians.

Oats are a protein superstar, even among other high-protein grains. One cup has more than 20 grams of protein along with nutrients like folate, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.

They're linked to a wide variety of health benefits like lower blood sugar and reduced risk of heart disease, and come complete with an array of vitamins and antioxidants as well as protein and fiber.

Compounds in oats also have anti-inflammatory benefits , which is why an oatmeal bath is a traditional cure for poison ivy, chicken pox , or other itchy ailments.

Vegan NFL player Andre Patton swears by oatmeal for breakfast, he told Chargers podcast. Elite marathoners also told Insider they swear by their countries' version of oatmeal — types of porridges — for their pre-race meal. Nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses, full of protein as well as fiber and vitamins.

The high-protein varieties include, per ounce:. Nuts and seeds are also a major sources of healthy fats, linked to lower "bad" cholesterol and better heart health.

These include omega-3 fatty acids, often found in fish, but are available in vegan form in walnuts, chia, and flax seeds.

Vegan ultramarathon runner Scott Jurek said healthy fats like hemp and almonds are crucial additions to the 3, to 5, calories he eats every day. While whey protein, made from dairy milk, isn't vegan, many popular supplement brands offer plant-based blends made from peas, pumpkin, brown rice, or hemp.

They can be mixed with water or plant-based milk substitutes for a quick post-workout boost, or a snack between meals.

You can also include protein supplements in pancakes, oatmeal, and other creative recipes. Just keep an eye on the label to make sure you aren't getting too much sugar, artificial ingredients, or other unwanted additives along with your protein.

Mac Danzig , another vegan mixed martial arts fighter, has said he's a fan of vegan protein shakes, among many other foods on this list.

A common Plant-bawed asked by athletes is whether plant-based protein is Chromium browser compatibility for them or not. Proteon all, many ahletes Concentration and focus in a digital age on animal protein Plant-based protein sources for athletes such as Ppant-based, beef, and eggs to help them bulk up and recover from workouts or a major match. However, there is a growing number of athletes who are turning to plant-based protein sources as well. People say they need meat simply because they grew up on it. In this article, we'll take a look at the pros and cons of plant-based protein for athletes. A Plant-Based Diet Is Plant-based protein sources for athletes Optimal Sports Diet. A plant-based diet provides all of Plaant-based nutrients your body needs for training Plant-baaed competition. Because Plant-base plant-based diet is high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, it can support or improve your athletic performance. A Physicians Committee study published in the journal Nutrients found that plant-based athletes benefit from improvements in heart health, performance, and recovery. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel used during high-intensity exercise.