Vegetarian athletes??!
I know a whole ton of questions like this have been posted already, but bare with me :]
Okay, I'm pretty much a full time rower; I row 5 mornings a week and go to gym 3 times a week with my state's Academy of Sport!. I did quite well at Nationals and other regattas, coming 2nd in the country!. I have done this while eating meat!.
I have, however, slowly been going off meat; not only the taste and the texture, but also how animals are killed!.
I am now interested in becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but I'm concerned that I will go flat on energy, and not live up to my past performances!.
How can I ensure that I stay energised and able to perform well in my sport!? I really want to go to World Junior Rowing Championships in France next year, and I want to prepare well for it!.
I also need to convince my parents that I can stay just as good while being a vego!.
Thanks!!!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Okay, I'm pretty much a full time rower; I row 5 mornings a week and go to gym 3 times a week with my state's Academy of Sport!. I did quite well at Nationals and other regattas, coming 2nd in the country!. I have done this while eating meat!.
I have, however, slowly been going off meat; not only the taste and the texture, but also how animals are killed!.
I am now interested in becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but I'm concerned that I will go flat on energy, and not live up to my past performances!.
How can I ensure that I stay energised and able to perform well in my sport!? I really want to go to World Junior Rowing Championships in France next year, and I want to prepare well for it!.
I also need to convince my parents that I can stay just as good while being a vego!.
Thanks!!!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
I started for reasons of athletic performance!. For bicycle racing and the other sports I do!. At the time I ate a lot of pasta in the form of spaghetti with tomato-beef sauce!. Through my research on the optimum diet for humans, the first thing I researched was meat -- and decided that humans are not designed to digest it, and thus fat from meat directly goes into the blood stream, slowing everything down!. In the height of summer training/racing, I took meat out of my diet!. Immediately, the next day, I noticed a huge increase in stamina and endurance!. I was amazed!. And this spurred me onward to research the rest of my diet, the human digestive system and topic of health spanning and branching outward into infinity!.
At the same time as my performance went up, I also lost my acne of many years!. I needed half as much sleep!. My recovery was very fast!.!.!. I could not basically go from a training ride straight to playing tennis!. I had boundless energy!.
I didn't lose any weight, because being an endurance athlete, my body was already at optimum weight!.
Focus on "quality" food!. Organic, fresh food!. I have no idea what you eat currently, but your digestive system will take time to adjust too!. When changing your diet, your digestive system will be expecting the foods you use to eat and when different things start coming in, it will have to adjust!. Every one is different, but you may find a drop in energy, or an increase, or flatulence, or whatever!.!.!. You will have to experiment, learn new reciped, find new ingredients, etc!.
For example, I used to eat a lot of pasta, but I knew it was not good for me because it's highly processed etc!. So, I decided to switch to whole grain rice!. I knew other athletes that ate rice with no problem, especially when I was in Japan!.!.!. they all eat rice!. But, for me, I just could not get any energy from rice!. I would eat and eat and eat it and never feel full!. But, over the years, yes - took years, my digestion improved and I was eventually able to eat less food yet get more energy out of the food and I mainly ate rice for my staple food and had no problems with energy for exercise from it!.
So, we're all different!.!.!. you just need to get to know your own body, what's its needs are etc!.
There is a long long list of vegan/vegetarian athletes on the net!.!.!. many of them great and famous Olympic winners etc!. So, if they can do it, and I can do it, so can you!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
At the same time as my performance went up, I also lost my acne of many years!. I needed half as much sleep!. My recovery was very fast!.!.!. I could not basically go from a training ride straight to playing tennis!. I had boundless energy!.
I didn't lose any weight, because being an endurance athlete, my body was already at optimum weight!.
Focus on "quality" food!. Organic, fresh food!. I have no idea what you eat currently, but your digestive system will take time to adjust too!. When changing your diet, your digestive system will be expecting the foods you use to eat and when different things start coming in, it will have to adjust!. Every one is different, but you may find a drop in energy, or an increase, or flatulence, or whatever!.!.!. You will have to experiment, learn new reciped, find new ingredients, etc!.
For example, I used to eat a lot of pasta, but I knew it was not good for me because it's highly processed etc!. So, I decided to switch to whole grain rice!. I knew other athletes that ate rice with no problem, especially when I was in Japan!.!.!. they all eat rice!. But, for me, I just could not get any energy from rice!. I would eat and eat and eat it and never feel full!. But, over the years, yes - took years, my digestion improved and I was eventually able to eat less food yet get more energy out of the food and I mainly ate rice for my staple food and had no problems with energy for exercise from it!.
So, we're all different!.!.!. you just need to get to know your own body, what's its needs are etc!.
There is a long long list of vegan/vegetarian athletes on the net!.!.!. many of them great and famous Olympic winners etc!. So, if they can do it, and I can do it, so can you!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
former Cowboy Ed "Too Tall" Jones played in the NFL as a vegetarian!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Meat is not an end-all source of protein, vitamins and minerals!. You can easily receive the proper amount of nutrition from fruit, veggies, beans and legumes!.
By eating brown rice, quinoa, tofu, nuts, beans and fresh fruit and vegetables, you will be just fine!.
If you are still eating dairy, there are sources of protein in that category - eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, etc!. (Just don't overload on those foods - they have high amounts of both fat and cholesterol)!.
For convincing your parents, the only suggestion I have is to read up on vegetarianism!. Research your particular reasons why you want to give up meat and make sure you have information to support your stance and quell the fears of your parents!. You might also want to go to the library (or bookstore) and grab a few vegetarian cookbooks!. They will give you a good idea about what foods to eat and many of them have informational sections that will detail the vegetarian food pyramid, how to stock the typical vegetarian pantry and what foods to eat for different vitamins and minerals!.
Good luck in your new diet!.!.!.and good luck with your rowing!Www@FoodAQ@Com
By eating brown rice, quinoa, tofu, nuts, beans and fresh fruit and vegetables, you will be just fine!.
If you are still eating dairy, there are sources of protein in that category - eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, etc!. (Just don't overload on those foods - they have high amounts of both fat and cholesterol)!.
For convincing your parents, the only suggestion I have is to read up on vegetarianism!. Research your particular reasons why you want to give up meat and make sure you have information to support your stance and quell the fears of your parents!. You might also want to go to the library (or bookstore) and grab a few vegetarian cookbooks!. They will give you a good idea about what foods to eat and many of them have informational sections that will detail the vegetarian food pyramid, how to stock the typical vegetarian pantry and what foods to eat for different vitamins and minerals!.
Good luck in your new diet!.!.!.and good luck with your rowing!Www@FoodAQ@Com
There is no reason why your performance should suffer if you're planning your diet to get the nutrients you need for optimum performance!. It's all available on a vegetarian diet!. Pick up a copy of "The New Becoming Vegetarian" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina!. It's thorough coverage of vegetarian nutrition in general and has a chapter addressing the needs of veg athletes!.
You should know that a number of veg athletes compete on the highest levels!. Carl Lewis, nine time Olympic track and field gold medalist, had his best season after going vegan!. Ruth Heidrich and Brendan Brazier have won Ironman triathlons as vegans!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
You should know that a number of veg athletes compete on the highest levels!. Carl Lewis, nine time Olympic track and field gold medalist, had his best season after going vegan!. Ruth Heidrich and Brendan Brazier have won Ironman triathlons as vegans!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
There is no magical performance enhancing quality to meat!. Meat is hard to digest, and the system slows everything down to cope with this!. If meat gives you energy, why, after eating a dinner full of it, does everyone want to take a nap!?
For any nutritional questions your parents might have:
http://www!.pcrm!.org/health/veginfo/vsk/v!.!.!.
For more info on vegetarian athletes:
http://www!.vrg!.org/nutshell/athletes!.htm
http://www!.jivdaya!.org/vegetarian_athlet!.!.!.
Good luck!Www@FoodAQ@Com
For any nutritional questions your parents might have:
http://www!.pcrm!.org/health/veginfo/vsk/v!.!.!.
For more info on vegetarian athletes:
http://www!.vrg!.org/nutshell/athletes!.htm
http://www!.jivdaya!.org/vegetarian_athlet!.!.!.
Good luck!Www@FoodAQ@Com
i think you will find to the conterary that you have more energy and feel better!. i'm really athletic myself!. swimming, and cycling - i always have more energy and feel my best when i'm eating right!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
You can absolutely be an elite athlete and a vegetarian, no doubt about it!. I'm a vegan, I'm a runner, and I have LOTS of energy!
Jen D gave you awesome advice!. Best of luck to you!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Jen D gave you awesome advice!. Best of luck to you!Www@FoodAQ@Com
im a vegetarian and i do athletics, you just need to be sure that you still get protiens and other nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy!. All of these things can be found in sources that are not meat!.Www@FoodAQ@Com