Are you a vegetarian runner?
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NorthCountryDreamer
Posts: 115 Member
A quality diet seems to be defined by vegetables, legumes, fruit, and nuts. Along with that, I thought, a runner would include salmon, tuna, chicken breast, cottage cheese, eggs and some red meat. Should I eat meat, eggs and dairy in order to lose weight, run well and stay healthy or not?
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I include all of that quality stuff, plus lean meats, some dairy, and sometimes red meat too. I think either diet can properly fuel a run, but a veg diet requires more time & attention to getting iron, protein, and B vitamins. Plus, I enjoy eating meat.
I often see people at races wearing shirts that say "Runs on Plants" or "Fueled by Beef", two groups that support athletes and give them their ideas of healthy diets.0 -
It's a good question. I'm not a vegetarian, but I do meatless Mondays & Fridays. I'm allergic to legumes (but I can't resist peas for the taste and the pea protein is awesome!). I'm lactose-intolerant. So I gave up dairy (except for yogurt). I've seen big benefits in losing weight by adding the meatless Mondays to the fish Fridays that I was already doing. Eggs are fine (but sometimes I do egg whites), meat is ok in moderation but I've seen benefits with running/weight loss by limiting it. I love fish so I eat it constantly (tilapia with coconut oil is amazing!). Dairy is up to you. One I learned I was lactose-intolerant, I had to give it up. For me, I much prefer almond milk (especially chocolate almond milk) and/or coconut milk. They taste better to me than cow's milk. They also blend better with the kale smoothies I make. Maybe try going dairy-free for a week & see what you think? I seem to have a lot more energy running & during the day having made these changes so I'm not going back. Good luck.0
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I am a vegetarian, I was vegan for 10 years. You won't find a straight answer. If you are a healthy eating vegetarian (lots of veggies, fruit, good protein from legumes, nuts, soy, etc) then it's not going to negatively affect performance. There are evangelists who will claim that it will improve performance. I'm skeptical of these claims. In general eat clean and stay healthy whether your diet includes meat or not. If you are already veggie then don't use running as an excuse for eating meat because there are plenty of veggie protein and high nutrient sources. If you are veggie and want to start eating meat again then do it because it's what you want, not because you think it will make you faster, stronger, etc.0
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Since we're in the Long Distance Running forum.....
Here's that real tangible benefit that I keep hearing about, and it's pooping. Plant based diets seem to help a lot with being regular. If you're eating a lot of fiber, it's a lot easier to have that morning poop before your race or long run, which leads to fewer GI issues, which leads to better racing and better training, and just simply enjoying distance running more.
(I'm a vegetarian and have been for 20 years.)0 -
I went meatless for Lent this past year during marathon training with no ill effects. I did eat dairy and eggs so not really vegetarian. Tofu, wild caught salmon, and black beans were my best friends :P0
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Im a vegetarian runner... I dont it any form of animal... I supplement with protein shakes. So it can be done. There is even a Fruitarian Ultra runner who covers about 30 miles a day. So it can be done.0
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There are plenty of books published by long-distance runners that are plant-based. I've been vegetarian since 2006 and vegan (whole food/plant-based) since 2012. IMO it gives me the advantage on faster recovery and understanding how the body responds to nutrients.
There are a lot of plant based athletes on MFP. It would be best to friend a few and watch their diaries and learn how they train.0 -
I eat mostly vegan and all three of my marathons have been since going vegetarian (at first) 3 years ago; it has been a good move for me. I can't say it would work for everyone, but I like it.0
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I am a dedicated omnivore but these two people are kind of special in terms of athletic achievements and diet
http://www.runningrawaroundaustralia.com/
Edit: just realised this page resembles more of an advertisement now they have finished. More info if you are interested on their facebook page.
TLDR: ran many consecutive marathons around Australia fueled by raw vegan diet.0 -
I keep hearing as "proof' that a plant-based diet is not good for athletes is this assertion that, if it were so good, why aren't there more professional and elite vegan athletes?
IMO, it's not nutrition, it's money. Unless you're in California, 4,000 calories a day on a vegan diet can get super pricey. With very few exceptions, most elite athletes make very little money. And they need to support their training volume. Meat's just cheaper these days. Even the well-paid pros got to the pros through some lean times in the minor leagues or playing in college.0 -
I'm not sure where you get the idea meat is cheaper? I eat beans, lentils, chic peas etc for my protein. About 99 cents a pound.0
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I'm mostly vegan and have absolutely no problem logging all my calories on a plant based diet.0
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I completed my first marathon on a vegan diet. I suffered horrible muscle loss from it because, while I was eating enough calories, I didn't eat enough protein. I know the standard vegan line is that it's easy to get enough protein on a plant-based diet. True for the average person, but not for athletes. You may need to supplement a lot with protein powders. Brendan Brazier's "Thrive" books give good information on this topic. (I wish I would have known before my first marathon.) Matt Fitzgerald's "Racing Weight" also gives good information on vegan and vegetarian diets for athletes (although his program includes meats).
I'm training for my second marathon on a mostly vegetarian diet. (I eat about one serving of meat per week.) I've found it very easy to maintain muscle mass and performance and to meet my protein needs. Matt Fitzgerald's books have been very helpful.0 -
I'm a vegetarian. I eat eggs and dairy products though. I get most of my proteins from dairy and lentils. I seldom eat eggs. I haven't added a protein powder yet, but I may. I'm still a newbie runner, training for my first half in Sept.0
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I keep hearing as "proof' that a plant-based diet is not good for athletes is this assertion that, if it were so good, why aren't there more professional and elite vegan athletes?
IMO, it's not nutrition, it's money. Unless you're in California, 4,000 calories a day on a vegan diet can get super pricey. With very few exceptions, most elite athletes make very little money. And they need to support their training volume. Meat's just cheaper these days. Even the well-paid pros got to the pros through some lean times in the minor leagues or playing in college.
Actually eating vegan costs much less than eating a meat diet, if you are smart about it. Also, I do very little cooking at all--eating plant based is super easy and true "fast food." The only time I need 4,000 calories a day is when I am cycling over 400 miles a week. Currently I am running 50+ and keep it about 2,200-2,500 a day.
Any meat eater that ever questions my nutrition, I always offer the challenge of "let's compare lab results." I've saved mine from the last 5 years and most health professionals are astounded to my stats.0 -
As for elite athletes, perhaps I am bias but I tend to know more of the best that are vegan than not (especially in the world of ultra-runnning). Here are a few--Carl Lewis, Scott Jurek, Michael Arnstein, Byron Powell, Rich Roll, Vlad Ixel, and Fiona Oakes.0
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I'm a vegan ultra runner. A whole foods plant diet requires very little attention to counting "nutrients": eat plants, lots of them, and no processed food. viola! I do nothing special to meet the RDA.
Who says vegan is expensive? it's only costly if you're buying processed protein powders, supplements, and faux meats. Fresh produce is cheap, so are beans.0 -
Who says vegan is expensive? it's only costly if you're buying processed protein powders, supplements, and faux meats. Fresh produce is cheap, so are beans.
Yeah, fresh produce is cheap when you live in Texas. It is not so cheap when you live in the frozen north. And it isn't good either. For about seven months out of the year, a tomato costs $4 and tastes like cardboard. I can go close to vegan in the summer up here, but come winter I want to stick a gun in my mouth. Come February and I'm melting sharp cheddar on top of everything.0 -
Who says vegan is expensive? it's only costly if you're buying processed protein powders, supplements, and faux meats. Fresh produce is cheap, so are beans.
Yeah, fresh produce is cheap when you live in Texas. It is not so cheap when you live in the frozen north. And it isn't good either. For about seven months out of the year, a tomato costs $4 and tastes like cardboard. I can go close to vegan in the summer up here, but come winter I want to stick a gun in my mouth. Come February and I'm melting sharp cheddar on top of everything.
Hahaha yes! Fresh produces in Canada in February is E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E.
And, everything is better with melted cheese on it :laugh:0 -
Who says vegan is expensive? it's only costly if you're buying processed protein powders, supplements, and faux meats. Fresh produce is cheap, so are beans.
Yeah, fresh produce is cheap when you live in Texas. It is not so cheap when you live in the frozen north. And it isn't good either. For about seven months out of the year, a tomato costs $4 and tastes like cardboard. I can go close to vegan in the summer up here, but come winter I want to stick a gun in my mouth. Come February and I'm melting sharp cheddar on top of everything.
Hahaha yes! Fresh produces in Canada in February is E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E.
And, everything is better with melted cheese on it :laugh:
We've kept detailed budgets that include our groceries for many years. It's funny to watch how our expenses change during the year. The grocery bill goes up by about 70% in February relative to August. We can also see blips when I've been breastfeeding. That's hilarious!0
