Vegetarianism means low sports performance ..... ?

[Ravenbait]

I'm following the same sort of diet as Fiona outlined above, but it's relatively recent because of digestive upsets. I just can't digest meat very well at the moment. Prior to this we didn't eat a lot of meat (maybe once every couple of weeks to once a month), and I've been on restricted dairy for more than a year. I can't really comment on how it's affecting my performance because I ruptured the plantar fascia in my right foot during my last race (a biomechanical issue that has nothing to do with diet) and I've been off serious training since then. I will let you know how I get on but I feel, if anything, better than before and my digestion has improved.

It's a question of being careful to balance the various nutrients and, as I said earlier, having a biochemistry that is amenable. I'll reintroduce meat into my diet if and when I feel like I want some, but I'm not going to force myself to eat it if it's not what my body wants.

Sam

 

[arallsopp]

IIRC, aperitif of this parish is vegetarian. Its probably why he's got such skinny little legs.

 

[montage]

Vegetarianism is cureable dont worry.

Robert Millar was a vegey

 

[Riding in Circles]

I could not imagine being veggie or vegan, however I know at least one vegan who cycles huge distances, it has a lot more to it than just not eating meat, there are sources of vegetable protein etc... like any diet you need to find what works. I also know a few fat veggies.

 

[Rob3rt]

I could not imagine being veggie or vegan, however I know at least one vegan who cycles huge distances, it has a lot more to it than just not eating meat, there are sources of vegetable protein etc... like any diet you need to find what works. I also know a few fat veggies.

I dont know what your friends are like, but fat veggies is not uncommon, junk food vegans and veggies, who eat vegeratian pasties and cheese savoury sandwiches, pizza's etc end up being tubby quite often.

As I see it, to have a balanced diet as a vegetarian it requires a little more forethought, hence being a bit more work than a meat eating diet. So a lot of people who go veggie fall into the trap of convenient veggie foods, and either end up not so healthy one way or another, whether this be anaemia, or obesity. I tried being vegetarian, I fell into the convenience trap and ended up feeling very tired all the time and being highly unmotivated and had poor mood about 4 months down the line. Queue a return to eating meat and feeling much better.

But you can do it perfectly healthily if you are inclined to do the work!

 

[longers]

Interesting thread, I don't buy a lot of meat but do fill my boots if someone else is cooking/offering. I do sometimes get a craving for protein and mix quinoa in when doing a batch of porridge. I think it helps.

 

[longers]

IIRC, aperitif of this parish is vegetarian. Its probably why he's got such skinny little legs.

Yes, puny!

 

[ColinJ]

I eat a near-vegetarian diet (veggie except for fish once or twice a week) but I started cycling a few years after adopting that diet so I don't know how much difference eating meat would or wouldn't make to me.

My current lack of cycling fitness is due to too much weight on me and not frequent enough me on the bike. In other years I have been very strong on the bike, with big chunky legs so I don't think lack of meat-eating has been an issue.

I don't intend to start eating meat again to see what difference it makes!

 

[ChrisBD]

Bear #### Grylls (like him or not-I'm in the latter camp) eats a predominently veggie diet. While not an athlete per se; Everest, Antarctic etc, still some serious endurance.

Carl Lewis
Bruce Lee

When training for the Polar Challenge I cut out meat as part of a plan to change body composition. I drew my "bulk" protein from sea food, whey and egg whites.

Did I perform better without meat? I've no idea, but by cutting heavy foods including white pasta and rice, spuds and breads - as well as meat, I was able to reach my fitness (composition) and endurance goals quickly while building a clean "system".

 

[ShinSplint]

Personal experience...

I've been veggie most of my life, no red meat or chicken since age of 8. At the age of 30 its only been the last 4-5 years when i've been into sport - started with running, and now a very keen cyclist.

I decided to give up running when injuries, hence name, took over. I believe this was down to overtraining for a specific event, but I wouldnt rule out the possibility of lack of protein - at the time I wasn't eating enough protein foods, and I didn't use protein shakes for muscle recovery, I do now and find it helps a lot with my cycling.

I'm finding that I can progress quickly with cycling, providing I get enough protein, so I have a protein shake after a hard ride, drink a fair amount of milk, and make sure most meals have a decent amount of protein. I also eat fish which I would never give up. Seems to work for me.

I have found though, if I have a particularly hard training session, say 4-6 hours with LOTS of hard climbing and sprinting, it can take a few days to fully recover - maybe the recovery process would be quicker if I ate meat.

I'm about to buy my next tub of protein. This time im going to try a weight gain type with carbs as well as protein - two reasons - i've been losing too much weight due to some long sessions, and i've also been told that carbs are also very important after a workout.

The only real way I would find out of meat helps would be to start eating it again, but im happy as I am so i'll stick to my veggie diet.

Hope that helps.

 

[theclaud]

Let's settle this thread with a race between Crankarm and Aperitif...

 

[Crankarm]

Personal experience...

I've been veggie most of my life, no red meat or chicken since age of 8. At the age of 30 its only been the last 4-5 years when i've been into sport - started with running, and now a very keen cyclist.

I decided to give up running when injuries, hence name, took over. I believe this was down to overtraining for a specific event, but I wouldnt rule out the possibility of lack of protein - at the time I wasn't eating enough protein foods, and I didn't use protein shakes for muscle recovery, I do now and find it helps a lot with my cycling.

I'm finding that I can progress quickly with cycling, providing I get enough protein, so I have a protein shake after a hard ride, drink a fair amount of milk, and make sure most meals have a decent amount of protein. I also eat fish which I would never give up. Seems to work for me.

I have found though, if I have a particularly hard training session, say 4-6 hours with LOTS of hard climbing and sprinting, it can take a few days to fully recover - maybe the recovery process would be quicker if I ate meat.

I'm about to buy my next tub of protein. This time im going to try a weight gain type with carbs as well as protein - two reasons - i've been losing too much weight due to some long sessions, and i've also been told that carbs are also very important after a workout.

The only real way I would find out of meat helps would be to start eating it again, but im happy as I am so i'll stick to my veggie diet.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for your post very interesting. You've summed up very succinctly my thoughts as well. Except I started eating meat, not lots, but enough say 4/5 times a week and have to say I feel a whole lot better.

Thanks to every one else for contributing to the thread.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Haven't eaten meat for 21 years but I still manage to put lard round my middle!

On the topic however, I agree with points made about convenience diets being quite unhealthy perhaps even more so if veggie or vegan - there are a lot of tasty treats out there these days that are pretty unhealthy despite their being sold in "health food" shops.

HOWEVER..

My prompt to exercise was an experiment with raw-food-ism last August-ish and I do need to try to go back to being part-raw because I suddenly had all this energy that came seemingly from nowhere. I WANTED to burn off some energy instead of having to motivate myself

It might not sound like conventional wisdom but for me it worked. Perhaps it was just encouraging my body to do something with it's stores built up over the years, and maybe it would be a very bad thing for someone who didn't carry around fuel surplus around their midriff.

 

[theclaud]

Thanks for your post very interesting. You've summed up very succinctly my thoughts as well. Except I started eating meat, not lots, but enough say 4/5 times a week and have to say I feel a whole lot better.

Thanks to every one else for contributing to the thread.

Not up for the race then, Crankers?