Plant Based Nutrition
I wanted to start a thread to share thoughts , observations, and data for Plant Based Athelete's and Vegan's.
Here are mine after 13 months of 99% Plant Based Diet.
Disclaimer--- I hesitate to use the word vegan or claim to be 100% plant based. Over the course of the last year I purposely cooked some venison my Dad gave me (took a couple bites then gave to the dog) and some Tuna a friend had caught (took a couple bites and gave to the dog) for some reason I just wasnt into it. Knowingly consumed honey, and chicken broth at 2 IM's. Unknowingly consumed dairy and animal ingredients in products I did not know had them. I still have leather products. Its very difficult to be 100% and I don't worry about it but given a choice I avoid all meat and dairy.
How did I get here? -- After getting into TRI's , read some nutrition books. Read Paleo. Thought too far. Read Thrive. Made more sense to me JMO. Went back read Primal Blueprint and Paleo for athletes , then In defense of Foods , The China Study, The Food Revolution, Forks Over Knives etc etc. IMO there were plenty of heath , environmental, cruelty to animal issues to direct me towards Plant Based Nutrition.
How did I make the transition?--- For me it was fairly easy . No kids and living with a very longtime girfriend who wanted to go in that direction made it fairly simple. There are a ton of cookbooks and websites with information and recipe's. For us it has been quite fun , planning, shopping, cooking, and experimenting. We really focus on nutrient dense meals with lotsa fruits , veggies, and color. We have found replacement or alternatives to anything we may crave like cheese, bacon , or icecream. There is plenty of plantbased junkfood as well.
Weight / Body Comp --- Hasnt really made a difference for me I raced at the same weight this year as I did last year pre-diet change. I also plan on gaining 5-7% in the offseason this year just like last. My girlfriend did lose weight and changed composition quite a bit but she also trained more this year. There is no magic here . If you wanna gain or lose weight its stil math but I do find it harder to overeat on a plantbased diet.
How do I feel? --- I feel the same. I was heathly and lean before. I felt good before . I feel good now.
Am I faster?---- Yes ---- Is it the food? I don't think so .... Is it the training ? ..... most likely yes
Injuries / Recovery ??? ------No injuries and faster recovery this year vs couple small running issues and longer recovery last year. Is it the food? I dont think so. I think its more experience and training. Very subjective
Changes in Blood Cholesterol
10/19/10 10/21/11
Tot Chol 187 185
Tri 65 100
HDL 42 79
LDL 132 86
Risk 4.4 2.3
Recent Results of a Micronutrient Analysis showed I had a small deficiency of Calcium and Copper. I had an Iron test last year and confirmed I was low on Iron(fairly normal for endurance athletes) . Took an Iron supplement for 6 months then retested fine. Will continue the Iron and add the Calcium and Copper supplement. The thing Vegan's are most concerned about is vitamin B12 and vitamin D and these both read very high. To be fair I did not have a baseline on these nutrients pre Ironman training or pre diet change. Will keep testing to monitor data and track pattern.
We do find some friends and family a bit aggravating at times. They seemed to be concerned about what your going to eat when out to dinner or Holiday meals etc which I find annoying. Besides that we are quite happy where were at and enjoying the plan based diet. There seems to be a little bit of a movement in this area and restaurants are becoming easier to find. Last night was a nice dinner at the Red Lentil in Boston Ma while we were down there picking up the bikes from Fast Splits. Even found a lunch place in PCB at IMFL called the Lotus Cafe. So like the IM journey I am definitely enjoying the plant based nutrition journey.
These are simply my opinions, thoughts, observations and data. I am not a nutritionist , doctor, or any other medical professional. I would be happy to answer any questions regarding any of the above. Would also be happy to share my websites and books for recipes or app for finding restuarants.
Tim,
Comments
I've been 100% vegetarian (excepting medical gelatin) for 16+ years. (We do dairy...not vegan) I don't have the hard data any more, but my blood chemistry also got quite a lot better making the switch. For me, cholesterol and triglycerides mainly were the issue, and what improved. I picked up serious exercise later and of course that helped too.
I am also chronically anemic, but have had every test in the book and every version of iron supplementing known to medicine as far as I know...and none of it helps. So I just live with it. Since diet/supplement didn't matter, no one has suggested this has anything to do with my vegetarianism.
Glad to read of your success.
PS . My Dad who is on statins , was measuring below 150 for a couple years , eating like crap although he is thin and fit for 75, decides to take himself off the statins , last measured over 250 and the doctor had a fit. Can't teach and old dog new tricks. He is back on statins and blames it on heredity after all his big fat hunting partner has low cholesterol ! LOL
Second: research is starting to show that high-starch diets actually contribute to increased cholesterol numbers.
I have a friend who was vegetarian for years and his numbers were still high. After starting to add in lean proteins (mostly chicken and fish) his cholesterol numbers improved.
Honestly, I think this, like a lot of nutrition, is a very indvidual thing. You have to figure out and do what will work for your body.
My n=1: My cholesterol was 220 when I was a vegetarian, with LDL of 155. I switched to an omniverous diet 7 years ago, and to mostly paleo last year. My last cholesterol screening this year has me at 179, with LDL of 102. And that's with eating eggs from our own chickens every morning, and bacon to boot. Of course, I eat a truckload of veggies a day. For me, I think eliminating grains and empty carbs (other than those needed for fueling exercise) was the key. Every body is different, but moving towards paleo eating for me has had a wide array of health benefits.
Also, one other question. It sounds like many of you have switched to a plant based diet for nutritional benefits. Any thoughts on local, pasture-fed animals as being low in fats, but good sources of protein? I know Penny touched on this, just wondering if there are any other opinions out there. Thanks.
Local pasture fed organic animals??? Better yes, but Very personal decision and didnt really want to debate should I or shouldnt I or which is better .
Below I listed some sources for ideas.
http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes.html
http://happyherbivore.com/recipes/
http://franlife.blogspot.com/2006/12/recipe-roasted-beet-quinoa-salad-with.html
www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes
Forks Over Knives
Thrive Foods
Vegetarian Times
VegNews
I'll check back in when I've digested some of this!
@Claire, I was a vegetarian for 20 years, but had to stop because my iron-deficiency anemia became severe and would not resolve even with taking supplements. I have turned to local, pasture-raised animals as our protein food source. Also, our family started raising chickens for eggs, and we developed a relationship with a local farmer so that we can buy raw milk locally. The changes we've made have not only had a huge positive impact on the health of our family (mine especially!), but have moved even more of our food consumption to local sources.
Snacks for me are often jerky, fruit, nuts, raw coconut, cooked yams. One thing I like to make up ahead of time for training days is a baked dish of eggs, rice, and parmesan cheese. It's easy to digest and contains a perfect mix of protein, fat, and carbs. I got the idea from a video made by the Chef of one of the Tour de France teams. You can cut it into squares and wrap in tin foil. Another training staple of mine is a coconut/banana custard, recipe is here:
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/2011/04/is-it-breakfast-or-is-it-dessert-banana.html .
These days I've also been stirring chia seeds into it, and sometimes pecans as well for some extra crunch and protein.
Another snacking staple of mine is I make up huge batches of non-grain waffles. I make them with almond meal, coconut flour, tapioca starch, chia seeds, and flax seed meal, along with lots of eggs, milk, and some coconut oil. They're yummy, nutty, and packed with protein. I take them along as training snacks, or make peanut butter sandwiches on them. I stopped eating grains about 18 months ago so I don't use regular bread anymore.
I don't have the waffle recipe posted, but here's my nutty, non-grain crepe recipe which is similar:
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/2010/04/taking-starch-out-of-our-easter-crepes.html
and a nut/seed/coconut/fruit protein bar:
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/2010/03/pretty-paleo-protein-power.html
Lastly, my favorite Treat/Snack is to take big dates, slice them open and remove the pits, stuff with cream cheese and top with a half a pecan. Yum!
Thoughts?
Wow, thank you for sharing that. What a powerful testimonial from someone who radically changed their health. I am sharing this with several folks I know with the beginnings of autoimmune disorders. I keep telling folks "I feel different on a cellular level", when eating this way (Paleo) but she really explains why.
My SO is an ecotarian. He'll eat wild animals, or animals raised in a way that is not harmful to the environment, so local free-range chickens and venison. No beef or pork. I'd like to join him in his effort, but the thought of going without beef or pork does not appeal to me, and the chicken is so much more expensive. We do hope some day to raise our own chickens for eggs and food, but it will be a while before our city allows it.
I have to admit...I live minutes from where the TEDxIowa City conference took place, and have had the opportunity to listen to Terry speak, but have never done so. She frequently has seminars through our local co-op.
http://newpi.coop.dnnmax.com/ClassesEvents/EventCalendar/tabid/296/vw/3/ItemID/308/d/20120306/Default.aspx
If anyone is inspired enough to attend any of her lectures, you're more then welcome to stay at our place.
I don't want to debate Paleo , Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Lowcarb, or any other diet/eating style. I have my reasons and belief's for eating 99.9% plant based and starting this thread.
The common threads that seem to be agreed upon through all the diets/eating styles for health/fitness is...... More fruits and vegetables..... More color...... More nutrient dense food.... Less processed food!!!!