On Test - Vegan Diet
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 4:16AM 
Lonestar 70.3 was my first triathlon after going vegan in January of 2010. I could tell by my training that it was going to pay off in a huge way, and it did. I bested my previous results by at least an hour and felt great after finishing.
Above is a photo of my pre-race dinner. It's actually similar to most of my meals since I started. Veganism means you're staying away from meat and animal related by-products, so no eggs or cheese either.
It isn't that hard of a diet to stick with. What seems to be harder is choosing the right kinds of vegan foods. If I eat bread, I put on weight fast. If I steer clear of it, I lose weight fast. If I eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, I get lean and have tons of energy.
Eating vegan taught me how to eat more raw fruits and veggies, and that's where the real secret is at. They are packed with vital nutrition and helped me recover tremendously faster and get back out training day after day.
The biggest inspiration to keep me on track with eating right was Rich Roll. He found a lot of energy after going "Plant Strong" and has done quite well racing Ultramans. Make sure you check him out as he attempts five Ironmans in five days in Hawaii on May 5th.
The true test of gear or a method is if you return to it after the test period is over. I am sticking with veganism for the foreseeable future. It works for me and I definitely have noticed many health benefits.
I want to be very clear on one thing: Just avoiding meat does not equal a healthy diet. You could drink colas and stuff your face with chips all day long and still be vegan. And meat itself is not inherently bad. The truth is that most of us are eating processed food that is hugely lacking in real nutrition. That missing nutrition can be found incredibly easily in raw fruits and veggies. Go get yourself some and enjoy the benefits!
Tomorrow's post will cover some new sunscreen and the day after that, we'll cover the most interesting racing tech I've used in a long time. Stay tuned!
Reader Comments (4)
I so agree with you. I've been vegetarian for 5 years, and went vegan last month. I feel so much better, even than I did before! But this week, because of the stresses of life and work, I haven't been eating as well - still vegan, but a lot more processed foods. Haven't had the energy that I had previously. "Plantstrong" is the way to go!
I'm testing out vegan at the moment also. I already had a good paleo diet going, but it was heavier on the meat side than the plant side.
Since eating heavier on the plants and ditching the meat, my exercise recovery has been better, but my energy feels lower. Performance is still good. Grocery bill has skyrocketed. Plants are expensive, and I have to eat a lot to stay happy. I've been eating "real food" for a long time, so it's not that I don't know how to buy.
I have to agree with you 110%! Since I went 90% Low Fat Raw Vegan (10% of my diet is steamed veggies, and Quinoa.) my performance has shot through the root. I also discovered that I am taking in less food and getting more energy from the foods I eat.
I am also noticing that my food combinations are equally as important. I am noticing that I need to eat fruit by itself or at least 30 minutes before I eat greens. This allows me to digest the fruit with out any fermentation and bloating.
IronmanJay
Triathlon Mind Training and Coaching
Tex, pick up a copy of "The Omnivore's Dilemma". I just finished it and look at food a completely different way.