Vanessa Rodriguez is currently studying to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and blogs daily at Vanessa Runs. She is currently training to run her first ultra marathon this spring, and enjoys experimenting with natural sports nutrition.

Vegetarian Athletes

Is it possible to perform well athletically on a strictly vegetarian diet? In a word, yes.

It may be a challenge and depending on the circumstances, may require supplementation. But provided you are getting the nutrients your body requires, there are tremendous health benefits in a vegetarian diet. These include a lower likelihood of suffering from illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diet-related diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

Although vegetarian and non-vegetarian athletes can compete side by side, a vegetarian diet in itself will not do much to improve athletic performance as far as aerobic capacity or muscle glycogen concentration. That said, eating more healthfully (a common side effect of a vegetarian diet) can go a long way to improve performance.

Good protein sources for vegetarians include beans, lentils, peas, whole wheat grains, nuts and seeds, and fermented soy products. Special consideration should be given to minerals like iron and zinc, both commonly consumed in animal products. Good sources of iron for vegetarians include wholegrain cereals, wholewheat bread, nuts, fortified cereals, seeds, and green vegetables such as broccoli, watercress, and spinach. Vegetarians who don’t eat fish may need to supplement Omega 3s. Vegetarian omega 3 sources include pumpkin seeds and flaxseed oil.

Personalized Sports Nutrition

It’s important to remember that every athlete is different. We all have different needs, challenges, and potential deficiencies. For more information on a personalized nutritional assessment to fit your current exercise goals, feel free to contact me at vanessaruns@gmail.com.

Vanessa Rodriguez is currently studying to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and blogs daily at Vanessa Runs. She is currently training to run her first ultra marathon this spring, and enjoys experimenting with natural sports nutrition.

Vitamin C

This vitamin is important for the formation of connective tissue and certain hormones like adrenaline, which are produced during exercise. It also plays a role in the formation of red blood cells, which enhances iron absorption. It is an antioxidant, protecting against exercise-related cellular damage. A vitamin C supplement may be useful for prolonged, high-intensity training for reducing muscle soreness and promoting quick recovery.

Most people only think of citrus fruits as vitamin C sources, but many vegetables are also an amazing source of this nutrient. For example, a red, raw bell pepper has more vitamin C than an orange. Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and kale are also high in vitamin C.

Calcium

Calcium is an important mineral for bone formation, muscle growth, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission. Again, most people think of dairy such as cow’s milk for calcium sources, but other healthy sources include sardines, sesame seeds, spinach, collard greens, and turnip greens. Weight bearing exercises such as running and weight training help increase bone mass and calcium absorption. Extra calcium is usually recommended for female athletes with low estrogen levels.

Iron

For athletes, this is a crucial mineral because of its major function in the formation of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin transports oxygen in the blood and myoglobin transports oxygen in the muscle cells, fueling our exercise. Energy metabolism depends on iron, and athletes have higher requirements than sedentary individuals. Iron losses are common during exercises that involve the pounding of feet, such as running. Female athletes in particular tend to be deficient in iron.

Foods rich in iron include red meats, offal poultry (dark part of the meat), fish, whole grains, dark leafy vegetables, eggs, and fortified foods. Iron is more efficiently absorbed through animal sources, but absorption is improved if plant sources are accompanied by vitamin C-rich fruits or vegetables.

Next: Nutrition for Vegetarians

Vanessa Rodriguez is currently studying to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and blogs daily at Vanessa Runs. She is currently training to run her first ultra marathon this spring, and enjoys experimenting with natural sports nutrition.

When most people hear the phrase “sports nutrition,” they usually immediately think of some sort of supplement or performance-enhancing drug. The priority is very much on performance and much less on balance and wellbeing and sustainable nutritional habits.

As a student of holistic nutrition, I believe in working to enhance both the immediate and long-term goals of any athlete. I also believe that in many ways working towards a more well-rounded, natural, nutritional balance will directly contribute to improved performance. Good food can help you feel more energized, heal rapidly, and recover faster.

I believe that supplementation is a tool. In some cases, particularly for career athletes who train intensely and demand extraordinary feats from their bodies, it may be necessary. It may also be useful for people who are battling an illness, pregnant women, vegans and vegetarians (more on that later), or people who cannot eat often enough to meet their dietary requirements. Ultimately, consuming all our nutrients from whole, live, real foods is always preferable (thought not always realistic).

For most of us regular exercisers, there are usually basic changes we can make towards a more natural diet that will both enhance performance and make us feel better about being active. In the following sections I will discuss four nutrients that we most commonly supplement, and how to incorporate these nutrients into our diets naturally through food.

Protein

Protein powders have become increasingly popular, particularly with men who are trying to build muscle. I find that most people tend to overestimate the amount of protein they need. Unless you are bodybuilding, most of us should be able to meet our protein requirements through food.

Before I started any type of nutritional education, I was seeing a sports nutritionist. The first thing he did was put me on a protein powder. There was no discussion of consuming protein through foods, and I feel that was wrong. Supplements should supplement, not act as the primary source of nutrients. Eventually I stopped seeing him and made far greater advances on my own through a natural diet.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, as well as recovery. For endurance athletes, if is often also used as a fuel source after our glycogen stores are depleted. But how much do we actually need? A general guideline is as follows:

For the average, inactive individual = 0.34g of protein per pound of body weight (per day)

For endurance athletes (long distance running) = 0.5-0.6g of protein per pound of body weight (per day)

For strength and power athletes (weight lifting and body building) = 0.6-0.8g of protein per pound of body weight (per day)

If you are eating a wide variety of foods, you are likely already getting enough protein. However, if you cut out entire food groups, perhaps due to a vegetarian diet or a dairy allergy, you may be having trouble meeting your requirements. Animal proteins are usually higher in essential amino acids, but may also be high in saturated fats. If you eat meat, choose lean cuts and try to stick to game meat as much as possible (more on vegetarians in another section).

Once you are meeting your daily protein requirements, excess protein will not enhance performance or muscle mass. Consuming excessive protein may be hard on your liver. Healthy protein sources include meat, fish, nuts, seeds, whole grains and cereals.

Next: Other Necessary Nutrients

Nutrition is one of the three legs of my good health tripod. The other two are exercise and rest. I’m a vegetarian, and find a great deal of pleasure in cooking food that is healthy and fun. (If I had to describe my style of cooking, it would be “vegetarian peasant comfort food.”) Good nutrition is vital to my ongoing journey as a cancer survivor, and is also central to my life as a runner.

Here are a couple of breakfast recipes that fit all of my criteria. They’re both grain-based, offer superb nutritional value, and are fun and easy to make. And they both taste good.

My usual breakfast these days is based on quinoa. it’s good because it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, and is therefore a complete protein source. It’s a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus. It’s high in magnesium and iron. It’s easy to digest. And it’s easy to find – I buy mine at my local bulk food store, where I have a choice of white, red, or black quinoa (all organic).

To make my breakfast quinoa, I first rinse the quinoa in a sieve for about three minutes; this takes away a coating called saponin which could leave a bitter taste. Then, I boil the quinoa in water and a touch of sea salt. Once it’s come to a boil, I cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to simmer, and let it do its thing for 15 minutes. About 10 minutes into that process, I throw in half a diced apple, a handful of raisins, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Lately, I’ve been cooking 3/4 cup of quinloa on Sunday afternoons, which gives me enough breakfast quinoa for most of the coming week. Each morning, I put some in a bowl, drizzle two tablespoons of Udo’s Oil on it, and I’m good to go.

My second recipe is what I have in between my quinoa mornings. I don’t find it quite as tasty, but it’s still good. It’s based on steel cut oats, which have a lower glycemic index than instant oatmeal. It has has a nuttier taste and is chewier than other kinds of oats. It also takes a little longer to cook than regular oats.

I get around the longer-cooking thing by making my oat breakfast the night before. I simply combine 1/2 cup of steel-cut oats (once again, bought at the bulk food store) with half a diced apple, one tablespoon of flax seed, 1/2 cup of almond milk, and a little bit of cinnamon in a bowl, cover it, and leave it the fridge overnight. In the morning, all I need to do is tuck in.

Let’s face it, I’m a lazy vegetarian peasant. With either one of these two great dishes, all I need to do in the morning is put the espresso pot on the stove. After fueling on good grains and good coffee, I head out for my daily run.