It’s a common belief that many of my friends share–if you follow a vegetarian diet, you won’t be able to get as far with strength training and athletic pursuits.

Wrong. True, it is going to be a bit more complex to attain the level of protein in your diet that your body looks for when you’re undertaking a strength traning regimen. But it isn’t impossible.

Many experts recommend 1.6 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.73 grams per pound). There are ways for you to get enough protein to reach this recommended amount with low-fat dairy products and protein rich plant sources.

Try working these non-meat protein sources into your diet for your daily dose:

-Milk, 8 ounces=8 grams
-Tofu, 3 ounces=15 grams
-Yogurt, 8 ounces=8 grams
-Cheese, 3 ounces=21 grams
-Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons=8 grams

An even stickier issue, especially for female athletes who are vegetarians, is how to get much-needed iron into your diets. The truth is, our bodies just don’t absorb the iron found in non-animal proteins as easily as they do from animal proteins. Good sources of non-animal based iron include leafy green vegetables, whole grain cereals, figs, lentils, kidney beans and some dried fruits. If you do eat fish or chicken, you should be able to get plenty of iron in your diet.

Because your body will need a little extra help absorbing the iron from non-animal sources, you need to be sure you are getting enough vitamin C. Try to work vitamin C into meals where you’re consuming significant amounts of iron from non-meat sources. For example, if you’re eating a breakfast loaded with whole grains, don’t forget to drink your juice! It will help your body absorb the iron found in your cereal.

One of the most common nutrients missing from the vegetarian athlete’s diet is B-12. Found only in animal products, B-12 can be tricky to control. You should be able to get enough B-12 from eggs, cheese, milk and yogurt. But another great way to supplement is by replacing cow’s milk on your cereal with soymilk.

So going green with your diet doesn’t have to diminish your returns when it comes to strength training. With a little planning and education, you should be able to achieve your goals and maintain your vegetarian lifestyle, beautifully.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Think a vegetarian diet and being an athlete don’t mix? Think again

As promised, World Vegetarian Day is just a few moments away, and I wanted to take just a few of those moments to share some words of encouragement, and a nudge to you to go out and explore your local groceries and stock up on ingredients you’ll need if you decide to take the plunge and celebrate beyond today. As more of us decide to take the plunge and try going vegetarian, it’s important to note that you have to start with the basics, and that means the ingredients.

If you shop alot, or even a little, it’s hard to miss the soymilk, tofu and veggie burgers commonly available in most grocery stores.  And most stores have natural food sections now, too.

Beyond these choices, if you plan on taking the plunge this World Vegetarian Day, now is the perfect time to graze your local produce stands and farmers markets while newly-harvested produce is still abundant in supply.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a city with a diverse population, ethnic grocery stores are great places to check out, and often have lots of interesting, meat-free products to choose from. Most Asian grocers routinely offer tofu, miso, noodles, stir fry sauces, vegetable broth and seaweed,  and at noticeably lower prices than manstream natural foods stores. I recommend trying out some new sauces for your favorite stir-fries or for a delicious tofu marinade.  Some also stock exotic fruits and vegetables and a variety of mock meat products. Middle Eastern and Greek grocers are a great source if you’re in the mood to check out new flavors.  Try their grape leaves, hummus, tahini, baba ganoush, falafel and grains. Jewish or kosher stores typically carry a wide variety of dairy-free items for you to check out.

But like everything else, you can find these same types of products online. Some of the best places to check out include Pangea Vegan Store, VegeCyber for mock meats and Food Fight Grocery.

So make it easy and go online, or make it fun and get out and explore. One thing is for sure, you do have a lot more choices than you imagined. Just because you’re dropping meat, don’t feel like you are losing out on something. Think of it this way–it’s opening a door for you explore your mind-body connection, and your heart to a new way of eating that’s actually good for it.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Celebrate your Health–it’s World Vegetarian Day!