Feb 10, 2017Vegetarian Fueling
When most people think of an optimal diet for athletic performance, they imagine covering all corners of the food pyramid. After all, that’s the best way to ensure an athlete gets the carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals they need to fuel their engine and promote muscle growth, right? The fact is, vegetarian athletes often can and do meet all their nutritional needs despite limiting the use of animal products or eliminating them altogether.
There are many reasons why someone chooses to become a vegetarian. It may be rooted in religious beliefs, animal rights concerns, environmental consciousness, economics, health, or simply not liking the taste of meat. Whatever the motivation, vegetarians who know how to adapt their diet to the demands of athletic performance enjoy much upside and practically no downside.
Here is a sample meal plan for lacto-ovo vegetarian athletes that provide an adequate supply of energy, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat along with vitamins and minerals and a broad spectrum of amino acids.
BREAKFAST
Omelet with veggies and shredded cheese or soy cheese
1 orange
1 whole-grain bagel with peanut butter
MORNING SNACK
Pretzel and a cheese stick
LUNCH
1 bowl of bean soup with whole-grain crackers
Pizza with veggies and cheese
1 banana
AFTERNOON SNACK
1 apple
Homemade trail mix (1/4 cup almonds + ¼ cup raisins + ½ oat squares)
DINNER
Salad greens
BBQ seitan “beef” skewers
1 baked sweet potato with brown sugar
Yogurt parfait with granola and
mixed berries
LATE-NIGHT SNACK
Hot chocolate made with milk or rice milk
Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, LMHC, aka The Running Nutritionist®, is a leader to industry the public and the press for more than two decades. She is personal nutritionist for hundreds of high school athletes and teams; dozens of professional athletes, including those in the NFL, MLB, PGA, USTA, US Boxing, USA Taekwondo, and was the US Sailing Olympic and Paralympics Team Nutritionist for the 2008 Olympics.
