High Performance from Plant Foods

Athletes are among the few vegetarians that actually need to worry about getting enough protein in their diets. When animal products are removed from the diet, considerably less protein is being consumed, and a highly active body requires more protein than that of the average person. When there’s too little dietary protein, carbohydrates enter the bloodstream faster, causing insulin levels to rise quickly, and then plunge a short time later.
This is the dreaded sugar crash that we’ve all experienced, and it’s a killer for athletes who depend on a steady supply of usable energy. Additional
protein in the diet balances the carbohydrates, heading off the sugar crash by releasing energy into the bloodstream at a more efficient rate.

Protein is also important to athletes as it’s used to rebuild muscle tissue during training. The way in which muscles are grown and strengthened is an ongoing process of breaking down tissue and then building them back up again. Without enough protein, the taxed muscles won’t rebuild themselves.

It’s a simple matter to add protein to a vegetarian diet. You’ve already read about the amazing variety of plant foods that provide adequate protein. Adding one or two protein-rich snacks each day can boost your protein intake by ten to twenty-five grams. A cup of vegetarian chili over rice, a bowl of whole-grain cereal with hemp milk, a whole-wheat roll with peanut butter, a large baked potato, and a cup of soup are all great protein-rich snacks.

Scientists, physicians, and sports trainers all know that a high-carbohydrate diet is best for athletes, as the carbs provide necessary energy and stamina. Sugar that’s stored in the muscles for their use is called “glycogen,” and your body uses these stored sugars when performing both endurance activities like running, swimming, and biking, and lower-intensity activities like sprinting, skiing, and snowboarding. The vegetarian diet, with its emphasis on whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables, offers the necessary high intake of carbohydrate.

A vegetarian diet should provide all the vitamins and minerals that athletes require, but if you’re training hard, you should make sure you eat enough foods that provide vital nutrients like iron, zinc (found in fortified breakfast cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds), and vitamin C to enhance the absorption of iron.

There is some concern that the vegetarian or vegan diet puts female athletes at a higher risk for amenorrhea (irregular menstrual cycles) and osteoporosis. Some studies have associated high-fiber, low-fat vegetarian diets combined with extremely high levels of exercise with reduced estrogen levels. The consensus among scientists, though, is that the fault lies in low-energy intake—not consuming enough calories—rather than in the vegetarian diet. These same studies have found that female athletes have normal menstrual cycles when they increase their caloric intake.

What to Eat on Game Day

If you already consume a good amount of carbohydrates, then you are on the right track. Here are some more tips to use on game day so that you will be able to perform at a highly competitive level:

Easy digestion. In the last few hours before the actual event or game, eat foods that are easily digested through the body. This is where you will want to eat less fat and protein. Fat and protein take a long time to digest, and you don’t want food sitting in the pit of your stomach right before the event or game. You want the food to be at that point in your intestines where nutrients are easily absorbed and can provide you with bursts of energy. Eat fruits, vegetables, and grains leading up to the game or event, and you’ll have an amazing performance!

Avoiding dehydration. Dehydration is an athlete’s worst enemy. The last thing you want to do is cramp up during a game or event. Avoid any and all foods that contain salt, and drink lots of water. Also avoid foods that are high in fiber. They will absorb the water in your body and possibly cause stomach cramps and/or diarrhea.

Rule of thumb. Before any athletic event or game, you want to give yourself one hour for every two hundred calories you consume. For example, if you eat a meal containing six hundred calories, you’ll want to eat it three hours before the actual event.

What to Eat After the Game

Replenishing your body after an athletic event is extremely important. Once the game or event is over, you can return your focus to protein in order to reenergize and feed your muscles. Your body will need to restock its supply of amino acids, fluids, and liver glycogen. That is why protein bars or shakes with a high amount of calories and carbohydrates are important to eat immediately after a game. Fluids are important too, which is why you see a lot of athletes drinking water or Gatorade. The sooner you replenish your body with fluids and nutrients, the sooner your body will recover from the game or event. Then you can work on getting ready for your next competition.