Plant-Based Athlete Fitness and Health

Written by Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD       There’s an all too familiar story of a female runner who breaks into running, trains hard , and starts racking up Personal Records. She grows to love running, and running seems to love her right back. But with time, her energy wanes, training slips, and paces taper off. No matter how she adjusts her training, she’s left feeling more tired and worn down with each run. The culprit? It could be an iron deficiency. As a nutrition consultant, registered dietitian, and avid ultrarunner, I see this all the time with my friends and clients. Low iron levels can have a drastic effect on both your training and general health. But how much iron do plant-based athletes need , and how can you maintain appropriate levels? Iron Deficiency and Women While iron might not be as hot a topic as protein or carbohydrates, it’s actually the most common nutrition deficiency in the world (including in the USA). Only two percent...

Written by Matt Tullman     Note from Matt Frazier: When people ask me about the biggest mistake I’ve made in my plant-based journey, it’s a no-brainer.  My answer is that I went too long without supplementing . I don’t mean protein powder or even a multivitamin, but instead just a handful of nutrients that, for one reason or another, simply aren’t that easy to get on a plant-based diet … nutrients that, when lacking in your diet, can result in deficiencies that have a serious impact on your long-term health, even increasing risk of heart disease and cancer if allowed to persist.   That’s why it’s a pleasure for me to publish this comprehensive (read: long and totally worth-it) post from my friend Matt Tullman, a guy whose obsessive, evidence-based approach to nutrition is one that really resonates with me. His ambitious vision is to help 30% of the population to become plant-based by 2030 — and as you might guess, that excites me (you know I’m ...

Written by Doug Hay   When making a big life change, especially around healthy eating, is it better to go all in or leave room for moderation? We posed that question to Pamela Fergusson, RD PhD, who — as a nutrition consultant — knows a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t. … Should you allow for cheat days? … Should you relax your guidelines when going out to dinner? … What about when cooking for your family? Pamela shares her advice and experience on the topic, so you don’t make the same mistakes as many new plant-based eaters. Click the button below to listen now: 31 Action-Focused Days to Take Charge of Your Life    The actions include concrete, practical steps like: Find and start your anchor habit Create a “Victories” list Decide what must change and what you will no longer tolerate Find the motivation and inspiration to think big Set massive, “unrealistic” and obsession-worthy goals (and understand why they’re the ones you’...

Written by Matt Frazier C lick the image to view full-size. The way I see it, you only need to eat healthy twice during the day.  While you’ll certainly eat more than twice a day, just two healthy meals make it pretty hard to screw up the rest of them. Once is in the afternoon, when a big salad loaded with greens, other raw vegetables, and nuts will fill you up and give you more veggies than most people eat all day.  And as a bonus, it’ll give you the chance to get even more good stuff, when you dress it with quality oil, lemon juice, and a little sea salt. The other time is in the morning, when a smoothie made from fruits (and even vegetables) will not only set the tone for the entire day, but act as a vehicle for other superfoods or supplements you want to work into your diet. That’s it. Just two healthy meals. Even if you ate whatever you wanted the rest of the day, I’d be willing to bet you wouldn’t get fat, as long as you made sure to drink a smooth...

Written by Doug Hay     How does a classically trained French chef turn into one of the most popular vegan recipe developers on Facebook ? Ask Jean-Philippe Cyr, The Buddhist Chef . He’s made a name for himself not by whipping up thousands of mediocre recipes, but by creating carefully crafted, reliable meals, and doing so in a mindful way. We frequently share Jean-Philippe’s recipes in the Academy and the Tribe newsletter , so when we had the chance to bring him on the podcast to discuss his food philosophy, it was a no-brainer. In today’s episode, Jean-Philippe Cyr shares his take on maximizing flavors, mindfulness, and why it’s important to keep recipes simple in order to grow this community. Here’s what we talk about in this episode: French flavors in vegan recipes. How Buddhism and food connect. Soy sauce in your tomato sauce? Why simple is important. Making it big on Facebook. Click the button below to listen now: 31 Action-Focused Days to...