Protein intake is a hot topic + I’m not sure that’s going anywhere any time soon. Making it even worse is the obsession with cutting carbs. Ugh. So, do we need to consume more protein or more animal products? Consume excess amounts of protein? Eat less and less carbs? Where does that leave the plant-powered athlete? Where does that leave any athlete? That’s where I come in. Vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian, plant-forward, or plant-powered. Tara’s Tips for plant-powered athletes to the rescue!
With a doctorate degree in nursing, I am a scientist first and foremost. The science of food, disease prevention, using food and lifestyle to promote health + longevity fascinate me. I have 20 years of clinical experience working as a nurse practitioner. I have diagnosed, treated, and managed all types of acute and chronic illnesses. In my experience, I have seen food + exercise used as a tool to prevent, treat, and even reverse illness. I have also seen lack of movement + gaps in nutrition be major contributing factors to illnesses + ailments.
Movement is movement is movement.
It is no secret that I love running. I love all forms of movement. You name it, I’m in. Notice I call it movement? Not exercise. It’s not punishment! It’s an ingredient in the recipe to living your best life. However, it does not have to be formal or grueling or intense. Walk, dance, swim, climb stairs, ride a bike. Study after study tell us that the more we move, the less chance we have of developing dementia, diabetes, stroke, age-related bone loss, and even depression. You do not need to be running marathons to be a plant-powered athlete! Find movement you love, you are an athlete + my tips for plant-powered athletes are just what you need!
Running is my passion
You heard me correctly, running is my passion not my punishment. Running is where the best of my best friends are, my happiest place is on the roads running. I run because I can + I love every second of every run. I am a plant-powered athlete and guess what?!?! I’m not anemic or protein deprived. With 23 marathons and 32 half marathons on the record, I look forward to many more. In part, thanks to proper nutrition!
Tara’s Top 10 Tips For Plant-Powered Athletes
As I get ready to run my Boston marathon for the third time, I devote my tips to all of my plant-powered athletes out there. Aspiring athletes + everyone looking to add more movement in their life without adding meat! Here are my top 10 favorites to help you on your journey!
You don’t have to eat meat to get enough protein
- You do have to be aware of how much protein is in the plants you choose to put on you plate + plan your meals with that in mind. There are lots and lots of ways to be plant-powered + get protein without compromising your commitment to a meatless lifestyle.
Combining proteins is not necessary to get adequate amino acids or essential proteins
- Variety is all you need. Don’t obsess over protein timing + combining. The research has not supported this to be helpful. In other words, simply focus on variety!
Plant-powered athletes don’t need more protein than meat-eating athletes BUT you need to pay attention to your protein!
- Most times, we simply need to be mindful that ounce for ounce our protein sources are not the same as meat proteins so our plates will look different than our carnivorous friends. For example one cup of chicken is not equal in the amount of protein it gives us compared to one cup of tofu. Think of it as our protein is locked up more in the foods we eat aka our protein has lower digestibility. So, we need to be very careful in making our portions of protein-rich foods larger on our plates.
The more active you are, the more protein you need
- The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein is 0.36 grams per pound for the average person. For athletes, that number goes up to 0.5-1.0 grams per pound of body weight (sometimes more depending on the form of exercise!).
Eat soy!
- Firstly, please read the real research! Second, tofu is not going to give you cancer or man boobs. Tofu + edamame + tempeh are fabulous sources of protein to support athletic performance. Above all, soy is a great source of leucine which we need to regenerate muscle tissue! Read Tara’s other tips: Learn To Love Tofu, Should I Be Eating Soy as a Vegetarian?
Learn to love lentils
- I am pretty passionate about lentils as they are very high in leucine. This is an amazing source of plant-based protein. Check out my full article for the details: Why Lentils Are Awesome. This is one of Tara’s top tips for plant-powered athletes … learn to love lentils!
Don’t be afraid of carbohydrates
- Our bodies need glucose for energy for athletic performance. There is no magic formula to get around this. Eat carbs –> run/bike/swim/lift/etc better. Read this: The Truth About Carbs.
Plant-based protein powders are a very good option
- If you choose to supplement with protein powder, look for the ‘NSF International Certified for Sport’ seal ensuring you that what is on the label is actually in the bottle. Also, be sure you are getting leucine. Whey protein powders are often superior to plant protein powders simply because they contain muscle regenerating leucine. Check the label! For instance, I use Momentous brand which is NSF certified and contains leucine.
Eating before, during, and after workouts is the absolute most important thing you can do to support your performance as an athlete
- Under-fueling for athletes comes with serious consequences, try to prevent it if you can. I have mentioned my struggle with RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) on this blog before. As a result of this, it has been a long + difficult recovery process. Prevention is key!
Know your numbers
- Before you go spending lots of money on supplements, know your numbers! Simple bloodwork will tell you! Athlete or not, please don’t go supplementing things just because you think it will make you feel better. The most common deficiencies for plant-based athletes are iron, ferritin, and vitamin D. You might like this article: Best Things I Did to Improve My Health.
Food For Thought
Movement is movement! If you are enjoying regular movement, you are an athlete! Turning to a plant-based diet is a very individual decision. Know your ‘why’ for your diet as well as your exercise! Then, you will have an easier time sticking to it. What I hope you understand after reading my tips is that you don’t have to choose a steak over tofu to be a successful athlete. Enough said. Above all, enjoy good food + movement in the company of good people ❤️
🌟Are You A Plant-Powered Athlete?
Do you have anything to add to Tara’s tips for plant-powered athletes?
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**Article originally published April 2022, updated March 2024**
