#vegantriathlete

[behardonyourself]

Plant Based Protein Sources

The first question that I get when people find out that I do not eat any animal based products is “How do you get your protein?”  Speaking with other Vegan athletes, it appears that this question is the most common question that they encounter.

I have explained in previous posts:  NO athlete requires the amount of protein that is perpetuated by personal trainers, “strength coaches”, bodybuilding magazines, online message boards, or the like - they parrot “1 gram  of protein (or more) per pound of body weight” repeatedly, and it is completely ridiculous.  They also typically champion sipping down 2-3 protein shakes per day, yet, can’t figure out why they’re bloated and gassy.  

Nonetheless, it isn’t difficult for a plant based athlete to get protein without eating animal products.  One of the biggest flaws that athletes and weekend warriors make (especially when they want to lose body fat) is to repeatedly eat the same things over and over again.  This is a huge mistake.  No matter what type of nutritional program/strategy you employ, it is important to eat a wide variety of foods to ensure that you’re getting a full complement of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.

I eat a wide variety of non-animal based protein sources, and I thought I would share a few of my favorite sources along with their protein content.  Remember, that most of my meals include a wide variety of these sources.

Nuts! This one is the most obvious, as most nut sources (cashews, almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, macadamian nuts) are all dense sources of protein and Vegan/plant based staples.

Protein: 10g per 1 cup

Pumpkin Seeds One of my personal favorites, roasted pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite snacks, and they’re great in most any type of dish or “Vegan Plate”.  

Protein: 10g per 1/4 cup

Chia Seeds My wife knows that Chia Seeds are my new favorite item to include whenever I can.  Loaded with healthy fats and a great protein source, they also have many other traits that athletes find desirable, including increased circulation.  I include these as toppings to many dishes and add these to smoothies whenever I can.

Protein: 6g per 1/4 cup.  Also 14 grams of fiber per 1/4 cup!

Flax Seeds Not only a source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, but also a dense source of protein.  I use these similar to the way I use Chia, adding the whenever possible.

 Protein: 3g per 2Tbspn (along with 4g of fiber)

Quinoa No superfood list is complete without quinoa, one of the few plant based products that includes all 9 essential amino acids.  

Protein: 6g per 1/4 cup

Rice While I view rice predominantly as a source of carbohydrates, different varieties are used so often in plant based dishes that the protein content cannot be ignored.

Protein: 4.5g per 1 cup

Oats This breakfast favorite is known for fiber content (both soluble and insoluble).  I prefer steel cut (and never eat “instant” anything).

Protein:  7g per 1/2 cup

Beans Literally hundreds of varieties, beans are inexpensive and absolutely loaded with protein and fiber - they were the one “no-brainer” for this list, but I wanted you to read down a bit further.  My favorite types are kidney, black, and pinto, they are a staple of every Vegan and plant powered athlete’s meal plan.

Protein:  10g per 1/2 cup along with 10g of dietary fiber

Chickpeas I mean, they use these to make hummus, so it has to be great.  It took me forever to find them in the store because I didn’t know that they were also called Garbanzo beans, chickpeas kick ass on salads, One Bowls, and even as a snack.

Protein:  6g per 1/2 cup

Lentils I leave cooking lentil dishes to my wife, because I haven’t exactly figured it out yet.  However, these things are loaded in protein, and are a must for all plant powered athletes.

Protein:  13g per 1/4 cup

Peas While a cup of peas only has about 2g of protein, I had to include it because it is typically found in Vegan protein powders, is inexpensive, and is easy to find in most US grocery stores.

Soybeans The highest consumed food in the world, and for good reason - they are completely loaded with protein and contain all 9 essential amino acids.

Protein:  15g per 1/4 cup

Tofu I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t starting to grow on me, as it is very versatile and offers great flavor to a lot of the new dishes that I’ve been experimenting with.  Oh, and since it’s made from soybeans, it’s a kick-ass source of protein.

Protein:  12g per 4 ounces

If you’re considering going plant based, I believe that these sources are more than enough to get you started and keep you in a positive nitrogen balance.  The myth that you can’t maintain (or even gain) lean body mass as a plant based athlete is completely false.  More and more athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, Tennis, Mixed Martial Arts, Boxing and other sports are going to a plant based diet because of the numerous health benefits including decreased inflammation and better recovery.  

Remember, I’m less than 6 months into my journey, and thus far, I can say that going plant based has been one of the best decisions of my life, playing a huge role in my ultra-endurance training.  I’ve dropped nearly 70lbs, and have gone from not being able to run 1/4 mile to having limitless reserves in the pool, on the bike or running 20 miles and beyond in an incredibly short amount of time, and I am absolutely certain that my capacity for such an elevated training volume is 100% due to my plant powered nutrition.

(December 12, 2018 to May 12, 2019)

Obviously, this list isn’t all inclusive.  There are plenty of other protein-rich plant based foods:  Barley, freekeh, wheat berry, bulgar and others, but I wanted to include the foods that I eat on a regular basis to get the level of protein I need to maintain lean body mass while optimizing my extremely intense training schedule (over 25 hours per week).  

[suddenlyvegan]

German Breakfast 😂 Coffee, whole-grain-roll with salad, tomato and vegan Gouda. #breakfast #coffee #coffeetime #germanbreakfast #plantbased #healthyfood #vegan #veganlife #sunnycoldday #under0degrees #carbthefuckup #vegantriathlete #veganchef #vegansofig #ichgeheuchaufnsack (at Buffalo, New York)

[julisfooddiary]

{DEU} Das #gozwift - Fieber hat mich eindeutig gepackt. {ENG} Obviously, the #gozwift thing has hit me too. #sports #ridingthebike #sportsmotivation #zwift #indoorbike #swimbikerun #instatri #trihard #triathle #ilovetri #trigirl #vegantriathlete

[jeprepareletriathlon]

Ca se précise pour Vichy 70.3 : je viens d’intégrer les 12 semaines d’entrainement d’avant la course... on s’en reparle vite !

[aixmyheart]

Work work work work work 🎶

[andlambsbecomelions]

second run of triathlon training in the books 🙌🏼🙌🏼 a lil shorter than it was supposed to be but it’s 96 degrees and code red outside plus it currently feels like 101 degrees soooo.

Also a snapshot of my plan so far :) every work out this week has been checked off except for the long run and the second swim 🙈

[alleswasveganist]

Carbloading starts today 🔥

[the-vegan-warrior-princess]

My new @hillarioncc cycling kit arrived today.. Happiness right there. - It's so pretty. Yet sadly, all I can do is look at it until I'm recovered enough to get back on the saddle. Life can be cruel. 11 weeks, one day and counting...... #vegancyclist #vegsnathlete #powetedbyplants #plantbasedathlete #vegan #hillarioncc #cyclingkit #happiness #vegantriathlete #vegancyclingteam

[montrealsix]

#veganAthlete / #veganTriathlete meet at CGV for endurance, speed or intervals workout 💪💪🚴. . . #withAeroplan #avecAeroplan #digitalnomad #streetscene #travelingtheworld #solotraveler #worldtrip #nomadlife #letsgetlost #roundtheworld #travelislife #streetshots #travelnow #solotraveller #travelalone #globetrotting #vegantravel #packandgo #streetpic #traveltheglobe #neverstoptravelling #nomadstories #travelabroad #takemehere #travelmode #travelplans #solotraveling #iwanttotravel (at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve)

[andreakladar]

Ted is in great spirits getting onto the run. He was in 4th place and now he's in 3rd on the first lap of the run. He's got a great chance to qualify for the World Championships again!! Wish him luck!! @tedcochrane @haroldhagen #vegan #plantpowered #vegansofig #vegansofinstagram #swimbikerun #triathlon #racing #run #cycle #swim #running #veganathlete #nomeathlete #nomean #veg #govegan #veganrunner #veganathletes #vegantriathlete #ironmancda #hawaiibound #worldchampionships #kona (at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)

[eatclean-bewhole]

Movement has many forms. There’s no one right way to workout. Find exercise you love and JUST. SHOW. UP. You will get momentum moving in the right direction, a healthy dose of endorphins, and you’ll be that much closer to your health goals. Keep your promise to yourself and show you that you matter! 💪🏽👊🏽

#veganathlete #vegantriathlete #fitness #gym #workout #fitnessmotivation #exercise #motivation #training #health #healthy #healthmindset #workout #lifestyle #healthylifestyle #gymlife #healthy #movement #gymmotivation #momswholift #girlswholift #weightloss #weightmanagement #selfcare #healthjourney #mindbody #movement #fatloss #healthishappiness #nutritionist #healthcoach #triathlete #healthishappiness

[behardonyourself]

Train Slow, Race Fast - 100 Mile Ride

On Wednesday, I’ll be riding my bicycle over 100 miles.

Obviously, most of us humans aren’t Lance Armstrong, and don’t have the endurance gas tanks to pedal as hard as we can for 100 miles.  To avoid hitting the proverbial wall, it takes conditioning and planning.

My goal while training is to use the most optimal fuel source the body has, which is stored fat.  Your body determines what it will use to create energy based on exertion.  The harder we work, the quicker the body eats up an already limited source of energy.  In the case of Ironman training, it’s my goal to optimize the body’s ability to oxidize stored body fat for energy.

I do this by training at a controlled heart rate that does not exceed 137 (180 minus my age).  If I get higher than that, my body burns glucose at a much higher level.  While that’s great for explosive bursts, the amount of glucose we have in the body is extremely limited, and when we run out, we “bonk” and that’s when we feel like absolute dog shit.

By keeping my heart rate between 120-137, I’m able to keep a pace that I can sustain for hours on end.  On Wednesday, I’ll be highly focused on keeping my heart rate at the lower end of that range (which is right in the heart of the “aerobic zone”, Zone 2).  If I get out there and start focusing on keeping my speed too high and keep hammering the pedals, I’m going to crash and burn and I’m not going to be able to finish.  I have to stay on plan and keep the heart rate in the pre-determined range.

The true beauty of this zone and energy reserve?  As I have continued to train for longer times at a lower heart rate, the MORE intense I’m able to train while keeping my heart rate lower.  So while it was a huge psychological thing for me to slow down and train at a pace that I thought of as “easy”, it has helped me to develop the ability to sustain a nice level of exertion for an extreme long period of time.

There’s absolutely no substitute for the longer duration of training that a Ironman Triathlete must do.  Too many people believe that they can train harder for a shorter amount of time and they’ll be able to develop the endurance to sustain for hours.  They’re dead wrong.

Ironman is not about an all out burst of effort, it’s about sustaining a pace and having the endurance to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles.  These aren’t distances where you can sprint.  With well under a year of endurance training under my belt, I’m not ready to just go attack that type of race by going all out on everything.  Most athletes don’t have that type of ability.  But as I grow as a Triathlete, my capacity for intensity will only continue to improve as it has thanks to training in the proper heart rate zone.  

[suddenlyvegan]

Oatmeal time again. With banana, black-blue-rasp-straw-berries, apple, chia seed and agave syrup 🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸 #breakfast #fruits #healthy #recovery #plantbased #vegan #veganrecipes #vegantriathlete #vegansofig #coffeetime #weightloss #fitness #morning #sunnyday #freezingday #goodmood (at Buffalo, New York)

[julisfooddiary]

Chamonix. #Chamonix #collectmomentsnotthings #holidays #travelling #vegantraveler #ilovenature #beingoutside #beingoutsidemakesmehappy #coloursofnature #offseason #swimbikerun #instatri #trihard #vegantriathlete #ilovetri #trigirl #triathlonmotivation #triathlon #sportsmotivation #sports (hier: Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Faucigny, Savoie)

[jeprepareletriathlon]

Les lignes de départ cette année...

06 février 2019, Paris

C’est déjà le mois de février, et même si l’hiver ne semble pas passer très vite, les compétitions vont vite arriver. Petit tour de piste des lignes de départ prévues cette année :

Ecotrail (30km de course à pied) de Paris, le 16 mars 2019 

Triathlon (S) de Versailles, le 18 ou 19 mai 2019 

Triathlon (Olympique) de Paris, le 30 juin 2019 

Triathlon (Half Ironman) de Vichy, le 24 août 2019 

Les plus ferments lecteurs auront noté que le marathon de Paris, ou celui de Tromsø (le marathon de minuit en Norvège) ne sont plus sur la liste, et c’est sur recommendation de mon préparateur sportif. Un peu moins, c’est faire plus dans ce qui reste à faire...

Allez, il reste encore 198 jours avant Vichy après tout !

[myraschwartzfit]

Over the last few weeks as the volume of my Ironman training has increased so has the amount of what I eat. I lean towards many of the same meals each week to maintain my sanity 🤣 Some weeks it seems like all I do when I’m not training is meal planning for the week ahead, cooking, eating, sleeping and spending as much time as I can loving on my family. I have a few staples that I repeat each week and others that I vary weekly. The more wholesome and colorful the better. If I’m in a crunch I keep it super simple with meals that have minimal ingredients. I’ll prep 2 bigger meals that I can alternate throughout the week for a lunch or dinner.⁣ ⁣ ✨ Save this post if you struggle with meal prepping ✨⁣ ⁣ If you caught my earlier post this week about planning your meals and building your grocery list based on your menu, then here’s my #2 tip for you. ⁣ ⁣ 🥗Start simple! Your first meal prep doesn’t have to be for every meal for the entire week. Start with just a couple days or with weekday dinners!⁣ ⁣ My simple planning strategy for a successful week:⁣ 3-4 or even 6 veggies⁣ 3-4 fruits⁣ At least 4 proteins of choice⁣ At least 2-3 types of healthy whole grain carbs and 1 starchy carb⁣ 2-3 healthy fats⁣ ⁣ You can literally build healthy meals by mixing and matching everything above. I like to refer to it as meal prep “buffet style”. I pull the containers with the foods I’ve prepped ahead of time and build a meal using a simple system to guarantee I’m getting balanced nutrition at every single meal. ⁣ ⁣ Let me know in the comments if you found this tip helpful!!⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #veganmeal #triathletefuel #texanfoodie #eatthecolors #healthyveganfood #howto #healthytips #nomeatathlete #veganfitfood #veganfitfam #mealprep #whatveganseat #vegansofig #vegannoms #alltheveggies #veganfood #veganfoodshare #wontstop #busymomlife #cantstop #whatfatveganseat #vegantriathlete (at San Antonio, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/myraschwartz.plantpowered/p/BwakpJhj62D/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h9zbzwy55t3g