Diet for physical fitness fanatic

[catmogg]

Okay, appologies if there is already a thread for this. ...

I have a friend who does a lot of martial arts training; kung foo, etc. He is considering becoming a vegan but says he wouldn't know what to eat to maintain his fitness.... He eats chicken for the protein, etc... (Sorry, i know thats distressing) However, he does eat very simply. Can anyone recommend a simple vegan diet that will compliment his training and replace his omni one? Then i can propose he follows it!! Thanks. I'm really interested to hear from anyone who thinks they can help, its a real possibility he'll become a vegan....:)

[Kiran]

It is really easy to get adequate protien intake through a vegan diet. Martial arts and Bodybuilders could follow a diet as follows

Protein (gms)

Breakfast:
1 cup Oatmeal 6
1 cup Soymilk 9
1 Bagel 9

Lunch:
2 slices Whole Wheat Bread 5
1 cup Vegetarian Baked Beans 12

Dinner:
5 oz firm Tofu 16
1 cup cooked Broccoli 5
1 cup cooked Brown Rice 5
2 Tbsp Almonds 3

Snack:
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter 8
6 Crackers 2

TOTAL 80 grams
Protein Recommendations for Male Vegan 63-79 grams

As you can see, it is more than the requirements. The diet I have listed above could be slightly altered based on independent needs. I try to stick to the above as much as possible. Hope your friend becomes a vegan soon.

[catmogg]

Great Kiran...I'll pass it on asap. :) Cos he is a martial artist, i don't think he wants 'bulk' like a body builder, he is very wiry in shape....so should he reduce those amounts a little???

[Kiran]

I am compiling a list of vegan food protien concentration. I think that will be of help to him. You can pass on that data to him as well.. Give me a few minutes. Watch this space.

That table will be of great help to him. Some people do not prefer certain items so they can select from a list of other vegan alternatives. At the same time they can ensure they get the required protiens. Hence they need not compromise on the intake required for their daily physical activity.

[Kiran]

so should he reduce those amounts a little???

No this is fine.. This is the average for a male vegan. Bodybuilders need more. As I said people need to alter it slightly as needed. But there is no need to worry.. He is not into weight training (i.e muscular exercises) so the protien intake will not go into muscles. For bodybuilders, weights training plus protien = Muscles. As long as your martial arts friend does not train for muscles he is fine with the above mentioned intake.

[catmogg]

Great, this is sooooo helpful Kiran. Should he be looking out for other things in his diet as well as protein??:confused: Should he take supplements, etc? He trains at least two hours a day, up to three, four hours at the weekend.... I'm kind of ignorant of this kind of thing??

[Kiran]

Should he be looking out for other things in his diet as well as protein??:confused:

Protien is the most important element for all sports persons. Any normal diet caters for other requirements. But people are concerned about protien because it largely varies and most is important from the physical build point of view.


Should he take supplements, etc?

No.. I would not recommend supplements. It is not natural in many cases, and promotes easy alternative to actual training. Supplements are normally taken by bodybuilders. I am strictly against it. Natural vegan food is the best and healthy.


He trains at least two hours a day, up to three, four hours at the weekend....

Do you mean he does weight training or martial arts?
.

[catmogg]

No weight training that i know of, he goes jogging and does dans, Indian calesthenics??:confused:

[Kiran]

No weight training that i know of, he goes jogging and does dans, Indian calesthenics??:confused:

Thats fine then... No need to worry.

[Kiran]

Here ya go.. The complete list.. Sorry about the green and red lines at certain places.. It was typed in ms-word and captured as a graphic format. MS-Word does it if it finds dodgy spelling or grammar.

Anyways.. The following table might take a while to download. So have patience. Wait till the page loads up fully.

http://www.kiran-voderhobli.info/temp/food-chart.JPG
.

[Kiran]

If he needs a detailed article on Vegan protien, you can pass this on to him

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/veganproteins.shtml#supplements_(for_adults)

[Kiran]

As said in one of my previous posts, I don't recommend body supplements. But if he wants to try, Hemp is the best shot.

http://www.detoxyourworld.com/acatalog/hemp_protein.html

[AbFab]

Hello, you two!

Brilliant answers by young Kiran. But if your friend wants to see more examples of how it's done, he can check out www.veganfitness.net (http://www.veganfitness.net) - there are some martial arts types on there, and www.veganbodybuilding.org (http://www.veganbodybuilding.org) is good for info too.

[Pilaf]

You're actually advocating the consumtion of soy? Soy is toxic to the brain and body.. surely that's common knowledge?

[Kiran]

You're actually advocating the consumtion of soy? Soy is toxic to the brain and body.. surely that's common knowledge?

Are you refering to Soy as in Soy products? Although I have read things both in favour and anti Soy, I don't subscribe to these information floating around. Some say it is bad some say it is good. Overall, I believe in the fact that it is a lot less harmful (if at all it is harmful), compared to the animal based alternatives.

There are researches that say Soy is not dangerous. Some say it is. When there are mixed ideas about this, I go by my feeling and experience. Soy is a rich source of protien and I have been consuming it for a long long time. It helps me with my workouts.

So to your question.. my precise answer is "Yes I do recommend Soy".

[ConsciousCuisine]

Soy protein isolate is not good.

Catmogg, if your friend wants to become vegan and worries that he can't get the protein he needs, send him my way. I feed The Giant (who used to weigh 350 and play college ball) who happily is fit, muscular and strong! (and now also lean, I might add). The Giant is a Holistic Health Practitioner and Personal Trainer/Yoga Instructor and adapts fitness/eating plans for vegans everyday based on whole-foods nutrition.

[Kiran]

Most of the research on Soy is not conclusive. It is a bit of a dilemma. Even the FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) have not concluded their research and admit there is a long way to go.

So I don't believe in these things till a conclusive report is produced and attested by food and health regulatory bodies.

[Kiran]

Should he be looking out for other things in his diet as well as protein??:confused:

I know I have addressed this before in brief. But let me be more precise and elaborate in this context.

Miss Mogg, you could pass on the following information to your friend too . I am sure it is very useful to him.


Minerals

Calcium

Atheletes with low calcium are likeley to suffer bone injuries and fractures. poor vegan diets also cause thinning bones and osteoporosis. It is recommended that vegan sports people aim for 1,000 milligram (mg) of calcium day through diet.

http://www.kiran-voderhobli.info/food-chart2.JPG

Iron

Iron loss is increased during heavy training. The main symptoms of deficiency in an athlete are weakness and rapid fatigue upon exertion. Therefore, it is important to look for grains and cereals that have been fortified with iron.

Vitamin C significantly improves iron absorption. a diet high in fruits and vegetables or simply taking a vitamin C supplement with meals may help. Cooking in cast iron pots may also help increase the iron content of foods.

http://www.kiran-voderhobli.info/food-chart3.JPG

VITAMIN NEEDS

Riboflavin B2 and B12 are two B-vitamins to be concerned about in the vegan diet.

Riboflavin intake is low in vegans, mainly because there are no dairy products consumed. Riboflavin is essential for the production of energy and therefore essential to athletic performance. Plant sources include fortified whole grains, soybeans, dark green leafy vegetables, avocados, nuts and sea vegetables.
B12 is needed for production of normal red blood cells and deficiency can result in anemia. B12 can only be found in animal products. Vegans need to supplement through a B12 supplement, nutritional yeast, fortified grains, soymilk and meat analogs.
.

[Kiran]

This link is the veggie sports association.. Lots of info on there

http://veggie.org/

I am sure it will be very helpful for all sports people. Good reference materials.