Vegan Vegetarian Recovery

[Nil Else]

http://ctodd.tv/blog/

After seeing her blog bit where she mentions that her being vegan she recovers from her hard training/ workout the next day to train again 3~5 days in a row whereas her meat eating team mates can't do that (you don't have to watch the whole video. The vegetarian bit is in the first minute or two section) I remember a conflicting story from a buddy.

Having been a avid Peter Gabriel (one of the early prominent vegetarians that I became aware of back then) fan for decades I tried at it in my early years but never been successful. My buddy in college days started to go out with a vegetarian baker girl and eventually went vegetarian himself. He was a rather heavy set dude. When I saw him after about two years of not seeing him after we went our separate ways for grad school etc I didn't recognize him when I went to a train station to pick him up as he was literally half the size he used to be. He, or rather, they, went back to eating some meat saying they couldn't gather enough energy as by then they got married and opened a bakery which is hard work.

These two stories seem to me to be in conflict, not knowing a whole lot of facts about it. I personally love eggs, most of times, and also milk, cheese, and sometimes some butter as well, too much to be a Vegan. I love a good steak and other meats as well though I don't eat them often. So being a complete vegetarian is also not in my realm.

But I sure would like to know a little more about it. Perhaps some of you Vegans and Vegetarians could shed some light on the difference, personal experiences, etc.

[victoryfactory]

I've been a vegetarian for 38 years and an avid road cyclist
since the early '70's

Mostly an "ovo/lacto" style which means I eat cheese and eggs. But during
a few year long stretches I've gone vegan. During those periods, I never noticed any
real difference in recovery, energy or stamina.

Overall, I just prefer not eating meat. I believe that humans are by nature
omnivores and are vegetarians only by choice and not because it is better.

Being a vege suits me, but I see it as somewhat of lifestyle that we
can choose because of where we live, I'll bet there aren't many vegetarians
in the Arctic!

BTW, If I was a normal meat eating human, I'd stay away frome chemical
cured, steroid and hormone pumped mercury laden meat and fish and
go with the naturally produced stuff whenever possible.

VF (Vege-Fool)

[jhcakilmer]

I don't think you can use these anecdotal experience to show any clear pattern. Workout recovery is not just limited to diet, but encompasse a host of other factors. Though Diet is a major factor when considering general health and performance, it is difficult to empirically to narrow .

I'm a vegetarian (90% vegan.....love the ice cream!!), and I'm a big guy that is very active. I have not found any problem with recovery after a hard aerobic workout (ride, run, swim, etc) or intense strength training workout. I was raised as a vegetarian, but did not become a vegan until I was married (she makes the food, and I just eat it). I have noticed a difference in my perceived energy level, and general health (sick less often, etc).

To be honest, I'm not sure if this is purely that fact that I'm eating less animal products, or since I have less options, I end of increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables.

For skeptics, I would recommend reading "The China Study", it's correlations, and conclusions are very interesting, and eye opening.

[ThomasRZ]

I was watching "Transition" a few days ago and one of the guys that the documentary focuses on is a vegan, who races a good race as a pro CXer.

The site seems slow, but go to www.cycle-smart.com and look at the articles – there are a slew on racing as a vegan/vegetarian.

FWIW, I'm about 99% ovo-lacto vegetarian, only for health reasons, really. I'll break down and eat some chicken if my grandma's cooking, but besides those few transgressions, I stay away from flesh.

As far as recovery goes – I tend to recover pretty quickly from hard efforts. I do keep a lot of protein going into my system in the form of soy and eggs, and judging from my riding partners, who are all omnivorous, my diet's not doing me any harm in terms of strength, aerobic ability, or recovery. I'd be curious to see what watts I'm doing, of course.

[Nil Else]

The site seems slow, but go to www.cycle-smart.com and look at the articles – there are a slew on racing as a vegan/vegetarian.



No kidding... I can't open it with safari or firefox. I'll try later with a PC.

[weiwentg]

went vegetarian for Lent. haven't noticed any difference in energy, although I am not training hard. you just have to eat smart. if I were training hard, I think it would be no problem.

[OtayBW]

I've been a vegetarian for 38 years and an avid road cyclist
since the early '70's

Mostly an "ovo/lacto" style which means I eat cheese and eggs. But during
a few year long stretches I've gone vegan. During those periods, I never noticed any
real difference in recovery, energy or stamina.

Overall, I just prefer not eating meat. I believe that humans are by nature
omnivores and are vegetarians only by choice and not because it is better.

Being a vege suits me, but I see it as somewhat of lifestyle that we
can choose because of where we live, I'll bet there aren't many vegetarians
in the Arctic!

BTW, If I was a normal meat eating human, I'd stay away frome chemical
cured, steroid and hormone pumped mercury laden meat and fish and
go with the naturally produced stuff whenever possible.

VF (Vege-Fool)
Pretty much the same experience for me as well. 29 years lacto-ovo, and it works comfortably for me.

[crf]

Eat meat, but I'd probably be vegetarian if I had to get dinner with a bow and arrow or other violent means.

[girlie]

Eat meat, but I'd probably be vegetarian if I had to get dinner with a bow and arrow or other violent means.

?

[Bill Bove]

?
It's easy to eat meat with a supermarket around the corner. Left to our own means most of us would starve if we had to get it the old fashioned way.

[labratmatt]

I'm going to call BS. I can't think of any scientific reason why a vegan diet would aid in recovery.

[saab2000]

I'm going to call BS. I can't think of any scientific reason why a vegan diet would aid in recovery.

I think the point is not that it necessarily aids recovery, but that it doesn't have to hinder it either.

[3chordwonder]

Regarding the OP quoting her saying that her being vegan she recovers from her hard training/ workout the next day to train again 3~5 days in a row whereas her meat eating team mates can't do that:

I'm dubious as well. Sure eating a vegan diet helps the unfortunate animals caught up in the farm industry, but it's hard to see it being a sports performance enhancer.

I ate meat during a recent month long trip (hard to eat vegetarian well out of restaurants without being a p.i.t.a. to your fellow travellers) and didn't notice any difference in my riding energy during that compared to my normal vegetarian diet. Maybe a month is too short a time to notice anything though. (?)

[girlie]

Eat meat, but I'd probably be vegetarian if I had to get dinner with a bow and arrow or other violent means.
It's easy to eat meat with a supermarket around the corner. Left to our own means most of us would starve if we had to get it the old fashioned way.

I guess for me there is always some violent act associated with the eating of meat. Something was killed.....by my hand or not = same difference.

I eat meat though I would never say it is absent of violence - simply because I didn't see it or do it myself.

- grew up in the country, parents bow and arrow hunted, we had pigs, fished, and all that country stuff....also had a potato patch and veggie garden.

I do wonder how it would feel to be a vegetarian.

[OtayBW]

I guess for me there is always some violent act associated with the eating of meat. Something was killed.....by my hand or not = same difference.

I eat meat though I would never say it is absent of violence - simply because I didn't see it or do it myself.

- grew up in the country, parents bow and arrow hunted, we had pigs, fished, and all that country stuff....also had a potato patch and veggie garden.

I do wonder how it would feel to be a vegetarian.
Oops - sorry. I thought you wanted to know what a vegetarian felt like....My bad... :D

[capybaras]

Oops - sorry. I thought you wanted to know what a vegetarian felt like....My bad... :D

Nice try :banana:

[GregLR]

I've been a lacto-vegeterian for 16 years. I've since done many cycling tours and long brevets (incl the PBP 1200km event twice), so I'd say my diet doesn't hinder my non-competitive endurance riding (but see the caveat below). I don't recall any adverse effects at the time I converted either, but that was a long time ago now.

However, I have a note of caution: I developed a vitamin B12 deficiency about 5 years ago. This came to light via a blood test after I noticed that I was having to climb hills in a lower gear than usual and I was feeling unusually drained in the mornings.

This was corrected over 6 months or so by taking supplements and, at my doctor's suggestion, eating more dairy products (especially using full cream milk instead of soy milk with my cereal or smoothie - the B12 fortification in the soy milk brand I had been using obviously wasn't being absorbed). I did the 2003 PBP successfully 8 months after the B12 deficiency was diagnosed.

At my doctor's suggestion I stopped taking the B12 supplements two years ago, and while my B12 level has dropped significantly, it has continued at a normal level.

Just thought I'd mention...

Greg

[morty]

I've been vegetarian for the past 14 years (first 12 of those vegan) and have only recently added a very few dairy products, mainly because I like to bake using the "bad" good stuff :D B-12 deficiency and osteoporosis is also a concern.

I don't know if being vegetarian improved my recovery or endurance from before, but I do know a couple things it did help: 1. After cutting out all dairy, I dropped ten pounds without even trying and I wasn't fat to begin with. 2. Let's see, how can I put this...I wasn't a very "regular" kind of person before, but now I am :butt: :o

It also made me more aware of the foods I was eating and less likely to fill up on junk.

[3chordwonder]

I do wonder how it would feel to be a vegetarian.

Feels exactly the same as you would now except maybe you can eat/drink a bit more without gaining weight, and there's less options paralysis at restaurants.

imho.

[wc1934]

I have been a vegetarian for about 8 years - I thought that I would notice a difference (in a positive way) by abstaining from meat, but I felt the same. I never noticed a decrease in energy but I do take vitamins.
I became a vegetarian mainly for health reasons, believing that consuming meat/chicken pumped with hormones (either directly or in their feed etc) would probably have an adverse effect on my health. Plus I love pasta.

[Ginger]

Plus I love pasta.


Oooo another Pastatarian! (I'm not, I just know people who are...)

:banana:

There *is* a right way and a wrong way to go vegan. Deep fried broccoli and tofu, beer, and vegan cakes with palm kernel frosting are NOT the right way to go. (I've met obese vegans...seems contrary...doesn't it?)

Does vegetarian/vegan -ism seem to make a difference to my buddies who are and who ride? Not really. But they aren't pros, and they aren't endurance riders. I think the extremes are where you'd have to be very very careful with your incoming nutrients.

[pdxmech13]

being veggie isn't all that different than a carnivore these days.
both choose what one puts in their body. and i choose beer :beer:

[Nick Payne]

I was talking to one of the physiotherapists at the Australian Institute of Sport about this. Her example was that a 20-year old will recover from a hard training session in around six hours. A 40-year old will take around two days to recover from the same training session.

[WadePatton]

This guy sez that optimum athletic performance can be achieved via raw fruits and leafy veggies. Makes a lot of sense and he does work with top-level athletes. He also appears to be walking the walk.

Dr. Doug Graham. author of The 80/10/10 Diet, Grain Damage, and more.