Veggies

When I became a vegetarian it was for very rational reasons. The more knowledge I gained about world I live in the more I became convinced a vegetarian lifestyle was the best choice for someone who treasures and respects the planet.

Obviously, we don't live in a time or place where you need to eat meat to live. In fact we live in a era where eating meat has become destructive to humans and to the earth. The good news is we also live in an era where it is easy and convenient to be a vegetarian.

The best thing about being a vegetarian is the knowledge of food you gain. Its important to know the nutritional value of each food item you eat. You have to know what your body needs in order to feel good and as an athlete perform at an optimal level.

Its a good idea to have a grasp on what nutrients you eat or don't eat. For a vegetarian athlete I have to make sure my Omega 3 levels, B-12 levels, Iron levels, and branch chain amino acids are topped off. Also important, especially being an endurance athlete, is taking in complex carbohydrates and antioxidants.

I just want to ease the fears of those who think being a vegetarian is not a good idea if you want to be an athlete or for any reason for that matter. One thing I tell people who want to become vegetarian is to ease into it. The most stable way to turn to a vegetarian diet is to stop eating certain meat over time. Eventually you'll find yourself just eating chicken and fish, then just eating fish every once in a blue moon, and then possibly becoming vegan.

As a vegetarian endurance athlete these are the top 15 food items essential to my diet (in no order)..

Yogurt
Oatmeal
Blueberries
Almond Butter
Eggs
Broccoli
Kale
Quinoa
Brown Rice
Beans
Avocado
Sweet Potato
Dark Chocolate
Omega 3 oil
Whey Protein Powder
and I should include red wine as #16 because it of its high antioxidant level.