Experiences in performance athlete veganism.
Back in college, I became a vegan mainly for environmental and animal ethics issues. As a college track athlete, I hoped that veganism would give me a performance boost as well. I was basking in the afterglow of my first yoga class taught by Woody Harrelson. What could go wrong? Right? But like all good vegans, optimism toward a cause seemed enough.
The longest I ever lasted was 9 months. Throughout the years as a practicing yoga teacher, meditator and Thai Massage therapist, I've used veganism and vegetarianism for purification and fasting, but I've always returned to eating meat for the simple reason that when I do, I feel better, but I'm giving veganism another chance, at least Monday-Friday for the next three months, all organic.
On the weekends, I'll return to my carnivorous way with the intention of consuming ethically slaughtered, organically raised, local meat, meeting with the farmer at the local farmer's market and reporting the finding in my blog. To give my liver a reboot, I'm also avoiding alcohol during the week and over the course of the next ten days, I'll go caffiene free as well.
Here's my eating for today:
Breakfast: Shitake mushrooms sauted with heirloom tomatoes and spinach, with coconut oil and Braggs Amino Acids, garnished with Full Belly Farms organic walnuts and fresh chopped cilantro.
Lunch: Vegan buffet at Queen Sheeba Ethiopian Restaurant.
Dinner: Organic black bean and corn salad with mixed spring greens, cucumber, and avocado with a jalapeno lime juice dressing -- 80% dark fair trade organic chocolate by Equal Exchange Chocolates for dessert.
Not bad, huh. I usually get around 120-200 grams of animal protein per day, so I'm monitoring my strength to see if there's a decrease in lean body mass.
Check back in tomorrow and see how things are going!
Sam Scholtes has a BS in Biological Sciences from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and has been a personal trainer for 14 years. He is certificated by the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and is also a Polestar Pilates teacher with 12 years experience, a Sivananda yoga teacher trained in India with 8 years of experience, and a Thai Massage therapist trained in Thailand with 6 years of experience. In 2014 he graduated from the Center for Institute for Integrative Nutrition.