It doesn’t really matter if you’re a professional athlete or still a novice at working out – there are some amazing fitness tips every vegan should be familiar with. These will teach you to embrace a well-balanced vegan diet in the best possible way, so be sure to stay with us if you want to learn more about that. Here are our top five pro fitness tips for vegan athletes, so check them out and get down to it right away!
First of all, plan your meals a few days in advance
When you’re an active vegan athlete who also has a full-time job, juggling between your diet and other everyday responsibilities can be a true challenge. Needless to say, every athlete – vegan or not – should have an eating plan. The reasons for that are more than good. Of course, the first one is that you need to properly fuel your body before a workout. Besides that, you need to keep yourself hydrated and recover after a workout as well. Since on-the-go vegan options are quite limited, you should definitely plan your meals a few days ahead.
When coming up with an eating plan, be sure to think about protein, fiber, and healthy fats first. Those are essential, especially if you’re working out regularly. These nutrients will give your body enough fuel and keep you away from starvation mode throughout the day. Bear that in mind and you won’t go wrong!
Know your protein
Everyone knows that protein is the building block of life. Did you know that every cell in the human body consists of protein? That’s right, which is why protein is essential for building muscles, too. While people who eat meat know exactly where to find their protein, it can be a bit harder task for vegans. This is particularly true for people who recently switched to a vegan diet.
However, you don’t have to worry at all because there is still a way to get enough protein throughout the day. The best sources of vegan protein are all kinds of beans, tofu, lentils, nuts and nut butter, whole grains such as quinoa, oats, and brown rice, and seeds like chia, sunflower, and hemp. To make sure that you’re getting enough protein, do your best to eat them at every meal – including breakfast. That’s the key to success!
Try not to skimp on healthy fats either
Apart from protein, you need to eat enough healthy fats as well. And why is that important? Well, it’s important because you’re burning a lot of calories while working out. However, as you can’t eat high-calorie foods such as cheese and meat, you may actually start to lose weight during the process. It’ll happen if you don’t replace those calories with their vegan alternatives.
When you’re working out regularly, you surely want to build muscle and improve your physique, right? Well, losing weight won’t help with that, which is exactly where healthy fats should step in! Did you know that fats have more calories per gram than protein? That’s right, so eat your plant-based healthy fats found in avocados, seeds, oils, and nuts. These will keep you full after a workout, too, which is another benefit you shouldn’t overlook!
Always check the labels on sports nutrition products
Yes, we know that a lot of athletes from all over the world – including Australia – love to reach for sports nutrition products when they are in a hurry. However, when you’re a vegan athlete, you must be extra careful about these. It means that you must check their labels before you decide to eat them. And why is that? Well, that’s because many products such as protein powders and gummies contain gelatin and whey, both of which are of animal origin.
Besides these, a lot of protein bars are sweetened with honey – an ingredient that shouldn’t be a part of a vegan diet. Instead, opt for sports nutrition products that contain plant-based protein and sweeteners. If you aren’t really sure which products will work for your vegan diet, you can always ask your personal trainer at Soul Train. They will gladly help you out with anything you may need!
Don’t rely on ‘fake meats’ too much
If you’ve been a part of the vegan universe for a while now, you surely know that there are many ‘fake meat’ products on the market. These have become increasingly popular over the last few years, when the vegan diet gained momentum all over the globe. Even though these products are very delicious and practical when you’re on the go, these are the best option out there. It’s because they often contain too much sodium and artificial sugars.
The whole point of being vegan is eating whole foods, and these are completely opposite to that. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with relying on these ‘fake meats’ every once in a while. However, don’t eat them too often. It can be quite counterproductive and untrue to the original idea of the vegan diet. So, stay away from them as much as you can and you’ll do a great job!
As you can tell, there are so many pro fitness tips for vegan athletes you should embrace as soon as possible. These five unquestionably are the best ones out there. So, be sure to stick to them if you want to see progress in your fitness routines. Once you establish a well-balanced vegan diet, everything else will follow. It’s a promise!
