A seemingly insoluble dilemma confronts those who consider themselves a vegetarian, while seeing the purpose and meaning of their life in sports. What if you are a staunch opponent of meat, but even without training you can’t see your life.

Is it possible to combine vegetarianism and sports?

Is it possible to build muscle mass by giving up meat, fish and derivative products? And if sport is a hobby or a profession, is it really possible to give up a full-fledged protein menu and become a vegetarian? In the article we will try to find answers to these questions.

What kind of bird is a vegetarian

There have always been vegetarians, even in the most ancient times. And now this movement is very popular. Among those who consider themselves vegetarians, there is an unofficial classification of "brothers in taste preferences":

• vegetarians who refuse pork, beef (the so-called "red" meat), but with pleasure gobble up chicken, duck, meat of other birds, fish. “Pseudo-vegetarians” usually do not have problems with physical activity, muscle building.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not allow the meat of any animals and birds in their diet, but they are not averse to eating dairy products, eggs, i.e. products of animal origin. There are many athletes among lacto-ovo-vegetarians. The protein found in milk and eggs is qualitatively different from the protein found in meat. However, it is also able to participate in the construction of cells.
• Vegans are strict about the choice of food, completely refusing any products of animal origin. It is most difficult for this subtype of adherents of vegetarianism to engage in various sports, since products containing protein, proteins (and therefore the strength and energy so necessary for athletes) are banned for them.

Opponents of meat and other animal products argue that vegetarianism is in the very nature of man. They cite as an example the distant ancestors of man - monkeys, who ate exclusively the leaves of trees, fruits, herbs. Moreover, meat, in their opinion, does not “charge” a person with energy (as is commonly believed), but, on the contrary, encourages passive pastime. So, predators, having caught game and having eaten its meat, sleep for a long time after such a dinner.

Are vegetarianism and sports compatible?

Definitely yes. It’s just that those athletes who decide to give up meat have a harder time. They don't have enough protein in their diet. Depending on the sport that a person is fond of, protein is needed in the amount of 1.5-3 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight. The easiest way to get protein is from meat. It is easier and faster to digest.

Vegetarian athletes make up for the missing protein from other foods: soy, tofu, legumes, grains, nuts. Opponents of vegetarianism argue that the protein that is not found in meat is not at all the same: it does not contain all the amino acids. But the adherents of a non-meat diet themselves believe that by skillfully compiling various vegetables, fruits and other gifts of nature into portions, you can get the set of elements necessary for the body.

In addition to protein, an important element contained in meat and meat products is iron - a source of energy for the body. By refusing it, according to meat lovers, vegetarians are deprived of the energy necessary for sports. However, iron can be obtained from foods that are on the shopping list of any vegetarian: citrus fruits, apples, rose hips, cabbage (including seaweed), walnuts, raisins, legumes, and many others.

Thus, the products of plant origin contain all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals necessary for the body. Therefore, all talk about the incompatibility of vegetarianism and sports is a myth.

In confirmation of words

Many professional athletes who have achieved success in their field and become famous declare their vegetarian addictions. Moreover, even those athletes who go in for heavy sports that require enormous physical exertion, strength, and endurance. For example, the famous boxer Mike Tyson is a vegetarian. Here is another list of famous vegetarian athletes: Bruce Lee is the king of martial arts, Carl Lewis is an athlete, Prince Fielder is a baseball player, Chris Campbell is a wrestler, David Zabriskie is a bicycle, Bill Pearl is a bodybuilder. And this is not the whole list. Do you want to join him?

What are the dangers of a vegetarian athlete?

If you still confidently want to be both a vegetarian and an athlete, you should be aware of all the pitfalls. There are several of them:

1. Vitamin B12, necessary for increased physical activity, is found only in meat and animal products. If pseudo- and ovo-vegetarians can afford a natural source of the vitamin, then "naturopaths" have only one way out: to introduce B12 into the body artificially. For example, use whey protein, brewer's yeast.
2. Carbohydrates, which are so abundant in plant foods, can interfere with athletes building muscle mass. They can not be consumed a lot if the athlete is on a diet.
3. Thanks to insulin, nutrients are converted in the muscles, provoking their growth, strength. Insulin is important for building muscle. If a person fundamentally does not eat meat, he loses the most important amino acids, and insulin levels decrease. And vegetable proteins do not have all the amino acids.

However, for a person who decides to combine, there are no insurmountable problems. And he will definitely succeed!

The basic principles of a vegetarian diet are to exclude food of animal origin, and obtain protein, vitamins and amino acids from plant or lacto-vegetarian food.

Vegetarian diet

About the benefits and dangers of vegetarianism doctors, nutritionists and scientists speak out. A vegan diet is healthy because it provides a minimum intake of cholesterol and saturated fat.

Vegetarian staple food- This is a plant food that is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and nutrients.

Plant food ranks first in many weight loss systems, as it contains far fewer calories and fat than animal products. Moreover, they strengthen the immune system and improve health.

Vegetarians are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure, cancer, and strokes are much less common with them. Compliance with a weekly vegetarian diet for weight loss allows you to lose 2 to 4 kg of excess weight. In this case, the body will receive a large amount of high blood pressure, which will help normalize digestion.

Vegetarian diet will help cleanse the intestines of harmful toxins, improve mood and body tone. For people who regularly consume meat products, you should not abruptly switch to a vegetarian style of eating, but it is recommended to change your diet gradually. The body needs time to get used to the new composition of food, so the proportion of animal products should be reduced within two weeks.

Basic principles of a vegetarian diet

Nutritionists agree that regular adherence to a vegetarian diet in order to lose weight helps to maintain normal weight and, at the same time, performs a preventive function. However, a vegetarian diet for weight loss is not recommended for children, teenagers and pregnant women.

Basic principles of a vegetarian diet:

Replacing food of animal origin with vegetable - for example, protein of animal origin is excluded from the diet, then it must be replaced with vegetable: eat more legumes, nuts, cauliflower;

Drinking plenty of fluids - as with any diet, you need to drink plenty of mineral water, an average of 2 liters daily;

Exclusion of sweets - vegetarians are allowed to include some types of sweets on the menu, but still this is a diet, and you should not "lean" on sweets, otherwise the results from a vegetarian diet will be much worse;

Since a vegetarian diet does not provide for complete or partial starvation, then during the day you need to eat as usual (three meals a day), losing extra pounds will be a simple and pleasant procedure, without feeling hungry.

Judging by the name of the diet, many may think that only vegetarians follow this diet. But this is not entirely true, the rejection of meat at least for a while will be useful for everyone.

In addition, a vegetarian diet is suitable not only for young and healthy people, but also for older people. After 40 years, it is already worth thinking about your health and giving up meat. Many famous people have become vegetarians in old age, for example, Leo Tolstoy, Adriano Celentano, Bridget Bordeaux, Mikhail Zadornov.

Vegetarian diet

It is proven that our ancestors were vegetarians, their diet included seeds, leaves, herbs and fruits. Based on these facts, we can say that the human body is initially tuned to plant foods. You should not refuse dairy products, as they contribute to digestion. Especially useful are kefir, fermented baked milk, curdled milk, yogurt.

Strict vegetarian diet

This diet reads strict as it excludes fish and eggs.

It is worth noting that in dairy products there is a lot of what the body needs, the composition of which is no worse than the protein in meat or fish products. Dairy products are rich in calcium, which is necessary for the cardiovascular system.

The healing properties of the diet

Thanks to the diet, blood vessels will be cleansed, blood circulation and blood supply to the brain and heart will improve, and excess weight will be lost. If you are not ready to become a vegetarian for life, the diet can be followed from one week to a month.

When following a diet, the main diet of your diet will be fruits, vegetables, greens, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grain bread or bread with bran.

Following a vegetarian diet can lead to iodine deficiency. Therefore, during the diet, it is recommended to take a vitamin-mineral complex; when cooking, you can use iodized salt. In addition, walnuts, seaweed, garlic, radishes, carrots, potatoes, green peas are rich in iodine.

Despite the fact that a vegetarian diet is a therapeutic diet, there are cases among athletes who switched to a vegetarian diet, improved their body and won many prizes and awards. Notable vegetarians include bodybuilder Bill Pearl, who was four-time Mr. Universe winner, and bodybuilder Vince Taylor.

Vegetarian Diet for Athletes

As a rule, such a diet is followed by athletes who are engaged in power sports. The basis of a vegetarian diet is a balanced diet. Useful trace elements contribute to the rejuvenation of the body, if you add sports, you can double the result achieved.

Vegetarian diet will be especially useful for athletes because, firstly, it normalizes the neuro-psychological state, normalizes digestion and restores expended strength.

Before you start a diet, you must cleanse the intestines in 3 days.

To cleanse the intestines, you need to drink exclusively mineral water without gas during the day. On the second day, at lunch, you should eat a portion of boiled vegetables and for dinner - a vegetable salad seasoned with vegetable oil without salt.

Vegetarian Diet Menu

Monday

Breakfast: a glass of low-fat milk with a slice of bran bread.

Second breakfast: 200 gram serving of oatmeal, soy bun and a glass of juice.

Lunch: half a liter of soup, which includes vegetables, 200 grams of grilled cod fish with soy sauce (30 grams), boiled young beans (100 grams) and complete the dinner with a cup of herbal tea.

Snack: a glass of 1% kefir with a slice of rye bread

Dinner: a plate of brown rice (200 grams) with shrimp (20 pieces) and half a cup of green tea.

Before going to bed, you can eat one orange.

Tuesday

Breakfast: a bowl of oatmeal (150 grams), an orange and a cup of herbal tea.

Second breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese (100 grams), pear.

Lunch: half a liter of milk soup, 100 grams of fruit salad, raisin bun.

Snack: a glass of apple juice or compote with a small 50 gram bun.

Dinner: a serving of oatmeal (100 grams), 100 grams of salad cooked with seaweed and a cup of green tea.

Before you go to bed, about 1.5 hours in advance, if you wish, you can eat a sandwich spread with butter and drink a glass of apple-sea buckthorn juice.

Wednesday

Breakfast: a serving of cottage cheese (100 grams), a cup of black coffee or tea.

Second breakfast: 200 grams of pineapples (preferably natural, but can also be in jars).

Lunch: 500 ml of soup boiled with fish, two baked potatoes, fresh vegetable salad with green olives, a glass of fruit juice or compote.

Snack: walnuts (1 tablespoon), a glass of mineral water, to which you need to add freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice.

Dinner: 100 grams of buckwheat, some stewed mushrooms (50 grams), half a cup of green tea

If desired, before going to bed, you can drink a glass of kefir with a bun.

Thursday

Breakfast: a serving of rice pudding (200 grams) and half a glass of low-fat milk.

Second breakfast: fruit salad (100 grams) and a glass of pineapple juice.

Lunch: half a liter of broth boiled on vegetables, stewed zucchini or squash (200 grams), salad made from seafood (150 grams), two slices of bran bread, a glass of pure mineral water.

Afternoon snack: one apple, a bran bun, a glass of herbal tea.

Dinner: oatmeal (100 grams) with boiled low-fat fish.

If you feel hungry before going to bed, you can eat a couple of crackers and drink a glass of kefir.

Friday

Breakfast: oatmeal muesli (100 grams), optional tea or coffee.

Second breakfast: one small banana, fruit and berry jelly (200 grams).

Lunch: 500 ml vegetable okroshka, vegetable and herring salad, an apple and a slice of bread.

Snack: fruit dessert with honey (100 grams).

Dinner: 100 grams of oatmeal, salad made from one tomato.

Saturday

Breakfast: a bun with poppy seeds smeared with honey, a glass of prunes compote.

Second breakfast: 2 tbsp. spoons of seeds, a chocolate bar and green tea.

Lunch: bowl of shrimp soup, mashed potatoes (100 grams), salad of green olives and greens, a glass of grape juice and a bun.

Snack: a serving of cottage cheese (100 grams) with raisins.

Dinner: fish stew with vegetables and green peas (50 grams), a cup of green tea.

Sunday

Breakfast: a glass of kefir with a slice of bread.

Second breakfast: banana, apple and hazelnuts (50 grams).

Lunch: buckwheat porridge (150 grams), stewed mushrooms (100 grams), vegetable salad (100 grams), a glass of apple juice.

Snack: kefir with wheat bread.

Dinner: 100 grams of green tea with pancakes and jam (3 pcs.), Apple.

vegetarian diet, of course, it turns out to be very satisfying, so portions can be reduced, or even refuse some meals. But, if you are actively involved in sports, then such a variety of dishes will be ideal for you.

Recipes for a Vegetarian Diet

Vegetable okroshka

In salted water, you should boil the carrots and let the vegetables cool and cut into small cubes. Then pour small cubes of radishes, cucumbers, eggs and green onions into a large saucepan and pour over a chilled broth of mustard, sugar, salt and kvass. Before serving, add a spoonful of sour cream, chopped dill and ice cubes to a plate.

Vegetable soup

To prepare the soup you will need: 45 grams of butter, 350 grams of leeks, 35 grams of flour, 1.25 grams of vegetable broth, 250 grams of chopped carrots, 4 pcs. chopped zucchini, 150 grams of chopped red pepper.

First you need to melt the butter in a saucepan and add the leek, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring all the time until the onion becomes soft. After that, gradually add flour, stirring constantly, the whole process lasts 1 minute. Then turn off the heat and pour in the vegetable broth and again put on high heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. In the resulting composition, you add finely chopped vegetables and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

Milk soup

One of the simplest milk soups, for the preparation of which you will need: 1 or 1.5 liters of milk, 3 tbsp. tablespoons of flour, 4 slices of white bread, sugar and salt.

First you need to boil the milk. In another bowl, you need to add a little flour to cold milk and slowly pour the resulting mixture into boiled milk, while remembering to stir. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat.

Before serving milk soup, croutons should be put in each plate, then salt or sugar should be added.

Disadvantages of a Vegetarian Diet

Despite its effectiveness, a vegetarian diet has some drawbacks. The main one is the lack in the diet of a number of those nutrients, trace elements and vitamins that the body needs, but are not found in plant foods. Also, plant foods are mainly considered carbohydrate, but the body needs to receive animal fats and proteins, especially in the cold season, which is why they need to be actively replaced with vegetable ones.

Normal before training is 20-30-50. For those who are gaining weight - 25-15-60, and for losing weight - 50-40-10. Also, consider the specifics of the upcoming workout. If cardio is expected, focus on complex carbohydrates, and if strength, then on proteins.

Vegetarian Meal Options During Workouts:

1. Vegetable salad with tofu and sesame seeds. Cheese and sesame will give you the right amount of protein and fat, and carbohydrates can be "picked up" with seasonal vegetables.

2. Dishes with lentils and bulgur. Both lentils and bulgur are quite rich in protein and can be a worthy alternative to meat. And you can combine them with vegetables, preparing soups, stews, snacks and even quite festive dishes - for example, stuffing peppers with bulgur with vegetables.

3. Bean salad with lentils and tofu. A real protein bomb for vegetarians. And the carbohydrate deficiency can be replenished by adding dried fruit dessert to this dish.

4. Ready-made protein shakes for vegetarians. A great option for those who do not like or do not have time to cook. The vegan raw materials are taken from peas, brown rice and hemp.

Post workout diet for vegetarians

After training, the main focus should be on protein, as a recovery material for muscles. Eat preferably within an hour after exercise. The fastest option is a protein shake with fruits and berries. Its advantage is that you can easily take it with you to training and recuperate just on the way home.

“I switched to vegetarian / vegan ... How do I exercise now? AND WHAT IS? Many people ask themselves such questions. For starters, as they say, don'tpanic - it'sorganic! - this famous English-language veg joke in Russian sounds like this: Don't panic - it's organic! Or loosely translated: if you eat organic plant foods, then there is nothing to worry about! If the body was initially conditionally healthy (absolutely healthy people - astronauts) - then on a vegan diet you will not have problems with sports! And, on the other hand, sports will not bring any problems to a healthy vegan. This, of course, provided that your nutrition is balanced, complete and consistent with increased sports loads! If you just put a bowl of salad in front of you, and calm down on this issue of vegetable sports nutrition, you won’t run far.

Questions about the consumption of creatine and vitamin B12 did not arise today, and, for sure, many knowledgeable vegans and vegetarians who are involved in sports or fitness have already heard about it. But let's try again to "dig" the question a little deeper than "eat more different vegetables" - for the benefit of all those who are not sure that they already have complete information.

For sports or fitness performance, it doesn't matter if you cut out meat and other killer foods for ethical reasons or for health reasons. In sports, the main thing is the result, and for health, the state of the body. These are very objective factors. So the conversation today is not about Bhakti Yoga and spiritual values, but about nutrition. Luckily, the vegan athlete record is on our side, and it proves ironically that you can become a world champion in most sports on a plant-based diet. The fact that you can only set records by eating meat is a myth that has long been debunked! And it’s also much easier - on a plant-based diet to achieve more mundane, everyday results - which are primarily necessary for us, non-professionals: improve health, start and continue running, “pump up”, increase endurance, etc.

But first, the bad news.
Possible problems unbalanced vegan/vegetarian diet in athletes pretty serious:

this and anemia, And decreased levels of creatine in the muscles(which prevents you from gaining dense muscle mass and is important for sprinters),

· And decreased carnosine levels in the muscles (again, including very bad for sprinters),

· And lack of vitamin B12(Yes, yes, again about him: it leads to a number of physical and nervous ailments that can put an end to sports).

But, of course, this is not a reason to run after chicken breasts or eat “0.7 cows a year,” as one well-known sports businessman convinces.

If once you clearly understand the issue of good nutrition, then, as we have already said, there will be no problems. One thing is worth emphasizing: if you are a vegan, or a vegetarian athlete, you HAVE to understand in detail the issues of healthy eating! But don't worry, do it necessary and those vegans who not go in for sports: run, don’t run, and with a lack of knowledge about a full-fledged diet, there will still be problems ... And, perhaps, even more so for meat-eaters: after all, their mortality statistics in developed countries are cleaner than any horror movie! (They have different problems than we do, vitamin B-12 is fine - but nutrition information would be very helpful too!)

And what do scientists think about sports and veganism / vegetarianism?? Nowadays, the relationship between veganism and athletic performance (and what is even more important for us, iron health!) is very often studied and considered. This is not only in line with the current trend: when the interest of the general public in veganism and its impact on the health of the average person (see the same "China report") is growing - but it is also reflected in scientific works related specifically to sports.

According to the results of a number of scientific studies, physicians make such OBJECTIVE scientific findings :

1) a well-balanced vegetarian or vegan diet is able to support the effective performance of an athlete (we are now talking more about fitness and athletics. Vegan / vegetarian bodybuilding is a separate, also very interesting topic);

2) provided if protein intake is sufficient to meet the need for nitrogen and essential amino acids (and, as we know, they are found in many vegan products), as well as vegetable (this is a fairly large range of products - see at the end of the material) and animals (they are found in milk and dairy products) proteins - it is adequate nutrition for an athlete even during competitions;

3) vegetarians (especially women) are at increased risk for anemia(iron deficiency), which can limit the performance and endurance of an athlete, and generally undermine health - and this must be taken into account. But iron deficiency and fatigue are not "purely vegetarian problems" at all! Difficulties with stamina also happen to meat-eating athletes - for example, Venus Williams specifically switched to veganism - and took Serena "for company" - just, to cope with the problem of fatigue!;

4) in vegetarians and vegans, the concentration of creatine in the muscles is on average lower than in meat eaters, and this can affect performance under extreme loads. If you are a serious athlete, it is advisable to take creatine in a sports supplement (it is 100% vegan). It has been scientifically proven that taking creatine in non-meat eaters leads to significant increases in athletic performance as well as improved brain function. It is curious that the increase in performance after the inclusion of a creatine supplement in the diet in vegan athletes is more significant than meat-eating athletes show!

Creatine is stored in muscles. Our body (mainly the liver and kidneys) can produce creatine, but only in amounts of about 1 gram per day. Another 1 gram per day can be absorbed from food. This ratio, 1:1 (1 gram digested, 1 produced) is optimal and necessary for athletes. Unfortunately, "in nature" creatine is found only in meat products. But this issue is easily solved for vegans and vegetarians with the help of a sports supplement.

5) Many athletes use the transition to a vegetarian diet as a way to lose weight (this is necessary for runners, boxers, etc.). But keep in mind that excessive weight loss does not always improve results. Therefore, athletes (or rather, their coach and doctor) should track weight loss when switching to vegan/vegetarianism. And since we - non-professionals - do not have a coach and a doctor, we are responsible for the "calories". If you are rapidly losing normal weight, this cannot be good, and you need to reconsider your diet with a calculator in hand. Luckily, both vegan and even raw dieters have no problem with ethical, plant-based protein sources (see food list below)!

Thus, on a kill-free and, even on a purely plant-based diet, it is quite possible to go in for sports, fitness, and, moreover, just lead an active lifestyle without any restrictions and problems.

For a snack several practicaladvice :

1. I don't eat meat, so where can I get vitamin B12? Solution: yes, this is a problem for the athlete, because. It is almost impossible to consume B12 in the right amount on a plant-based diet. The issue is even more radical for women, because they lose blood during the monthly cycle. The only simple solution is to take a vegan vitamin B12 supplement.

2. How to meet the body's protein needs? Solution: After training, you need to consume enough protein, plus read materials on the Internet on the issue of carbohydrate and protein windows and take this information into account. The main rule for recovery after any workout is to consume enough protein. Ovo-lacto vegetarians can afford eggs or yogurt. Vegans will have to settle for plant-based protein - but it's not "worse" and there are plenty of protein (protein) sources!

• Hemp seed or flour;
• tofu;
• Beans;
• legumes;
• Soy protein powder (sports supplement);
• Unsweetened soy milk.

3. Constant hunger, especially on training days! Solution: 1) Eat protein. Lack of protein in the diet can lead to sudden insulin spikes and drops. If you lead an active lifestyle, do fitness - you need MORE protein than people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Eat enough proteins and carbohydrates at every meal: together they will be absorbed smoothly, and you will avoid sudden changes in vigor and lethargy, which can otherwise exhaust you and prevent you from training at full strength. 2) Avoiding trans fats, do not neglect the quality ones - with an active lifestyle and, especially, in the case of sports, this is categorically not useful.

Vegan Sources of Healthy Fat:

• Extra virgin olive oil;
• Linseed oil;
• hemp oil;
• Avocado fruits;
• Unroasted seeds and nuts.

4. Tight, tight muscles? Solution: Pay attention to adequate intake of sodium and calcium, especially if you sweat a lot during training. Consume sodium with food and salt your food with sea salt.

Good vegan sources of calcium:

• Almonds;
• Beans;
• Spinach, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables
• Sesame seed;
• Sunflower seed.

5. Fatigue, lethargy, difficulty exercising. Solution: Get a blood test to make sure you're not at risk for anemia. (And this applies not only to vegans and vegetarians). Iron comes out with sweat, as do sodium and calcium. The more intense your training, the more iron you need, and this problem is especially relevant for runners.

Vegan foods rich in iron:

• Iron-fortified breakfast cereals, oatmeal;
• Pea soup;
• dried peas;
• Bran;
• Syrup;
• Soya beans;
• Plum juice;
• Raisin;
• Any fruit juice fortified with iron;
• Peanut butter;
• apricots;
• Green bean;
• Walnut, cashew, pecan, almond.

Finally, the “test by deed”: there are more and more vegan athletes these days - and, including professional ones! Well, who doesn't know tennis player Serena Williams? Another outstanding athlete, runner Carl Lewis, also achieved excellent results on a vegan diet (especially a year after switching to veganism). A few more names: world-famous super-endurance athlete Richie Roll, "star" triathlete Brandon Brazer, world champion in parkour Tim Schiff, strongman Patrick Baboumyan (tell to him about the lack of protein without meat in the diet!), or the outstanding MMA fighter Mac Danzig ... If you are interested, a very large and up-to-date list of famous vegan athletes can be found on a special website (in English).

Eat wholesome and healthy food - and achieve excellent results!

Materials were partially used in the preparation of the article: http://www.vegkitchen.com/nutrition/vegan-athlete/

Alexey Sokolovsky

The two main reasons that make people become vegetarians and give up meat are self-care (industrial meat contains antibiotics and other harmful substances) and ethical and environmental (the meat industry is extremely cruel to nature and animals). Why vegetarians are not overweight, look younger and have better health -.

However, regardless of the reason, switching to a vegetarian diet makes the diet rich, not poor, as is often believed. Despite the fact that red meat contains a lot of iron, zinc and vitamin B12, the body's need for these trace elements is easily covered by other products.

Sports nutrition for vegetarians

If you are a lacto-vegetarian and include dairy products in your diet, we can easily consume and, since the vast majority of brands are made from whey, there are only two or three brands that produce protein from meat.

As for creatine, originally obtained from the muscle tissue of animals, it has long been synthesized by chemical means. Sports Creatine Monohydrate is a 100% vegan product. The same applies to L-carnitine, which is effective, in fact, exclusively for vegetarians.

L-carnitine

In theory, levocarnitine (L-carnitine) improves the metabolism of fats in the body, making fat stores a more attractive source of energy during physical activity - this is the basis for the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bmarketing it as a "soft" fat burner and a safe means to get rid of excess weight.

However, in practice, most people consume L-carnitine in the composition of ordinary products (especially in the composition of meat - this is what the Latin word means carne). Taking levocarnitine as even theoretically can only help vegetarians.

Protein Sources for Vegetarians

Modern scientific literature suggests that even, and not the crazy numbers of 5-7 g found on sports sites and forums, are enough to gain muscle mass. Getting 140-170 g of protein per day is possible without much effort and from plant foods.

1. soy products. The main source of plant-based protein for vegetarian athletes is without a doubt soy and its various products - including "soy meat". Note that modern soy varieties (especially bio-products) contain a minimal amount of pro-hormones that turn into estrogen during digestion.
2. Lentils and other legumes. Most legumes contain as much protein as meat - 25 g of protein per 100 g of dry product. You can alternate mung beans (mung), pea porridge with lentil pasta (you will find them in the gluten-free section). You can also find pea protein supplements in stores.
3. Nuts and peanut butter. A significant amount of high-quality protein is also found in nuts and peanut butter. However, it is necessary to buy exclusively peanut butter, which does not contain in the composition - it is added to a cheap product to obtain a homogeneous structure.
4. Buckwheat and pseudocereals. Quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, sorghum and other pseudocereals contain 10 to 15 g of protein per 100 g of dry cereal. At the same time, the amino acid profile of the protein contained in buckwheat is as complete as possible - thanks to this, buckwheat has long been considered a healthy food.

Is it possible to pump up without eating meat?

The first rule of muscle growth is to provide the body with additional energy, which implies. The second rule is to eat enough protein and the right fats. Fats should account for approximately 25-35% of the calories in the diet.

It is in fats that the main problem of the diet of vegetarians lies - by refusing animal products, they do not receive saturated fatty acids, which are important for the secretion of testosterone and other hormones important for muscle growth. An extra dose may help.

Vegetarian athletes

The popularity of vegetarianism is growing every year. More and more people understand that by giving up meat, their body receives much less toxins and harmful animal fats, as a result of which their well-being improves. As a result, there are more and more vegetarian athletes.

The growing interest in the topic of vegetarianism has spawned a huge number of Instagram users sharing photos of their vegetarian diet and tangible gains in gaining muscle mass. Leave accounts of such athletes in the comments - we will include them in the material.

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Giving up meat and a vegetarian diet are not at all obstacles to successful sports and gaining muscle mass. However, the main problem is the low amount of saturated ("animal") fats in the diet of vegetarians - without them, testosterone levels are significantly reduced.