Sports Scientist: Key to Athletic Success is Going Vegan
Athletes who are still choking down chicken or pounding whey-protein shakes can be relieved to know that they can trade in that garbage for gardien and soy protein powder.
A new book, Bikeextreme, by sports scientist Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer (pictured) is out to prove that as far as energy and vitamins go, vegan athletes are not at any disadvantage compared to those who eat meat. Wirnitzer also argues that even extreme athletes require far less protein than U.S. government guidelines (at the prompting of the meat, dairy, and egg industries) would have you believe.
"To maintain good health, a daily intake of 8–12 percent is more than enough and ideal for the highly strained metabolism of athletes," Wirnitzer says. She makes it clear that vegan diets "are not only well suited for all phases of life, as well as for top athletes, but if adequately implemented and combined with a supporting lifestyle, also optimally suited for endurance sports."
To back up her research, Wirnitzer has first-hand knowledge of the subject—she's a two-time finisher of the grueling TransAlp Challenge mountain-bike race.
There isn't any question about it—if you're a jock reaching for the top of your game, it's time to go vegan!
Posted by Jeff Mackey
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The biggest error that diet changers make is thinking that a radical departure from their dietary heritage can be done without repercussion.
We all come from a decendency, a stock of some sort. That stock evolved eating and reaching a "norm" over thousands of years. People that pay attention to the historical dietary traits of their ancestors will not have issues. If you come from stock that evolved eating dairy and meat you will not be healthier if you do not eat them.
Those that go off the rails and decide to ignore their dietary heritage will be the ones that evolution will use during the changes they will precipitate. They will die early and will continue to till evolution decides that the new norm has been reached.
This is not to say that you can consume at will from a quantity perspective and there are plenty of restrictions such as sugar and sodium that must be self imposed as well supplemental fiber replacement and exercise etc.
But the thought that you will be healthier just because you don't eat meat is an error. Evolution is not complete and is looking for people that don't understand how it works to make an example out of.
I guess that would be one way to do it. Only protien shakes(made with water or some vegan milk) and steroids will make you one hell of a super human. That would still be vegan right?
I'll give you one thing. It's probably better for humans to not eat meat or give money to the farms that give the animals such terrible lives, but I'm just not going to stop. I like chicken, fish, steak, eggs, milk, butter etc. way to much. Sorry.
If you can find a way to make all the animals have great lives up until there execution and put it in a bill I'll help the best I can(not much) to get it passed as law .