Vegetarians and Athletes

For athletes who need to maintain strength and stamina, is it a wise choice to become a vegetarian? The answer is yes; however, those individuals must be very aware of their protein and caloric needs.

• There are three types of vegetarians. Lactovo- vegetarians, lacto-vegetarians and ovo vegetarians.
• Lactovo vegetarians omit meat, fish and poultry from their diets, but include milk, eggs, yogurt and cheese.
• Lacto vegetarians exclude eggs, but include all dairy products.
• Lastly, ovo vegetarians do include eggs, but exclude all dairy products.

All three types exclude meat from their diets. Regardless of which type, there must be a basic understanding of nutritional needs such as protein, iron, calcium, vitamins B-12 and D. Endurance and strength athletes (ie: ski racers, snowboard competitors) have slightly higher protein requirements than average adults; therefore, they must have a steady source of proteins to choose from.

Proteins can be derived from nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grain breads
and cereals. Soy is another meat substitute product that can deliver adequate protein.

Seeing a doctor to let he or she know of your vegetarian diet is always a good idea, because they will be able to offer support by giving you some supplemental advice. Extra vitamins and mineral pill supplements may be necessary. Vegetarian diets are generally too low in calories for athletes. Snacking often throughout the day can help sustain a few more calories in an athlete's body before or after an event or workout.

Despite concerns about insufficient proteins, vitamins and minerals; vegetarians generally have had lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, better digestive functions and less occurrences of cancers. It takes careful planning and knowledge to switch from a traditional western diet to a vegetarian diet, but as an athlete you do not have to be afraid of
becoming one.

Chris Kaiser
Nationally Certified Strength and Conditioning Instructor
cbkexercise@worldnet.att.net