... wrote on Aug 23
rd, 2013 at 7:27pm:
What part of the fact sheet do you think is relevant, or contradictory to my assertions? Perhaps this:
The skinnyfat weed part. You were implying that you wouldn't reach peak efficiency on a vegan diet. That was the crux of your argument. You didn't say anything about it being "difficult".
The site is stating that there are challenges. Even I have said that it's not entirely a simple matter. Look back my posts. I already stated that most people would not know how to optimise their nutritional regime under a vegetarian or a vegan diet. This site confirms that there are challenges, but certainly supports the view that it's possible.
Quote:Several dietary challenges eh? That's sounds like another way of saying it is
very difficult.
The advice they gave in that sheet didn't seem unduly difficult to me. When I started, I used to keep a spreadsheet that showed my dietary inputs, calculated VO2 max etc.
Or this:
Quote:Furthermore, as plant proteins are less well digested than animal proteins, vegetarian athletes are advised to consume approximately 10% more protein than current athlete protein recommendations. This is of particular concern for vegetarians with relatively low energy budgets.
You've got to eat a bit more (10%) . Yes. Not difficult.
Or even:
Quote:Recent revisions to population nutrient standards in both the USA and Canada have indicated that people consuming vegetarian diets have higher recommendations for zinc, iron and possibly calcium to adjust for the low bioavailability of these nutrients in vegetarian diets. For vegetarian athletes, this issue is complicated as the requirements for these nutrients are likely to be higher than population standards. Iron is of particular concern because plant sources of iron have low bioavailability compared with animal sources. Iron stores of vegetarians are generally lower than those reported for omnivores. Vegetarian athletes, especially women, may be at greater risk for developing iron deficiency or anaemia. Routine monitoring of iron status is recommended for vegetarian athletes, especially during periods of rapid growth (i.e., adolescence and pregnancy) or heavy training in extreme conditions (i.e. altitude).
Certain vitamins and minerals that are commonly found in animal based foods such as iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc can be provided in adequate quantities provided suitable vegetarian meat alternatives are included. A key issue for athletes who are vegetarian or ‘near-vegetarian’ is to explore vegetarian alternatives to replace the nutrients normally provided by meat and other foods excluded from their daily intake.
Yep. It can all be done on a spreadsheet. Not difficult.
Quote:Thanks for digging up that link - you did more to prove my point than I could be bothered doing. Good show.
What it did among other things was to confirm my argument by illustrating that vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming very popular among athletes - so popular in fact that the AIS is providing advice on how to maximise the benefits.
Eating excessive red meat loaded with saturated fats actually dulls the senses. A lot of the benefits are mental rather than physical.
Does this mean that a vegetarian diet is automatically healthier?
Of course not. You could max out on fried chips, chocolate and even get high cholesterol from coconut fat.
The key factor is control.
Let's face it - Skinnyfat weed has been blown out of the water.
By the way, how do you keep your magnesium levels up if you eat too much meat? I guess you'd have to take supplements.