Being a primary consumer

If someone came up to me and asked “How can I become a better athlete?” I would tell them to go plant-based. There’s nothing better than eating the fresh food that our Earth has grown for us, and it’s the best way to eat for our bodies. When we are eating mainly plants, we’re considered primary consumers. We eat directly from the main (primary) source and it we get the maximum amount of nutrients for our bodies.

When we eat animal products we are secondary consumers because we get the nutrients from the animals but, they are getting their nutrients straight from the plants. If being a primary consumer is the healthiest thing to do why doesn’t everyone do it?

Being a plant-based athlete has been so great for me! Since I’m getting so many nutrients I’ve become better. I’ve gotten faster, recovered easier, and have done better in my races. It’s the best decision I’ve made and I think every athlete should do it.

            

Go against the flow

At the moment I’m sitting in a coffee shop, sipping my iced tea, listening to relaxing music, and doing my homework. I ordered this really great salad that had oranges, cranberries, and pecans on it; and it had honey mustard dressing too (it didn’t even cross my mind that it might have dairy in it). Now I try not to be too strict because, stuff like that is hard too avoid and I don’t want to be a food Nazi or anything. But that can be hardest thing about being vegan/plant-based. Finding food that we can eat is a difficult thing when we live in a place that promotes the exact opposite.

If I had thought of it when I was ordering, I could’ve just asked for vinaigrette instead. Now substitutions like this can usually be made, and don’t be embarrassed about it. It’s really no big deal. Sometimes it can be a little embarrassing to eat at a restaurant that has NO vegan options because then you sound really weird ordering your food and you look picky; but don’t worry about it.

I’m still a newbie at this. I have to remind myself that it’s not weird to ask for no cheese, or to ask what ingredients are used for that dish. People will just think you’re health conscience and they might think that’s cool.

I’ve learned that it’s totally worth it to order weird stuff. When I go to a restaurant and order a cheese-less, meatless pizza, I might get a laugh, (which I laugh at myself too because it does sound kind of funny) but it’s no big deal. It usually just starts up a conversation about why I eat that way, and it can even lead to me impacting someone’s life.

You can be that impact too! Don’t worry about what others think. Living this way will make you the healthiest, happiest you! Be happy, be you, and go against the flow. It’s worth it!

World Hunger

          Lately world hunger has been on my mind. Maybe it’s because it has been going on for a while or maybe it’s because it was just Earth day but, our world is actually in need.

World hunger is something that can be stopped but it’s still affecting people all around us. Now I’m not saying that it’s anyone’s fault but America has more than enough food; so why don’t we do something useful with the extras?

          One huge thing we could do to help start the end of world hunger is by decreasing the amount of meat that is being raised for us to eat, or get rid of it all together. Now that sounds really harsh and cruel but, what I mean is just stopping the meat production factories…… not killing any cows or anything.

          According to https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=29892 it takes about 8 pounds of grains to make one pound of beef (or 1 pound of milk). This is very inefficient if you ask me. We could be feeding way more people with 8 pounds of grains than with one pound of hamburger.

          If everyone went plant-based/vegan we could use all that food to feed people instead of feeding cattle. There would be more food for everyone and it would all be healthier food. We could create a healthy America and solve world hunger all in one. This is my idea of an ideal plan but, the problem here is that too many people have been raised on meat so it’s all they know. I totally understand this, I live in Iowa and here everyone eats meat and cheese.

         Not only are the cattle eating tons of food, they’re also drinking tons of water. This water could be used for other people, or even growing crops. We could give it to people who need it, and help stop this problem.

Running Buddies

If you’re like me than you lack motivation and it takes everything in you to get up in the morning and workout. Or if you run on your own at the end of the day, you make excuses because you are tired, hungry, and have things to do. The point is we can make as many excuses as we want and it’s never going to make us feel better. We know that we always feel better when we workout; it’s just hard get started. That’s why I think every runner should have a running buddy or accountability partner.

Running buddies are the best. I consider myself a social person and I love talking while I run. I’ve noticed that when I have a running buddy to talk to, my workout flies by. It also keeps me moving because, I have someone I have to keep up with. When I’m on my own I find myself walking because nobody is around to push me or encourage me. It makes it ten times easier to run with a buddy! I promise.

                Try to find someone who loves to work out or who’s at least more motivated than you are. Keep in touch with them and become reminder buddies or accountability partners. It’s always easier to do something when you have someone to keep you accountable. One thing I have to remind you of is that you can’t get mad at your buddy. They are there for you, helping you out when you need to be told to get up off your butt. If you get mad at them they might stop reminding you to work out and then you’re the only one at a loss. Just be nice even if you really wish they weren’t telling you to run.

                You can also become someone else’s motivation! Encourage your friends when they are doing something hard.  It’ll make them feel good and accomplished, and they’ll be glad that you care.

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Don't be a "junk vegan"

I don’t know why but, I feel like warm weather makes eating healthy more fun. Fruits and veggies taste better, drinks get colder, and I can’t stop thinking about summer! I am way too excited to hang out with my friends and lay by the side of the pool. Maybe that’s why it’s easier to eat more healthy foods. I’m thinking about getting my “hot bod”, and that’s my motivation.

Eating a vegan diet is usually healthy but being vegan can have a couple different meanings. For example, it could mean someone is a “junk vegan”. What I mean by this is that they might not be eating animal products but, they can be eating all fried foods, desserts, Oreos, Nutter Butters….you get what I mean. Basically this person could think they’re going a diet but, they’ll be gaining weight because the veggies and fruits are only a small portion of what they are eating.

The other type of vegan is “plant-based” which is what I am. This is when someone eats mostly plants, like veggies, fruits, legumes, etc. My sister and I have been this way for about two and a half months now. Both my sister and I have lost weight, our complexions have cleared up, and it’s made me feel better about myself. Now keep in mind, we didn’t do it to necessarily lose weight, even though we knew that would happen. We did it for our heart health. Heart disease runs in our family and my mom (who has been healthy and active her whole life) had high cholesterol. She went plant-based and completely reversed that. It lowers blood pressure as well, which is another awesome benefit.

I’ve been able to see great things happen because of this “new” lifestyle, and so have my friends. Three of my friends are leaning towards plant-based eating and it means a lot to me that I’ve been able to impact them by the way that I’m living.

A great plant-based, runner’s blog that keeps me motivated to live this way is called http://www.nomeatathlete.com/. I recommend this to any athlete (plant-based or not) and anyone who wants to become an athlete. He has a lot of great tips, recipes, and inspirational stories AND he’s a runner so I feel like I can relate to him. For great recipes and snack ideas I follow a vegan Instagram account called bestofvegan and a plant-based account called flourishinghealth. They both have delicious recipes that are healthy appetizing.

As the weather gets nicer I encourage you to make your own plant-based treats instead of grabbing an ice-cream sundae or Dairy Queen. You will feel great afterwards and you won’t regret it!

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Hydration is key to performing your best

Hydration is key to feeling your best! It also helps you perform the best. If you’re a runner, like me than you’re probably running 5-6 times a week and you need to be drinking enough water. One the worst feelings is being dehydrated. According to http://www.nata.org/nr07242003b symptoms of dehydration in athletes include dry mouth, thirst, headache, being irritable or cranky, seeming bored or disinterested, dizziness, cramps, excessive fatigue, and not being able to run as fast or play as well as usual.

I think this is so important, especially as the weather starts to warm up and people are started to be outside longer. This topic actually came to mind yesterday during track practice. We were running an OD (over distance) run on the trail and when we came back our coach wanted us to do 6 strides on the track. Now keep in mind that it was 80 degrees yesterday which, is a huge change from what the weather has been. Anyway, when we had just finished the first stride I was getting really bad cramps, I felt dizzy, and my body just didn’t feel right. We finished our second stride and I told my friend how I felt. I just thought I was out of shape (which wouldn’t make much sense because it’s the middle of the season) but, my friend told me I might be dehydrated. I thought about it and sure enough, I hadn’t had much to drink that day.

If you think you’re dehydrated during or after a workout http://www.nata.org/nr07242003b says to go to a cool place and maintain normal hydration (as indicated by baseline body weight). Drinking a sports drink is good too, because they usually contain carbohydrates and electrolytes, which provide energy and replace what you’ve sweated out during your workout. If you’re so dehydrated that you’re nauseas and vomiting then, that’s a good indicator you should get yourself to the hospital ASAP, and get yourself some fluids. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that but, it just shows how important it is to catch dehydration early.  

A good way to stay hydrated would be to bring a water bottle to work or school. I do this every day…. honestly I can’t live without my water bottle.  The recommended amount of water a day is half a gallon, which sounds like a lot. It will make you go to the bathroom more often I’m sure but, it’s worth it. Hydration is so important because our bodies are about 60% water. If you’re an athlete, you’re losing a lot more water than a person who doesn’t work out because you’re sweating. This means you have more water to replace than a person who isn’t active.

Just remember this; if you or a friend is having symptoms of dehydration, treat it early so you/they won’t have to get medical attention. I promise you will feel better and perform better.

Sources: http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day/

  http://www.nata.org/nr07242003b

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High Protein Vegan

Protein is essential in every person's diet but, especially in an athlete's. I'm going to focus on runners here, mainly because I am one. No offense to you soccer golfers and ballers out there, you guys rock too! In regard to runner's, our bodies are constantly in motion, burning tons of calories, and building muscle in our legs, arms, and even our hearts. Protein helps us build these muscles and it is important to fill our body with it so we can have energy, and be eating calories that fill us up.

As a plant-based eater, I don't eat any animal products. A question I get asked a lot is, "Where do you get your protein?". The answer is pretty simple. A lot of what I eat is packed full of protein like beans, (dark) greens, tofu, legumes, seeds...... the list goes on. 

There are plenty of people who are skeptical of this way of eating and that is totally fine. I know it's not a very common way of eating but, it sure is a great way to eat for my body. I get all the protein I need and it's helped in my muscle recovery as well. If you want to know more about muscle recovery, check out my post from a few weeks ago. It talks about the benefits in muscle recovery by eating plant-based.

 Back to protein, it's not a challenge to get the protein I need as long as I fuel my body right. The crazy thing is, it's not that hard. Did you know that per calorie, spinach has more protein than beef? That may seem like a lot of spinach but, think about the other benefits you get from eating that way. All your calories are easy to burn and they provide sustainable energy for your constantly moving body. As a runner your metabolism is pretty good I'm sure. This means that you can burn off calories fairly easy. Plant-based eating supports your body and will keep you feeling good with a healthy metabolism. By eating more plant proteins, you are helping your body stay healthy and active longer. 

"Pinteresting"

Pinterest is one of my favorite places to get ideas for anything! I get ideas for crafts, anything DIY, and a lot of recipes. They have a ton of vegan meals, which are great because that way I can avoid animal products but, still make great food!

                Tonight I had a yummy pasta dish that came from Pinterest. My sister actually made it and it turned out pretty good. Let me just warn you, if you aren’t plant-based/vegan this might sound weird to you but, a common substitute for cream and cheese are cashews. To make the cashews into a cheese like sauce you have to soak them in water then blend them up into a “sauce”. When I first started eating this way I didn’t think of it as normal but now it’s definitely a “go-to” ingredient when I’m cooking. Anyway, cashews were one of the ingredients in this creamy, basil penne dish. Here’s the full recipe: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/229683649722397175/

                My sister and I also love to find vegan desserts on Pinterest. There are some that are far from healthy so we try to stay away from those but, that’s not hard when there’s a huge variety of healthy ones too! If you’re a “beginner” vegan or interested in eating that way I think Pinterest is a good place to find recipes. I do have to say that you should lean towards the more plant-based recipes; otherwise you might not be feeling any healthier. It’s easy to become a “junk vegan” because you can still eat sugars, fats, and oils but by being plant-based these things are more avoidable. Eating plant-based has made me feel a lot healthier and I think everyone should try it, and Pinterest is a great place to start.

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Eat, eat, eat

In case you’ve never read my blog or you forgot, let me remind you that I am a whole food, plant-based athlete. This means that I don’t eat any animal products, so I’m technically vegan. This is a fairly recent change that I’ve made in my life and I have gotten questioned a lot! When people ask me questions they think I’m on a diet but, it’s not a diet at all! Literally all I do is eat! I LOVE food! The crazy thing about this is that I’ve been eating more but I’ve lost weight! I don’t like to say I’ve lost weight just because it makes people think that I’m on a diet  but, I do think the results I’ve gotten are amazing.

I guess that my new way of eating and the fact that I’m running are obvious reasons why I’ve lost weight. My metabolism is higher and I have so much more energy! Eating plant-based makes me so happy! I eat three meals a day and fit in as many snacks as I want, which could honestly add up to another meal or two. I eat a lot of veggies, fruits, and whole grains which makes it possible to eat more and not gain weight. These types of food are what our bodies crave and what they were made to eat! They help me perform better in my sports, and recover faster.

I think one of the most important things an athlete can do is fill their body with the right fuel!  I can honestly say when my body is happy, I am happy! It makes me sad to see people I know going on diets and barely eating anything. They don’t seem happy, they are always eyeballing their friends’ junk food, they’re hungry a lot, and they are constantly counting calories. I might sound crazy but I have never counted calories in my life and I don’t plan on ever doing it. There’s no reason to when I’m eating nutrient-filled calories that only have positive effects on my body.

Since I love to eat so much, it has made me realize how much I love to cook. Making new recipes and experimenting with new foods is one of my favorite things to do! It makes me more excited to eat healthy, and I enjoy my food more. If you’re on a diet that’s not working and you want to turn your life around, go whole food, plant-based. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Rest

As an athlete it is so important to get enough rest. I know this might seem like an obvious thing to talk about but, I have a lot of friends who know this, yet they have injured themselves because they over work their bodies.

If you’re like me, you have a crammed schedule from the time you wake up to the time your head hits the pillow at night. I know it’s hard for me to find any time to rest in between school, homework, track practice, and being out and about. I learned though, that rest is more important than anything. Before and after a hard workout or a track meet it’s good to get at least eight hours of sleep. This means 8 hours of deep, sound sleep that leaves you refreshed in the morning.

Getting a good night’s sleep affects your mind as well as your body. I know that for me as a student, I can’t function when I don’t get enough sleep. I doze off in class, don’t do my homework, and dread track practice because I’m drained by the end of the day. I even get stressed more easily and have a lot less motivation, compared to when I feel rested.

Rest doesn’t have to only be sleeping. It can be a recovery work out, going on a light jog, maybe cross training, or simply a day off. As an athlete it is so important to not over work your body. If you leave your body no time to recover, you are at a much greater risk for injury. Listen to your body! If it’s telling you to stop, then you should stop. Giving yourself a day off is not the end of the world, and don’t be afraid to tell your coach (or yourself). It’s easier to prevent an injury than, to recover from one.

Here’s an example of what I mean when I say listen to your body. Last year my friend was doing really well in track. She was pushing herself extremely hard and at first was getting great results. Her times were dropping and it gave her a lot of motivation.  She continues practicing this way through the cross country summer miles and started doing two-a-day work outs. For a while it was working until she began getting shin splints. They kept getting worse and she finally had to stop what she was doing. This immediately halted her progress and affected the rest of the season. Because she didn’t take time to rest, she injured herself and was forced to rest longer she ever wanted.

Even though we as athletes want to perform our absolute best and train hard, we need to remember that a portion of that is resting and relaxing.

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