Vegan Warrior Guide: What to Eat, How to Train, and What to Ignore
In July 2011, I was admitted into ICU with Diabetic Ketoacidosis, and diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
This near-death experience and diagnosis were the driving force behind my massive lifestyle change.
From the minute I stepped out of that hospital, it was clear that things needed to change, and so I did, pretty drastically!
I completely cut out refined sugar from my diet, along with all highly processed foods, became a vegetarian, and explored the beginnings of a plant-based diet.
You see, many individuals believe that a vegan lifestyle is not a lifestyle conducive to muscle building or psychological health.
This article will walk you through proven steps and strategies for starting your own vegan diet and maintaining the body you want on it…
…and present to you athletes and prominent individuals who debunk some of the greatest myths when it comes to the world of vegan eating.
1: The Vegan Journey For Health & Performance
Living a vegan lifestyle has many different benefits.
Backed up by multiple prominent research studies, it has been proven that a vegan lifestyle can lower the risk of cardiac events, reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, and lower an individual’s chance of type 2 diabetes.
Not only that, but it helps with regulating one’s metabolism and weight, and can stave off certain weight-induced phenomena, such as hypertension.
A vegan lifestyle has also proven to reduce someone’s risk of stroke.
Why Go Vegan?
But there are many benefits to a vegan lifestyle that go beyond health.
The UN recently released a report stating a dire need for the world to move away from consistently consuming animal products.
The impact of a majority of the world’s growing population consuming meat and animal products is the growing need for crops to feed those animals in order to breed them for food.
What does being vegan have to do with any of this?
Well, not consuming animal products and meat takes a bit of the burden off the need for more agricultural space for those animals we need to feed.
Adopting a vegan lifestyle takes the strain off the planet’s natural resources and will ultimately require less water, fossil fuels, and land to cultivate.
Multiple reports have projected that the world’s population will be around 9 billion individuals by 2050, and many more studies have concluded that the world’s meat needs will not be sustainable by that point.
Adopting a vegan lifestyle can help that statistic.
The Immense Benefits
It has been shown in various studies that a vegan diet provides higher levels of fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and folate, making it the most mineral and vitamin-rich diet offered in the health and wellness circuit today.
Not only that, but it is the number one recommended diet by general physicians and specialists for someone who needs to lose weight.
One particularly renowned study compared a vegan diet to a dozen other popular and well -received diets and found that the
Participants who adopted the vegan diet lost the most weight, with an average of 9.3 pounds more than participants in the other diet groups!
It can also help level blood sugar and promote kidney function by lowering and regulating internal blood sugar.
Not only that, but it has been proven to help individuals who suffer from different arthritic pains because many of the vegetables and fruits ingested contain antioxidants and free radicals (yes, those are actually a thing) that help manage internal swelling.
However, no one can deny the social stigma and misconceptions many people have because of the loud -and-proud vegans who accuse people of being monsters because they eat meat.
Unfortunately, they are out there.
With any lifestyle, whether it be health -based, politically -based, or religiously-based, come those who take it to an extreme and give the lifestyle a bad reputation.
Luckily, there are ways you can combat that social stigma should you choose to adopt a vegan diet and/or lifestyle.
Do Your Own Research – Seek The Truth
For starters, educate yourself.
Look into those studies and hold those statistics at the ready.
With taboo subjects come people who will want you to “prove” what you are talking about to them.
So, be ready.
Read and educate yourself on the avenues that have proven a vegan lifestyle does what it claims to do.
2: Debunking The Myths
There are many different myths about the vegan community that perpetrate society.
Some of them are well-known myths that have spread to the far corners of the world, and some are lesser-known myths that could wreak havoc on the community if believed by the general public.
We are here to introduce you to these myths before we debunk them.
- Myth #1: Vegans don’t get enough protein in their diets.
- Myth #2: If you can’t eat meat, then you can’t build muscle to become strong.
- Myth #3: Vegans are weak.
- Myth #4: Vegan diets are not healthy.
- Myth #5: You will have to supplement holes in your diet with vitamins if you go vegan, which will end up costing you more money.
- Myth #6: Veganism is an eating disorder.
- Myth #7: Veganism is “white.”
- Myth #8: Vegans only eat vegetables, and the food tastes horrendous.
3: Vegan Athletes With More Muscle Than YOU
Many prominent athletes have adopted vegan diets and lifestyles and have not only maintained their strength but also improved their overall health beyond what they felt was possible as traditional eaters.
Venus Williams
One of the most infamous stories is, of course, Venus Williams.
In 2011, Venus was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, which is an autoimmune disease, and this is what prompted her to adopt a raw vegan lifestyle.
When her diagnosis took her out of the world of tennis, it was her adoption of this type of eating lifestyle that brought her back to the court despite her autoimmune condition.
Ever since, she has trained harder, become more efficient, and stood alongside her sister (who also adopted the vegan lifestyle to support her through this uncertain road), and has since stood toe-to-toe with her on the court.
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson is another athlete who has not only stayed strong but also maintained his muscle mass even after switching to a plant-based diet.
When Tyson made the switch to clean living, he became an outspoken proponent of the vegan lifestyle.
He dropped over 100 pounds after cutting meat and animal byproducts from his diet, and he proclaims that it has helped him with a variety of issues he began experiencing as he got older.
He tells anyone who will listen that, as his age started to creep up, he
felt his physical condition slipping.
He was experiencing arthritis, sharp joint pain, and rapid weight gain.
Since switching to a plant-based, animal-free lifestyle, not only have those issues cleared up, but he has also regained much of his energy in the latter years of his life.
Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig is a prominent name in the world of MMA fighting, and he was criticized a great deal when he decided to adopt a plant-based diet.
In the meat -eating world of MMA, he now stuck out like a sore thumb.
While he cut dairy out quite some time before the full move because of allergies, he states that the primary reason he shifted to a full-on plant-based diet was that he felt his body was not at the peak physical condition it could have been for his fighting.
Yes, a prominent MMA fighter adopted a plant -based eating regimen because he wanted more from his body.
Among the foods he eats regularly, black beans, lentils, and seeds top the list.
Hank Aaron
Baseball superstar Hank Aaron is just another prominent athlete in the world of athletes who adopted a plant -based lifestyle in order to further their strength, agility, and energy stores for their career.
He is a 25-time All-Star in baseball and has never once argued or disputed his diet with the press.
Simply the length of his illustrious and historical career tells us that not only is a plant-based lifestyle good for the body, but it also has no bearing on an individual’s strength.
Tony Gonzalez
An infamous tight end in the NFL, he has openly admitted that his dietary choices have caused many awkward eyebrow raises during his career.
The catalyst for his decision was a chance meeting he had on an airplane with businessman David Pulaski.
What happened during that encounter?
Well, Pulaski kept refusing standard meat-and-cheese dishes that were being offered to first-class passengers on the plane they were both on, and Gonzalez got curious and asked why.
Pulaski introduced him to The China Study, an experiment in which multiple scientists found that Chinese citizens who ate fewer animal products were less susceptible to many illnesses.
Pulaski talked with him about the theories behind many of the illnesses that plague Americans regarding their diets, and the rest is history.
Gonzalez is the billboard example for both the dangers and the benefits of adopting a vegan diet.
When he first began his diet, he dropped a substantial amount of weight because he was uninformed about the nutritional side of the eating lifestyle.
In essence?
He cut out all animal products without replacing them with other protein, fruit, and vegetable sources.
Due to this weight loss, he lost his strength, and this is when he decided to begin educating himself.
He spoke with several doctors and specialists, read every type of material he could get his hands on, figured out where he had gone wrong, and made every effort to change it.
He quickly began incorporating more plant protein sources he didn’t know existed, and it put him back in fighting shape within a few short months.
So, what has this plant-based diet done for his career?
Well, since adopting the diet, he has not only become incredibly outspoken about his decisions because of the criticism many in the NFL gave him (which has led many individuals to adopt vegan eating habits of their own), but he has also set several athletic records within his career, including a career reception record for his position in football.
The truth is that adopting a plant-based lifestyle, when done right and with the right amount of knowledge, can help your body heal.
Not only that, but it can also help to strengthen your body in ways a traditional eating lifestyle cannot because the variety of foods you have to adopt will also come jampacked with macro -and-micronutrients your body is not getting otherwise.
So, with all of this in mind, what does a vegan eat?
Do they take supplements anyway?
What types of foods have those sources of protein and calcium that are so vital to bone and muscle health?
Trust me, there is more variety than you realize.
4: Fueling the Vegan Warrior
A vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, grains, dried beans, peas, lentils, seeds, and nuts.
Vegans do not consume dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, or any products that contain any of these foods.
Many people struggle with adopting a vegan lifestyle because they believe deficiencies in calcium, iron, zinc, and a host of other vital vitamins and nutrients will take place.
And, in part, they are right… If they do not replace what they have removed with other sources of these vitamins and minerals.
Vegan’s Sources of Macro-and-Micro-Nutrients
There are plenty of vegan sources of these very important macro- and micronutrients you can place into your diet once you remove dairy and animal byproducts in order to “plug the holes” those food items will cause.
Protein is a vital component in building muscle, keeping strong, and keeping red blood cells healthy.
It is also the component that supports growth throughout a species’ life cycle.
Iron is another vital component of a healthy diet because it helps carry oxygen to different parts of the body.
It is said that vegans usually need twice as much iron in their diet as traditional eaters because iron from plant sources is not as well-absorbed as iron from animal foods, but that does not mean a vegan lifestyle is a bad thing.
Vitamin B12 is yet another vitamin that many would be deficient in if they did not replace those foods removed from their diet.
This vitamin helps the body utilize stored fats and create red blood cells.
Vitamin D is necessary for the body because it not only helps to stave off seasonal depression and help regulate the brain’s chemistry, but it also aids in the absorption and conversion of phosphorus and calcium into usable components that aid in strong teeth and bones.
Zinc is another mineral many people are deficient in, and there are many sources of it for those who choose a vegan eating lifestyle.
Zinc is necessary for basic development and growth, and it also aids in strengthening the immune system and healing wounds.
5: Vegan Warrior Workout Plan
Getting and staying active can be difficult for many people, no matter the diet they follow.
A lack of motivation, morbid obesity, time restraints, and other issues make it very easy for people to either not have the time or not find the energy to become motivated to move.
Each person has a unique case, and there is no single solution that fits everyone.
However, if you have chosen to adopt a vegan diet, you have already taken a step in the right direction for your long-term health.
The Warrior’s Beginning
A very common way for beginners to start exercising is to take it easy.
This usually means going outside and walking in short 10-minute bursts, or taking the plunge and getting a gym membership, then walking on a treadmill for 15 minutes.
Another important facet is keeping motivated during your exercise.
The whole point of beginning an exercise journey on a vegan diet is to ingrain the habit.
Diet Tips For Vegans
One thing people have to keep in mind when exercising on a vegan diet is that they will need to eat more to maintain their energy.
Traditional eaters consume massive amounts of protein indicative to the size of their workout program because protein from animal sources stays in the body longer.
This means that an individual who eats meat and animal byproducts could go to a restaurant and have a
nice meal, then still have that fuel two hours later when they decide to go to the gym.
The Cardio Guidelines
Cardio is an essential part of a vegan workout regimen because it helps keep blood sugar in check, given the amount of carbohydrates you will consume on this diet.
The thing about a vegan diet is that, even though it eliminates certain food groups, it does not specify a specific amount of calories or carbohydrates to be consumed throughout the day.
So, cardio and its offshoots will help an individual regulate their blood sugar when determining the appropriate caloric intake for their body.
Strength Training For Vegans
For those who are just beginning their strength training, you can do simple weightlifting in the comfort of your own home.
You can also do bodyweight squats and calf raises to work your lower body.
Things like push-ups and sit-ups will work
your arms and your upper back as well as your abdomen, and planks are a really good way to engage every single muscle of your body.
And they can all be done in the comfort of your own home.
Alternative Workout Plans
There are other ways you can incorporate working out into your lifestyle that are less traditional and more convenient for family life.
Sports, climbing a tree with your kids or your family, gymnastics, and resistance bands are all wonderful ways to enhance your workout plan without stepping into a gym.
There are also certain classes you can take in the community that have the potential to bring you together with many other like-minded individuals, such as martial arts and kickboxing.
These avenues are great because they not only incorporate cardio and strength training but also strengthen your bones.
6: Going Vegan
The first step for any new lifestyle change is to do your research.
However, we have already done the heavy-lifting for you.
So!
You have decided to take the plunge into a vegan way of eating.
You have cleared your home of all animal products and byproducts and filled it with lots of items according to the food list outlined above.
Now what?
Go Vegan, Not Starvation!
Understand one thing: your body is not supposed to be hungry.
If you give your body ample amounts of healthy, nutrient-dense foods, you will lose weight easily.
4,000 calories of fast food and 4,000 calories of fresh fruits, vegetables, and legumes are two completely different things, and your body will lose weight by consuming the latter rather than the former.
Listening To Your Body
Awareness is also a vital part of “going vegan.”
Listening to your body and interpreting what it wants is imperative to giving it the nutrients it craves daily.
For most people, it is easy to distinguish between thirst and hunger.
However, for many of those “other people,” it can be hard when the body becomes hungry, but has no particular craving for it.
Becoming in tune with your body and interpreting its needs through the brain signals sent throughout your system is vital to becoming a vegan.
Not only that, but it is vital to become a well-adjusted individual.
Vegan Hacks For Long-Term Lifestyle Change
For many, implementing a lifestyle is not something you can just “do.”
As in, jumping in feet first will always lead them down a path of failure.
If you are the type of person who can throw out or donate all the food in your kitchen, refill it, and start your new eating lifestyle full -force tomorrow, then you are more likely to succeed.
But not everyone is like that.
Feed Your Mind Daily
But the most important thing is to always keep learning.
Purchase a book on the vegan diet every so often and read it to see if there is any new information.
Do research on exotic fruits and vegetables you can try at the new restaurant that has opened up downtown.
Research and listen to other vegan athletes and prominent vegan individuals to see what works for them.
Conclusion
Becoming a vegan warrior is all about strength, mental acuity, and determination.
It takes dedication and knowledge to properly and healthfully adopt a vegan lifestyle, so make sure you never stop learning about the diet and all it entails.
