Being a no meat athlete can come with many benefits. The vegan lifestyle is not for everyone, but if you are considering it, you should know the benefits to be gained from doing so. If you are not experiencing a lot of these benefits, you should consider whether going vegan is the best option for your body. The last thing you want to do is start seeing considerable declines in performance or an increase in injuries as a result of the switch.
No Meat Athlete Benefit#1 – Increase Energy
Increasing energy is one of the most important benefits of being a vegan. Digesting meat and breaking it down can be tremendously taxing on your system. Where eating plant-based foods do not require the same levels of digestive effort. The energy that your body does not have to spend digesting food can’t be spent keeping you going.
The idea is that plants are higher on the food chain. Animals eat plants so when you eat an animal you are adding a step to get nutrients. When you eat plants, you go directly to the source that many animals go to. That can come with energy savings for you.
No Meat Athlete Benefit#2 – Reduce Grocery Bill
The grocery bill you have now is probably hammered with meat costs. Buying eggs, milk, steaks, and pork chops start to add up. Of course, you will be buying other food to replace it, but it does not have to be expensive. The general assumption is that being a vegan is only for rich people, but the reality is that you can do it without paying way more than you are used to.
The hard thing is that you are used to shopping in a certain way and buying certain foods. To do this right, you are going to need to go into grocery shopping with a solid plan. When you have a plan, and you think through all your nutrients and meals, you can find ways to keep the costs down. If you shop and try and do it on the spot, you will be left disappointed.
No Meat Athlete Benefit#3 – Improve Digestion
As stated above, you are taking one step out of the equation by going straight to the plant for nutrients. Digestion can also be decided by what you eat for your carbohydrates. Some people actually do much better with Paleo diets because they do not upset their stomach as much. There is a lot of controversies centered around this.
If the vegan diet is for you, you will notice that you never have stomach aches anymore. Your belly will digest the food, and you will feel nothing, and that is how it should be! Some people don’t even know what this feels like because they eat so much crap that all they know is indigestion.
No Meat Athlete Benefit#4 – Improve Recovery
To gain this benefit, a huge key is cutting out sugar as well. If you can do this, your body will have much less inflammation, and it will be able to recover and heal much quicker. The name of the game when you are an athlete is he who recovers the fastest will improve the most. Injuries and issues come into play when you are not able to recover from workouts.
No Meat Athlete Benefit# 5 – Snack Better
When you are not eating clean food, you can throw anything into your body and call it a snack. Snacking is where a lot of people get bad calories from. With the new diet restrictions, you will find that your meals become a lot healthier.
No Meat Athlete Benefit# 6 – Team Up With a Dietitian For Confidence
The switch to being a vegan athlete is overwhelming for many. One of the best things you can do to increase your confidence is work with a registered dietitian. They will be able to walk you through the process step by step, give you meal ideas, help you grocery shop and make sure that you are getting all the nutrients you need to be a successful athlete. Working with one will always make you more confident in the switch that not doing so.
How to Find a Registered Dietitian
9INE POINT Health is the best place to start looking for a registered dietitian. It is the only database that lets you search for healthcare providers based on type and skillset. If you want Registered Dietitian that also works with athletes, then you can find the best local options for that. Learn from and engage with healthcare providers so you can learn as you go.
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
