PATRICK LANGE
Two-time Ironman world champion Lange is the poster boy for vegetarianism. Here he shares his tips and tricks for optimum training on a plant-based diet
DON’T COUNT CALORIES
I don’t count my calories as I’m a big fan of learning to listen to your body and then give it what it needs. As soon as my training volume increases the hunger will increase too, so I make sure to take in enough calories, especially enough carbs. I’m a carb lover, so you’ll barely ever see me eating salad or low-carb food.
When training volume decreases I listen to my body but still make sure I don’t under-eat. Just because I don’t train that much doesn’t mean my body doesn’t still burn calories from the more intense training block ahead.
EAT WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE
Since I don’t count my calories I can’t provide any numbers for race day. But pre-Kona 2018 I had toast and jam for breakfast and a little pre-race snack. During the race I try to take in 1.5g of carbs per hour per kilogram of body weight. That’s what works for me.
After the race, I’m not really hungry as my stomach is still a little upset. I’ll just eat whatever I feel like. Last year it was a pizza and some of the chocolate mousse my fiancé Julia had prepared in advance!
CHOOSE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU
I’ve been vegetarian for over eight years now. My uncle used to work as a butcher, so I’ve seen what it takes to put a piece of meat on the plate. This and the fact that I just feel more energised when I don’t eat meat at all led me to becoming vegetarian.
Being vegetarian is not hard at all. I don’t do it because I believe it’s good for me, I do it because it makes me feel better. But it really is down to personal preference and I would never advocate one diet choice over another.
KNOW YOUR PROTEIN SOURCES
I eat eggs, cheese and dairy products on a regular basis. These are my main sources of protein.
DRINK WHEN YOU’RE THIRSTY
I drink whenever I’m thirsty. In general, I’ll drink approximately 1.5-2 litres on low training load days and go a little higher when I train more. During my races I always make sure to stay hydrated without drinking water excessively. I already take in a lot of fluids as race fuel, in addition to that I’ll have about 6-7 litres of water.