Plant-Based Performance
How elite vegan athletes fuel their training the meat-free way
INFLAME GAME
In ammation is a natural side-e ect of exercise, signalling that the muscle-recovery process is underway. e problem is, it can sometimes get out of hand, slowing down that same recovery and even leading to chronic in ammation, which can stop your hard-earned gains cold.
For that reason, many people avoid in ammatory foods – particularly junk food and alcohol – in their daily diets, and especially post-exercise.
e thing is, meat and dairy products can also cause an in ammatory reaction in the body, due to the saturated fats they contain. It’s something that MMA
ghter and lm director James Wilks investigated for hit Net ix doc Gamechangers, after he found out that Roman
t used to be thought that adopting a plant-based diet meant compromising on performance, but in recent years everyone from Lewis Hamilton, to ghters like Harlem Eubank and Michael Page, have ditched meat and dairy in favour of plant-based alternatives – original protein head Arnold Schwarzenegger has even got in on the act. e question is, why?
“My switch to veganism coincided with the most successful period of my football career”
gladiators got stacked on a controlled diet of wheat, barley and beans (they were even known as ‘barley men’). Because of the heavy demands of MMA training on the body, all of Wilks’ fellow ghters took large doses of ‘vitamin I’ (ibuprofen) to try to hold down the in ammation that was impairing post-exercise recovery. What he didn’t realise, was that his meat-based diet was making things worse. “I had no idea that the food I was eating was creating more in ammation, or that plant-based foods could be even more powerful than pharmaceuticals in reducing both acute and chronic in ammation,” says Wilks. One of the studies featured in our lm revealed that switching to a plantbased diet can reduce markers of in ammation by 29 per cent in just three weeks. at is just massive.” Dean Howell is the former professional footballer who saw the bene ts of going plantbased during his playing career, and afterwards founded plant-based protein company Raw Sport. “My switch to veganism coincided with the most successful period of my football career,” he says. “I found improvements in my recovery, and eliminating dairy helped me reduce in ammation and lactic acid build-up. I felt less sti ness and soreness post-training, enabling me to train at a higher intensity without the risk of injury.”
SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES
Marketing is a powerful tool. Just ask Arnie, who went from advertising meat with an “only real men eat meat” message to being “almost totally vegan” in order to live a healthier lifestyle.
“I eat huge quantities of vegetables,” he says. “ey are unequivocally healthy – there is no kickback ever from eating vegetables. I add in lentils, nuts, seeds and supplement with fruit.”
e argument used to be that animal protein is the only source of the essential amino acids needed to build muscle. “But that theory was proven false,” says Wilks, “because we now know that our bodies break protein down into individual amino acids, so that the appropriate proteins can be built at the necessary times.” When it comes to building muscle and strength, the source of the amino acids is less important than the amount of them. Dean Howell has learned much about how plants deliver their protein-punch: “Plant-based protein contains all of the essential amino acids that the body recognises. Hemp protein, chlorella, spirulina and quinoa are my most regular plant protein sources. Quinoa, in particular, is an excellent, natural, gluten-free food. I also love hemp: it’s a brilliant source of plant protein, and is more digestible than soya.” With the realisation that meat isn’t essential for manliness comes a new freedom to explore how plant-based foods may actually help us become stronger and tter…
A BOXER’S TALE
Boxing is seen as a hypermasculine, old-school sport, where muscle breakdown and repair is a constant part of the training and recovery cycle. It’s unusual to
nd a pro boxer who has committed to going 100 per cent plant-based, but unbeaten ghter Harlem Eubank (Chris Eubank’s nephew) has done just that. With an 11-0 ght record, Eubank went vegan ve years ago, at the age of 22, while still an amateur.
At rst, his trainer was sceptical he could withstand the rigours of training as a vegan, much less step up to the pro ranks as one. But within two weeks he was totally for it. “Amateur boxers only go for three rounds and I was always shattered by the end of the third,” recalls Eubank. When he turned up for an intense sparring session exactly two weeks after making the switch to a plantbased diet, his coach was in for a surprise.
“I went for eight rounds and felt fresher than ever,” he says. “I felt like I could have gone for another eight – it was an incredible feeling, and my coach was stunned. From then on, I feel like I always have far more energy in the tank – eight, ten, 12 rounds, I always feel like I have enough.”
As well as more energy, Eubank noticed a reduction in postworkout in ammation:
“I went for eight rounds and felt fresher than ever. I felt like I could have gone for another eight – it was an incredible feeling”
“I recover so much faster. e muscle soreness after eight rounds now is far less than the soreness I had after three rounds before the switch.” He also nds his plant-based diet easier to digest: “I never feel bloated after meals and don’t have the post-meal slump that I used to get after eating meat. I have better blood ow than before – vascular shunt (the redistribution of blood) in my body happens much faster than it used to, which is crucial for training, recovery and performance in the ring. All of that gives me so much more con dence going into ghts.”
MAKING THE SWITCH
If you’re considering going plant-based or introducing more plantbased meals into your diet, you’ll be pleased to hear that it doesn’t have to be a slog – in fact it can be cheaper and provide a wider range of nutrients.
“Eating a highprotein, healthy plant-based diet for an athlete is so much easier than people think,” says Eubank. “You can nd key staples of the diet almost anywhere – it’s not about nding expensive imitation meat burgers: it’s about lentils, beans, chickpeas, rice, quinoa, leafy greens, all sorts of root vegetables. Any grocery store or supermarket has these available, and it’s so much cheaper than meat.”
Eubank does like the convenience of the vegan nutritional products from Raw Sport (he’s an ambassador) for long training sessions, but most of his protein comes from his daily diet, which includes plant-based Caribbean dishes with quinoa, yam, bananas, sweet potato, ackee and dumplings. “I’m also a big fan of plant-based Mexican foods: rice, black beans, avocado, tacos, wraps. ey are perfect because they have lots of protein and bre, with plenty of vitamins and minerals.”
One thing you will notice is that many plant-based foods are less calorie-dense than their alternatives, because they contain more water and bre. So you will feel fuller, quicker, which can be a good thing if you’re looking to cut body fat. On the other hand, if you’re looking to increase lean muscle mass, you can ramp up the calories. “e best way to match higher macro requirements is to focus on the most caloriedense plant foods,” says James Wilks, “including soy-based products like tofu, tempeh, and soy milk; more grains and beans, nuts and nut butters, avocados, dried fruits and so on.” You don’t have to go fully vegan to reap the clean-eating bene ts of plant-based foods, but it seems clear that to boost your exercise or sporting goals, introducing more of them can put you on the road to faster gains, while boosting your everyday energy levels. And if it’s good enough for Arnie, it’s good enough for us.