Being an athlete I struggled to realize the importance of nutrition. When I did, it was difficult to figure out what to eat. On top of that, being vegan made it all the more difficult. There are lots of resources for the vegan lifestyle, but not many for the vegan athlete. The meal plans I found were costly and complicated. As an athlete, we usually have limited time to cook and eat between our school, work or both. I have taken the best parts of what I have learned after 6+ years of being a vegan athlete and put it into an all encompassing meal plan.
WHY DID WE CREATE THIS MEAL PLAN?
HOW DOES BEING VEGAN INCREASE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE?
Deceased inflammation throughout body from red meat consumption
Improved blood viscosity to help aid oxygen deliver to muscles for performance and recovery
QUICK FACTS ABOUT IMPACT OF BEING VEGAN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Humans around the world drink 5.2 billion gallons of water and eat 21 billion pounds of food each day. Cows around the world drink 45 billion gallons of water and eat 135 billion pounds of food each day - nine times as much water and seven times as much food as all humans
Cut greenhouse emision by 2/3
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HEALTH IMPACT
80% of antibiotic sold in the US are for livestock
Save 700-100 billion in healthcare in healthcare costs
ECONOMIC/SOCIAL IMPACT
Livestock or livestock feed occupies 1/3 of the earth’s ice-free land
Being vegan is not easy, it is not popular, it is not always fun. But being vegan is a decision with others in mind. Helping the environment, the animals and the population.
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