Being Vegan & Running a Marathon
Being Vegan and training for a marathon is completely fine! When training for a marathon you need to make sure your body has plenty of energy. Protein and carbohydrates are a vital part of your diet.
A vegan diet doesn’t particularly lack protein, however, there can be a lack of calories. So you diet should concentrate on upping this as much as you can. Your meals should consist of a helping of vegan protein e.g. cupful of beans with more whole grain than you would typically have and obviously lots of yummy vegetables.
After running it is important for you to refuel your body with something that is high in carbs and protein. It will take a small amount of planning to make sure you meet your nutritional needs that your body needs.
How to carb-load the vegan way
The most common carb-loading meal typically contains a helping of pasta or spaghetti, which often come with meatballs or similar meat products. You can safely rule out this meal for those following a plant-based diet. You may want to consider the following:
- Oatmeal: Start your day with a bowl of oats with a mixture of naturally sugar filled fruits along with some nuts.
- Quinoa: This can readily take the place of pasta or noodles in your meals. A source of protein it is a prime source of fuel. If you are not yet sold on quinoa, consider incorporating white or brown rice into your dinner mix.
- Spuds: Sweet or white potatoes packed with topping of your choice make for a great carb -rich meal.
