Following a plant-based diet can be enormously beneficial for your health. A plant-based, or vegan diet can help you manage your weight, possibly lower cholesterol and much more. However, like any diet, you need to make sure you're getting all the essential nutrients needed to support all of the body's daily functions. If you train regularly -- be it weight lifting, cardio, yoga, etc. -- there are some special steps to take to make sure your vegan diet serves your needs.
Vegan Training Tips
Whether you're interested in transitioning to a vegan diet or are looking to take your fitness goals to the next level, here are our best recommendations to keep in mind:
- Make sure your meals contain plenty of protein. Great sources include tofu or tempeh, beans and seeds. You can also use a vegan protein supplement made from soy or peas.
- Cutting out animal products means losing fat from your diet, and not all fat is bad. Nuts and oils like olive, coconut and flaxseed are the best ways to add healthy fats like omega-3s to your diet.
- Enjoy whole grains like quinoa, amaranth and millet to provide additional protein as well as fiber to give you energy and keep your digestive system moving.
- Make sure to eat regularly. Aim for three meals and two snacks, spaced a few hours apart to keep your energy up. You shouldn't feel like you're starving.
- Eat a balanced meal before and after training.
- Read the labels of packaged vegan foods carefully. Some may contain extra oils, sugar or artificial ingredients to enhance taste. Cut out processed junk.
Top Vegan Brands
Supplementing your vegan diet has never been easier to ensure you cover your bases with completely balanced diet that fuels your training. These eight brands offer quality vegan products including protein powder, multivitamins, omega-3s and more:
- Vega
- Garden of Life
- Deva
- About Time
- Source Naturals
- Nature's Life
- MegaFood
- Now Foods
Shop vegan products today at eVitamins and let us know your favorites. Stay well!