Training on a Plant-Based Diet

by Hayden-William Courtland September 30, 2024

Time to Read: ~12 Minutes

From the Archives: This is a (pre-2021) SFF blog post originally written entirely by Billy Prusinowski. However, in order to release this article today, extensive updates, deletions and additions were necessary to reflect the significant advancements in understanding which took place since the article's original printing. Due to these extensive changes, primary writing credit has now being given to Hayden-William Courtland, Ph.D. with Billy's commentary referenced as used.

Take Home Points:

Many different types of plant-based diets exist. Some allow meat occasionally, whereas other incorporate no animal products whatsoever.
When constructed properly, plant-based diets can be healthy and supportive of training goals for improved fitness (strength, endurance, etc.).
Those on plant-based diets should monitor their macronutrient intakes to make sure they are consuming enough calories, protein, and carbohydrates while keeping fiber levels from running too high.
Key micronutrients such as zinc, vitamin B12, iron and omega-3 fatty acids may be deficient in plant-based diets, so practitioners should seek to keep these intakes high.
Supplements and fortified foods are extremely helpful to individuals on a plant-based diet and many brands now exist without any animal products.
Although plant-based diets may be a bit more complicated to manage, they can be just as effective as omnivorous diets for supporting training goals.

Introduction

To begin, it's important to note that the term "plant-based" can mean different things to different people. There can be "degrees" of plant emphasis in one's diet ranging from entirely plants to largely plants, but with exceptions. The common plant-based categories as they stand today are:

Flexitarian: Mostly plant-based, but including meat or fish occasionally.
Pescatarian: A plant-based diet with diary, eggs, and fish, but no meat.
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: A plant-based diet except dairy and eggs are allowed.
Lacto Vegetarian: A plant-based diet, but diary is allowed.
Vegan: Entirely plant-based with no animal products of any kind.

Even today, with the above clarifications, when people hear the word ‘vegetarian’ or ‘vegan,’ images of a pale, unhealthy, skeleton-like people are evoked. It's not clear if that was ever the reality of how most plant-based individuals looked to the public, but we now know it need not be a reality at all. So, let's dive in a bit deeper.

Are Plant-Based Diets Healthy?

Given the above mentioned stereotype of frail vegetarians/vegans, one might question whether plant-based diets are simply unhealthy, let alone appropriate for supporting training goals. This question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no as there are different types of plant-based diets and the specifics of what a diet contains in additional to plants will dictate the extent to which it supports health. However, there is data indicating that increases in plant consumption may have health benefits. For example, there is evidence that plant-based diets are associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases (PMID 26853923), reduced risk of colon cancer (due to the removal of processed meats from the diet)(PMID 35719615), and improved glycemic markers in diabetics (PMID 27253526, 16873779). So, not only are plant-based diets not inherently unhealthy, there appear to be health benefits to diets that emphasize plant consumption.

Just because a plant-based diet can improve health, doesn't mean it will necessarily support training goals to improve your strength, metabolic conditioning, and other parameters that are fundamental to fitness and longevity. However, if several nutritional parameters are monitored, plant-based diets can definitely support your training goals.

Macronutrients While Plant-Based

The macronutrients you consume on a plant-based diet are just as important as they are in any other diet. Here are some plant-based considerations for each macronutrient:

Protein

In 2001, Billy became vegan for ethical reasons while in high school. It wasn’t until several years later that he began to take weight-training seriously. He then began to understand the importance of high-protein diets towards the end of college when he saw positive results from using his first tub of protein powder (GNC Soy Protein). The question that he would end up repeatedly asking himself was, “Would my vegan diet allow me to get the necessary amounts of protein (1.6g/kg of body weight, PMID 28698222) that he'd need to build serious muscle in the years to come?”

He set out to answer this question through both personal trials and with help from an extensive community that was beginning to populate around 2007 through a website called VeganBodybuilding.com. Some of the most important information that he obtained was about protein-dense vegetables and legumes that he could eat to achieve his desired 100+ grams of protein per day. Members from this online community who did some cooking, and then did their math, taught him that a meal of lentils, cooked with quinoa, served over spinach, and topped with a handful of hemp seeds, will get you that 30 grams of protein per meal.

Here is a brief list of high-protein foods that Billy eats to obtain adequate amounts of protein per day:

Seitan (wheat meat)
Tempeh (fermented soybeans)
Split Peas
Mung Beans
Wheat Berries
Edamame
Pumpkin Seeds
Black-eyed Peas
Steel-Cut Oats
Green Peas
Tofu
Almond Butter
Quinoa
Cashews

The above list in hand, a common concern raised is that the total protein consumed by plant-based individuals is not "complete" as it lacks certain key amino acids. For example, many legumes have low levels of methionine and grains are often lacking in lysine. As a result some have theorized that, in each of your meals, you must "pair" foods low/lacking in these amino acids with foods that have higher quantities. However, no studies have found this to be necessary and a wealth of personal experiences concur. For example, Billy has had his muscles grow, bulge, and perform, over his 13 years as a vegan, and he not once ever considered a “protein pairing” when choosing what to eat.

Fats

A fat intake of 0.5-1.5g/kg of body weight is generally recommended for individuals who are training. A plant-based diet easily allows for this with the inclusion of oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, etc.

Carbohydrates

Recommended carbohydrate intakes for active individuals can vary substantially based on age, sex, body size/height and type of training being performed. Generally speaking, anywhere from 150-450g of carbohydrates per day can be needed (sometimes more). A plant-based diet accommodates this easily through the consumption of starches, grains, legumes, and fruit. It should be noted, though, that may of these carbohydrate sources come with large amount of fiber. Although fiber is important for digestive health, too much fiber can result in significant digestive problems (bloating, gas, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, etc.). As a result, plant-based individuals should monitor their food choices to insure their fiber intake stays in a reasonable rage (i.e., 20-40g/day).

Total Energy Intake

When individuals switch to a plant-based diet, they very often lose weight because 1) the plant-based foods are much less calorie dense than their previous foods, 2) they are now consuming more fiber, and 3) the plant-based foods result in greater satiety. This can be fine if the individual wants to lose fat, but if the goal is to maximize lean mass, energy intake must be monitored closely. Individuals may need to eat more calorie dense meals (adding sweet potatoes, rice, nut butters or dried fruit) and eat more snacks during the day to keep their total energy intake high.

Micronutrients While Plant-Based

Switching to a plant-based diet can also pose some concerns regarding sufficient micronutrient consumption. Here are some plant-based considerations for key micronutrients:

Calcium

Although most people obtain their necessary calcium from dairy products, calcium can be obtained in plant-based diets through foods such as chia seeds, figs, kale, okra, almonds, and various greens. In addition, there are lots of calcium-fortified plant milks that are currently on the market.

Zinc

Zinc is readily found in a variety of foods such as nuts, seeds, lentils, rice, tofu, etc. Unfortunately, plant-based foods high in zinc such as these also tend to be high in phytates which inhibit the absorption of zinc. As such, plant-based individuals may need to consume up to 50% more zinc in their diets to ensure that enough is absorbed. This could mean up to 16.5 mg/day for plant-based males and up to 12 mg/day for plant-based females.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docoshexanoic acid (DHA) have significant health benefits and are most readily obtained from fish. If fish are absent from one's diet, individuals sometimes seek to obtain these fatty acids through consumption of omega-3-rich foods like chia, hemp and walnuts. However, the omega 3 fatty acid in these foods is alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) and its conversion to EPA and DHA is not efficient. Therefore, supplementing with EPA+DHA is recommended. Vegan friendly forms of this supplement exist with their fatty acids extracted from algae.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a significant concern for plant-based individuals. One study found that about half of vegans studied had B12 deficiency (<118pmol/L)(PMID 20648045). Unfortunately B12 cannot easily be obtained in a plant-based diets as sources of this vitamin are largely not plant-based: meat, fish, dairy, eggs, etc. The small amount of B12 in some legumes is generally not enough to insure healthy levels of this micronutrient, so plant-based individuals should consider supplementation with pills or fortified foods (cereals, plant milks, tofu, etc.).

Iron

Iron is an essential nutrient, one that tends to be lost during intense physical activity (from sweat and red blood cell damage during weight bearing/resistance training). This loss of iron can result in reduced performance, particularly for endurance training. Iron can be replenished from dietary sources (especially in combination with vitamin C), but the absorption of iron from plant-based (non-heme) sources (e.g., lentils, tofu, spinach, etc.) is significantly lower than animal (heme) sources (e.g., meat, fish, eggs, etc.). As with carbohydrates, the levels required for a serious training can vary widely (~0.03-50 mg/day), but regardless of how intense one's training is, plant-based individuals should strive to get ~1.8 times the amount of dietary iron as non-plant-based (omnivorous) individuals.

Creatine

Although not typically categorized as a micronutrient, this organic acid is made within your muscles and is a key source of energy for muscular activity under short durations. The best sources for this nutrient are meat and fish and consumption of these foods helps keep muscular creatine stores high for training. Plant-based individuals tend to have much lower levels of creatine in their muscle and, as such, supplementation (as little as 1g/day) is recommended for those participating in serious training.

Supplements

Having read this far, it should be clear that optimal plant-based fueling for training can be tricky in some cases. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Billy takes supplements. Remember that there is nothing “unvegan” about using them. Most stores will offer a variety of plant-based protein powders and many companies are getting away from using soy altogether (even though the demonization of this food is likely unwarranted). A great resource for finding a vegan protein is the aptly named VeganProteins.com .

For pre-workouts and vitamins, Billy makes sure nothing that he consumes comes in a gelatin capsule, because gelatin is derived from animal parts. If there are any questions about whether a product is vegan friendly, he typically calls the company. Most companies are very helpful with information about their formulations because they know that fitness enthusiasts are super-concerned with every little thing that they put into their bodies. Billy's interactions with companies like B.S.N., Max Muscle, and Gaspari Nutrition have put him in touch with very knowledgeable staff.

Is Plant-Based Better for Training?

Given that plant-based individuals will need to carefully consider a number of nutritional parameters that omnivores will not, a natural question that arises is whether omnivorous nutrition is better for training and performance. The answer is no. Many variables can affect training and performance outcomes, but if variables are largely held constant and the only difference is a well-constructed plant-based diet, studies indicate that it is not inferior to an omnivorous diet (PMID 26568522, 30513704).

Going Plant-Based

If you are considering making a move to plant-based eating, remember that vegetarianism and veganism are much more mainstream these days. There are many professional sports players that adhere to these diets and you don’t hear that much about it because it’s really not that big of a deal. If you are interested in going plant-based, Billy's advice is to start is at a store like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods where you can get your staple proteins (seitan, tempeh, tofu, Tofurky sausage, Morningstar Farms vegan burgers, etc.) and then round out your cart with the vegetables you like. Every shopping trip, he purchases broccoli, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, avocados, and all of the raw nuts that he can afford that week. His meal plan tends to look very “paleo” to the untrained eye; just proteins cooked over a huge bed of green vegetables. So keep this in mind - you can still maintain your paleo-nutrient balance while not eating any animal products.

Final Thoughts

A plant-based diet is perfectly fine for a serious trainee or athlete. There are special considerations that must be made to ensure the right amount of calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients are consumed, but these can be done very easily today given numerous readily available non-animal foods and fortified food products. For more information and support on your plant-based journey, consider linking up with one of the many plant-based communities out there. For example, check out Team PlantBuilt to see how successful plant-based training can be.