Vegetarian/Pescetarian Diet Whilst Running

Hi everyone,

I've been vegetarian for over 10 years but since I started increasing my mileage this last year I found I really craved fish. I've started eating fish now and I seem to feel better for it, though I'm not really that happy about eating it. I'm worried that I may start to crave all meats which I really do not want to eat. I wondered if anyone had any advice on what other protein sources they eat besides meat please?

Thanks image

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Comments

  • I have been vegetarian since I was 10-ish-25 years... started eating fish again in the last 4-5 years (although not entirely happy about it so always make sure it is sustainable fish which is line caught). I find it fine. I have never craved red or white meat, although could barely tell you what they taste like, it's been so long. I wouldn't worry. I eat fish, nuts, dairy (I was also vegan for about 5 yrs until 4-5yrs ago but due to early stage osteoporosis likely caused by teenage anorexia I (again reluctantly) started eating dairy again). I'm still here, fitter than most and manage fine. To this day I never crave red meat, or chicken/turkey

  • Quorn, beans, egg, chick peas, soya, dairy etc., the obvious places. You can resort to protein shakes just after exercise to forestall DOMS, though getting enough protein to start with is probably better, if you're organised (ahem).

    http://www.nomeatathlete.com has loads more ideas. 

  • Thanks for the suggestions! I'm eating a lot of eggs and quorn, I could probably increase my nuts and pulses. Had a look at the site you mentioned and signed up for the free course. Thanks again.

  • Lentils, chickpeas, beans (various), seeds (e.g. sunflower, pumpkin, linseed, hemp), soya (tofu, soya milk), nuts (various) Lesser amounts of eggs (one a week), cheese (one or twice a week, mostly), quorn. Don't forget there's also protein in grains (wheat, oats, barley, maize, quinoa, rice) and in vegetables. I add hemp powder to my soya-milk chocolate milkshake after my long (20+ miles) runs. So far my near-vegan diet is fine for fueling my running - including during recovery from a broken ankle and increasing my mileage back up to c 50 miles a week.

    Note: You might want to check whether your non-fish diet is giving you enough essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. You might find that increasing your intake of various seeds and nuts is helpful. (Some years ago I started craving butter and marg  - they started tasting great, when previously I'd been eating very little marg and didn't like butter at all: suddenly I was eating bread with THICK layers of marg or butter. I presume it was an essential fatty acid or fat-soluble vitamin deficiency, because it tailed off after about six months.)

  • I was vegetarian for about 25 years for the first 7 of which I was vegan, but started eating fish about 5 years ago. As far as I understand, it is important to have reasonable quantity of protein, but that this should not be difficult on a vegetarian diet; there are a huge number of vegetarian runners.

    For  very different reasons to Ultra, I developed osteoporosis (diagnosed after a spinal fracture), but it does make me very conscious of the need to ensure adequate supply of calcium and vitamin d (the former of which may be possible but takes thought on a vegan diet, but need not be a challenge on a vegetarian one). Ensuring enough calorie intake especially when upping mileage is vital. 

  • Thanks for the great responses. I think I need to increase my nuts and seeds, possibly grains too. I was making a great quinoa porridge a while back, may have to have another go.

    Health issues do concern me as I am getting older, that was the reason I started eating fish, just feeling that I needed to listen to my body.

    Some great ideas of where I can look to get extra protein, thanks for the responses everyone image

  • Ditto on a lot of the above comments. I've been veggie for about 15 years with no problems but much like Debra found that my diet seemed to be lacking in fatty acids/ fat soluble vitamins. I also started eating margarine and butter after years of hating the stuff (and previously being vegan) but I also now eat a fair amount of peanut butter for the protein and fats (my main source of fat) and feel better for it. You could try an omega supplement too- you can easily get veggie ones nowadays. image

    There's loads of good protein options already above but as another idea; if you find the veggie protein powders unpleasant try mixing them into smoothies. I blend a banana, some soy protein, nut milk and a bit of honey/peanut butter together and it turns into a yummy post workout snack. image

    Good luck.

  • It's encouraging to hear how many of you are managing really well without meat. I think I just need to organise my diet a bit more. I don't eat marg or butter really, not very keen on it, but I do like peanut butter so that might be an option. You're smoothie sounds lush image Where do you get your soy protein from Mousey? I've never tried the powders etc.

    Thanks image

  • Any decent health shop will sell it, even my tiny independent one where I live has some 'pulsin' soy protein. image Holland and Barret's soy protein is quite nice (once mixed) and you can order on line if you don't have one locally.

  • Oh ok, thanks will have a look image

  • Anyone know where to get nutritional yeast? H&B say they don't sell it any more (or at least, my local store said that).

  • VDOT52VDOT52 ✭✭✭
    Are fish not meat? And animals/sentient beings?
  • Start with chicken, then bacon... Then a rib of beef.

  • Oops sorry.... I think I got that wrong...

    ignore me, (except for the bacon thing, don't ignore bacon). 

  • asitisasitis ✭✭✭

    My daughter bought me a nutri bullet last year and I found it is brilliant. so easy and convenient compared to my other mixer. It comes with all the info and ideas you could ask for. I chuck it all in, almond and cashew nuts, fruit, goji and acai berries. Chai seeds, flex, hemp, pumpkin. sesame, sunflower with kale and spinach, then top it off with a scoop of protein powder. This should be spot on for you.. I found bulk powders to be one of the best for price and quality and they do the unflavoured so you get no nasty rubbish added. I just looked it up and they do the soya from 1-5 kg pouches. The 5kg is £33 with 27g of protein per 30g. I do go to Holland for the seeds. With the loyalty scheme they do, it is just as easy to get them all in one go.

    I am not a vege by the way but I do eat healthy. I need the extra protein because I am not really a big eater and I do a lot including weights. With this nutri I do feel a lot better for it. I would put it on the shopping list for everyone.

     

  • asitis, thanks i've heard a lot of people talk about nutribullets. Not sure if I would use enough to justify the price, but will look into it.

  • Re: Are fish not animals:

    Yes they are. It's not something I am happy about eating, my ethical beliefs haven't changed, but I also need to listen to my body. I am hoping that if I can gain other sources of protein, hence starting this thread, I won't need to eat it. That said everyone has to make the choices that are right for them.

     

  • VDOT52VDOT52 ✭✭✭
    I don't like eating animals but it is what we are designed to do and why the tastes are so appealing to us, because our bodies know which food gives us what in terms of nutrition hence cravings for meat.



    I was just messing with you because despite feeling like I should avoid meat on moral grounds, I know I wouldn't be here if our ancestors didn't eat everything else that moved and I wouldn't crave it if it wasn't needed.



    Lots of animals would eat you if they had the chance so I'd just get on with accepting you are top of the food chain if I were you.
  • VDOT52, I guess I'm just not feeling comfortable with it and I would like to try and find alternatives if possible. I will try and keep what works and leave what doesn't, if I still end up having to eat fish then maybe my conscience will at least feel a bit easier knowing that I have tried.

    On a plus side, I am really looking forward to being back in a healthy routine tomorrow. I am very over my Christmas over indulgence and feel like I could just eat fruit and veg for weeks!

  • ZouseZouse ✭✭✭

    If you 'crave' animal protein but are ethically dubious about consuming sentient beings, stick with the invertebrates - crustacea & molluscs. Farmed mussels are probably the most ethical & environmentally sustainable source of animal protein.

    If you worry about sentient animals suffering, but want to eat meat, avoid buying fish, and instead stick to poultry and animals raised on high welfare farms and slaughtered in the quickest & most painless way possible (i.e. pre-stunned). The fishing industry causes more animal suffering than the terrestrial meat industry.

    Or, avoid it altogether and stick to tofu, seitan, tempeh, pulses, fungi, wholegrains, nuts & seeds. There is no reason to be protein-deficient on a plant-based diet if you do your research. 

  • VDOT52VDOT52 ✭✭✭
    I know a man who will eat any kind of meat but will not eat fish because they are not treated humanely. He believes (as Zouse eludes to) that fish suffer a long slow death by suffocation.



    I eat meat and fish. I don't like it morally but it does taste good. Also black pudding is a well known cure for iron anaemia and vegetarians are prone to that.
  • If you want to be ethical then eating highly-developed crustacea (which feel pain and have considerable learning abilities) is not the way to go...

    It is definitely possible to eat healthily and get enough protein etc. without eating meat or fish (or crustacea or molluscs). And to fuel running on a vegan or vegetarian diet - look at Scott Jurek, for example!

  • ZouseZouse ✭✭✭
    ^^^ What she said. Jurek's one of the many.

    http://www.greatveganathletes.com/runners?page=1



    Plant-based diets are becoming a 'thing' for many athletes these days. For us mere mortals, it's easy to fuel & have a happy, healthy lifestyle using only plants...but it does help if you like cooking & have an adventurous palate, if you're a fussy eater & don't like to cook, it can be very restrictive.
  • Simo429Simo429 ✭✭✭

    Read eat and run by Scott Jurek who is a renowned Ultra runner and committed vegan, some really good recipes in there and I'm a definite meat eater.

  • JimineyJiminey ✭✭✭

    Have a look on "Oh She Glows" a vegan website but has some great ideas. Here are some good veggie recipes.

    http://ohmyveggies.com/thai-peanut-empowered-noodle-bowl-from-oh-she-glows/

    http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/hallou-chard-and-lentils

    http://ifoodreal.com/taco-sweet-potato-and-spinach-egg-bake-recipe/

    Don't forget you can add lentils (especially red ones) to thicken up a sauce, sprinkle nuts and seeds on yogurt and peanut butter are also ideas that have worked for me as is hummus which is sesame and chickpeas so has your essential fats and protein.

    (I have only been a veggie two and a bit years and have run marathons as meat eater and veggie and found no real difference to my ability).

     

  • Nutrional yeast and vegan protein powder both easy enough to buy online and going bulk is a lot cheaper than buying in shops.

    I have a vegan shake (powder, soy milk, agave nector, cinnamon and cardamon heated in the microwave my standard) after every run of significant distance. Otherwise getting enough protein (and enjoying your food) when living a plant based diet (I'm not vegan, just try to follow plant based lifestyle) can be done by making sure you get some form of protein in every meal. Other than the things mentioned, I eat a lot of broccoli as well as a head of broccoli contains 15g of protein with minimal calorie impact! You def have to enjoy cooking though!

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    I want to go vegetarian one day. Not yet though....

  • Just for one day? Pah!image

    I find regular dips into a tub of peanut butter help me no end. That is, I don't dip myself in peanut butter... d'oh, you know what I meant.

  • 15West wrote (see)

    I want to go vegetarian one day. Not yet though....

    Easiest way to do it is by accident.. worked for me, years ago. I only realised that I was veggie retrospectively.

    Simo429 wrote (see)

    Read eat and run by Scott Jurek who is a renowned Ultra runner and committed vegan, some really good recipes in there and I'm a definite meat eater.

    That sounds like an interesting tip, lack of good recipes is more of a stumbling block for most people than they realise.. will try to keep an eye out for it.

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