Plant-Strong Is The Way
The primary reason it’s hard to give up animals is because most of us have grown up eating animal products and don’t have the first inkling of how to eat anything else. But it’s a “piece of kale” to eat "plant-strong" in 2012. Sure, many people have to go through a steep learning curve for a few weeks, but once the body has lost its addiction to animal foods, it becomes easier and easier. (Food cravings follow the exact same neural pathways as drug addiction.)
I can assure you that athletes prosper on a plant-based diet.
A whole food, plant-based diet is the healthiest way for everyone to eat. Why? Because plants provide you with all the protein you need — and plant proteins do not cannibalize our bones, promote cancer or increase inflammation like animal proteins do. You can also get all the iron, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals that animal addicts claim you can get only from eating meat. Additionally, you get complex carbohydrates for sustained energy; healthy fats that don’t clog up your pipes; fiber to keep you as regular as a Swiss commuter train; water for hydration; and antioxidants and phytochemicals to zap free radicals. It’s also the best way to lose weight, because if you’re eating plant-based whole foods, you’re eating nutrient-dense foods that make you healthy without taking in extra calories.
This is true even for children and seniors. And as a former world-class triathlete, I can assure you that athletes prosper on a plant-based diet. It’s not just me who feels this way. So do the mixed martial arts fighter Mac Danzig, the Detroit Tigers home run slugger Prince Fielder, the golfer Phil Mickelson, the arm-wrestler Rob Bigwood, the tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Billy Jean King and the boxer Mike Tyson, as well as the ultra-distance athletes Rich Roll and Scott Jurek. The most recent convert? My swimming and plant-strong lunch buddy, Lance Armstrong.