Among the wide variety of reasons to adopt a plant-based diet, would you be surprised to learn that some athletes adopt it on their way to Olympic gold? Perhaps no one knows the importance of food more than an athlete. Researching and following a strict diet is an integral part of the intense preparation athletes go through on their way to the Olympics. To compete, Olympic athletes have to be at the top of their game, so it’s interesting to note that many Olympians are choosing a plant-based diet. The Olympians profiled below are helping to dismantle the long standing myth that animal protein is necessary to build muscle mass or maintain strength. In fact, nutritionists, scientists and many trainers have been aware for a long time that a well-balanced, plant-based diet will provide all the necessary nutrients, including protein, to support athletes on their way to victory and beyond. Some noteworthy Olympic vegetarians include:
- 2012 British Silver Medalist Lizzie Armitstead won Great Britain’s first medal of the games in an 87-mile road cycling race. Armitstead has been a vegetarian since age 10.1
- Hannah Teter, a gold and silver medalist in snowboarding since 2006 said after adopting a plant-based diet, “I feel stronger than I’ve ever been, mentally, physically, and emotionally. My plant-based diet has opened up more doors to being an athlete. It’s a whole other level that I’m elevating to. I stopped eating animals about a year ago, and it’s a new life. I feel like a new person, a new athlete.”
- Carl Lewis, one of the greatest runners of all time and one of the most well-known American Olympians, was not a vegan when he won his 4 gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles games, but in world record time he won the 100m world championships at age 30 in 1991 as a vegan.2
- Martina Navratilova is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time and is an advocate of a plant-based diet. She has won 18 Grand Slams, including nine Wimbledon wins; her one appearance at the Olympics in Athens, 2004, ended in the quarterfinals.3
- Chris Campbell is one of the oldest men to win an Olympic medal, at age 37. He was awarded a bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona games in wrestling. The Seattle Times described him as “a vegetarian who likes nothing better than tofu stroganoff.”
- Murray Rose is an Australian swimmer who won 4 Olympic medals, participating in the 1956 and the 1960 games. He was given the nickname “Seaweed Streak” because of his vegetarian diet, which his parents had raised him with almost since birth.5
As a vegetarian, or someone considering adopting a plant-based diet, you may have encountered the belief that a vegetarian diet is somehow a compromise. Some people who become vegetarian for moral or environmental reasons alone believe it’s the right thing to do, but still think they are sacrificing their health by not eating a “complete” diet. Many young athletes absorb this idea that strength depends on animal protein and, as a result, may never seriously consider adopting a plant-based diet. However, the success of the athletes profiled above at the highest levels of achievement in their chosen sport should cause every athlete to reconsider adopting a plant-based diet. A diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes is not only the most ethical and environmental choice, but can also be the healthiest choice as well.
Of course, the most important feature of a healthy plant-based diet is what you do eat, not what you don’t eat. Cutting out meat - especially red and processed meat - is a necessary first step. However, to really attain the level of nutrition needed to compete and win in an Olympic arena, an athlete needs to pay exacting attention to what they put back in their diet. That’s why at Down to Earth we put an emphasis on All Vegetarian, Organic and Natural foods. Besides being free of toxic pesticides, organic fruits and vegetables are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants that help the body recover from stress. Whole, unprocessed grains, nuts and legumes contain vitamins and minerals that help the body build, maintain and repair itself. Altogether, a well-planned plant-based diet with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains can only be an asset to your health.
Every athlete needs to become more conscious about the food they eat and how it affects them. Olympic athletes who have chosen a plant-based diet have either stayed at the top of their game, or achieved new heights in health and performance. Carl Lewis spoke from experience when he said, “It’s a myth that muscles, strength and endurance require the consumption of large quantities of animal-based foods.” Luckily, more and more athletes are seeing through the myth. They know that strength and endurance can be built on a vegetarian diet and they have the medals to prove it.