Transitioning - food options

[Joshua Brown]

Hi guys,

I've stumbled across this website in my attempt to research what exactly I can do to change the way I eat.

I love eating meat, I can't deny that. I'm changing the way I eat for my own health and after doing a lot of research I have found that so many athletes have become stronger and more healthier of plant based diets. So, I want to give it a try myself. I'm 6ft 2 and 282lbs, I play rugby and I also powerlift everyday. My question is this: What can I eat that is going to give me the vital sources of carbs, protein and fiber I need to train everyday and not feel weak? I'm not being arrogant, I want to change and I am lost as to where I need to start making these changes. I'm a student so money is pretty tight, which is another factor that has stopped me from doing this in the past. I don't care about buying food that tastes amazing, if someone told me I could get most of my intake from broccoli and brown rice I would eat that everyday! Any advice or help would be appreciated!

Joshua

 

[mavrick45]

money tight options for you would be beans for protein and potatoes (with the skin) for fiber

whole grain brown rice is great too and cheap!

Spaghetti and bran flakes have both carbs and fiber

 

[Lou]

Good news. The more active you are - the EASIER it is to get your nutrients. When most plant food average about 20% protein, the more calories you consume, the higher your protein intake is.

PETA has a great list of cheap easy vegan foods. Here is one page, but they have lots of others.
https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-recipes-dont-starve-until-payday/
They even have a college student's cookbook.

There is also a YouTube channel I recommend.
The Cheap Lazy Vegan.
sometimes she challenges herself to making a week's worth of meals for $20

 

[Forest Nymph]

If I were a larger and more athletic person like yourself I'd look to No Meat Athlete, Rich Roll, and Vegan Gains for advice.

Some things I can recommend directly are plant based protein powder to add to your oatmeal with soy milk, fruit and nuts. I ate a version of this while backpacking (with granola instead of oats) where you need nearly 1000 calories per day more than usual. Eat twice the serving portion of oats too. If you can't afford nuts use peanut butter.

Honestly I've heard of men eating just much larger portions of beans - say like two entire cans -with dinner if they were athletes. Dry beans cooked in a crockpot could make that even more affordable than cans.

Also you could eat an entire block of firm tofu in your stir fry etc.

Beans and tofu are cheaper than processed vegan meats, I have even learned to eat tofu sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes and onion (or pickles) and vegan mayo or mustard. I've eaten them with nothing but lettuce and onion when I had nothing else to put on it. The key to this is buying the higher quality refrigerated extra firm tofu, it tastes better on its own.

Of course sometimes you can get the vegan meats or non dairy cheese when you can afford it.

TVP can be added to dishes too to add protein and fiber. It's not good on its own. Trust me, I tried that once when I was broke, but you can use it in recipes for pennies a serving. Don't live off of TVP just like you wouldn't live off of Top Ramen, but I'm sure as a student you can appreciate there are days, maybe even a whole week out of a month, where those cheap staple foods help you get by.

 

[Forest Nymph]

Good news. The more active you are - the EASIER it is to get your nutrients. When most plant food average about 20% protein, the more calories you consume, the higher your protein intake is.

PETA has a great list of cheap easy vegan foods. Here is one page, but they have lots of others.
https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-recipes-dont-starve-until-payday/
They even have a college student's cookbook.

There is also a YouTube channel I recommend.
The Cheap Lazy Vegan.
sometimes she challenges herself to making a week's worth of meals for $20

She's small and not athletic though. I like her channel and the general ideas she promotes, like meal prepping, and I learned some things from CLV, but if he power lifts and plays rugby and weighs nearly 300 pounds her recipes won't be enough calories.

 

[Lou]

She's small and not athletic though. I like her channel and the general ideas she promotes, like meal prepping, and I learned some things from CLV, but if he power lifts and plays rugby and weighs nearly 300 pounds her recipes won't be enough calories.

True. I hadn't thought that thru. I guess he could double the portions. but then it would cost twice as much. Nearly 300 pounds?! he might have to triple the portions.

I do not like Vegan Gains. But I do like NoMeatAthlete. But almost every vegan/nutrition/WFPB diet website has at least one page on diet advice for athletes.

 

[TofuRobot]

Maybe check out Hench Herbivore on YT - ?

 

[Frederic Lavender]

I would say lots of rice, potatoes, tinned beans and bagels that are all cheap and will keep you feeling full for longer.

 

[Lou]

This is a brand new series.