Vegetarian Sports Nutrition

About the Product

Gain the vegetarian advantage! Vegetarian meal plans have been used successfully in everything from bodybuilding to endurance sports. Every day more and more athletes—even those who are not full-time vegetarians—incorporate a plant-based diet when training or recovering from competition.

Relying on the recent evidence-based research, Vegetarian Sports Nutrition details performance and health benefits, including enhanced muscle recovery and optimal bone health. With tailored meal plans and training strategies, you will learn to make smart nutritional decisions and to properly fuel your body throughout your training regimen.

This comprehensive resource simplifies the process of determining your energy, protein, vitamin, and mineral needs and monitoring carbohydrate and fat intake. You’ll learn how to optimize a vegetarian diet for peak performance across all sports.

Whether you are a dedicated vegetarian looking to add variety to your diet or an athlete searching for a competitive edge, Vegetarian Sports Nutrition will help you improve your health and performance!

About the Author

D. Enette Larson-Meyer, PhD, RD, FACSM, is an assistant professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Wyoming, where she also serves as director of the nutrition and exercise laboratory. She is a registered dietitian with training in exercise physiology and has experience working with vegetarian (and nonvegetarian) athletes. Her research focuses on how nutrition and metabolism influence the health and performance of active people.

Dr. Larson-Meyer served as the sports nutritionist for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletic Department from 1995 to 2000, and she has consulted with numerous athletes throughout her career. She is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and is past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Dr. Larson-Meyer has published numerous scientific and consumer articles, has been featured in publications like Vegetarian Journal, and has served as a chapter contributor to publications including the American Dietetic Association’s Sports Nutrition: A Guide for the Professional Working with Active People and the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission’s Volleyball (Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science). She completed her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1988 and also completed an internship at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs during her undergraduate training. Larson-Meyer received her PhD in Nutrition Sciences from the University of Alabama in 1998.

A serious recreational athlete for close to 20 years, Larson-Meyer enjoys running distance events, cycling, and dancing in her spare time. She lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with her husband and three children.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Gaining the Vegetarian Advantage
Chapter 2. Getting Adequate Calories From Plant Sources
Chapter 3. Finding the Right Carbohydrate Mix
Chapter 4. Choosing Smart Fat Over No Fat
Chapter 5. Building Muscle Without Meat
Chapter 6. Optimizing Bone Health
Chapter 7. Boosting Iron Intake and Absorption
Chapter 8. Breaking Free of Multivitamin Dependence
Chapter 9. Prioritizing Eating Before, During, and After Events
Chapter 10. Choosing Whether to Supplement
Chapter 11. Reducing Muscle Cramps and Inflammation
Chapter 12. Creating a Customized Meal Plan
Chapter 13. Adapting the Plan to Manage Weight
Chapter 14. Whipping Up Quick Vegetarian Meals and Snacks

Words of Praise

“Finally, serious nutrition information for serious vegetarian athletes! Vegetarian Sports Nutrition provides sound and accessible explanations on what vegetarians really need to consume.”
Shane Speer - Deputy Editor, Vegetarian Times

“Vegetarian Sports Nutrition delivers inspired, useful, and science-based information to make you a better, healthier athlete.”
Amby Burfoot - Executive Editor, Runner's World Marathon Winner (and Vegetarian) 1968 Boston Marathon