Friday, May 17, 2013

Pondering Protein


When I recently informed a personal trainer that I was vegetarian, he expressed a great deal of concern for my well-being.  He reported that he is “100% certain” that I will “damage” my body as I continue to increase my weekly running mileage, and that I’ll eventually lack enough energy to get through the day.  I’m fairly sure his strong statement was motivated by his desire to persuade me to buy an expensive monthly supply of protein powder from him… But it got me wondering: What exactly does protein do for me?  How much protein do I need?  And, most importantly, how can I ensure that I’m getting the correct amount of it to properly fuel my body? 

I’ve found a lot of amazing resources online, and I feel reassured that I am not an unhealthy person for sticking to plant-based foods.  The No Meat Athlete and Runner's World offer great lists of staple foods that I am trying to eat each and every day (which you can find here and here).  I may succumb to powders as well, and I’ve decided that I’m OK with that.
It is my hope that such efforts will help me to feel as though I have endless energy!

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