Hi there,

I wanted to take a second and applaud you for any steps you have taken to living a healthy lifestyle! It's not an easy change to make, but the important thing is to do it little by little. Whether you are transitioning to plant based, removing toxic products from your life, or taking the time to slow down daily, remember to make changes slowly and in a sustainable way.

Today I wanted to touch on the importance of having a planned plant based diet in regard to exercising and athletics. This is not something that gets discussed enough!

Plant Based Diet- which variation is good for me?

We all know the benefits of a whole food plant based lifestyle. Its anti-inflammatory, reduces risk of chronic disease, and gives you more energy. So on paper, this should be the best diet if we are more active right?

Yes, it is! But what if I told you in order to fuel yourself properly, you might need to tweak it slightly and focus on specific macronutrients to reach your goal. Whether your goal is to gain muscle, compete at your highest level, recover quickly or lose weight, it all has the same common denominator.

There are many variations in the plant based world: starch solution, WFBP SOS free, WFPB oil free, ketogenic, fruitarian, raw vegan, or just vegan.

While eating a diet predominantly founded in whole plant foods is one of the best things we can do for our health, it requires a little more detail orientation for exercise.

The more active we are, the more our body will rely on a higher amount of protein sources to recover, gain muscle, and perform better. In the case of losing weight, we need to also make sure to be including a specific amount of protein, so we don't lose muscle but instead our body can focus on decreasing it's fat stores.

So should I only focus on protein?

No. But you shouldn't disregard it either. The aminos acid from protein rich foods help with muscle growth, other connective tissue growth, bone tissue, enzymes, and a variety of other things.

The plant based community tends to disregard it. This is partly because protein tends to be over hyped, but also because most of the world isn't focusing on fiber rich foods. They are also recommending protein based off the RDA for sedentary individuals, therefore athletes and people who exercise a lot will need a higher amount.

What's the difference between plant and animal protein?

Plant protein does not have the same detrimental effect on our bodies as does animal protein. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Animal protein is damaging to our kidneys, cardiovascular system, and overall health. Plant protein is full of fiber, which is protective against many chronic diseases.

Organic soy is one of the best sources of plant protein! It has protective effects against osteoporosis, prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and colon cancer. It's also one of the best protein sources for muscle growth. Not only this, but it's high in potassium, iron and K2. The phytoestrogen content in soy means it blocks estrogenic effects which is what leads to the above chronic diseases.

How much protein should you be including?

The RDA for an average sedentary individual is .8g/kg of bodyweight. Now depending on exercise, goals, and age, this number is going to change.

Endurance athletes require around 1.2-1.4g/kg of bodyweight and strength training will require between 1.6-2.2g/kg of bodyweight. Depending on your level of exercise, this number can fall anywhere between 1.2-2.2g/kg of bodyweight.

As we age, our body loses muscle mass. Older and elderly individuals should be eating between 1.1-1.2g/kg of bodyweight.

Where do we get our protein?

First, all plants have the essential amino acids! You will never be protein deficient with this lifestyle.

The key here is finding a plant based source that has a higher amount of protein. For example, tofu has 14g of protein per serving while rice has 3g.

Some plant sources have a higher ratio of protein than others, which are mentioned below.

Some optimal sources to include daily:

• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Bean based pastas (edamame, black bean, chickpea)
• Soy milk
• Seitan
• Lentils
• Textured vegetable protein
• Nutritional yeast
• Hummus
• Beans + rice

And lastly, a protein powder is a great source, especially if you may need a little bit more throughout your day!

My favorite brand is Nuzest. One of the biggest reasons is because they are very transparent and share their Certificate of Analysis which shows the amount of heavy metals in products. this brand is heavy metal/toxin free, no fillers, and

is organic!



This says a lot about this brand, because most plant based protein powders have an alarmingly large amount of heavy metals in them.

You can click here to purchase! Use code DRPEACOCK for 15% off.

Virtual consults available:

Are you trying to figure out how to fit plant based nutrition for your exercise goals? We dive into this and so much more, with weekly zoom chats, specific meal plans to you, nutrition education, macronutrient education/planning, etc.

One on one consults are available on my website at www.stephaniepeacock.com

For more tips, check out my instagram @wfpb_doctor

Need some tasty & quick recipes? You can check out my free e-book