Every one is a world, so there are different eating styles, but do you know everyone is talking about lately? Are they suitable for athletes?

Today we are very lucky or unlucky to live in a system saturated with options and alternatives of all kinds. Sometimes we feel compelled to “choose” and identify with one of the different lifestyles. Is it okay to taste diversity?

This variety of options is also reaching Food Styles, and today we will try to learn a little more about these trends. They are all reputable and, when practised wisely, are suitable for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

EATING STYLES

We agree that diet and exercise go hand in hand and that healthy eating and happiness are inextricably linked. Remember that you must maintain physical activity and a healthy diet for a good quality of life.

Forget about trends when choosing your eating style! Please take a look at them to keep up to date, but focus on listening to your body, feeling and experimenting with what you most identify with, with your lifestyle.

The Internet is full of recipes and references from people who say that you must follow a specific diet if you want to lose weight or feel better. Whatever your eating style: omnivore, vegetarian, paleo, ketogenic, etc. The goal is to be well-nourished.

FASHIONABLE EATING STYLES IN ATHLETES

VEGETARIAN FOOD

Probably the most controversial eating style, especially the vegan side. People and athletes who opt for this dietary trend do so out of an ideology and moral and ethical values of respect for animals and the environment.

The ingesting of foods of plant origin and the reduction or total abandonment of foods of animal origin are preferred to find variants within vegetarianism.

  • Ovolácteovegetariana: Eliminates meat, fish and their derivatives and includes eggs and dairy products in addition to foods of plant origin.
  • Ovo-Vegetarian: Eliminate meat, fish and dairy. The only known food of animal origin is eggs.
  • Vegan: Includes only foods of plant origin where animals are not present or have any form of contact. It is the strictest eating style, but beware, sweeteners, nuts, etc., are misused. They are not so healthy.

CAN A VEGETARIAN DIET BE SUITABLE FOR ATHLETES?

We must discard the notion that the vegetarian is not well nourished because he does not eat meat or fish or will not develop as much strength due to lack of protein.

An omnivore and a vegetarian diet are prone to malnutrition if the micro and macronutrients are not balanced. We are all responsible for our diet.

American Dietetic Association (ADA)

WHERE TO GET VEGETABLE PROTEIN?

  • Nuts and seeds: cashews, almonds, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, sesame, chia, etc.
  • Soy products: tofu, soy milk, soy yoghurt, minced soybeans, tempeh, etc.
  • Cereals and grains: rice, oats, rye, wheat, spelt, etc.
  • Legumes: broad beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, etc.

Supermarkets like Lidl and Carrefour have an organic range to find vegetables, fruits, legumes, muesli, bread and many other cheap and high-quality products.

Plant foods do not contain essential amino acids, but this deficit is solved by combining cereals with legumes. In this way, we get a high-quality protein, e.g., lentils with rice, chickpeas with quinoa, etc.

Well-known athletes such as Carl Lewis (sprinter), Eneko Llanos (triathlete), Novak Djokovic (tennis player), Steph Davis (climbing), Scott Jurek (ultramarathon) or Alberto Rules (bodybuilder), are some examples of athletes who are vegetarians and in most of the cases are vegan.

KETOGENIC OR KETO FOOD

Although it looks like a modern eating plan, it is almost a century old. Russell M. Wilder, a professor, physician, and scientist closely associated with diabetes and nutrition research, coined the term in 1921.

It has developed one of the most searched eating styles to lose weight. There are still doubts about this type of diet, is low carbohydrate consumption allow? Do you have any health contraindications? etc.

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet) tries to create a situation of ketosis in the body, and this diet is low in carbohydrates and carbohydrates and high in protein and fat.