Training & Nutrition - Vegetable powered bikes

Just out of interest how many of the members are vegetarian?

Richard

I'm a militant carnvore.

I remember seeing a web site that listed famous celebrity vegetarians. As a carnivore, the plan was you "adopted" a veggie celeb, and the web site then mailed them to inform them that you had just avowed to eat twice as much meat to compensate!

Back on topic tho' there is a vegetarian cycling club in the UK, Go to http://www.vegcac.co.uk/ also has links to related sites

Stew

I'm not a vegetarian, but my wife is. And since she does the cooking, I effectively eat vegetarian most of the time. Which means, of course, a gizzilion versions of TOFU.

I seem to have missed this thread.

Hi. I am Nate and I have been a vegetarian for 6 years.

Why did I stop eating meat? I don't know. For Lent 6 years ago (and I am not even Catholic) I decided to stop eating meat and have never had meat since. Of course, I never ate much meat before that. I have always been a pasta fan...meat just never did much for me.

P.S. I don't like tofu. It gives me "blockages". Soy is a very good source for protien, but it is also hard to digest. Bring on the black bean chili!!!

I eat meat, but it's not my preferred bike fuel. It can be good for muscle recovery after a ride.

But in the U.S.A., our problem is too much meat, not enough vegetables. This unbalanced diet is linked to many unnecessary diseases.

I like fruits, breads, pastas, vegetables, beans and nuts. An apple and some peanuts will fuel me for a long way when I'm walking.

Originally posted by stewartp
I'm a militant carnvore.


Stew

I take it the "Stew" part was deliberate LOL.

I'm veggie and have been for about 10 years. Not militant about it tho'. We still feed our dog on meat (when he's old enough he can make his own mind up) and cook meat or whatever for guests.

Everything is a compromise.

Wish i could be vegan, but it's so difficult.

i've been a vegetarian for about nine years

actually, you're a militant "omnivore" unless you limit your uptake to meat alone - not that there's anything wrong with that

i used to road-ride alot, but mostly race BMX now ....

Herbivores (like cows) digest and process vegetables much more efficiently that omnivores (like people) or, of course, carnivores.

It is perfectly logical that humans, as omnivores, should allow herbivores (like cows and rabbits) to consume the vegetables so that we may, in turn, eat the herbivores.

Now THAT’S good dietary efficiency! I’ll bet that the efficiency translates all the way from the field to the bicycle pedals.

I’m all for efficiency. Efficiency will save the planet. Do your part; eat meat and save the planet.

mmmm.....meat!.....

I've been vegetarian for 24 years, because it is more efficient. You have to remember that our guts have about 1/7 efficiency, so if you put an animal between yourself and the plant source the efficiency drops to about (1/7)(1/7)=1/49. I believe the Brits used to say something along the lines of a bushel of oats supporting a horse or a Scot family. The motto of "Live simply, so that others can simply live" is real. One of my nominee's for the most significant popular books would be Francis Moore LaPee's,
[U]Food First[U]. I think my muscles have worked fine running 40 miles a week when I was younger, and now riding 85 miles a week. While I'm not a world class athlete, adding meat to my diet wouldn't make me one.

Bring on the MEAT, I love veggies too, but don't take my meat away please!! I eat some type of meat with every meal, even breakfast usually. I am definately NOT a food conscious,calorie counter,fat grams watcher type of person. I love food and I eat...ALOT. My weight only varies about 2-3 pounds and I feel good and I am well within "specs" for my height and age.

Life is WAY too short to worry with all that stuff. Live and be free.
BTW my mom and dad are both still alive and well in their 70's and THEY never counted calories...must mean something.

I know this will make some of you just cringe, but oh well
to each his/her own

I don't eat much meat these days, it,s too expensive for what you get ! , so instead I eat A LOT of fish and vegie's in winter, and fish and salads in summer . Once in a blue moon I will buy a piece of steak ,but I totally HATE the stench of all that red blood burning and fat melting !!, I'll eat a pizza with meat on it tho' , I just don't like the smell of it cooking !!

I have never much liked the word "vegetarian". It just doesn't make sense. Are legumes a vegetable? Grains? Cheese? Nope. I never say, "I'm a vegetarian." A simple "I don't eat meat" seems much more appropriate.

Recently, I went to my GF's Grandmothers house for dinner. Upon hearing of my meatlessness, she placed a large plate of iceburg lettuce in front of me. "Mmmmm, this will be tasty", I thought to myself. There seems to be a lot of people who perceive the word vegetarian with "vegetables only, please".

While meat may be the most complete source of protein, is certainly is not the only source. I feel vegetarianism fits into my life very well. Much for the same reasons that I do not own a car. The less excess one comsumes and the less waste one produces, all the better.

Well... my mom's a vegetarian. Has been since the late-1960s[when I was just a wee bairnie]. She's not very dogmatic about it -- she eats fish -- but I think she just doesn't want to eat animals. Mom grew up on a dairy farm and counted the cows among her pets [and the geese, but that's another story].

I've often wondered what would happen to the herds of Hereford and Angus if the world went vegetarian. I mean, what would be the point of maintaining breeds of cattle -- not to mention pigs -- that only exist, and were developed solely for the purpose of providing meat? It's not like Angus and domestic pigs could live in the wild...

Maybe we could slaughter them all and have one really big barbecue.

15 years cycle 10 miles per day 5 days per week 50 miles 1 day per week.

i've been a vegetarian (ovo-lacto) for almost 4 years now. i feel a lot better:i have more focus when i work, i feel lighter, don't gain too much weight when i'm off the bike for long, and i have a calmer disposition.

Originally posted by e6b
i've been a vegetarian (ovo-lacto) for almost 4 years now. i feel a lot better:i have more focus when i work, i feel lighter, don't gain too much weight when i'm off the bike for long, and i have a calmer disposition.

Welcome to the forums.

I've been o-l-vegetarian for 12 years and for me weight gain is still a problem, still at least the cycling keeps my bottom half trim...

Richard

The best riding years I ever had were when I was "going veggie" and I'm headin' back!

Ride Light
Pat

I've been vegetarian for ~15 years.
I'm surprised that more cyclist's are not:

bikes are to cars as a diet of fruits/grains/veggies is to eating beef.

(more efficient and easier on the planet, eh?)

I’m a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (means eating dairy products & fish) since 1995, when I moved out from my parents. I could kill mammals for survival (after all I was brought up on a farm), but as long as I don’t have to I rather eat fish, vegetables and fruit. I wanna be able to kill what I eat. What annoys me is hypocrisy. Like people who cry when they see a chicken or pig getting slaughtered, but who the next day picks up the neatly packaged meat in the supermarket without a thought.

I’ve never experienced any nutrition problems. I work-out four times a week and bike at least 20 km a day during most time of the year. But my friends warn me that I’m too slim to survive the bicycle tour I plan this summer. They tell me I need to eat a lot during the spring, otherwise there will be nothing left of me after the tour (scary). Any experiences among you guys in this field? At least I’m gonna see a diet advisor before I go.

Originally posted by swekarl
I’m a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (means eating dairy products & fish)

Just to be picky it means dairy-egg-vegetation - I don't know what you'd add to the front to include fish - piscine?


Originally posted by swekarl

But my friends warn me that I’m too slim to survive the bicycle tour I plan this summer. They tell me I need to eat a lot during the spring, otherwise there will be nothing left of me after the tour (scary). Any experiences among you guys in this field? At least I’m gonna see a diet advisor before I go.

I can't see any problems, providing you eat plenty whilst you're touring, but I'd take the advice of your Doctor over you're friends if you are worried about it.

Richard

Originally posted by Richard D
Just to be picky it means dairy-egg-vegetation - I don't know what you'd add to the front to include fish - piscine?

Ah, I never get that right! So let’s just call me a lacto-ovo-piscine-vegetarian... :D

Ok, so some of you are vegetarians. The follow up question would be: Ever experienced any trouble getting ”your” food while on tour? I guess that differs a lot depending on where you tour. All fast food restaurants in Sweden have veggie-burgers and the like. Germany is full of Turks who can serve falafel. Czech republic is a harder one; fried cheese is often the only vegetarian alternative on the countryside – but hey, it’s great! Especially considering you can eat whatever you like when touring. Yeah, you get my point, is it different in Texas from California etc?

Originally posted by swekarl


Ah, I never get that right! So let’s just call me a lacto-ovo-piscine-vegetarian... :D

Ok, so some of you are vegetarians. The follow up question would be: Ever experienced any trouble getting ”your” food while on tour? I guess that differs a lot depending on where you tour. All fast food restaurants in Sweden have veggie-burgers and the like. Germany is full of Turks who can serve falafel. Czech republic is a harder one; fried cheese is often the only vegetarian alternative on the countryside – but hey, it’s great! Especially considering you can eat whatever you like when touring. Yeah, you get my point, is it different in Texas from California etc?

I can't really comment on touring by bike, but from my trips around the UK and abroad, I'd say it's not too bad. If you were a vegan you'd possibly have real problems. Big cities are never a problem, but smaller places in France seemed to do Omlette or green salad only, fine for one night, okay for two but....

Richard

I believe the term for a fish-eating 'vegetarian' would be 'pesco-vegetarian', although I don't consider that to really be a true vegetarian. There is a term for a 'vegetarian' who eats only poultry, too. Can't for the life of me remember what it is. Anyone able to help me out?

I was vegetarian for about two years, but was not very strict in following it. If something had chicken stock or gelatin in its ingredients, I'd still eat it. Over the past year, I've been eating fish and even poultry on occasion (once a month, if that). Not sure what I'd classify myself as, but I'm happy and that's what counts.

I'm a vegetarian.

I haven't had too much trouble with it as long as I eat enough of the right stuff. The people who get in trouble are the "cereal vegetarians" and the "Taco Bell vegetarians". They are usually the people who ate a lot of junk to begin with and then decided to go vegetarian after watching a documentary on slaughterhouses. They stick to it until they get pretty sick, then they give up and wonder how other people ever get by being vegetarian.

I've know people who claim you can't build much muscle if you're vegetarian, but I've seen enough counter-examples to know that isn't true. No that you'd know it from looking at my skinny frame, of course.

andy

been a veggie my whole life, Im convinced that anything else would probably kill me at this point. Shhhhhh dont tell my body that it could get protein and energy elsewhere, it does just fine now!

I have tried to be veggie, but never made it. Sorry cows, but if you didn't want to be eaten, you shouldn't taste so good.

Originally posted by Richard D


I can't really comment on touring by bike, but from my trips around the UK and abroad, I'd say it's not too bad. If you were a vegan you'd possibly have real problems. Big cities are never a problem, but smaller places in France seemed to do Omlette or green salad only, fine for one night, okay for two but....

Richard

Anywhere with Chinese or Italian or Indian or.................... restaurants means you won't starve as a veggie.

I've been a quasi-vegetarian for about 12 years, after spending my first 28 or so as a pure carnivore, not counting the french fries. It almost killed me. Had a blood clot, obesity, the works.

I still ate cheese and eggs, mainly when there was nothing else available in podunk towns. Big cities are not a problem for tasty veggie meals.

Lately I have been eating fish, particularly sushi. And trying to cut out the cheese. Cheese is the crack of the ovo-lacto vegetarian world. If you find yourself eating cheese omelettes every day, or doughnuts, well, then, you might be better off with red meat.

My wife can't take the dairy and has been practically vegan (occasional fish). She is incredibly skinny and her only exercise is walking. I'm not sure that's a good thing either.

When I am riding a lot I eat like a pig.

That is all.

p.s. Strange story. Our 2 year old daughter eats what we eat.
So she's sort of a vegetarian who eats fish and eggs. Well,
my wife told this to an old acquaintance who said, "You can't
decide that for a child!" This is an example of how vegetarian is such a loaded word. Every kid eats what the family eats, right? (If you can get them to eat anything! My kid is mostly a Cheerio-atarian.) I figure if a mostly fish and veggie diet works for the Japanese, nothing wrong with it for my daughter. She can eat whatever she wants when she is old enough to decide. But she'll still have to wear a helmet.

Hey, the more Vegitarians, the more meat is left for me!
but actually there are a few Vitamins that are only produced by animals that we need. B-12 is one of them I think. The suppliments are okay, but the pure source is much better.

Originally posted by krazylegs
Hey, the more Vegitarians, the more meat is left for me!
but actually there are a few Vitamins that are only produced by animals that we need. B-12 is one of them I think. The suppliments are okay, but the pure source is much better.

B-12 is as far as I'm aware the only vitamin that would normally come from animals. Unless you are vegan then you are extremely unlikely to have any problems, as there is a plentiful supply in milk and eggs. Long term vegans may have a problem if they don't eat products that contain synthesised B-12, although most research suggests that it the body holds adequate stores of B12 for up to 20 years from starting a strictly vegan diet. B-12 is produced by certain yeasts, and may be found in small quantities in some fermented soya products and seaweed, I say may because many of the tests have only found inactive B12. Synthesised B-12 is often added to many common foods, bread, cereal, Marmite, but vegans should probably consider supplements.

Interestingly B12 is produced by bacteria in the lower intestine, but too far down for the body to reabsorb it. However when crops are grown using animal manure the plants absorb it. This probably accounts for why there are groups in parts of the world that follow a vegan diet without any B-12 deficiency problems. In the western world you probably couldn't obtain enough organicly (and specifically grown on manure) grown food to rely on this.

Richard

i'm vegan.
let me just say that you do NOT need meat or dairy for energy. i am continuously waiting at the top of hills for all my carnivore riding friends. i have raced cross country on my mountain bike. i play a whole 90 minutes in competitive soccer matches.

just wanted to clear that up.
-happy riding!

My bikes motor have been running on vegetables for about ten years now. The motor runs just fine, just getting older ;-(

I have been a semi-vegetarian for a year and a half now. I cannot see myself going back anytime soon. I do however still eat clams, mussels and shrimp. I still eat dairy, but, avoid it due to sinus problems. I decided to go veggie after working a summer job as a grill cook at the local ZOO, LOL! Just seemed odd to me that everyone was admiring all the pretty and exotic animals while I had the char-broiler loaded up with dead cows and chickens =( I could here customers ask the cashiers for straws and lids and they were told "no straws or lids due to animal safety". Hum, what about this poor chicken on my grill? Anyways, if anyone has any thoughts on what to eat before or after a ride let me know. I eat just about everthing else expect BEETS, OLIVES AND TOFU! YUK!