Plant-Based Nutrition for Cyclists!

Nutrition
21

Hey @Jackson and @FRANK.

I am so tired. I’m in the last week of the 1st SST 6 week phase, and I am feeling fairly depleted.
My question is to Jackson for dietary concern and Frank for training performance.

As you may recall Frank, part of my story this year is recovering from brain surgery after in September after a crash and starting the foundation phase in October with a CTL of about 12, nowhere near my typical CTL for the end of September. I started the first SST phase mid-January, about the same time I began a plant-based/vegan diet.

Right now I’m feeling beat, although on just about every workout on Zwift or outdoors, I’m getting PRs. I have been trying to understand why. My current CTL is 55, ATL 72 and TSB -11 according to TrainingPeaks PMC. The values in the calendar summary are CTL 62, ATL 92; TSB -30. (I’m not sure which to look at. If i’s the calendar summary, I’m tired on paper too.)

I have reduced the reasons to these:

a ramp rate that may be a bit high, +3.6/week;

my FTP was set a little too high in TrainingPeaks, by only 5 W maybe 3-4%, but maybe over six weeks that slight over-reaching has had an effect;

the SST phase is designed to stress me to feel this way after 6 weeks;

I’m a wimp;

I’m not getting enough protein or other nutrients (I haven’t lost any muscle volume, but may have increased slightly, but I have lost weight, on purpose - want to get to my ‘fighting’weight’ by April). I follow food stats in Cronometer until I am confident with a vegan diet.

My recovery/fitness build may be a 2 year project not 1year following the crash and surgery.

I know there are a lot of unknowns to you, a bit of a black box, but can you weigh in? Might it be the training load, the diet, both or something else to consider? Or am I simply tired because I’m tired?

I’m certain I’m not the only one who has shifted to a plant-based diet, recovering from a medical event or feeling fatigued.

Thanks guys.

22

Hey @bruce.law -

Could definitely be a dietary thing but without looking at your food logs + training plan it’s hard to say for sure. Doubt you’re too low in protein and that that would be what is causing low energy. Guessing it’s because you’re intentionally trying to lose weight and do a 6 week SST plan :wink:

23

Thanks @Jackson, I appreciate your comment.

“Doubt you’re too low in protein and that that would be what is causing low energy.” A bit confusing.

24

@bruce.law Unless you’re heavily restricting your food, or eating a poor quality diet overall, it’s unlikely you’re not getting sufficient protein. And protein has a minimal contribution to actual energy provision for exercise, so it’s more likely you’re not eating enough nutrient dense foods, foods high in carbohydrates before, during, and after training, overall calories, etc.

Like I talked about it in this weeks pod, it’s sometimes important to focus on foods, not macronutrients. But again, just pure assumptions and inferences here based on what you’re saying without actually doing a dietary analysis.

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25

Hey @bruce.law - I’d love to help but this would require a conversation where we get to ask you questions and advise based on those answers. Then make adjustments both training plan wise, advice wise and nutritionally.

That is when we call in the big dogs and recommend you hire a coach for a custom solution specific to your individual needs. You may begin that process here by filling our our new athlete questionnaire and then having a conversation with your coaching to see if coaching is right for you:

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26

Thanks @FRANK and @Jackson, all makes sense, especially coaching,

I’ll take a listen to the podcast too.

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27

Thought I’d just check in with a follow-up.

@Jackson, I listen to you, and @qquincyjones, and stopped stressing. Turns out feeding a plant-based athlete isn’t as hard as it seemed at first.

Not only have I lost weight, planned, but I am stronger. In large part training for sure, but not eating any animal product certainly hasn’t been a detriment either. The fact I could do the workouts without extraordinary difficulty is evidence enough. I feel great and am performing beyond my expectations.

So thanks for the advice and ‘hand-holding’.

28

So glad to hear it! It definitely takes some time and experimentation to get the lifestyle dialed. Glad I could help.

Jackson

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