Raw Vegan, Vegan vs. Paleo?

Hi everyone, I have been a vegan for over year, and eat about 80% raw (can't give up cooked legumes just yet). I recently joined a Cross Fit gym and am in love with it. The only downside is the Paleo attitude of all the members. When the members meet me, they can't believe I am a vegan and are convinced that I won't last or progress in the workouts. They have mentioned that eventually I will eat meat again because I have to. Because Cross fit is mostly strength and power training, I want to prove them wrong. As a marathoner and triathlete, I found no issues with energy being a vegan. I'm just starting out in Cross fit so I don't have anything to compare to but I feel good so far. I'm just wondering if anyone has any insights on the paleo diet and will I improve and increase strength and power without falling victim to cooked meats. I really love the way I feel being a vegan, but I don't want to be fatigued. I want to prove all of the Paleo believers wrong if I can. They don't think getting ripped and fit is possible as a vegan. Any suggestions/insights?

Comments

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    It is very possible on vegan, you only have to check out veganbodybuilding.com to see these guys are getting some good results vegan.

    Raw im not so sure though as many of the conditionally essential amino acids become hard to sythethise due to low levels of the precursor amino acids being taken in. When the body is trying to sythesis these conditionally essential amino acids then protein sythesis is impaired.

     

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    The fatigue that some vegans can fall victim to can come from deficiencies in Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D. Also not enough of the right fatty acids. I would supplement b-12 and D and make sure you get enough hemp, flax, and chia seeds in your diet. A book like "becoming raw" or "becoming vegan" would help make sure your diet is well balanced.

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    iodine is another much forgot about nutrient but very essential and unless supplementing with seaweeds there is no real vegan source.

     

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    Watercress and strawberry are modest sources of iodine but it really depends if it was available in the soil during growth otherwise there probably not good enough sources.

     

  • superfood2superfood2 Raw Newbie

    There are a lot more vegan sources of iodine than that.

  • greenwoodgreenwood Raw Newbie

    Don't forget watercress powerlifer ;)

    I've met quite a few strong healthy vegan guys- in fact most of them I have met have had great physiques- not underweight at all. I knew one who was close to 50, quite muscular, and cycled everywhere and worked out. I met a Scot who was over 6 foot and quite muscular and said he felt fantastic being vegan. He looked very healthy- he was about 30. A vegan guy I know ( a friend's boyfriend) is healthy and plays tennis reguarly.The key I think is to eat a wide variety of foods- veggies, fruits, nuts and a little oil. If you are high raw then organic rice will provide energy as will pulses and potatoes.

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    Were talking about sources that contain decent amounts not traces of iodine which will do little or nothing to meet an RDA which is just the basic to prevent goiter. Therapeutic iodine levels are much higher.

    What sources are you talking of superfood?

     

  • greenwoodgreenwood Raw Newbie

    I try to get organic watercress powerlifer.Not always possible tho. I'll get some seaweed from Mattas tommorrow. I was looking at iodine online just now and it says that an adult only needs one teaspoon of iodine their whole lifetime- so we don't need loads of it.

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    We dont need loads of it because iodine has a very low dose threshold but we do need to intake it regularly and the upper scale of iodine intake such as the japenese has shown to have great health benefits:).

    100-200mcg a day is very small which is why the teaspoon reference.

     

  • Speaking of Iodine...I've been reading about thyroid issues and foods. Is raw spinach a goitrogenic food?? I use about a clamshell a day in my green smoothies! Say it isn't so!

  • @BeagleLove

    I used to Love this Raw Baby Spinach Salad.. and everytime I was through with that particular meal.. my teeth felt strange.. like chalky or something.. Sooo.. I recently heard from a friend in a Wholistic Nutrition/Raw Foods Graduate Program.. thattt... Kale and Spinach are best lightly steamed.. this means.. they can still be raw.. a light steam annd then into the blender?? almost like you are blanching without dunking... haha.. hope this evokes some inner knowledge on the subject..

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    hey beaglelove, you are correct spinach contains goitrogens. You may be best lightly steaming them as the other poster says:).

     

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    i forgot to say that it only takes around 10 minutes of cooking to destroy goitrogens. So not long at all if you wish to steam them.

     

  • Wow, Thanks you guys :) I thought steamed spinach messed with iron absorption? But I guess I'd be more concerned with the goitrogens....

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    Its more to do with the high levels of oxalate which can cause problems with the absorption of iron, i wouldnt worry about it too much. Eaten with foods rich in vitamin C can aid the absorption of iron also.

     

  • Ok :o) thanks Powerlifer!

  • rawcanadianrawcanadian Raw Newbie

    You might want to check out the "Thrive Fitness" book, which is very high in raw foods, and includes an exercise program.

    I doubt any of the guys at your gym can keep up with this guy endurance wise!!!

  • jmichael614jmichael614 Raw Newbie

    Brendan Brasier and Nathane Jackson both are fitness guys and they have like NO body fat and tons of muscle so those people have no idea what they are talking about. Protein doesn't come just from meat and it's harder for our bodies to digest- it takes more energy out of you.

    Check out the book Thrive that Rawcanadian suggested- I just read it and I am hooked!

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    I wouldnt say brendan has a ton of muscle he looks pretty small but i come from a bodybuilding back ground. He does look very fit though and toned.

    Veganbodybuilding.com has some guys that id class as big.

     

  • rawcanadianrawcanadian Raw Newbie

    Why does Brendan need a ton of muscle to hull around???

    It would impede his results, he even mentions this in his book.

    "Brendan Brazier is one of only a few professional athletes in the world whose diet is 100 percent plant-based. He

  • greenwoodgreenwood Raw Newbie

    Not all women like muscle men anyway...wink..

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    Actually it wouldnt impede his results if trained properly an increase in muscle mass, aswell as power and various strength components would increase his perfomance.

    End of the day i wasnt saying he needed more muscle mass anyway, the poster said brendan had a ton of muscle and in my opinion he doesnt.

     

  • rawcanadianrawcanadian Raw Newbie

    powerlifter,

    I do not think you read his book.

    He says that once he incorporated strength training into his routine, his results went through the roof. So yes, you are correct that that wouldn't impede his results with strength training.

    However, he experimented with adding more mass, and it did impede his results.

    And he doesn't have a ton of muscle, he is 6'2" and weighs 168lbs.

    I am 6'2" but weight roughly 200lbs @ 14 % bodyfat.

    I strength train, and cycle recreationally.

  • greenwoodgreenwood Raw Newbie

    I was just having a little teasing moment powerlifer...;)

  • greenwoodgreenwood Raw Newbie

    They just want to justify eating animal corpses.

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