View Full Version : Raw Athletes
Having a big sporting background, competing, coaching and now teaching in it, raw food athleticism is a very intriguing concept for me. I think any serious athlete in whatever sport they are in, are going to gravitate towards pretty good nutrition such as fresh, organic produce and lean meat, eating at certain times etc etc. I've also read about vegan atletes and their success although that's predominantly in body building, probably due to that sport mainly digesting animal based protein.
So being new to raw food, I have never met an athlete that applies this type of eating to their competition training. I have read much material now about the many positive aspects of a raw nutrition plan for those of a not so athletic disposition, their new found bounding energy and staunch positive outlook, which obviously athletes can prosper from too. Therefore I am searching my material for evidence that raw nutrition and living supplements can certainly help athletes. I have a strong feeling that most of the ones I find will be American as I think they are more open minded to health matters than we are in the UK! I'll be posting whtever I find here ;)
The first site I've come across is Raw Food Media (http://www.rawfoodmedia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95), here follows it's findings;
At 37, after many years of inactivity, Tim took his first steps on his path as a raw food athlete. Within a short amount of time, as a raw vegan, he realized that he was truly onto something. It took a mere three months of training to become one of the top mountain runners in California, where he resides.
Bob Mionske is a former national champion cyclist. He took to excluding meat from his diet in his teens. Chicken fell out of his lifestyle in his twenties and fish in his thirties. He describes raw foodism as a natural progression on the ladder of healthy eating. In 1988 Mionske finished fourth in the Seoul Olympics at the Olympic trials in Spokane, WA. He won the1990 National RoadChampionships in Albany, N.Y. Bob then competed in Barcelona in 1992 as a teammate of Lance Armstrong.
Suzanna Strachan, in an interview on OrganicAthlete.com is described as a fitness goddess. This is precisely what she is. She has competed twice in Ms. Fitness competitions, for which just to qualify, one must demonstrate an extremely high level of strength, flexibility and energy. Suzanna leads a vegan lifestyle of 75-90% raw.
James Southwood is no less than an expert in a French style of kickboxing, called Salvate. Since 2004, James has practiced 100% raw foodism. His biography needs no flamboyance in wording nor impressive adjectives, as his track record speaks for itself. In 2006, he won his first international bout in the World Savate Assault Championship. In the British Championships of 2006 he remained unbeaten the entire year. In his own words, "Being raw is a light, clean and pure way to live. Exercising and competing in this physical state is the only way I would choose to do it."
Bringing up the end of this impressive list, we have Brendan Brazier. From Vancouver, Canada, Brendan was the 2003 Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion. He repeatedly smashes his competition by placing near the top at international Ironman triathlon events. Author of "Thrive: A guide to optimal health and performance through plant-based whole foods", Brazier to took to raw food to solve his problems of lethargy and chronic muscle soreness.
Edit: Just to add this link (http://www.raw-food-repair.com/athletes.html) in that may've been where the above text was taken from, but expands on the actual use of raw foods
I think I would propse that one of the biggest advantages of raw to an athlete is the green smoothies and juices, in the quick replenishment of used nutrients and the fact that body has more energy to use in training etc as it's not spending x amount of hours trying to digest hard to digest foods.
Having been an athlete I can definitely say I would have relished those advantages!! When I was rowing, we'd face many regattas where you had heats and would think nothing of doing 2 x 2000 metre races in a day, sometimes more on the river races. So being able to replenish quickly was vital to get through to the next stage, but mostly on offer if you hadn't been prepared and made your food for the day, was sandwiches made with cheap ingredients to maximise the host rowing club's vitally needed profits! :4628:
Here's a Peak Performance Online chat (http://www.pponline.co.uk/forum/talk-performance/organic-live-food-athletes) about an organic live (also raw) food athlete. It's quite interesting to note that somebody mentions about raw food not for all, especially a "carb type" - this refers to another theory on nutrition that I hope to be able to explore soon ;)
This link (http://www.rawfoodlife.com/Articles___Research/Raw_food_for_Athletes/raw_food_for_athletes.html) has a small argument against the fad sports products that have invaded many health food shops now, especially my local GNC! :rolleyes: I call them fad because I don't believe that they are the true cause of a bigger muscle mass or longer training ability (such as with creatine powders), I've read a few journal articles on the effects of these powders over the years and nothing has been proven in their effectiveness. The companies producing them are the winners not the 'athletes' using them, you only have to see how a health food shop has given over 60% of shop space to stocking them to see it's big business! Of course the majority are body builders who utilise most of these products, but I have seen other sports at least dabble in them.
More Links;
Tim VanOrden's site runningraw.com (http://www.runningraw.com/) - "The Running Raw Project is a grand experiment in diet and athletic performance. It was started by Tim VanOrden in November of 2005 with a simple question: Can one be an athlete while eating a 100% raw vegan diet? That curiosity was quickly answered with a resounding YES!". Check out his results stats here! (http://runningraw.com/results.html)
Brendan Brazier's Vega (http://www.brendanbrazier.com/vega/index.html) product and experiences. "Since my blender drink formula had proven its self on a daily basis over the last eight years, it was clear that it delivered. Providing all the nutrition that a professional Ironman triathlete needed while maintaining a vegan diet spoke for itself. " There's also a Vega Community (http://www.vegacommunity.com/group/rawfoodathletes) too.
Extreme Adventure Sports (http://www.extreme-adventure-sports.com/raw-food.html) - small article.
Eating for Energy Blog (http://eatingforenergy.ca/blog/55/raw-food-diet-for-athletes/) - Has some references to research at the bottom.
Without doubt one of the greatest tennis players we've ever known, Martina is also a fan of raw foods and suggests a percentage of 50% raw for optimum performance. The article below is a cached page from the internet and because I think she makes many good training points I'm including the entire page in this post.
Just because autumn is here, that’s no excuse to disappear under bulky fall clothing and start settling in for your hibernation! After summer is over, people often lose their motivation to exercise and stay fit. They aren’t as active or as physically fit as they are in the summer months. This is a mistake that can gravely affect health and well-being.
Don’t let this happen to you! If you want to maintain good health and a fit body, keep doing what you’ve been doing. And if you are among the 64 percent of Americans who do not exercise at all, autumn is as good a time as any to get physical. Here is how:
● If your motivation is flagging now that swimsuit season is over, think about exercising with a friend. Try to find someone who has similar interests and goals so that you can help motivate one another. Years ago I had a good friend, a fellow athlete, who would ask me: “When are you going out to practice?” and I would tell her that I didn’t necessarily practice every day, and when I did practice, I usually did not go more than an hour. She’d insist that I work harder, giving it more than I ever had. Or she’d say, “Martina, don’t you think we ought to go to the gym?” She was really good at prodding me to get in shape at a time when I needed it. That’s the kind of friend we all need, to keep us from talking ourselves out of exercise.
● Avoid getting into a rut. Now that it is a new season, try a new form of exercise, something you’ve never done before, like a dance fitness class, a yoga-Pilates fusion class, or some new machines at the gym. I’ve always gotten bored doing the same old exercises again and again. Changing your exercise routine and trying new things will fire up your enthusiasm and keep you active no matter what the season.
● Think of autumn as time for “pre-season” conditioning, especially if you enjoy winter sports like skiing (my favorite). No top-level professional athlete just walks out on the field and plays. We all start with a preseason training program. For example, I would train specifically so that I could functionally improve my tennis. You can train that way too – for a specific sport or you can train for a better look such as a better shaped bum, toned arms, a flatter belly, longer muscles, or all of the above. Identify your activity for this winter, whether it is skiing, simply walking a few blocks each day, or building the functional fitness to shovel snow. With your activity in mind, design your own pre-season training program. It might be jogging on a treadmill to improve your aerobic fitness or working out with weights to condition your body.
● Enjoy the great outdoors. In some parts of the country, it is almost too hot in the summer to exercise outdoors. Fall weather, with its cooler, more moderate temperatures, is about the best time to be outside to enjoy brisk walks or jogs, bicycle rides, or hikes. For me, autumn marks the fall foliage season, and I like to enjoy it in Aspen, Colorado, where I spend part of my time. In the fall, Colorado’s famous aspen trees turn a shimmering yellow-gold, and it’s the best time to hike through the aspen groves. While uplifting my spirits, I’m getting an amazing workout too.
● Keep up great nutrition. If you’re going to stay active this fall, energize yourself with quality food. Eat well – and often. For sustained energy levels throughout the day, eat smaller, more frequent meals (i.e., six meals of approximately 300 to 450 calories each) of pure, wholesome foods. Over the years, I’ve learned what works for me, and I don’t like to lecture you or say that you have to do everything I do. But I’d like to strongly encourage you to give your body energy-boosting foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, while limiting energy-draining foods like fatty meats and dairy foods, refined sugar, and processed foods. I’m a big fan of raw foods and fresh juices – so put more of those in the mix. To increase energy, natural health experts recommend a diet that includes 50 percent rawfoods and fresh juices, all coming from fruits and vegetables. These foods provide nutrients that renew your energy and make you feel rejuvenated.
● Be patient with yourself. You don’t have to do any of this radically, either – just gradually. For some people, that may mean a month; for others, a whole year. Permanent, positive change takes time to occur, but it will happen as long as you’re patient with yourself. Realize that you’ll have good days and bad days, but what’s important is that you’re doing your best to choose foods and physical activities that make you feel your best.
If you start following these tips, at the very least, you’ll continue looking better and feeling better. If you keep them up through all four seasons, there is no telling how much better you will feel and look, and there is no telling how much better and healthier you will live.
By taking better care of yourself and making healthy choices on a consistent basis, you increase your odds of preventing, even reversing, life-threatening illnesses. And who knows? You may live to be a hundred or more, still vital, still in robust health. I don’t know about you, but I intend to die at a very healthy old age.
Edit: Looks like she's also written a book on it too - Shape Your Self (http://dietchoices.com/diet-plans/shape-your-self/), and offers Summer training tips (http://www.aarp.org/health/healthyliving/martina_navratilova/articles/Martina_Shape_Up.html) here with more on raw foods!
karen @rawchocolateheaven
08-10-2009, 03:28 PM
What personal tips would you suggest for getting started Jax?
Martina Nava....is way fit and her suggestions are good but not from a beginners point of view, she is so far from a the start I doubt she remembers what it's like ....
When I was at school I was really good at Gymnastics & trampolining
now when I get on my trampoline everything is different..my body just doesnt remember what to do!!!
I cycle and try to do about 10 miles a week sometimes in one hit, carrying James on the front!!! (my 3 year old) and periodically I run a bit and love skiing....but thats a lonely affair me & the dry slope!!:mad:
Would love company in any of the activities I throw myself into but alas timings are bad!!
Well you've already crossed the first hurdle (no pun intended!) by identifying the physical activities that you like to do ;) AND the 2nd hurdle is working out whether you want exercise alone or with other people, and it sounds like you prefer to be with others, which really does help to spur you on especially when winter nights draw in and you'd rather snuggle in front of the fire :D
So if you don't have anybody that you know who wants to cycle or run with you for instance you might find somebody with the online networks like run and cycle budi (http://www.rawinuk.com/showthread.php?t=83).
And if you still can't find anybody in your area and have resigned yourself to exercising alone, then I'd suggest that you set yourself training goals and enter yourself into some of the small local half marathon events or a charity event like the Race for Life (http://www.raceforlife.org/) for next year OR if you know you can access a large amount of sponsorship then you could train yourself up for cycling the Great Wall of China or this one for the British Lung Foundation (http://www.lunguk.org/getinvolved/fundraisingevents/trek-and-cycle/Paris+to+Geneva+Cycle.htm). That way you are working towards a goal and your motivation will be high as you don't want to let your sponsors down..............it got me through swimming 5000 metres once ;)
If all that doesn't appeal then what I did when I found myself training alone for a team sport (LOL don't try to work it out), is to just give yourself small goals to aim for. You can aim for distance, or time or intensity. So say you are already cycling 5 miles in a day, can you get the time down for that distance, OR can you increase the distance in the usual time that you do 5 miles.
One thing that you should also do is make a log of what you have achieved, did you reach your goal or not etc, a handy site to help you with this is Calorie Count (http://caloriecount.about.com/) as you can log your activity and see how many calories you've burned, or if you have a Wii Fit you can log it in a basic form on there. OR alternatively you can log it all in a thread on here and I can nag erm I mean coach you ;) Let me know if you need more help.
It's my dream to be able to run again, I'm hoping the knee ops will help with that :o
karen @rawchocolateheaven
15-10-2009, 06:47 PM
LOL, we walked the great wall of China years ago, did about 1/4 mile at famous tourist spot!!! put it this way I wouldn't cycle it, nearly killed us!! way up and way back down again!!!
Like the buddy idea think that may be way to go.
When those knees are bending we will race all over the place!!
sharonjones
21-10-2009, 07:11 PM
Jax,
this thread is great! i cant believe i missed it before ?
i wouldnt say im an 'athlete' but hubby and i are pretty active and on the go playing golf 3 times weekly (when possible), mountain walking, and as our business is in the construction industry work is pretty active too.
i'm still tweaking my diet, and trying to find a good raw balance for my active spells. so far prior to activity i end up eating shop bought non-raw fruity/nutty bars to sustain me. i havent found a raw way of doing it yet.
i guess this is where i need help.
oh and i cant seem to manage without plenty of fats either although im reading all about how athletes manage better on low/no fats.
you could say im confused lol ;)
Jax,
this thread is great! i cant believe i missed it before ?
i wouldnt say im an 'athlete' but hubby and i are pretty active and on the go playing golf 3 times weekly (when possible), mountain walking, and as our business is in the construction industry work is pretty active too.
i'm still tweaking my diet, and trying to find a good raw balance for my active spells. so far prior to activity i end up eating shop bought non-raw fruity/nutty bars to sustain me. i havent found a raw way of doing it yet.
i guess this is where i need help.
oh and i cant seem to manage without plenty of fats either although im reading all about how athletes manage better on low/no fats.
you could say im confused lol ;)I must admit Sharon that the more you read I think the more confused you can get, everybody seems to be coming from different angles, and can you really trust the results and testimonials of somebody that also has a product - tricky isn't it?
That's why I think it's a case of trial and error with raw foods and exercise. Note all your results and responses in a training log, like what your diet consisted of that day/week, did you feel more energised (you could construct your own scale or use an online one (http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/strengthening/a/030904.htm)), or be more scientific and measure your performance over distance, time or intensity on your mountain walks (heart rate monitors are good for this OR you can test your recovery rate), this way you'll be able to see if a different way of eating or different foods help or hinder your performance levels, but obviously only try one different thing every 2-3 weeks or so to give yourself a good indicator in difference.
When it comes to the snacks are you looking for a boost of energy before you exercise for your diabetes, or are you eating the snacks on the go to sustain your insulin levels??
Thought this seemed the best thread to post this in :smexercise6: :smexercise7: :smexercise4: :smexercise5:
Ultra Fit (http://www.ultra-fitmagazine.com/malehealth/) are giving away a free issue, I've not tried this mag so can't really comment on it, but I have tried a similar offer with an athletic mag called Spikes and haven't had any junk mail through from it or anything of the like.
Check out this site of a UK raw runner (http://www.rawrunner.co.uk/), for quite dramatic before and after pics of him see his About section, granted he done a lot of training, but I think the changes are quite amazing.
sharonjones
07-11-2009, 07:31 PM
jax im looking for raw food that will sustain my energy during activity. you mention insulin, are you referring to natural levels within the body or external? i dont take external insulin anymore.
in the building work i may be active for 3 or 4 hours before having a break, ditto the golf thinking about it.
Ah okay that's what I thought you meant but wanted to just clarify that you weren't eating snacks your body's insulin levels.
If you are looking for an ideal snack to replenish energy levels during training/manual work, one of the best snacks that is widely purported throughout many sporting circles is a simple banana or 2 (which was why I was hesitant with your diabetes). As most people know the more yellow a banana is the more fruit sugar it will have in it, and the more green it is the strach it will contain (which then converts to fruit sugar and converted to glycogen for the body to use). So if you need a quick pick me up a more yellow banana might be useful, but if you need to replenish and use the stored energy later a more starchier banana might be useful. The banana replaces any electrolytes that you've used up. At the moment I can't easily find any links for you to back up what I've said and read further into it - the only decent thing I can find that not trying to sell anything is here, see step 4 (http://www.ehow.com/how_2209174_avoid-electrolyte-imbalance-after-exercise.html). Also don't forget hydration, coconut water is proving to be more substantial than water for hydration in some research.
If you are a very active person which it sounds you are, check out if you are eating enough calories for your loading on your body, just in case you might be falling short. I'm sure you know about sedentary people needing far less calories than an athlete (the 2 extremes we teach about to highlight the point), but it's one that a lot of active people forget about.
I'm also sure I don't need to tell you about what sort of ratios you need to sustain an active lifestlye, but check if you are ingesting enough protein etc (although again this getting a little confusing in the raw world - think Doug Graham and 80/10/10 etc). Incidentally on the little or no fat and performance topic, I grabbed a quick chat with Max Tuck (http://www.optimisedliving.com/) yesterday (who didn't get good results with the 80/10/10 'diet'!), she is a Hippocrates trained nutritionist who works closely with athletes and herself runs marathons, she said she barely has a trace of fats in her diet and does very well on it! I am assuming that she suggests the same for her athletes, some of which are heading towards 2012 http://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Thought I'd add this link to Vegan Runners UK (http://www.veganrunners.org.uk/index.html), not neccesarily raw but proving you can compete without meat http://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
It also has a diary of scheduled events here (http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pebTohWFqqkM3_o1iInDSUQ) after all if you're raw you're going to be able to compete with them.
sunluvva
08-12-2009, 10:04 PM
Hi Folks
I'm a long distance runner normally, I've done 5 marathons, last one last year and done on about 60-75% raw. Matt (rawrunner) is a personal friend and has given me lots of advice and encouragement. He has found that a slightly higher fat ratio is needed for him when running marathons, between 15 -17% maximum.
Sharon, you can buy Nakd bars in Holland & Barrett and larger Sainsbury's stores. They are raw energy bars. Another way to keep your energy levels up is to make your own energy drink, it's simply 50% fresh orange juice/50% water. some people add a pinch of salt to replace electrolytes lost in sweat but recent research suggests it dosen't help at all. If you want salt I'd include celery juice.
Before long runs I fuel up on bananas and dates, though pears and figs (in season now) are high carbohydrate fruits too and fantastic for extended exertions.
The Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal have apparently reported that spirulina can 'boost exercise performance'. It found that people could run at a higher intensity for longer and sufferred from less post-exercise fatigue.
It also found that it helped the body use its fat reserves during training.
(Healthy Issue 78)
Guys I have to introduce you to Dan, he is amazing! A fantastic advert for dropping the meat and adopting living and super foods into your diet to achieve your optimal performance.
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In Dan's words to me; "Ive been vegetarian for 16 months now. I'm in my late 30's and feel the best I've felt in my entire life. I was doing calisthenics before I went vegetarian but getting off the meat and adding superfoods such as goji, maca, cacao, spirulina, hemp, mulberry etc has really catapulted my overall health. I've only been focusing on the extreme calisthenics for 2 years now. My strength and endurance does progress so I'm happy with that."
"I am honestly such a believer in this now that it is really disconcerting to see so many people brainwashed into thinking they "need" certain things to eat when actually those are the things causing their problems. I plan on preaching this type of exercise as well as the vegetarian diet with an emphasis on raw food and superfoods for the rest of my life."
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Who says playgrounds are just for kids ;) You can check out more on Dan on his site The Bar Union (http://www.thebarunion.com/).
Whilst researching for my latest nutrition lesson I read that the British Olympic Association are advocating alkalising green drinks for their athletes, I haven't found anything that completely confirms this yet though.....will edeavor to find out more ;)
This may've come about from many more athletes eating alkalising foods at the Beijing Olympics.
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