Confession Time - this might not be the optimal diet for me

Yes, I feel great on the vegan diet - for approximately 23 hours out of the day.  I sleep better, I have kicked the caffeine habit, I generally have more energy.  There is just one difference that I am less than thrilled about, and that is my performance in the gym.

Strength is good - I am maintaining a strong back squat and press.  Endurance is not a problem, I find that I run just as fast for a mile as I did when I was on the Paleo diet.  The problem is intensity.  Through several workouts of sprints or met-con Crossfit workouts I find myself in a state of extreme discomfort.

I know what my CF friends are thinking - doesn't it always hurt a little (and isn't that the point)?  Yes, but this is different.  In the high intensity metabolic conditioning workouts I find myself losing strength and unable to recover during the short breaks in the WOD.  And I am starting to wonder - am I getting enough protein or fat?

We've discussed fat, and the goal has been to reduce fat intake levels to 20- 25% of calories consumed. I won't go into further detail about fat consumption now as that has been covered in earlier posts.

During the Engine 2 Immersion program, Dr. Colin Campbell threw out a number that was surprising - human breast milk contains approximately 7% of calories from protein.  That's right, only 7%.  He implied that humans at their greatest time of growth only require 5-10% of calories from protein, and therefore as adults there is no reason to go above this number.  I was surprised and thought that I must be consuming too much protein.

But then I began thinking. . . Something just doesn't add up here.  If we are to aim for a diet in which 20% of our calories comes from fat, and less than 10% comes from protein, then that means 70% of calories should come from carbohydrates.

But - if we are to apply the mother's milk guidelines to protein, then why wouldn't we apply it to other macro-nutrients (carbs and fat) as well? The average macro-nutrient break down for human breast milk is as follows:

• 55% from Fat
• 7% from Protein
• 38% from Carbohydrates

So, let's do a little math here.  If we were to follow the 55%/7%/38% ratio listed above but reduce the fat content to 20% while keeping the Carbohydrate to Protein ratio balanced we would end up with the following:

• 20% fat
• 59% carbohydrate
• 11% protein

This breakdown ironically takes me to where I am today with my diet.  I have been following the Plant Strong Vegan diet and falling into a 20% fat, 59% carb and 11% protein diet - but struggling with intensity.

It begs the question - do I need to do met-con workouts?  The answer for me is unequivocally - yes.  No other activity, hobby, or sport in my life has yielded the results I get from Crossfit.  It is more than strength and fitness, it is clarity of mind, mental well being, confidence.  It is my social network, my second family, and all in all I am better at life because of it.

So if this diet results in a decrease in desire to continue Crossfit, then I need to modify the diet.  Somewhere between the two macro-nutrient breakouts above is the answer.  But the answer will not be found by focusing on the carbs, fats, and proteins.  The answer will be found in continuing to seek out a "whole foods", plant based, diet that is consumed as nature intended, and by watching the nutrient breakout as I try new diets (rather than letting the breakout define the diet)

Final blood results on the Plant Strong vegan diet are not complete yet, and I will hold off on any modifications to this diet until the results are in.


My goal is simple - to live a long life and to be strong enough and healthy enough to enjoy every opportunity this wonderful world has to offer.  Live long, live strong. (And never let one objective prevent the other).