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Climbers and Diet - Any Vegetarians out there? 3-May-2004 At 10:49:29 AM MrKyle

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Mr StinkingGoat your comment about complete proteins is rubbish. To see the volumes of evidence against your claim, just go to google and type - vegetarian complete protein. Basically, all one has to do is use a couple of sources of protein for a complete balance - which is a real no brainer, and makes perfect sense, since eating a big bowl of just one thing is BORING eating.

I've been vego for about 3-4 years now, and feel much better for it. My girlfriend has also been vego/vegan for about 7 years and loves it. Variety is the key. For us, it's easy because we really enjoy creating yummy meals and eat a huge variety of food.

We tend to eat quite a lot of protein by being sure to include grains and pulses in our cooking. The choices in tofu and soy milk have also come a long way in recent years. I think that a lot of people have been unsuccessful as vegetarians simply because they eat too many processed carbohydrates, and not enough whole foods and vegetables (which sounds bizarre I know). Some people have very restricted diets and make it hard for themselves by not regularly including nuts and beans etc. People that have limited/immature food preparation skills will also find being vegetarian hard - until there comes a time when there are lot more off-the-shelf vege items from supermarkets.

Ultimately, I think my energy levels now are better than they ever were, and we are both very active climbers (and outdoors in general). Ben, when I train hard (weights, campusing, boulder sessions a few nights a week), I get ravenous. What works for me is to make sure I have good amounts of complete protein reasonably soon after I train (the same day). To be sure, I’d go some good tofu protein. Miso soup is absolutely kick-ass at short notice and we have it often in winter. It has protein, but you typically add tofu AND throw in a good bunch of seaweedy stuff for iron and other nutrients. PLUS you can buy it ready made in single server packets - which you can have with your normal meal.

If you still don't think you can climb hard as a vegetarian, check out Ivan Vostinar from NZ; he's been a super vego for several years - and is a hefty, ripped climbing machine, cranking 32's and filled with energy. Another friend of ours has been a vego for eons and has run about 30 marathons (he's also been a best man at 25 weddings- but that's another story).

BTW in regard to TVP (which used to make me retch): buy some of the dried savoury stuff that Sanitarium makes (available from both Coles and Woolies) and make it into Spaghetti Bolognaise. If you aren't a confident cook, just use one of the sauce in a jar things as a shortcut. I've served this to my meat-eating friends many times, and had them combing back for more (often they didn't even realise it wasn't beef).

Okay, I’m off my soapbox now. Hope that's helpful.