Lean Protein For Vegetarians?

[deadflowers]

I did a "Ctrl-F" search for the word "Quinoa," and am surprised no one's posted it!!! It's a delicious grain- the texture, I'll admit, is a bit weird, but it's so good for you, virtually fat free, and low-calorie! You can dress it up in a million different ways, too- I like it with curry sauce, or as a dessert with maple syrup

[VeggieRicky]

People who do a lot of exercise need more carbs than anything. You should be taking in adequate protein, and soy has all the essential amino acids your body needs. Really only 10-15% of your calorie intake should be protein because your body can't use more than that. You need plenty of carbs to replenish lost energy.

Basically, I would worry more about keeping a good balance and not cutting down on carbs, try 10-15%protein, 55-70%carbs, and 20-25%fats in your calorie intake. <-Thats from my kinesiology textbook and is the ratio for athletes which if you're running 30 miles a week you probably qualify.

[rpw001]

The amount or type of protein that you're ingesting may not be the source of your problem. You did not elaborate on other aspects of your diet and training regimen, but some other things to consider when trying to lose weight are

1. The pace at which you're running. Higher intensity workouts will rev up your metabolism which results in higher calorie burn. Warning: not every run or even an entire run should be at high intensity or you risk injury; there are a number of online training plans that provide a good balance of shorter, high intensity runs and longer, low intensity runs.

2. Other non-protein sources of carbs in your diet. Don't know if you drink, but alcohol is a source of empty calories that can negate the benefits of exercise. Even moderate alcohol consumption contributes significantly to overall calorie intake.

3. Timing of when you eat can be a factor; Your body processes protein and carbs most efficiently within 30 minutes of exercise. Most studies that I have read in this area deal with extended periods of exercise such as sessions longer than one hour. These findings may be relevant for shorter periods, too.

4. A lot can change in five years. How your body responds to exercise now may be different than when you ran regularly 5 years ago. Are you spending more of your non-running time sitting at a desk now than you were 5 years ago?

Now, to your specific question about non-soy sources of protein, I rely on legumes (especially lentils), quinoa, and unprocessed grains such as brown rice and oats. Also, I try to maintain a well-balanced diet based on natural, unprocessed foods; so many different plant-based foods have trace amounts of protein and they can all contribute to your daily protein intake. This being said, protein probably makes up 15% of my total calorie intake.

[glanyvegan]

I have been a runner all my life and started eating a vegan diet 90 days ago. I researched lots of vegan energy sources for workouts and came up with the following morning formula: 1 cup of soy milk, 1 cup of water, 1 tbsp of the following ground seeds: chia, flax, hemp, and 1 tbsp of backstrap molasses. I shake it all together in a cup and slam it down. It is about a 400 calorie lean shot of energy and protein. I know we can't post links here, but the full nutritional breakdown is on my blog if you are interested.

I have run an average of 10 - 15 miles a week for 15 years. With this shake, I found myself being able to swim 30 minutes of laps and then run about 4 miles. The only thing stopping me from running further was having to go to work. I am actually going to train for one of those mini-iron mans next year. I had plenty of energy after the run also.

You should research those seeds I mentioned. They have been used for thousands of years for endurance.

[godxisxagnostic]

Seitan is probably your best bet, or veggie faux meats that are high in protein (though they aren't too healthy). Rice protein powder is good, easy to digest and less powder-y than soy protein. I'd suggest eating lentils and split peas more often than beans since they have a great deal more protein and then choosing high protein grains such as quinoa and oats.

Try to eat a few more servings of veggies a day. It should, theoretically, help you eat less carbs. Not to mention that broccoli actually has a ton of protein considering how low it is in calories.

[icepick]

You probably won't gain upperbody muscle mass doing long cardio sessions. Long cardio sessions can reduce muscle mass or prevent you from gain it.

Ditch the long cardio sessions for high intense workouts which will help with developing muscle mass and fat loss: hill sprints, tabata, H.I.I.T. interval training or barbbell complexes.