perfectlylovely13 asked:
Hey Courtney. I'm writing about the junior high swimmer who's doctor poo pooed going vegetarian. It is totally doable. I was a vegetarian endurance athlete in high school as a distance runner. I would run up to 12 miles a day 6 days a week for 6 straight months of the year with lighter training during the other 6 months. I went vegetarian my senior year and found that not only did my times improved significantly after I made the switch but that I never felt healthier or had more energy. I still run and am planning on doing a half marathon next October and I went completely vegan over a year ago. Her doctor is obviously very much misinformed (as many are), as there are countless vegan/vegetarian athlete out there in everything from bodybuilding to ping pong (ok so I'm not sure about ping pong but you get the idea) and there are numerous resources online and even online clubs and forums either for specific sports or just general veg athletes. There are so many common misconceptions about the veggie diet but if done correctly it is an amazing and healthy life style and usually healthier than an omni diet that gets to much of some things (like protein) and not enough of others (like fiber). I have been doing it for what seems like forever, while leading a very active life and I have never felt better. Sorry for the short novel on this but it’s something I feel very strongly about. Still enjoying the heck out of your blog. - Jennifer
