How to Get Enough Protein and Nutrients While Training for a Marathon on a Plant-Based Diet
It's been HOT in the Chicago area. Sizzling hot, and oh so humid.
I'm not complaining. Throughout most of the winter and spring I pine for sunny summer days and balmy nights, and now that they're here I'm not wishing them away.
Although the heat and humidity isn't the best for running long distances, I'm making it work, with a lot of discipline.
If you can drag your body out of bed around 5:00 am, eat something light, do some easy stretching, and get out the door by 6:00 am, running is actually pretty pleasant. The more that I get used to it the better it gets.
It's quiet, the birds are active, and the air is fresh; it's a peaceful way to start the day. I don't listen to music or podcasts when I run so early because nature provides a pretty awesome playlist, and it's also a great time to be alone with your thoughts. I like to think of it as active meditation.
Check out the beautiful sights that greeted me this week.
Vegan Food to Keep you Strong and Energized
On this particular day I focused on my veggies and grains. If you've been following my blog for a while you know that my motto is Eat the Rainbow!
The more colorful and textural your food is, the better you're going to feel. It's all about balance.
Breakfast
The alarm woke me up at 5:15 am and I began the day with a big glass of lemon water, then a cup of coffee with almond milk, and a piece of seven grain toast with blueberry preserves.
After my run I had a handful of almonds, a glass of water, and my new favorite smoothie that consists of water, spinach, frozen pineapple, frozen blueberries, a half of a scoop of chocolate plant-based protein powder, and a tablespoon of hemp hearts
.
Once I finished the smoothie and made sure that I didn't have a blueberry mustache, I took the dogs on a two mile walk and came home and stretched and foam rolled, took a shower, and ate a bowl of oatmeal with spinach and tomatoes.
It was only 9:00 am ย and I had already eaten three cups of spinach!
Lunch
My husband and I are rabid fans of Mexican food. We seriously eat it at least twice a week. I made two black bean and red cabbage slaw tacos with leftovers from the night before.
Snacks
I had a half of a small watermelon. So hydrating! A few hours later I had a few baby cucumbers (more hydration) and some roasted red pepper hummus.
Dinner
I had a tennis match so my husband, also known as, The Breakfast King,had a fabulous tapas dinner waiting for me when I got home.
Grilled radicchio and broccolini, heirloom tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mixed olives, whole grain bread (not shown) and a glass of chilled white wine. Perfection.
Of course I didn't eat that entire platter! I ate half. ๐
I consumed a TON of clean plant-based protein today! Because of the black beans, the hummus, the oats, and all of the fruits and veggies, I ate approximately 100 grams of protein. If I were a sedentary woman that wouldn't be optimal, ย because the average woman should consume 46 grams per day. However, I'm training for a marathon and playing a lot of tennis these days. One of my teams won our flight and we're going to district for the second summer in a row! Add in weight training, dog walking, and housework, and I need extra protein to stay strong.
Activity this week:
Total miles run: 26.1 miles
Total miles walked: 16 miles
Total hours of tennis: 8 hours and 45 minutes
Have an awesome weekend! See you next week.ย โฅ
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Kristine says
MAN, I get tired just reading about all of your exercise! I take my dog on a three mile walk and think I'm doing good. This is definitely good motivation in that it shows that we're capable of MORE. Now to get off the couch and actually DO more..
Linda Meyer says
Hahaha! A three mile walk a day is great! You're getting more exercise than most people. ๐ I'm just kind of a nut job.
Strength and Sunshine says
I think running super early is the best! I see runners out mid-day and have NO idea how they aren't passing out from the heat!
Linda Meyer says
I don't know how they do it. I feel faint running past 8:00 am in this heat.
Jenn says
You are doing great, Linda!! I think I eat about that much food and I'm not training for any marathon. LOL!!
Linda Meyer says
That's the beauty of a healthy vegan diet, you get to EAT and not feel guilty! ๐ Thanks, Jenn!
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
Running in the heat is a challenge for sure! I need to get out earlier too for long runs, not easy after a busy week! Great mileage and eats!
Linda Meyer says
It's not easy getting out of bed, but it's so nice to be out when it's so peaceful and quiet.
nicoleanndawson says
So, how long did it take you to start to enjoy the waking up early and running? I don't think ever reached that part ๐
Linda Meyer says
I don't like getting up early, but I do like running early. When I want to roll over and pull the covers over my head I think about how peaceful it is outside and how good I'll feel getting my run done so early. ๐
nicoleanndawson says
Thats a good way to look at it. The mornings are more peaceful for sure, especially before the kids wake up ๐