Plant-based diet could energize you to improved running performance
Healthy eating habits are as vital as having proper shoes for running sustainability.
Fuelling your body with the right foods for optimum performance indeed, is the key and could be the difference between winning and losing for competitive athletes.
Adam Hart, a 40-year-old whole foods chef, author and professional spokesperson for healthy eating claims a majority of North Americans are looking for more energy in their food choices while finding the time to eat healthy. During a recent phone interview from his home in Squamish, BC, Hart revealed he’s been a nutritional researcher for 10 years. He has studied the ideal foods for optimal health and shared with me the 3-step system to eating for maximum nutrition without any restrictions to your diet or lifestyle.
As an entrepreneur and founder of his company, Power of Food, Hart said with certainty, “You don’t need to change a thing to your diet; just adding in one or two key foods that are plant based, such as hemp, will give you more energy. By adding some chia seeds, which have omega 3’s to your breakfast cereal every morning is a start to a healthy eating path.” In Hart's new book, E3 for Life: 3 Elements, he is quoted thusly, “Once you introduce plant based food into your diet, you will feel more energy.”
I asked him to compare chocolate milk to energy drinks for post recovery refreshment. He laughed and said, “I have been asked this before and I don’t recommend it - my recovery drink is hemp based. I am a fan of raw living. I use hemp for my protein and then include water. It is my drink and I noticed a pretty quick recovery.” Hart is an avid hiker and has run half marathons.
By incorporating plant based food products like chia seeds, hemp and keenwah into your daily diet is what Hart’s mission statement is all about when it comes to educating his corporate clients on healthy eating.
The main steps to following a more energized diet, say Hart:
•Know your plant based foods, i.e. chia seeds, and add them to your diet.
•Learn how to use the foods. Be creative and add them to your smoothie, oatmeal, protein shakes, etc.
•He suggests going to a Farmer’s market and shop locally for fresh fruits and vegetables.
•Most health food stores carry the products mentioned in this column.
Here is one of Hart’s recipes:
Raw Breakfast Brownies
Makes 6 brownies
- ½ cup almond butter
- 3 tablespoons cacao powder
- 2 cups dates, pitted & chopped
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
How to prepare:
Chop your dates in half to ensure there are no pits. Place your chopped dates into a food processor with the water and blend together. Add all your other ingredients and blend together. Cover a square baking dish with wax or parchment paper and place your mixture evenly throughout. You want the mix to be about 1 inch thick to be cut into small brownie size pieces. Refrigerate your brownies for 1 hour to let harden or eat right away if you want them a bit softer. The harder they are, the easier they are to cut and store. Cut your mixture into small brownie serving sizes and freeze them to be eaten when you desire.
Hart says on his website you can unlock the power of food. Following the Canadian Food Guide and incorporating a plant food based diet could be the difference maker in your next race.
For more info, see www.poweroffood.com.
Christine Blanchette is a Richmond runner and writer. Follow her on Twitter (@christineruns) and at www.christineruns.com
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