In terms of scientific research, the jury is out on whether vegans can be said to be fitter than omnivores. However, a number of top athletes have said they feel fitter and perform better on a vegan diet.
Running
Christianne Wolff, personal trainer for Nelsons® arnicare® (and trainer to the stars,) takes a look at some famous athletes and how they've benefitted from veganism. She's also compiled 6 top exercises that are ideal to do while on a vegan diet.
- RUNNING - Running is a good cardio exercise for vegans, as the whole foods consumed are a brilliant energy source for fuelling this kind of cardiovascular activity. Vegan ultra-runner, Scott Jurek, and author of Eat and Run said that changing from vegetarian to vegan helped him to run smarter and win the Minnesota Voyageur 50-mile race on his third try.
- YOGA - As yoga is about balance and connecting with your true self, it resonates well with a lot of vegans. Take some time out first thing in the morning, before you begin your day, to tune in to your body's true needs. Finding a quiet space and doing 20 minutes of sun salutations a day will really help to achieve composure and balance and leave you ready to face the day ahead.
- RESISTANCE - There have been many studies into weight training and whether meat eaters gain more muscle or not. The majority of studies tend to suggest that meat eaters gain more muscle mass. Therefore resistance training is fantastic for vegans as it is more light weight compared to weight training and less likely to cause fatigue.
- HIIT - Hill running is great for getting the heart pumping oxygen around the body. Start at the bottom and run half way up the hill and walk back down slowly. Next sprint 3/4 way up and then walk down slowly. Run all the way up and walk down slowly. Repeat once and warm down with a 10 minute walk and a stretch. This is a quick and simple outdoor exercise that will only take up 20 minutes of time.
- ENDURANCE EXERCISES - Walking, swimming and dancing are all great forms of endurance exercises, which can be enhanced by the sustainable energy provided by vegan foods. Aim to carry out one of these exercises 2-3 times a week to help improve overall health and fitness.
- CYCLING - Brendan Brazier is a vegan champion cyclist and tri-athlete, and author of the Thrive series. He saw his performance improve dramatically after learning to be a healthy vegan. If you enjoy cycling as a form of fitness, just make sure you have eaten enough whole foods before setting off on a long ride, in order to provide your body with enough sustainable energy.
If you're thinking of taking up a new form of exercise, try specially formulated Nelsons arnicare Arnica Cooling Gel which is ideal for massaging into tired and over-worked legs, to help cool and revive them. It is non-greasy and easily absorbed by the skin, combining the natural benefits of arnica with the refreshing sensation of grapefruit oil and menthol to cool and soothe the skin.
Nelsons arnicare Arnica Cooling Gel is priced at £5.15 for 30g and is available from Boots, Holland & Barrett, Superdrug and Amazon. Visit www.arnicare.co.uk for more information.
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