Athlete's Weight Loss Plan

Many athletes struggle with weight loss, especially as they get older. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a weekend warrior, competing at the optimal weight will enhance your success on the field or court. Not to mention the confidence boost from looking your best!

But where to start? If you are in training you have a healthy appetite. And the last thing you want is to risk losing muscle. So fad diets are not an option. You need an eating plan that provides plenty of energy for your workouts and practices.

What if I told you there was a diet that would not only drop you to a peak performance weight but also super-charge your immune system? After all, avoiding sickness and recovering quickly from injuries that can interfere with your training is critical. Not to mention preventing the killer diseases of our time like heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes.

Would you be willing to try this way of eating? You've probably heard talk at the gym or in the locker room about protein powders, low carb diets, supplements, and weight loss shakes. Maybe you've even tried a few. But you never really lost the weight and you can't stick to these plans can you? No they are not the answer.

The right way to achieve optimal athletic performance and a healthy weight is to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet. Get as close to nature as possible. Avoiding chemical additives and preservatives will allow your body maximum absorption of critical nutrients. Purify your body of these alien substances clogging your cells and the fat will eliminate as well.

Maybe you are saying, hey that makes a lot of sense. But what in the world do I eat? The good news is if you stick with the foods that your body craves, you can eat lots of food and still lose weight. You will gain lean muscle faster by eating primarily fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

That doesn't sound like what you've heard in the gym? You thought protein from chicken and even steak was crucial? NOT!! Did you know 100 calories of steak has 6 grams of protein and 100 grams of broccoli has 11 grams of protein? It is possible to get plenty of high qualify protein from a vegan diet.

So what do you eat? Doesn't a hearty breakfast like oatmeal with sliced bananas and walnuts sound filling? How about a huge plate of stir-fry vegetables with brown rice for lunch? Oh and you can even have as much fresh fruit as you want for dessert.

Start dinner with a large salad. And we mean large. If you think salads are boring it's because you don't put enough variety into them. Take your pick among romaine or spinach leaves, red bell peppers, cucumbers, roma tomatoes, celery, bean sprouts, jicama, the list goes on. Experiment! Follow that up with whole wheat pasta with mushrooms, zucchini, and onions. How about baked apples with cinnamon for dessert? Or fresh strawberries and blueberries. Doesn't all that food sound more filling than a lame protein shake?

You will be hooked once you realize how much you can eat and still lose weight.

Don't believe me that your athletic performance will benefit? You've probably heard that some professional athletes are vocal and committed vegetarians. Examples include Tony Gonzalez, pro bowl tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Martina Navratilova who won Wimbledon tennis titles into her 50s.

Skeptical about being strong on a vegetarian diet? Other vegetarian athletes include Stan Price, world record-holder in the bench press, Ruth Heidrich, three-time champion in the grueling iron man triathlon, and Carl Lewis, the Olympic track star. There are countless others. You get the point.

What do you have to lose? Other than the weight of course. If you have had difficulty sticking to diets before, and who hasn't, why not give this a try? It's free, you can eat a lot, and there is no tedious calorie counting, measuring portions, or buying expensive prepackaged food.

After a week on this diet you will be amazed how good you feel. Suddenly all of the digestive issues you have will disappear. You will have more energy for workouts. You will sleep better and recover faster. Your skin will be radiant. You might even look younger. Friends will start to ask what you are doing differently. And before long your athletic performance will shine. Who wouldn't want to be faster, lighter, and stronger? Give this diet a try. Lose the weight and recapture your glory years.

by Diane Gilabert
http://www.lose-weight-for-life.com
Your site for permanent Weight Loss and vibrant Health.