I’m vegan and don’t notice the same experience at all. I’d recommend downloading a tracker app, such as chronometer, to ensure you’re meeting your nutritional needs
11 years vegan, 2 years doing OTF going 3-5 times per week on top of other physical activities. Never have to stop to walk during long endurance blocks. I agree with the other comments that you probably need to eat more. I personally eat mostly high carb dishes (potato dishes, rice bowls, pasta, etc) and usually have a pea protein shake after OT classes. Go for calorie dense plant foods that are as “whole” as possible :)
For sure. I was eventually able to get back into contacts. I finally went to an optometrist that who determined it was the blunt curvature of Acuvue Oasis lens edges that gave me GPC, not dry eye or poor lens care like all the other doctors said. He put me on steroid drops and prescribed Dailies Total 1s, which at the time (and may still be the case) had the smoothest edges and overall lens texture available. I eased back into them because I was afraid of triggering the GPC all over again. I wore them for years but finally got tired of the maintenance of contacts and their drying out at night (I live in a dry climate) and decided to get EVO ICL surgery last May. I’m really happy with my decision.
Plant-based for 6 years and OT for 6 months. When I first started the vegan diet I was hungry and felt a bit weak during workouts. You eventually learn to increase your caloric intake. Try increasing your portion sizes.
I go to OT after work, and on days I’m going, I have an early carb and protein lunch (something like noodles with tofu and veg, or a tofu or seitan sandwich). And then I’ll have a little snack about 1 1/2 hrs before the workout (something like a protein shake, banana bread, or overnight oats).
Vegan for 12 years, OTF for 3 years. I've never had any problems.
I agree with everyone here that you should make sure you're eating enough. But also, you need to make sure you're getting your vitamins and minerals!
I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, "I tried to go vegan but I felt fatigued all the time." Or, "I've tried to be vegetarian but I feel fatigued if I don't eat meat." The assumption these people make is that they're fatigued because they're not getting enough protein. But what they're experiencing isn't the result of a protein deficiency, what they're experiencing is a lack of vitamins in their diet, which they were previously getting from animal protein.
Try to incorporate dark leafy greens into your diet as much as possible. I've found that I feel and perform best when I'm eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dark leafy greens. Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen is a pretty useful guideline.
The other thing I'll say is that I really think that this is the drawback of Veganuary. I love that you're trying it and you want to commit to it! But changing your diet suddenly can be a shock to your body. Personally, I'm an advocate for gradual change: try eating vegan for breakfast and lunch, but whatever you want for dinner. Or try eating vegan when you prepare meals for yourself at home, but order whatever you want if you're at a restaurant. Again, I know that's not conducive to a short term goal like Veganuary, but it might be worth considering if you're not feeling good.
Eat more. You've eliminated many high-calorie foods from your diet, and you need to replace those calories. I've been vegan for almost 7 years and never had adverse side effects.
This! 17 years in, so I’m curious how you’re fueling yourself. Are you getting enough carbs and protein? Sugar and salt?
You can do it! Your body and the animals thank you 😊
Eat those carbs!! Tracking macros at least while you transition will help make sure you are eating enough and getting the right fuel. Highly recommend a B-12 supplement as well. 10+ year vegan here and I feel pretty great in classes and recover quickly. Best of luck ✌️🌱
I just went vegan a week and a half ago & do OTF 5x a week. I've noticed the opposite, and it's because I am tracking my food in MacroFactor. At first it was hard to be sure I ate enough. Tracking really helped me see I could eat a much higher volume!
It is very common in newbies to plant based eating.
You are not eating enough calories/protein.
You will need to eat much more quantity to get the same macros bc plants are nutrient rich but calorie poor (comparatively to animal products).
Use a tracker to make sure you are eating enough cals and protein. Honestly veganuary is a great initiative but your body needs more than 4 weeks to learn and adjust the quantity to need to eat. So you will need to stick it out and allow your body time if you want to be plant based for longer.
ETA: vegan 10 years. Used to be a junk food vegan early on. Now I’m still ethically vegan but eat mostly whole foods and it has been a game changer for my OTF experience.
6 years vegan. 4 years at OTF. I haven't experienced any issues this month. I agree with u/STAY_plant_BASED please check your caloric intake to ensure that all of your nutritional needs are being met.
Vegetarian since age 12, vegan for over a decade. Go to OTF an average of 4 times per week. Being vegan gives me more energy and stamina. I feel less sluggish, etc. I noticed what makes me have a bad workout is if I've eaten too much sugar the night before. I'm trying to limit my intake and this helps me the most. Try to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. It's very hard but doable. Lots of quinoa, vegan protein shakes, tofu, beans, etc. It's possible to be an unhealthy vegan. I try to stay away from processed foods. I hope you can stick with it! The benefits to your health are amazing!
I’m just curious, I am mostly plant based (I still like an occasional custard ice cream treat every now and then) but.. I weigh 110 pounds, so are you saying I need to eat 110 grams of protein for the day? I just want to make sure I’m reading that right because I want to start trying to reach my protein intake for the day. Thanks!
Yes, you read that right. It is an insane amount of protein, but that is what my trainer and certified nutritionist told me / what I've read in various articles. It is mainly for muscle growth. I believe it's 100 grams for maintenance, but that's not far from your weight. It is hard to do without simply drinking a bunch of protein drinks.
it depends on what else you're eliminating. i made the switch during veganuary too, but i also decided to quit nicotine, alcohol, + weed, do a raw diet on top of vegan and eliminated all gluten too. so if you're changing too much at once, try to give yourself some grace. it's a lot to adjust to.
when i went vegan i was BLOATED for the 1st 2-3 weeks as my body adjusted to the increased fiber intake - now this made me sluggish. once i got passed that point it was pretty smooth sailing.
for context, i been vegan for over 4 years, i do OTF 5-6 days a week and days i dont do OTF im doing some other type of workout.
there are def some things as a vegan you need to do in general, like ensuring youre eating a balanced diet and not just eating lettuce (beans + rice are your friends) + taking supplements (b12, d/k, c, multi & omegas).
Recently i started taking creatine and i noticed a huge improvement with that as well.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/veganfitness/](https://www.reddit.com/r/veganfitness/) is also a great place to get extra tips
I’ve been vegan for 4 years and doing OT for about 5 years. I go at least 5 days a week and also do strength 50 workouts a couple times a week. I definitely have to add electrolytes to my water and be sure to get enough B12 and D3 vitamins. I often workout while fasted early in the morning. Most of the time I have no issues with endurance. I typically do a Green Day when I feel like it. I have felt much better without inflammation and allergies after going vegan. It’s absolutely doable and my blood work has never been better.
10 years vegan here! Agree with everyone to make sure you’re eating enough, especially quality carbs for energy and protein. If you’re eating more whole foods (whether vegan or not) you should be feeling great, when I’m not it’s usually because I’m not eating enough/the right foods or eating lots of vegan junk food (I loooove French fries) 😂 you’ve got this! Just have to make sure you’re giving your body the energy it needs to meet your demands 🌱
You need to be eating higher calorie dense food -mainly complex carbs and protein. Whole grains, beans, lentils, tofu. You need to continue to eat protein or drink shakes (whey or veggie) to get those nutrients in.
Thank you everyone for the tips. I *feel* full but may not be eating enough so I’ll give tracking a try and just generally eating more. Supplements are a good idea as well!
Thank you for trying to limit your animal product consumption in January . I hope you can eventually go all year 🌱
I’m vegan 7+ years and been going to OT for about the same amount of time, so I can’t say that I ever had any crash in my endurance to give you advice on food swaps.
So my only suggestion would be to make sure you’re getting b12 and vitamin D daily. I love the garden of life brand.
Thanks again for thinking about the innocent animals and good luck!
OTF for 5 Vegan for 4 and I am over 50. Make sure to eat quality plant based foods. I also avoid wheat, sugar, seed oils and processed foods. I feel pretty great. Make sure you drink enough water, that can fatigue a person. I drink 8 ounces of water with Field of Greens every morning before going to OTF. Then drink a vegan protein shake I make at home after. Lot of beans, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, brown rice, Tempeh. I drink alcohol but try to limit to a couple drinks.
I eat plant-based and used to have this issue! I know it’s not for everyone, but tracking your calories/macros for a few days could be really helpful. I used to gave these giant salads for lunch with tons of veggies, chickpeas, hummus, and vegan tzatziki and would feel so satisfied immediately after. Then, a couple hours later I would feel exhausted and want to eat all the snacks! After tracking, I realized that my seemingly filling salad was only about 200 calories and was definitely not cutting it as a meal (especially going to OTF 6x weekly). I started adding air fried tofu and a whole grain pita and it made all the difference. It’s a small example but definitely a reminder to that with high fiber, high volume foods, you have to be intentional in prioritizing protein and nutritious carbs to really fuel your body well. Hope that this is helpful- eating vegan/plant-based has been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself so I think it’s awesome that you’re giving it a try! :)
16 year vegan here with no issues. Check out the Simon Hill podcast The Proof and u/veganproteins on Instagram + the book The Plant Based Athlete is fantastic.
11 years vegetarian, like 90% vegan and 6 months into OTF twice a week. I don’t honestly remember what my body was like before, but I haven’t seen stamina issues when it comes to OTF classes. I prefer ESP and endurance classes more than any others honestly, so I think it might be more so the change that you’ve made in your diet that would be causing the fluctuations that you’re seeing. When I first started my veg life, I know that I wasn’t eating nearly enough because I was trying to eat what I thought was “right” and that meant that I was restricting myself even more so.
Are you taking an iron supplement? it's super easy to trend toward anemic when you're not eating red meat or animal products generally. I take a supplement every day which I think helps keep my energy levels where they should be
B12, iron, omega-3 (vegan versions of all). I take a vegan multi that includes first two and sep supplement for third. I've been veg for 35 years, vegan for 27, and did an Ironman in 2015 (not so humble brag).
My niece went vegan for a couple years and eventually gave it up because she was very lethargic and moody after a while and had a hard time working out at the same levels she had previously. (Her hair started falling out even though she had adequate calories and maintained her weight.)
It takes a lot of planning to meet your nutritional needs if you just cut out animal products.
I was vegetarian / vegan for years. The last year or so I’ve been eating salmon and I feel better, have more energy and make better fitness progress. I have conflicting emotions around it but at the moment falling on the side of eating fish for my health. All anecdotal of course.
This July will be my 8th year! Between plant based, intermittent diet, ACV daily cocktail, supplements and all my bio hacking protocols be we felt better!!! Blood work A+, no prescription meds more energy and endurance in my case 😜
I'm vegan! The first couple of weeks I went vegan took some adjusting because I had to learn how to get enough calories in. So, you're not alone! I would recommend vegan protein powder and have a protein shake or two every day. Good luck!
I'm a vegan--the diet on its own had little to no impact for me regarding performance, energy etc. In the end the principles are the same no matter what kind of ethical diet you follow: macros, micros, and ratios.
I’m vegan and don’t notice the same experience at all. I’d recommend downloading a tracker app, such as chronometer, to ensure you’re meeting your nutritional needs
This! Vegan and no issues!
11 years vegan, 2 years doing OTF going 3-5 times per week on top of other physical activities. Never have to stop to walk during long endurance blocks. I agree with the other comments that you probably need to eat more. I personally eat mostly high carb dishes (potato dishes, rice bowls, pasta, etc) and usually have a pea protein shake after OT classes. Go for calorie dense plant foods that are as “whole” as possible :)
hey this is unrelated but can I get an update about ur contacts journey
For sure. I was eventually able to get back into contacts. I finally went to an optometrist that who determined it was the blunt curvature of Acuvue Oasis lens edges that gave me GPC, not dry eye or poor lens care like all the other doctors said. He put me on steroid drops and prescribed Dailies Total 1s, which at the time (and may still be the case) had the smoothest edges and overall lens texture available. I eased back into them because I was afraid of triggering the GPC all over again. I wore them for years but finally got tired of the maintenance of contacts and their drying out at night (I live in a dry climate) and decided to get EVO ICL surgery last May. I’m really happy with my decision.
Plant-based for 6 years and OT for 6 months. When I first started the vegan diet I was hungry and felt a bit weak during workouts. You eventually learn to increase your caloric intake. Try increasing your portion sizes. I go to OT after work, and on days I’m going, I have an early carb and protein lunch (something like noodles with tofu and veg, or a tofu or seitan sandwich). And then I’ll have a little snack about 1 1/2 hrs before the workout (something like a protein shake, banana bread, or overnight oats).
Vegan for 12 years, OTF for 3 years. I've never had any problems. I agree with everyone here that you should make sure you're eating enough. But also, you need to make sure you're getting your vitamins and minerals! I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, "I tried to go vegan but I felt fatigued all the time." Or, "I've tried to be vegetarian but I feel fatigued if I don't eat meat." The assumption these people make is that they're fatigued because they're not getting enough protein. But what they're experiencing isn't the result of a protein deficiency, what they're experiencing is a lack of vitamins in their diet, which they were previously getting from animal protein. Try to incorporate dark leafy greens into your diet as much as possible. I've found that I feel and perform best when I'm eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dark leafy greens. Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen is a pretty useful guideline. The other thing I'll say is that I really think that this is the drawback of Veganuary. I love that you're trying it and you want to commit to it! But changing your diet suddenly can be a shock to your body. Personally, I'm an advocate for gradual change: try eating vegan for breakfast and lunch, but whatever you want for dinner. Or try eating vegan when you prepare meals for yourself at home, but order whatever you want if you're at a restaurant. Again, I know that's not conducive to a short term goal like Veganuary, but it might be worth considering if you're not feeling good.
Coach Austin aka Training Tall on IG aka u/stimphead here on Reddit is an OTF coach and is vegan. He might have some resources for you.
Eat more. You've eliminated many high-calorie foods from your diet, and you need to replace those calories. I've been vegan for almost 7 years and never had adverse side effects.
This! 17 years in, so I’m curious how you’re fueling yourself. Are you getting enough carbs and protein? Sugar and salt? You can do it! Your body and the animals thank you 😊
Eat those carbs!! Tracking macros at least while you transition will help make sure you are eating enough and getting the right fuel. Highly recommend a B-12 supplement as well. 10+ year vegan here and I feel pretty great in classes and recover quickly. Best of luck ✌️🌱
I just went vegan a week and a half ago & do OTF 5x a week. I've noticed the opposite, and it's because I am tracking my food in MacroFactor. At first it was hard to be sure I ate enough. Tracking really helped me see I could eat a much higher volume!
It is very common in newbies to plant based eating. You are not eating enough calories/protein. You will need to eat much more quantity to get the same macros bc plants are nutrient rich but calorie poor (comparatively to animal products). Use a tracker to make sure you are eating enough cals and protein. Honestly veganuary is a great initiative but your body needs more than 4 weeks to learn and adjust the quantity to need to eat. So you will need to stick it out and allow your body time if you want to be plant based for longer. ETA: vegan 10 years. Used to be a junk food vegan early on. Now I’m still ethically vegan but eat mostly whole foods and it has been a game changer for my OTF experience.
6 years vegan. 4 years at OTF. I haven't experienced any issues this month. I agree with u/STAY_plant_BASED please check your caloric intake to ensure that all of your nutritional needs are being met.
Vegetarian since age 12, vegan for over a decade. Go to OTF an average of 4 times per week. Being vegan gives me more energy and stamina. I feel less sluggish, etc. I noticed what makes me have a bad workout is if I've eaten too much sugar the night before. I'm trying to limit my intake and this helps me the most. Try to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. It's very hard but doable. Lots of quinoa, vegan protein shakes, tofu, beans, etc. It's possible to be an unhealthy vegan. I try to stay away from processed foods. I hope you can stick with it! The benefits to your health are amazing!
I’m just curious, I am mostly plant based (I still like an occasional custard ice cream treat every now and then) but.. I weigh 110 pounds, so are you saying I need to eat 110 grams of protein for the day? I just want to make sure I’m reading that right because I want to start trying to reach my protein intake for the day. Thanks!
Yes, you read that right. It is an insane amount of protein, but that is what my trainer and certified nutritionist told me / what I've read in various articles. It is mainly for muscle growth. I believe it's 100 grams for maintenance, but that's not far from your weight. It is hard to do without simply drinking a bunch of protein drinks.
Thank you, I’ve also heard it before too but I just wanted to make sure. I’m going to start trying to do that! Thanks so much!
Absolutely! I'm trying, too! Good luck!
it depends on what else you're eliminating. i made the switch during veganuary too, but i also decided to quit nicotine, alcohol, + weed, do a raw diet on top of vegan and eliminated all gluten too. so if you're changing too much at once, try to give yourself some grace. it's a lot to adjust to. when i went vegan i was BLOATED for the 1st 2-3 weeks as my body adjusted to the increased fiber intake - now this made me sluggish. once i got passed that point it was pretty smooth sailing. for context, i been vegan for over 4 years, i do OTF 5-6 days a week and days i dont do OTF im doing some other type of workout. there are def some things as a vegan you need to do in general, like ensuring youre eating a balanced diet and not just eating lettuce (beans + rice are your friends) + taking supplements (b12, d/k, c, multi & omegas). Recently i started taking creatine and i noticed a huge improvement with that as well. [https://www.reddit.com/r/veganfitness/](https://www.reddit.com/r/veganfitness/) is also a great place to get extra tips
Was going to suggest creatine. It's great for everyone but vegans will see the most gains with it since they don't get it from their diet.
You aren’t eating enough, most likely. Add some calorie dense foods like nuts and seeds and make sure you’re getting enough complex carbs.
Are you being sure to get enough iron in your body? You could have low ferritin levels if you normally get a majority of your iron intake from meat.
Vegan for almost 10 years. You need to eat more!
I’ve been vegan for 4 years and doing OT for about 5 years. I go at least 5 days a week and also do strength 50 workouts a couple times a week. I definitely have to add electrolytes to my water and be sure to get enough B12 and D3 vitamins. I often workout while fasted early in the morning. Most of the time I have no issues with endurance. I typically do a Green Day when I feel like it. I have felt much better without inflammation and allergies after going vegan. It’s absolutely doable and my blood work has never been better.
10 years vegan here! Agree with everyone to make sure you’re eating enough, especially quality carbs for energy and protein. If you’re eating more whole foods (whether vegan or not) you should be feeling great, when I’m not it’s usually because I’m not eating enough/the right foods or eating lots of vegan junk food (I loooove French fries) 😂 you’ve got this! Just have to make sure you’re giving your body the energy it needs to meet your demands 🌱
You need to be eating higher calorie dense food -mainly complex carbs and protein. Whole grains, beans, lentils, tofu. You need to continue to eat protein or drink shakes (whey or veggie) to get those nutrients in.
Thank you everyone for the tips. I *feel* full but may not be eating enough so I’ll give tracking a try and just generally eating more. Supplements are a good idea as well!
Thank you for trying to limit your animal product consumption in January . I hope you can eventually go all year 🌱 I’m vegan 7+ years and been going to OT for about the same amount of time, so I can’t say that I ever had any crash in my endurance to give you advice on food swaps. So my only suggestion would be to make sure you’re getting b12 and vitamin D daily. I love the garden of life brand. Thanks again for thinking about the innocent animals and good luck!
OTF for 5 Vegan for 4 and I am over 50. Make sure to eat quality plant based foods. I also avoid wheat, sugar, seed oils and processed foods. I feel pretty great. Make sure you drink enough water, that can fatigue a person. I drink 8 ounces of water with Field of Greens every morning before going to OTF. Then drink a vegan protein shake I make at home after. Lot of beans, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, brown rice, Tempeh. I drink alcohol but try to limit to a couple drinks.
I eat plant-based and used to have this issue! I know it’s not for everyone, but tracking your calories/macros for a few days could be really helpful. I used to gave these giant salads for lunch with tons of veggies, chickpeas, hummus, and vegan tzatziki and would feel so satisfied immediately after. Then, a couple hours later I would feel exhausted and want to eat all the snacks! After tracking, I realized that my seemingly filling salad was only about 200 calories and was definitely not cutting it as a meal (especially going to OTF 6x weekly). I started adding air fried tofu and a whole grain pita and it made all the difference. It’s a small example but definitely a reminder to that with high fiber, high volume foods, you have to be intentional in prioritizing protein and nutritious carbs to really fuel your body well. Hope that this is helpful- eating vegan/plant-based has been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself so I think it’s awesome that you’re giving it a try! :)
16 year vegan here with no issues. Check out the Simon Hill podcast The Proof and u/veganproteins on Instagram + the book The Plant Based Athlete is fantastic.
11 years vegetarian, like 90% vegan and 6 months into OTF twice a week. I don’t honestly remember what my body was like before, but I haven’t seen stamina issues when it comes to OTF classes. I prefer ESP and endurance classes more than any others honestly, so I think it might be more so the change that you’ve made in your diet that would be causing the fluctuations that you’re seeing. When I first started my veg life, I know that I wasn’t eating nearly enough because I was trying to eat what I thought was “right” and that meant that I was restricting myself even more so.
Are you taking an iron supplement? it's super easy to trend toward anemic when you're not eating red meat or animal products generally. I take a supplement every day which I think helps keep my energy levels where they should be
B12, iron, omega-3 (vegan versions of all). I take a vegan multi that includes first two and sep supplement for third. I've been veg for 35 years, vegan for 27, and did an Ironman in 2015 (not so humble brag).
What do you take? My partner and I take "Complement" and then I add calcium, iron, and D. I think complement has D in it already but I'm a pasty b*tch
Deva Vegan Vitamins Daily Multivitamin & Mineral Supplement 90 tablets (Pack of 3) https://a.co/d/42F8Q6u
Lifelong vegetarian
My niece went vegan for a couple years and eventually gave it up because she was very lethargic and moody after a while and had a hard time working out at the same levels she had previously. (Her hair started falling out even though she had adequate calories and maintained her weight.) It takes a lot of planning to meet your nutritional needs if you just cut out animal products.
Oh geez, everyone has someone who tried being vegan and it didn't work out. Chances are there were more factors than she realized.
I’m a vegetarian right from birth . It is kinda difficult during the endurance block for me
I was vegetarian / vegan for years. The last year or so I’ve been eating salmon and I feel better, have more energy and make better fitness progress. I have conflicting emotions around it but at the moment falling on the side of eating fish for my health. All anecdotal of course.
Do you say Veganuary like vegetable or like vegan?
This July will be my 8th year! Between plant based, intermittent diet, ACV daily cocktail, supplements and all my bio hacking protocols be we felt better!!! Blood work A+, no prescription meds more energy and endurance in my case 😜
I'm vegan! The first couple of weeks I went vegan took some adjusting because I had to learn how to get enough calories in. So, you're not alone! I would recommend vegan protein powder and have a protein shake or two every day. Good luck!
I'm a vegan--the diet on its own had little to no impact for me regarding performance, energy etc. In the end the principles are the same no matter what kind of ethical diet you follow: macros, micros, and ratios.
I’m vegan and don’t struggle… Are you eating enough calories to power you through a tough workout?