The Plant-Based Athlete: A Game-Changing Approach to Peak Performance Paperback – June 6, 2023

The Plant-Based Athlete is a top-notch guide for anyone looking to boost athletic performance through proper nutrition. It offers science-backed advice on key nutrients and supplements, with practical tips for fueling your body for energy, recovery, and strength. The book covers everything from protein to vitamins, and includes clear guidance on meal timing and supplement use to optimize performance. Whether you're a serious athlete or just looking to improve your health, this book provides all the tools you need to succeed.

I should preface this by saying that this is Bianca Phillips (not Paul Dillard) as the profile indicates. I share an Amazon account with my partner! I'm a long-time vegan (17 years) who runs marathons and 50Ks, practices yoga daily, and spends a couple days a week strength training in the gym. I've learned a lot about vegan workout nutrition from No Meat Athlete (whose founder Matt Frazier is co-author of this book), but this book goes so much deeper.The authors, the aforementioned Matt and vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke, take a deep dive into macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) and supplementation, and then they provide meal plans for various athletic goals, such as fat-burning or muscle-building. I love that they not only tell you how to eat, but they offer guidance on what to eat for optional workout fueling. The section on recovery is fantastic with suggestions on the best plant-based foods to reduce inflammation, and they break down carb-to-protein ratios for snacks/meals eaten before, during, and after your workouts.Matt and Robert interviewed more than 60 professional plant-based athletes to find what plant-based foods work best to ensure their peak performance. It was refreshing to see how many of those athletes were women! So often, the female perspective gets left out of these types of projects (my biggest complaint with the movie The Game Changers was the heavy focus on male athletes and the male experience).There's even a "day in the life" section where some of those athletes detail everything they eat in a typical day (including their pre- and post-workout meals). It's so cool to see how much those individual meal plans vary from athlete to athlete! It really does prove that every body is different!My very favorite section of the book is at the end — the recipes! There are more than 60 plant-based recipes, contributed by the athletes featured in the book. I was so excited to see recipes from ultrarunner Brendan Braizer, Olympic skier Julia Murray, triathlete Rip Esselstyn, cyclist Dotsie Bausch, bikini competitor Natalie Matthews, and so many more. I can't wait to try Natalie's Sloppy Vegan Chili and Rip's Sweet Potato Vegetable Lasagna!

Although I've been whole-foods, plant-based (WFPB)/vegan for over eight years and work out 5-6 days a week, I originally wasn't going to buy this book since I don't consider myself to be an athlete. After listening to an interview with Matt Frazier and Robert Cheeke on the Rich Roll Podcast, however, I decided to order it -- and am so glad I did!As I said, I don't consider myself to be an athlete, but I do read a lot about nutrition and fitness, since both are major hobbies of mine. While I already know some of the information in this book, it was really inspirational to read the stories/profiles of the 100 plant-based athletes that they interviewed for the book.My favorite chapters were the last two -- where we see a typical "day in the life" of what some athletes eat and where we get various recipes from the athletes. I've made a few of the recipes, and they have all been really good. Most of the recipes are very simple and easy to make, and they show how easy it is to eat plant-based.Since the athletes interviewed for the book range from ultrarunners to powerlifters to Olympic iceskaters, you get a nice feel for the range of eating plans that each athlete follows, depending on their goals (i.e., to put on muscle, to have the endurance to bike or run long distances, etc.).If you're new to WFPB eating and/or just want to incorporate more plants into your diet, you'll learn a lot from this book. If you already know the basics, this is a nice refresher course, and, as mentioned, very inspirational.

This book has some interesting research references and it made me more comfortable going more plant-based. There were a lot of testimonials and stories of individuals which I could do without, but there were a lot of good nutritional facts. The back has a variety of recipes which I am trying and so far so good!

I am a 65 year old male from England. I grew up on a diet of fried food and beer. Since the passing of my wife and having a health scare myself I have been running and trying to stay healthy for a few years now. I gave up red meat, but still ate chicken and turkey for protein. I found it difficult to make that last step to a purely plant based diet-until now. Until I read this book. It proved to be the straw I needed to break my back wards looking food mentality. I devoured the book. It spoke to me the truth as to why I should go 100% plant based with its No-nonsense research and Matter of act information. I now have options to get my protein and live a more sustainable and ethical lifestyle. Is it too late for a 65 year old to turn his life around in terms of health? I know it isn't. Already, I am feeling like I have more energy. My race times are improving and my latest lab results show improvement in terms of cholesterol and heart functions. Read this book. It will change your perspective on having a plant based diet, and in turn, change your life around in terms of your overall health. Do it for you, your family and the planet. They are all connected. Remember the saying your body is your temple. Thanks Matt and Robert for this "game-changing" book!