Lightweight Eats

Looking back on my diet in college, a significant portion of my calories came from unsavory foods: ice cream, cookies, cake and chocolate. I also consumed a lot of fatty meats. I imagine that my diet was incredibly high in saturated fat and sugar, and low in complex carbohydrates and nutrients--the things that fuel an endurance athlete's training.

Transitioning to any new diet, it takes time to adjust your calorie load accordingly. But I love to eat, so getting enough calories has never been a problem.

Eating a plant-based diet, I have had no problems meeting and exceed my nutrient requirements. From vitamins to protein, my basic needs have all been met.

Beyond that, though, the quality of my food intake has increased dramatically. My diet now focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. I eat nuts, seeds and avocados to get sufficient amounts of fat. Every day, I eat every color of the rainbow. I rarely eat packaged foods.

Of course, I could have done this without giving up meat or animal products. That is as much an ethical issue as a dietary issue. What I have found, however, is that bypassing animal products has given me the means to forego unhealthy foods.

Many of my friends and family love to feed people. And they often think that my status as an athlete gives me free license to eat whatever I want. In fact, it's the exact opposite; but I often feel pressured to eat foods that don't fit my needs. Explicit dietary restrictions have given me the freedom to eat only those things I should be eating.

On top of that, giving up meat, dairy and eggs has broadened my eating. For every thing I have taken out of my diet, I have added in so many more--from TVP and Field Roast sausages to celery root and mmmm sauce.

So in 2013, I resolve to eat a diet that allows me to thrive.

Right now, that's a primarily organic, plant-based diet centered on vegetables and whole grains. Who knows what it will be in a year?