“Let your personality type define what you get involved in; it’ll help you find an activity that you can be really passionate about.”
- Brendan Brazier, former Ironman Triathlon Champion and premier vegan athlete
Ironman triathlon champion, overall elite athlete … and vegan? Anyone who still thinks a vegan lifestyle can’t support intense athletic training hasn’t met Brendan Brazier. A professional athlete who consistently places at the top in international Ironman triathlon events, Brazier is a formidable example of the potential for a plant-based diet to yield impressive athletic results.
In his bestselling book, “Thrive: A guide to optimal health & performance through plant-based whole foods”, Brazier goes beyond merely guiding readers through the world of vegan nutrition, and instead offers an entirely new way of seeing food: as the fuel necessary not only for sports, but for overall wellness.
Brazier argues that stress – whether physical or emotional – has a powerful connection to eating, exercise, and attitude. According to him, stress can be beneficial; the right balance of exercise can strengthen the body, clear the mind, and promote natural healing. However, Brazier rightfully points out that the North American lifestyle is a magnet for negative stress: from our unhealthy eating to our sedentary exercise habits, Brazier offers studies that support what so many already know – Americans are overworked and unhealthy, and our bodies and minds are suffering as a result.
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Thanks to everyone who entered the first of three “Real Food. Fast” Sweepstakes , presented by VEGA.
Wasn’t selected? … Don’t worry! … There are still two more chances to win so make sure you re-enter this week and next!
This week we’ll be giving away a prize pack (retail value = $170.90) that includes:
TO ENTER: All you have to do is comment on this post with an explanation of what you look for in a meal replacement (protein/carbohydrate shake, etc.) and why. If you already entered last week’s contest, you MUST RE-ENTER for a chance to win!
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March is beginning to fly by; hopefully signaling the end of bitter cold temperatures and snow storms.
It also means that our mileage is on the rise, spring marathons are drawing near and proper nutrition is more important than ever. However, with time at a premium it can be a real challenge to properly fuel our bodies.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with VEGA to keep you going strong with “Real Food. Fast” . During this three week sweepstakes you’ll have a chance each week to win high quality nutritional products and other items from Vega.
This week we’ll be giving away: a box of VEGA’s berry flavored Whole Food Energy Bars, the VEGA deluxe water bottle and a copy of IRONMAN triathlete (and VEGA formulator) Brendan Brazier’s book: “Thrive: A guide to optimal health & performance through plant-based whole foods” .
TO ENTER: All you have to do is comment on this post with an explanation of what you look for in an energy bar and why. Please remember to also enter your name and email address in the appropriate boxes.
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The Final Sprint, through an exhaustive process of product reviews and a comparison of empirical data, has determined the best nutritional products to help fuel and replenish your bodies.
These TFS Top Picks of 2006 are the best of their kind and will help you to finish strong in your next race.
Stay tuned because later today TFS will publish our list of the year’s best gear and accessories!
Endurance Beverages (use during activity)
Recovery Beverage (use after activity)
Energy Bars
Energy Gels
Meal Replacement Shakes
Below you’ll find TFS’s review of VEGA’s Whole Food Energy Bar. Vega is made by Sequel Naturals and was founded by Ironman Triathlon Champion and vegan athelte, Brendan Brazier.
Product: VEGA’s Whole Food Energy Bars (Berry)
Price: $2.95 (each)
Rating: Very Good 7.7/10.0
Pros: Clean and green; high in fiber & essential fatty acids; no refined sugars or oils; gluten free; easy to digest
Cons: Acquired taste, grainy consistency, too expensive
Overall: These bars took some warming up to and can be costly, but overall they are a very good choice for athletes, dieters, vegetarians, vegans and/or anyone looking for a healthy, all-natural supplement bar.
The berry flavored Whole Food Energy Bar by Vega is the most popular variety. The bar also comes in chocolate and natural flavors. These bars are not just the run-of-the-mill supplement bar; setting themselves apart by using 100% plant-based ingredients.
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Brendan Brazier is a professional Ironman triathlete, the 2003 and 2006 Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion, a bestselling author on performance nutrition and the creator of an award-winning meal replacement and energy bar formula called Vega.
I had the luck of meeting Brendan at the ING New York City Marathon Health & Wellness expo this past November. I later had the opportunity to speak with him about his life, career, Vega and about being the world’s premier vegan athlete.
1. When did you decide to be a vegan and why?
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When I hit my pre-teen years, I wanted to rebel, as most teens do, but by then I was already an active runner and soccer player, so I wasn’t looking to do anything that would be detrimental to my health. I decided to become a vegetarian. I figured it would be a pain for my mother to cook for me and it would at the same time be healthier for my body.
At first, I felt great. I had more energy and I just felt healthier all around. According to Enette Larson-Meyers, Ph.D.,R.D. and author of Vegetarian Sports Nutrition, that initial increase in energy is normal for many new vegetarians due to the fact they have decreased their fat intake and that digesting a plant-based diet is easier for their digestive systems to handle. But soon after my initial increase of energy, I started to feel the opposite effects. I was sluggish and noticed I didn’t have the same speed on the soccer fields any more. This side effect is, sometimes common for vegetarians, specifically vegetarians who are endurance athletes, can easily be avoided. Read the rest of this entry »
In a world of fast food, poor eating habits and vitamin deficiencies; VEGA, a new line of nutritional product from Sequel Naturals, aims to provide a well-balanced line of vitamins, bars and shakes to increase health and overall well-being. They call it, “Real Food. Fast.” Created by Ironman Triathlete Brendan Brazier, Vega products are a result of Braziers own personal difficulties with nutrition and his successes with these home-grown recipes.
After being told he couldn’t maintain a plant-based lifestyle and still be a premier althlete, Brendan began a long and difficult trial and error approach to nutrition; often feeling hungry, constantly needing to eat, reduced energy level’s and a decrease in athletic performance. Finally, after creating his own plant-based, vegan diet; Brazier has become a professional Ironman triathlete, author, public speaker and the founder of Vega. Read the rest of this entry »
Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle while simultaneously managing all of the stresses in your life can seem like a daunting task. This is the main reason why many people don’t even try, or quickly give up on, eating frequently throughout the day. They believe they just don’t have enough time to prepare, or even think about, five or six moderate meals. However, as an increasing number of studies point out, this type of nutritional lifestyle can significantly benefit your health, your waistline and even your mood.
Everyone is short on time, but as I mentioned in my Healthy Eating Guide (Parts One and Two), there is a solution: SUPPLEMENTS. Supplements provide you with an already made, no cooking required mechanism for eating small, nutritious meals throughout the day. The most popular and effective means of supplementation for people on the go are nutritional bars.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that “Not all bars are created equal” . There are a plethora of nutritional bars; each claiming to help with a variety of nutritional goals: adding muscle, losing weight, staying fit, gaining energy, etc. It can be quite arduous trying to figure out what’s best for you and/or what nutritional ratios fit your personal needs. That’s why I’ve put together this brief guide about what to look for and some of the best bars for your particular goals: Read the rest of this entry »
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