The Plant-Based Athlete: A Game-Changing Approach to Peak Performance Hardcover – June 15, 2021

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.

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!

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 have no plans on going plant based. I bought this book because I’m trying to incorporate more plant based foods into my diet. This book did such a good job on giving examples of foods to eat with very simple daily meal plans that you can tweak to fit your lifestyle.

I have followed Robert and Matt for a few years now. I met Robert on the Holistic Holiday at Sea cruise where I attended his workout classes and Matt through his No Meat Athlete podcast, so I had high expectations, and these guys delivered!! They present the science underlying a plant-based diet in an understandable context and provide ample evidence from top plant-based athletes in a variety of sports.I follow a plant based diet and exercise daily. I have experienced benefits from this lifestyle but I have to admit I have never pushed myself to any higher level. Reading this book and learning about the athletes and their lifestyles was really motivating. I have since incorporated the pre-and post-training meals and follow strategies I have learned about in this book. I have seen a transformation in just weeks, as I had plateaued for some time.In addition I have several tri-athlete friends and they have enjoyed reading the book as well. They were skeptical about eating a plant based diet while being an athlete but the science provided in this book helped back up what I have been telling them.Thanks guys for writing a book that needed to be written.