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"Vegetarian Diet"

     Very few fitness enthusiast are vegans, or individuals who consume only foods from vegetable sources-nuts, seeds, grains, fruit and vegetables.  Most are either lacto-vegetarians (who consume vegan foods and dairy products), or lacto-ovo-vegetarians (who consume the same foods as lacto-vegetarians, plus eggs).

     The health benefits of following a vegetarian lifestyle are well known.  Vegetarians consume very low levels of saturated animal fats, so they have a low incidence of cardiac disease.  A vegetarian diet is also conducive to optimal digestion, since animal flesh-particularly red meat-results in poor digestion.  Because of the low fat content of vegetarian diets, it is usually much easier to control excess body fat.  There is also considerable evidence that following a vegetarian life-style contributes to longevity.

     Several well known bodybuilders were vegetarians.  The best known vegetarian bodybuilders are Bill Pearl (Mr. America, Mr. USA, and four times Mr. Universe) and Andreas Cahling (IFBB Mr. International).  But film Hercules Steve Reeves (Mr. America, Mr. World and Mr. Universe) was also a vegetarian at least part of the time during his competitive career.

     Steve Reeves was almost exclusively a lacto-vegetarian, and he  ate    only minor amounts of meat.  He would be seen eating salads, avocados, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, plus some occasional milk products. 

     Andreas Cahling disclosed his diet: "One of the staples of my diet is grilled cheese sandwiches.  I take one slice of heavy, whole grain bread and slap on a thick slab of raw goat cheese.  Then I lightly toast this in the oven to melt the cheese into the bread.  I might eat four or five of these open-faced sandwiches per day."
     "Salads-especially those with a lot of sprouts and mushrooms, and tomatoes-are also the staple in my diet.  I always eat these salads raw and without dressing.  A medium-sized fresh salad is a gastronomical delight, and you won't even miss the dressing.
     "I also eat a few nuts, some fruit, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, and perhaps some sunflower and pumpkin seeds during the day.  Juices are very cleansing, especially green juices like celery, parsley and spinach.

     Bill Pearl explains his diet:  "I don't presume to tell lacto-vegetarians what to eat.  I can only tell you how I eat, and you can take it from there.  When I get up at 3:45 in the morning-which suits my life style-I might have a cup of mint tea as a perker-upper.  Once back at home from the gym, I might have a cheese omlette or five or six eggs prepared in some other way.  I might also have a little cottage cheese, some heavy type of bran bread with butter, and another cup of tea.
     "For a lunch I'll have a large fresh salad, putting the widest possible variety of salad ingredients into it.  The only dressing might be a small amount of oil and vinegar.
     "At night my wife will cook up some type of a soufflé, or perhaps a casserole. I'll have another fresh salad and for dessert maybe some yogurt or fruit.

     A vegetarian diet can raise difficulties when traveling or eating out.  Cahling explains how he overcomes this problem:  "I can always find a good salad bar at my hotel and even order a vegetarian meal on the plane if I call ahead.  Still, I carry food with me on trips for snacks and to tide me over in emergencies when I can't find the right restaurant at which to eat.  For a day, cheese will keep without spoiling, so I pack a little of my favorite goat's milk cheese.  Favorite nonperishable foods that I carry are various seeds and nuts, plus a few slices of flourless bread.  This technique works really well for me."

     You need not become a total vegetarian to reap many of the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.  Simple avoiding flesh foods at some meals-perhaps even entirely avoiding meat on certain days-will give you many of the benefits of a full vegetarian diet, but in reduced magnitude.