When did your wellness journey start and how did it evolve?
My wellness journey started about 15 years ago. I was in my mid-20s and eating the Standard American Diet (SAD). I was putting on weight and my cholesterol was about 250 and my doctor put me on a statin drug. In 2012, I went through a divorce and it was a wake-up call, inside and out. After reading Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Work Week and The 4-Hour Body, I got on a regimen, paying close attention to portion sizes and eliminating processed foods from my diet. I lost weight on this Paleo type diet and even though I was “eating healthy” my cholesterol and Hemoglobin A1C (measure used to diagnose type 2 diabetes) were still too high.
I met my wife, Wendi and we both got into cycling. We cycled because we love it and seeing people in their 70s and 80s staying active made us realize that this was a lifetime way to stay healthy. Then I started getting into the ultra-distance cycling.
My plant-based journey happened by accident. It was June 2017 and I was returning from a vacation in Scotland. I had a 7-week training block and had been in contact with friends who were following a plant-based vegan diet. I decided to give it a try by cutting out meat, then dairy and eggs. I went plant-based for wellness and for performance. Also, I want to be there for my kids and grandkids. Some people defer taking control of their health until something happens, but I feel it is better to prevent.
What specifically did you do to get started and what did you quickly learn?
My friends Pete Foret and John Karrasch were advocating a plant-based diet and I realized that you can be a strong athlete without eating meat, dairy and eggs. After experimenting with other diets, I internalized the plant-based diet as an experiment that I could try for 6-weeks as I trained for this race.
I started my plant-based journey while I was in Las Vegas for work. The moment I made the decision, I went down to the juice bar at the hotel and got a green smoothie and then had oatmeal for breakfast. I had to retrain my thinking to break the stereotype of breakfast only being bacon and eggs.
I also learned that moving from a diet of calorically-dense foods to plant-based diet meant I had to make sure I ate enough food, since portion sizing was not something I had to be so concerned about. In fact, I lost 7 pounds in the first two weeks. It was a liberating feeling that I could eat as much as I wanted, and not to have to think about weight.
When I returned from Vegas, I was nervous about Wendi’s reaction to me trying a plant-based diet, but knew I needed to be completely open about it. She was supportive, and we’ve been successful at managing meals in a mixed diet household.
How do you manage meal time?
I do the cooking in the family and we make both plant-based and non-plant-based meals. For example, we make pasta with plant-based meatless meatballs and animal-based meatballs. My burgers are plant-based and theirs are made with beef. Tacos are an easy family meal because you separate out different fillings. Even if the family isn’t plant-based, a nice side effect is that they are eating a lot more vegetables than they would be otherwise.
What was the result after your 6-week “experiment”?
My cholesterol dropped from 250 to 170 and my A1C dropped by an entire point. What has been important to me is setting the example for my kids. I want a longer healthspan, not just lifespan.
What are some barriers or challenges?
Getting anxious about eating plant-based when I’m going out to dinner or in work situations. My strategy is to just make an effort to order vegetable based options. In work situations, I try not to be preachy about it. I just order sides at steakhouses and try to be low-key. I will wait for people to ask and then I’ll tell my story. I have found this to be less hostile and I get better engagement. So far, I’ve had a dozen people ask me about my diet. I try to lead by example versus being aggressive.
What else have you learned?
The plant-based cycling and sporting community is bigger than we sometimes realize. There is also power in going to a dinner party with a delicious vegan entrée for people to try. Substitutions (for example, Beyond Meat burgers) are a big thing – growing leaps and bounds and helps to break perceptions.
There is power in learning the testimonial of a person’s journey. In addition, not hating the food and seeing health and performance improvements are more powerful than any meta-analysis.
What advice would you have for someone sitting on the fence with deciding whether or not to take control of their health?
Depending on the personality, the “all-in” kind of person should try a plant-based diet for a week and see how they feel and decide if its right for them. On the other hand, if you’re a “dabbler,” take smaller steps and start by eliminating processed foods and replace with plant foods.
Have an open mind because there is a stereotype and peer pressure that can get in the way of your health. Have courage and don’t worry about what other people think. Remember you are doing this for you and your family, not anyone else.
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