Sunday ho ya Monday........Roz khao andey!!!!
This really infuriates me!!! Brings back so many memories and unpleasant ones too, when I was made to believe that my "pulchaar" diet was my Achilles Heel....well, excuse me, for being so inflexible to refuse to compromise some practices and beliefs instilled in me. I am not sure if I am speaking for the rest of the vegetarian sportspersons, but this notion of dietary habits helping people gain strength is really not validated.
What annoys me, is that there is hardly any basis for people to change their dietary styles in order to be faster, stronger and reach higher echelons in their events. I personally believe this is the incompetency of the coaches and nutriotionists who find the easier way out for themselves by forcing their proteges to incorporate non vegetarian diets. it is a real dilemma for these kids when they are advised such things....I remeber the time when I was advise to eat bone soup (ugh!!!) to help me gain more strength to throw the iron ball a few meters farther. I can never forget the confusion and torment that was reflected off my mother's face when she heard my coach say this. Of course, at the end of the day I only began having more calcium and protein in my diet, (which, fyi, the coach admitted) that provided the asme results. So, why the bias towards the non-vegetarian diet? Ok, it has its benefits.....athletes when they travel find it easier to maintain their regime and dietary regulations, they can easily switch between coaches and experts without having to worry about lifestyle changes, they can also find better company on and off the field....all important, I agree, however, there are certain things that simply cannot be compromised.
After my arrival in the US, there has not been a day that has passed by when I have wondered how I have been taught to conveniently overloook the non vegetarian meal options that I am offered and go straight for the simpler and more 'boring' servings. I also tend to miss out on tasty outings simply bevcause of the choice of mine ...but I am not unhappy because of this. I am in fact glad that I have still retained certain practices despite various difficulaties. I managed to do fairly well in sports despite my "chatni puDi" and "anna saaru" diets, I was topping my class with just spinach and milk.....no cod liver or fish or chicken for me, thank you very much....
Let me draw your attention to the famousvegetarian sportspersons, a relatively small percentage, I agree, but successful never the less. Serena Williams, Carl Lewins, Bill JEan King, MArtina Navratilova and of course, our very own Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath. Their speed, strength and agility are undeniable talked about all over the world, yet there are "experts" in this area who talk about changing diets and practices. What made fellow athletes I knew to stick by their vegetarianism was not obstinacy...well, now that I have ranted and raved, will head back to work!
What annoys me, is that there is hardly any basis for people to change their dietary styles in order to be faster, stronger and reach higher echelons in their events. I personally believe this is the incompetency of the coaches and nutriotionists who find the easier way out for themselves by forcing their proteges to incorporate non vegetarian diets. it is a real dilemma for these kids when they are advised such things....I remeber the time when I was advise to eat bone soup (ugh!!!) to help me gain more strength to throw the iron ball a few meters farther. I can never forget the confusion and torment that was reflected off my mother's face when she heard my coach say this. Of course, at the end of the day I only began having more calcium and protein in my diet, (which, fyi, the coach admitted) that provided the asme results. So, why the bias towards the non-vegetarian diet? Ok, it has its benefits.....athletes when they travel find it easier to maintain their regime and dietary regulations, they can easily switch between coaches and experts without having to worry about lifestyle changes, they can also find better company on and off the field....all important, I agree, however, there are certain things that simply cannot be compromised.
After my arrival in the US, there has not been a day that has passed by when I have wondered how I have been taught to conveniently overloook the non vegetarian meal options that I am offered and go straight for the simpler and more 'boring' servings. I also tend to miss out on tasty outings simply bevcause of the choice of mine ...but I am not unhappy because of this. I am in fact glad that I have still retained certain practices despite various difficulaties. I managed to do fairly well in sports despite my "chatni puDi" and "anna saaru" diets, I was topping my class with just spinach and milk.....no cod liver or fish or chicken for me, thank you very much....
Let me draw your attention to the famousvegetarian sportspersons, a relatively small percentage, I agree, but successful never the less. Serena Williams, Carl Lewins, Bill JEan King, MArtina Navratilova and of course, our very own Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath. Their speed, strength and agility are undeniable talked about all over the world, yet there are "experts" in this area who talk about changing diets and practices. What made fellow athletes I knew to stick by their vegetarianism was not obstinacy...well, now that I have ranted and raved, will head back to work!
posted by MMmmm at 2:56 PM
1 Comments:
Jeez, this was the same dilemma me and mom went through.. And how can I not forget bone soup.. Well, unlike you, I caved in for a day, and gave up for the sheer disgust with which I had it.. And then it was back to our very on veggie supplements..
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