Plant-based pros

Once the misunderstood and often mocked approach of so-called eco warriors, veganism is now mainstream.

While there are various reasons to remove, or at least cut down on, meat and other animal products, an increasing number of athletes are doing so for performance purposes alone. However, individual needs vary from sport to sport.

A cyclist, for example, needs an average of 6071 calories per day on a ride, while a soccer player burns around a third of that during a 90-minute match. Regardless of which diet you follow, getting the requisite energy and nutrients can be a tricky business, so cutting off numerous foods limits options, meaning careful planning and research is key.

Foregoing meat and dairy foods can be a tough decision for anyone, but for an athlete with crucial performances on the line, it’s a potentially career-changing move. Professional cyclist Adam Hansen, who