cactusnick intro

[cactusnick]

Hello all,

New to this forum so please forgive if this isn't the appropriate place for an intro?

I have been climbing for around 4 years, and made the switch to vegan about 6 weeks ago. Live in the UK - London - which is notoriously flat, so I mostly climb indoors during the week and then try to get outside every weekend/holiday when the weather is good. Loving that european limestone at the moment.

The actual switch to veganism has been surprisingly easy, I've surprised myself by going cold turkey. I've had a few vegan friends for a bit so am used to making vegan food, plus I love new food and experimenting in the kitchen, so I'm loving the vegan food experience. The hardest bit has been milk in coffee and cheese, but I have got the hang of soy lattes now and have just worked out how to make vegan cheese-type sauce, so I reckon I can deal.

I'm fairly obsessed with my climbing, not aiming to break any records or anything, just be the best I can. I don't know when it happened but I was starting to feel like eating animals and animal products was ethically and environmentally unjustifiable, so I guess I am going to be looking at an additional challenge of trying to train and climb hard (well, for me) as a vegan. I've been going through some sports nutrition stuff and it's all a bit daunting so great to see there are like minded folk out there.

I mostly sport climb, some trad and some bouldering, but sport is my focus. I have just climbed F7b+ (say 5.12c?) as a omnivore so my challenge to myself is to get to 7c (12d) as a vegan.

How do you all feel your body deals with training as a vegan? Anyone else gone vegan and noticed a change in level? (positive, negative, or even staying the same?)

[JP]

I split your post to the new member introductions from the vegan climbing thread

Welcome to VF!

Cant answer your question about ho veganism has affected my training because i only started lifting after being vegan for years.

[Carin]

Hai Cactusnick,

Welcome. Beautiful sport, climbing. Once a while I go climbing with a friend of me. She is also very enthousiastic about it. I love to see it. But find it hard to do. Special with those small dots, then it comes on techniek, trust your legs etc.

As answer on your question how my body deels with training as a vegan I can say when I went vegan I lost a little weight and felt more confortable with sporting. So yes a good side effect

[Gelert]

Welcome!

Always good to see a vegan striving to new heights

[xrodolfox]

welcome!

[chriss]

Hello mate, I'm also a South East climber in Essex, but I climb at the odd London wall & a lot on the Sand Stone.
I have climbed seriously for the last few years & have been vegan for about 3 now. Since going vegan, combined with running I was able to drop a fair bit of weight which has helped ton's. I mainly boulder so was worried about loosing power, but a bit of reading up on food & I haven't suffered at all & don't suffer with recovery or tiredness whilst out at the crag or when training. I spent 2 months in Europe this year & again could still climb fine without needing rest days to refuel.
Hope this helps I would meet up for a crush, but I'm away travelling for a year.